(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0012706 A1
`Mak—Fan et al.
`(43) Pub. Date: Jan. 17, 2008
`
`
`IJSZOO80012706A1
`
`(54) HOLSTER FOR HAND HELD ELECTRONIC
`DEVICE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors:
`
`David J. Mak-Fan, Waterloo
`(CA); Matthew R. Lee, BelleVille
`(CA); Daniel G. Lynch, Waterloo
`(CA)
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jul. 12, 2006
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04M 1/00
`G083 13/14
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP
`Anne Kinsman
`WORLD EXCHANGE PLAZA, 100 QUEEN
`STREET SUITE 1100
`OTTAWA, ON K1P 1J9
`
`(73) Assignee:
`
`Research In Motion Limited,
`Waterloo (CA)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`11/456,958
`
`(52) US. Cl.
`
`..................................... 340/568.1; 379/455
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The holster has one or more magnets positioned so that a
`Hall effect sensor in the handheld deVice detects a magnet
`both when partially inserted in the holster and when fully
`holstered, thereby enabling desired elements of the deVice to
`be disabled from the beginning of the holstering process, to
`avoid accidental keystrokes or triggering of other input
`elements such as a trackball. The holster may have separate
`magnets to accomplish this, or an elongated single magnet.
`
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`APPLE1010
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`APPLE 1010
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jan. 17, 2008 Sheet 1 of 4
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jan. 17, 2008 Sheet 2 of 4
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jan. 17, 2008 Sheet 3 of 4
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`FIG.3
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jan. 17, 2008 Sheet 4 of 4
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`US 2008/0012706 A1
`
`Jan. 17, 2008
`
`HOLSTER FOR HAND HELD ELECTRONIC
`DEVICE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001] This invention relates to portable handheld elec-
`tronic devices, especially but not limited to portable hand-
`held wireless communication devices, and more particularly
`to holsters for same in combination with the devices.
`
`[0002] With such devices, it is common and convenient to
`provide a holster to protect and conveniently transport the
`device when it is not in use. The holster may have a belt clip
`to attach it to a user’s belt, or may have other attachment
`means for attachment to a purse or knapsack, or may simply
`be nothing more than a protective cover allowing the user to
`store the device in a pocket, briefcase or wherever else
`desired. However,
`the devices typically have keyboards,
`trackballs, touch pads, switches or other such elements, and
`it is desirable to be able to place the device in the holster
`without having to turn it off to avoid triggering of these
`elements when contacted by the holster. It is known to have
`a magnet in the holster, with a Hall effect sensor in the
`device, so that either the device is turned off in response to
`the device being placed in the holster and the sensor aligning
`with the magnet, or at least certain functions are disabled.
`For example, it is common to disable the keyboard, trackball
`or other input means, and to turn off any display.
`[0003] However, a problem which sometimes arises is that
`the device may not be disabled or turned off until it is fully
`seated in the holster, since the sensor may not come into
`proximity to the magnet until
`then. This can result
`in
`unintended keystrokes, trackball movement or other trig-
`gers, which are clearly undesirable, while the user is placing
`the device in the holster without any other desired activity.
`It would therefore be desirable to have a way of disabling or
`turning off the device as soon as its insertion into the holster
`begins, rather than when it is fully seated. However, the
`device must then remain disabled once fully seated.
`[0004] Another problem is that the device may not con-
`sider itself to be holstered if it is not fully seated in the
`holster, with the magnet aligned with the Hall effect sensor.
`The device may misbehave from a user’s viewpoint, for
`example by failing to vibrate in response to an incoming call
`or message, though set to vibrate when in the holster; or
`failing to lock, consuming excessive power via the LCD,
`trackball or other device feature. It would be preferable for
`the device to behave as if holstered, from the beginning of
`the holstering process, whether or not that process is prop-
`erly completed, until the device is removed from the holster.
`[0005] The same problem can arise, especially in leather
`or other soft-material holsters, when the device is properly
`seated initially, but comes loose and rides up in the holster
`so that the magnet in the holster no longer aligns with the
`sensor in the device.
`
`For convenience, the term “disabled” will be used
`[0006]
`throughout this specification. It should be clearly understood
`that that is intended to mean disabling specific functions of
`the device, but also to include possibly turning the device
`of.
`
`It should be understood that the word “holster”, as
`[0007]
`used throughout
`this
`specification, means any holder
`
`adapted to accommodate the device, whether or not it is of
`the belt-mountable type most commonly referred to as a
`holster.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0008] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now
`be described, with reference to the attached drawings, in
`which:
`
`FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hand-
`[0009]
`held electronic device and a holster therefor, according to
`one aspect of the invention;
`[0010]
`FIG. 2 is an exploded side view corresponding to
`FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another
`[0011]
`exemplary embodiment; and
`[0012]
`FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary
`embodiment in which the holster has a fold-over closure
`
`flap.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`In the following description, various exemplary
`[0013]
`embodiments of the invention will be described. For pur-
`poses of explanation, specific configurations and details are
`set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
`embodiments However,
`it should be apparent
`to those
`knowledgeable in the field of the invention that the invention
`may be practiced without the specific details. The descrip-
`tion may also omit or simplify well-known features in order
`not to obscure the embodiment being described.
`[0014]
`FIG. 1 shows a holster 1 for an electronic device 2,
`according to one aspect of the invention. The device has a
`Hall effect sensor 3 embodied therein and the holster has a
`
`first magnet 4 positioned to align with the sensor when the
`device is fully holstered. The device is programmed so that
`when the Hall effect sensor detects the magnet, the device is
`disabled, or at least certain elements thereof are disabled, for
`example the keyboard 5 and display 6, and other elements as
`applicable, for example a trackball (not shown).
`[0015]
`In this first exemplary embodiment, the holster 1
`has a second magnet 4', located near an upper edge 7 of the
`holster. Thus when the device is inserted into the holster, the
`sensor 3 immediately detects the second magnet 4' and the
`device is disabled. When the device is fully holstered, the
`sensor detects the first magnet 4 and remains disabled.
`[0016]
`Preferably the sensor 3 is located near the bottom
`of the device,
`i.e. near the first part of the device to be
`inserted in the holster, and preferably well below the key-
`board or trackball or other input means, so that the device is
`disabled before any accidental inputs from contact with the
`holster.
`
`[0017] Of course, it would not be desirable for the device
`to become fully functional again once the sensor 3 has
`passed the second magnet 4' and before it aligns with the first
`magnet 4. Therefore, the device preferably is programmed
`so that once disabled by the second magnet,
`it remains
`disabled for a small amount of time, but sufficient for the
`sensor to reach the first magnet even during a somewhat
`slower than typical holstering. For example, it could remain
`disabled for 1 or 2 seconds, by which time the sensor would
`normally align with the first magnet, so that the device
`would remain enabled.
`
`6
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`

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`US 2008/0012706 A1
`
`Jan. 17, 2008
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`FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment, in which
`[0018]
`a single strip magnet 4' is installed in the holster, so that the
`Hall effect sensor 3 aligns with an upper area of the magnet
`4' when first inserted in the holster, and with a lower area of
`the magnet when fully holstered. In this embodiment, of
`course there is no need to program the device to account for
`a time gap between leaving a second magnet and reaching a
`first magnet, since the magnet is continuous and the device
`accordingly will remain disabled. The magnet is configured
`to align with the path followed by the sensor as the device
`is inserted in the holster.
`
`FIG. 4 shows a further feature, which could be
`[0019]
`applicable to both examples described above, as well as to
`others, where the holster 1 has a fold-over flap 10, with a
`metal element 11 on the outside, inside or both, engaging the
`magnet 4' (or 4" in a FIG. 3-zype example), to hold the flap
`closed.
`
`Preferred and exemplary embodiments of this
`[0020]
`invention are described herein. Variations of those embodi-
`
`ments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
`art upon reading the foregoing description. It is expected that
`skilled persons will employ such variations as appropriate,
`and it
`is expected that
`the invention may be practiced
`otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly,
`this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of
`the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as
`permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of
`the above-described elements in all possible variations
`thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise
`indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by con-
`text.
`
`[0021] Without limiting the generality of the foregoing
`statement, some specific examples of possible variations
`may include the following, though others may be apparent
`to those knowledgeable in the field of the invention.
`[0022]
`In the above exemplary embodiments, the magnets
`are shown in a front panel of the holster. However, depend-
`ing on the configuration of the holder and the location of the
`sensor in the device, the magnets could be located in a rear
`panel of the holster, or in either side panel. In another
`alternate embodiment, for example,
`the magnet may be
`located on the border or trim of the holster so that when the
`
`device is near the holster, it will be disabled upon contact or
`close proximity to the holster.
`[0023]
`Further variations may be apparent or become
`apparent to those knowledgeable in the field of the inven-
`tion, and are within the scope of the invention as defined by
`the claims which follow.
`
`1. A holster for a handheld electronic device, wherein the
`device has a Hall effect sensor and is programmed to disable
`at least some functions of the device when the sensor detects
`
`a magnet in the holster, thereby indicating that the device is
`holstered, wherein the holster has magnet means positioned
`such that said sensor aligns with said magnet means both
`when partially inserted in said holster and when fully
`holstered.
`
`2. A holster as in claim 1, wherein said magnet means
`comprises at least two separate magnets, including a first
`magnet positioned to align with said sensor when said
`device is fully holstered, and a second magnet positioned to
`align with said sensor when said device is only partially
`inserted in said holster.
`
`3. A holster as in claim 2, wherein said device is pro-
`grammed so that once at least some functions are disabled by
`said sensor approaching said second magnet,
`it remains
`disabled for a small amount of time to permit the sensor to
`approach the first magnet during holstering without said
`functions becoming again enabled.
`4. A holster as in claim 1, wherein said magnet means
`comprises a single strip magnet extending longitudinally
`within said holster, so as to align with said sensor continu-
`ously from a position when said device is partially inserted
`in said holster,
`to a position where said device is fully
`holstered.
`
`5. A holster as in claim 1, wherein said sensor is posi-
`tioned close to a lower edge of said device.
`6. A holster as in claim 1,
`further including a flap
`extending from a back portion thereof, over to a front
`portion thereof, said flap having metallic means positioned
`to align with said magnet means so as to secure said flap.
`7. A holster as in claim 1, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`8. A holster as in claim 2, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`9. A holster as in claim 3, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`10. A holster as in claim 4, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`11. A holster as in claim 5, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`12. A holster as in claim 6, in combination with a said
`handheld electronic device.
`
`7
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