US 11,909,896 B2Granted

Smartphone binoculars

OwnerJohn G. Posainventor

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Abstract

Hand-held devices combine smartphones and electronic binoculars. In “in-phone” embodiments, binocular functionality is integrated directly into the housing or body of a smartphone modified in accordance with the invention, whereas, in “in-case” embodiments, the binoculars are integrated into a case to receive a smartphone which may be of conventional design. In either case, components within the phone may be used for image manipulation, image storage, and/or sending and receiving/streaming stereoscopic/3D motion imagery. The objective lenses for the binoculars are preferably supported on or in one of the longer side edges of the phone or case, whereas the display magnifying eyepieces are preferably associated with the opposing longer side edge of the phone or case. As such, in use, a user holds the phone or case in a generally horizontal plane during use as binoculars.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A smartphone with integrated electronic binoculars, comprising:

a housing including a touch-screen display, cellular and wireless network communications circuitry, and first and second outer surfaces facing in different directions;
a pair of spaced-apart right and left imagery-gathering devices disposed on the first outer surface of the smartphone;
right and left image sensors disposed in the smartphone to convert the imagery gathered by the right and left image-gathering devices into electrical signals representative of the right and left imagery;
a pair of spaced-apart, physically separated right and left image-displaying devices disposed on the second outer surface of the smartphone;
and
electronic circuitry disposed within the smartphone to receive the electrical signals from the right and left image sensors and simultaneously display the imagery gathered by the right and left image-gathering devices on the right and left image-displaying devices, respectively.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/383,156Filed 22 Jul 2021 · continuation
Priority: 12 Dec 2020
Published: US 2022/0191311 A116 Jun 2022
Granted: 20 Feb 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification26 codes

H04M 1/0266
Details of the structure or mounting of specific components: for a display module assembly
H04M 1/185
Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment: improving the shock resistance of the…
H04M 1/0254
Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets: comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
H04M 1/0256
Comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules: wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the…