Patents Assigned to Otter Products, LLC
  • Patent number: 9654605
    Abstract: An electrical accessory for use with a portable electronic device and with a protective cover for the portable electronic device is provided. The electrical accessory includes a body, an electrical connector, and electrical circuitry. The body includes a back portion and a bottom portion. The back portion is slidably attachable to the back of the protective cover to removably affix the electrical accessory to the back of the protective cover. The bottom portion is adapted to be proximate the bottom of the protective cover when the electrical accessory is removably affixed to the protective cover. The electrical connector is affixed to the bottom portion of the body of the electrical accessory. The electrical connector is positioned to electrically interconnect to an electrical port of the portable electronic device when the electrical accessory is affixed to the protective cover and when the portable electronic device is installed in the protective cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Russell J. Goldfain, Dane A. Sprister, Jonathan B. Rayeski
  • Patent number: 9635918
    Abstract: A protective case includes a chassis having sides and a back that define a cavity with an opening for an electronic device. The back has an inner back surface configured to be adjacent to a back surface of the installed electronic device. The protective case also includes a suspension system having a first cushion and a second cushion. The first cushion is configured to contact the back surface of the installed electronic device and to provide an air gap between the chassis and the back of the installed electronic device. The second cushion is configured to contact side surfaces of the installed electronic device and to contact a front surface of the installed electronic device to form a seal with the front surface of the installed electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Martin J. Kay, Bosung Kim, Anthony P. Patron, Virginia J. Wang
  • Patent number: 9635164
    Abstract: A remote control for an electronic device includes a memory for storing a first digitized voice file and a second digitized voice file and a wireless communication module for establishing wireless communication with the electronic device. The remote control also includes first and second user accessible buttons associated with the first and second user accessible buttons, respectively. The remote control also includes a computer processor configured to execute non-transitory instructions to detect a user actuation of one of the first and the second user accessible buttons, retrieve a one of the first and second digitized voice files that is associated with the actuated user accessible button, and transmit the retrieved digitized voice file for delivery to the smartphone in order to remotely trigger a verbally invokable action on the smartphone without verbally speaking a command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: W. Travis Smith, Dan L. Dalton, Michael E. Jebb
  • Patent number: 9621219
    Abstract: A protective case for use with a portable electronic device includes a protective shell and a cap. The protective shell is configured to at least partially encase the portable electronic device and includes an aperture configured to align with a receptacle of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is installed in the protective case. The aperture is configured to allow insertion of the stylus into the receptacle of the portable electronic device from outside the protective shell a cap removably insertable into the aperture of the protective shell to close the aperture. The cap is attachable to the stylus to facilitate removal of the stylus from the receptacle of the installed portable electronic device. The cap is configured to allow the stylus to extend into the receptacle to interact with the sensor of the portable electronic device while remaining attached to the stylus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Marc A. Richmond, Peter S Armstrong, Michael H. Kim, Steven A. Jones, Zachary W. Zupancic
  • Patent number: 9609930
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a hard shell cover that fits over the electronic device. The protective enclosure includes a membrane that is attached to the hard shell cover, the membrane configured to cover a portion of the installed electronic device. The membrane is located proximate a sound feature of the electronic device and the membrane can include an acoustic screen attached to an opening of the membrane, the acoustic screen configured to allow the transmission of acoustical waves to or from the electronic device through the membrane while the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Alan V. Morine, Brian P. Thomas, Jamie L. Johnson, Jason M. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9580221
    Abstract: A protective case for an electronic device may have two layers: an inner cushion cover that surrounds a portion of the electronic device, and an outer shell that surround part of the cushion cover. The outer shell has side walls that engage and hold the cushion cover on the electronic device. The cushion cover has reduced thickness portions so that the side walls are embedded in the cushion cover and provide a protective case having a substantially smooth exterior. The cushion cover is capable of absorbing shocks from impacts on the rigid outer shell. Coring on the inner portion of the cushion cover provides additional softness and the ability of the cushion cover to absorb shocks while using a higher density material, which is able to conform to the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Alan V. Morine, W. Travis Smith, John H. Loudenslager, Jamie L. Johnson, Matthew M. Glanzer
  • Patent number: 9577697
    Abstract: A waterproof protective case comprising a shell that at least partially encloses a portable electronic device, the shell having an aperture aligned with an opening of a storage area of the portable electronic device, the protective case including a cap that is removably attached to a stylus of the portable electronic device, the aperture of the shell configured to releasably retain a portion of the cap when the stylus is inserted into the opening of the storage area of the portable electronic device, the cap configured to form a waterproof seal when the cap is retained within the aperture of the shell, the cap configured to remove the stylus from the storage area of the protective electronic device while the portable electronic device is in the waterproof protective case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Marc A. Richmond, Peter S Armstrong, Michael H. Kim, Steven A. Jones, Zachary W. Zupancic
  • Patent number: 9565910
    Abstract: A waterproof protective case can include a front portion and a back portion configured to attach to the front portion to form the protective case. The waterproof protective case may include a port cover for covering and sealing a port opening near a feature, such as an electrical port. The port cover may include a gasket to seal the port opening, as well as a flexible member with a thinned area that flexes to allow the port cover to open and close. The protective case may include an aperture covered by a membrane to allow sound transmission through the case, and the flexible member of the port cover may include at least one opening to allow sound transmission through the flexible member. The port cover may also include an aperture covered by a membrane to allow sound transmission through the port cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventor: Cameron D. Magness
  • Patent number: 9560903
    Abstract: A protective case for an electronic device, the protective case having a cushion layer that covers a back surface, a left side surface, a right side surface, a top side surface, and a bottom side surface of the electronic device. A structural layer has a back portion and side wall portions that extend from the back portion and surrounds the cushion layer. A sliding drawer is attached to an outer surface of the back portion of the structural layer. The sliding drawer has a compartment that can store one or more items in the protective case. The sliding drawer can make the items accessible when open and concealed when closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Rebecca Lawson, Jonathan B. Rayeski, Larry Holmes, William T. Smith, John P. Fitzgerald, Lucas B. Weller, Kevin W. Witter, Peter J. Gronewoller
  • Patent number: 9560435
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device that has an interactive touchscreen includes a first case member and a second case member. The second case member is attachable to the first case member via a latching mechanism, and the combined case members provide a protective interior of the enclosure. Pliable areas of the first and/or second case member align with a control button of the mobile computing device and transfer external force to the control button. An electrical connector of the protective enclosure is structured to engage a corresponding connector of the mobile computing device. The protective cover includes audio headphones and a headphone cable that connects between the audio headphones and an exterior surface of the second case member, electrically connecting the audio headphones to the electrical connector of the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 9545140
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a back structural member configured to connect with a front structural member, the back and front structural member forming a hard shell shaped to and surrounding an installed electronic device. An external cushion member can be disposed over the hard shell of the protective enclosure. An internal cushion member can be lined in between the back structural member and the electronic device. The internal cushion member can have an opening aligned with a feature on the electronic device, a portion along the opening of the internal cushion member formed to protrude through an aligned opening in the hard shell which also corresponds to an opening in the external cushion member, the portion of the internal cushion member contacting an outer surface of the external cushion member and sealing the surface of the protective enclosure from dust and debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Jamie L. Johnson, Jonathan H. Guerdrum, Aaron M. Gaylord, Shanshan Li
  • Patent number: 9513900
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device includes a memory configured to store at least an active firmware image and another firmware image, and circuitry configured to execute instructions provided in the firmware image. The circuitry receives commands and a firmware image included from the electronic device. The circuitry determines whether the firmware is targeted to a non-active block of the memory and if so, writes the firmware image to the non-active memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: James J. Wojcik, Kim J. Hansen, James Stephanick
  • Patent number: 9515414
    Abstract: An accessory connector configured to provide a liquid-tight seal when inserted into a connector aperture of a waterproof housing for a mobile electronic device. The accessory connector includes a connector extending from a body of the accessory connector, the body configured to allow a user to grasp the accessory connector during insertion or removal of the connector into or from a corresponding connector of the mobile electronic device. The accessory connector further includes a waterproof adapter configured to provide the liquid-tight seal between the connector aperture of the waterproof housing and the accessory connector of the accessory device. The waterproof adapter including two or more tension tabs and an exterior gasket on the exterior surface of the waterproof adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Feng S. Liu, George N. Popa, III
  • Patent number: 9515692
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device on the body of a user. The apparatus includes a cradle with at least two securing regions that stretch to retain portions of front, back, and side portions of an electronic device. The cradle also includes apertures in portions on and/or near the securing regions that allow portable electronic devices of different sizes to be secured. The cradle also includes at least one protrusion that interfaces with at least one corresponding securing aperture in a band of flexible material. Cradles of different sizes may be attached to the band of flexible material using the one or more securing apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: W. Travis Smith, Peter J. Gronewoller, Carlton R. Lay, Lucas B. Weller
  • Patent number: 9503147
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a cushioning layer and a structural layer. The cushioning layer covers the back surface and side surfaces of the installed electronic device. The structural layer is disposed over the cushioning layer and includes a back portion, a right side portion, and a left side portion. The structural layer includes a thinner region on the back portion. The thinner region has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the remainder of the back portion of the structural layer. The thinner region of the structural layer allows a section of the protective enclosure to bend away from the back surface of the electronic device during installation and removal of the electronic device from the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin W. Witter, Matthew S. Krajec, Patrick J. Nelson, Paul N. Walker, Thomas D. Boileau
  • Patent number: 9498033
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a hard shell cover and a stretchable cushion shaped to conform to an outer surface of the hard shell cover. The hard shell cover includes a back shell to correspond with the back and sides of the electronic device. The hard shell cover includes an opening that provides access to controls of the electronic device, and provides rigidity to the protective enclosure. The stretchable cushion provides cushioning to the hard shell cover and the enclosed electronic device. The stretchable cushion includes one or more gaps that expose at least a portion of the hard shell cover. The stretchable cushion also has an opening that corresponds to the opening of the hard shell cover. A retention structure of stretchable cushion is disposed to engage a corresponding retention structure of the hard shell cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Alan V. Morine, Brian P. Thomas, Jamie L. Johnson, Jason M. Thompson
  • Patent number: D772853
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Wicks, Ryan D. Sellden, Jonathan B. Rayeski, John P. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: D772881
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Tao-Wei Chang, Lucas B. Weller, Richard Rodriguez, John P. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: D773445
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin W. Witter, Patrick J. Nelson
  • Patent number: D780742
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan H. Guerdrum, Russell J. Goldfain