# US 2019/0377381 A1 · Blocking Out Microphone on Mobile Computing Devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0377381 A1 - Document ID: US20190377381A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/436,340 - Filed: 2019-06-10 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-08 - Assignees: Cor Sanctum, LLC - Applicants: Cor Sanctum, LLC - Inventors: John L. Tuttle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190377381A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/1628: {Enclosures for carrying portable computers with peripheral devices, e.g. cases for a laptop and a printer} - G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations} - G06F 1/1643: {the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615)} - G06F 1/1647: {including at least an additional display (G06F1/1692 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/1656: {Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203)} - G06F 1/1688: {the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers} - H05K 5/03: Covers - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract The present disclosure generally relates to systems for maintaining a user's privacy in relation to mobile computing devices. In one general aspect a system includes an acoustically insulated housing, a speaker system, a touchscreen, and a control system. The housing has an interior sized to contain a mobile computing device. The speaker system includes a speaker arranged to direct sound into the interior volume. The control system is configured to perform operations that include causing the speaker system to emit voice obscuring noise into the interior volume of the housing, receiving display data indicating content displayed on a touchscreen of the mobile computing device, causing the touchscreen display to present the display data in a manner that substantially mirrors the content as displayed on the touchscreen of the mobile computing device, and providing control signals indicating user inputs received on the touchscreen to control functions of the mobile computing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A user privacy system comprising: an acoustically insulated housing comprising an interior volume sized to contain a mobile computing device therein; an internal speaker system comprising at least one speaker arranged to direct sound into the interior volume; a touchscreen display disposed on an outer surface of the housing; a communication interface; and a control system electrically coupled to the speaker system, the touchscreen display, and the communication interface, wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising: causing the speaker system to emit voice obscuring noise into the interior volume of the housing; receiving, from the mobile computing device, display data indicating content displayed on a touchscreen of the mobile computing device; causing the touchscreen display to present the display data in a manner that substantially mirrors the content as displayed on the touchscreen of the mobile computing device; and providing, to the mobile computing device, control signals indicating user inputs received on the touchscreen display to control functions of the mobile computing devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises at least one processor electrically coupled to the speaker system and to the touchscreen display; and a data store electrically coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the operations. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the voice obscuring noise includes at least one of: white noise, pink noise, or human speech. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the voice obscuring noise includes human speech comprising a voice of the user of the mobile computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an external speaker system comprising at least one speaker arranged to direct sound outside of the housing, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving an audio stream from the mobile computing device, and causing the audio stream to be played on the external speaker system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured as a tablet computing device comprising a sound insulated compartment sized to contain a smartphone sized mobile computing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein housing is installed in an upper surface of a table. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a projector, and wherein the operations further comprise causing the projector to present content received from the mobile computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a lockable access door. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the voice obscuring noise includes a plurality of human voices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is installed in a vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the internal speaker system comprises a first speaker positioned to align with a first microphone of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is placed in the interior volume, and a second speaker positioned to align with a second microphone of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is placed in the interior volume. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein causing the speaker system to emit voice obscuring noise into the interior volume of the housing comprises causing the first speaker to emit a different voice obscuring noise than the second speaker. ### Claim 14 A user privacy system comprising: an acoustically insulated housing installed in an upper surface of a table comprising an interior volume sized to contain a mobile computing device therein; an internal speaker system comprising at least one speaker arranged to direct sound into the interior volume; an external speaker system comprising at least one speaker arranged to direct sound outside of the housing a touchscreen display disposed on an outer surface of the housing; a communication interface; and a control system electrically coupled to the speaker system, the touchscreen display, the external speaker system, and the communication interface, wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising: causing the speaker system to emit voice obscuring noise into the interior volume of the housing; receiving, from the mobile computing device, display data indicating content displayed on a touchscreen of the mobile computing device; causing the touchscreen display to present the display data in a manner that substantially mirrors the content as displayed on the touchscreen of the mobile computing device; providing, to the mobile computing device, control signals indicating user inputs received on the touchscreen display to control functions of the mobile computing devices; and receiving an audio stream from the mobile computing device, and causing the audio stream to be played on the external speaker system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the internal speaker system comprises a first speaker positioned to align with a first microphone of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is placed in the interior volume, and a second speaker positioned to align with a second microphone of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is placed in the interior volume. ### Claim 16 A privacy case for a mobile computing device, the case comprising: a housing configured to at least partially surround the mobile computing device, the housing comprising an opening positioned to align with a microphone of the mobile computing device with mobile computing device installed in the case; a cover configured to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein the cover covers the opening when placed in the first position and does not cover the opening when in the second position, the cover comprising a sound absorbing material positioned to overlap and surround the microphone with the cover in the first position; a speaker system configured to emit voice obscuring sound through a channel in the sound absorbing material and into the microphone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The case of claim 16, further comprising an interface configured to plug into an output jack of the mobile computing device and connect the speaker system to the mobile computing device, wherein the speaker system is controllable by a software application installed on the mobile computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The case of claim 16, further comprising a control system configured to control the speaker system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The case of claim 16, wherein the speaker system comprises a speaker disposed on the cover and oriented to direct sound through the channel in the sound absorbing material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The case of claim 16, wherein the speaker system comprises: a speaker positioned in the case at a distance from the cover; and a waveguide channel arranged to direct sound from the speaker through the channel in the sound absorbing material.