Protective case for smart devices and method of using the protective case for smart devices; projection system and projection method applicable to the projection system.

Abstract

A protective case for a smart device and a method for using the same are provided. The protective case for a smart device includes a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, multiple RFID chips, and multiple switch elements. The housing has an inner surface on which a mounting groove is formed, an outer surface on which a positioning groove is formed, the positioning groove facing the mounting groove, the reinforcing sheet mounted within the mounting groove, the RFID coil fixedly attached to the reinforcing sheet, the multiple RFID chips mounted within the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, the multiple RFID chips mounted in parallel, and the multiple switch elements mounted within the positioning groove, each connected in series to a circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected. This allows the flexible RFID coil to be easily positioned and mounted within the mounting groove, and the reinforcing sheet improves the strength of the housing at the locations where the mounting groove and positioning groove are formed, allowing the housing to be made thinner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of protective cases for smart terminals, and particularly to protective cases for smart terminals and methods of using protective cases for smart terminals.

Background Art

[0002] The current smart terminals, such as smartphones, are becoming increasingly smarter. With the rapid increase in the functions of smartphones, the operation methods of smartphones are also becoming more complex and diverse. Among them, the main function is to install a touch panel on the smartphone and realize human-computer interaction through virtual switch elements on the touch panel. In addition, the smartphone is further equipped with mechanical switch elements to assist the user in directly triggering some functions, such as the function of making an emergency call, the function of transmitting information, or the function of starting application software.

[0003] Although mechanical switch elements are installed in smartphones, the number of mechanical switch elements installed in smartphones is generally two to three. In order to increase the mechanical switch elements for quickly triggering specific programs or applications in smartphones, mechanical switch elements may be provided on the protective cover of the smartphone. The mechanical switch element is connected in series with the RFID chip and RFID coil in the protective cover to form a circuit. After being triggered, the mechanical switch element can generate an electronic tag that can be sensed and read by the NFC module in the smartphone.

[0004] However, when mechanical switch elements, RFID chips, and RFID coils are provided on the protective cover of the smartphone, while the structure of the protective cover becomes complex, the overall size of the protective cover increases, so a solution is required.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a protective case for smart devices that solves the problem of conventional smart device protective cases being too large and having a complex structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a protective case for a smart terminal, comprising a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, a plurality of RFID chips, and a plurality of switch elements, wherein a mounting groove is provided on the inner surface of the housing, a positioning groove is provided on the outer surface of the housing, the positioning groove is provided opposite to the mounting groove, the reinforcing sheet is provided in the mounting groove, the RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet so as to be fixed, the plurality of RFID chips are mounted in the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, the plurality of RFID chips are provided so as to be connected in parallel, the plurality of switch elements are mounted in the positioning groove, and the plurality of switch elements are each connected in series to a circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the housing includes a back plate and side plates extending in the same direction from the edge of the back plate, wherein the back plate and the side plates are arranged to form a mounting cavity for housing a smart terminal, the mounting groove is recessed in the surface of the side plate adjacent to the mounting cavity, and the positioning groove is provided on the surface of the side plate opposite to the mounting cavity.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the back plate has a first region provided opposite to the NFC sensing region of the smart terminal and a second region provided opposite to the wireless charging sensing region of the smart terminal, the first region and the second region are spaced apart, the mounting groove is provided adjacent to the first region and spaced apart from the second region, a part of the RFID coil is provided in the first region and the other part of the RFID coil is provided in the mounting groove.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the frequency of the RFID chip is 10 MHz to 15 MHz.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the RFID coil and the reinforcing sheet are bonded and fixed together with a double-sided adhesive.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the RFID coil is provided on the surface of the reinforcing sheet facing the bottom of the mounting groove, the plurality of RFID chips are all provided on the surface of the RFID coil facing the bottom of the mounting groove, and the plurality of RFID chips are all sealed by a sealing film.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of retractable recesses are provided at the bottom of the mounting groove, and each of the plurality of retractable recesses is provided for retracting the RFID chip.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the positioning groove is provided in communication with the mounting groove, the switch element includes a press-type button and a key cap, the press-type button is connected in series with the RFID coil and the corresponding RFID chip to form a circuit, the press-type button is positioned opposite the RFID coil and the positioning groove, and the key cap is fitted with the positioning groove and is reciprocating along the positioning groove to press or release the press-type button.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the press-type button is a metal dome button.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the RFID chip is provided on the surface of the RFID coil facing the positioning groove, and the protective case of the smart terminal further includes a polyester film, the polyester film being provided to cover the reinforcing sheet, the RFID coil, the plurality of RFID chips and the press-type button.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the protective case for the smart terminal further includes a PET sheet, the PET sheet having a first retraction hole through it corresponding to the RFID chip, the PET sheet having a second retraction hole through it corresponding to the press-type button, one side of the PET sheet in contact with the polyester film, and the other side of the PET sheet being bonded and fixed to the RFID coil by double-sided tape.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the switch element is a self-resetting knob switch, or the switch element is an electronic switch, the protective case of the smart terminal further includes a power supply module or a power connector, and the electronic switch is electrically connected to the power supply module or the power connector.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the protective case for the smart terminal further includes a decorative plate, the decorative plate being located on the side of the reinforcing sheet opposite to the positioning groove, and the decorative plate being positioned to cover the opening of the mounting groove.

[0019] The present invention provides a method for using a protective case for a smart terminal, wherein the protective case for the smart terminal is the protective case for the smart terminal described above, and the method for using the protective case for the smart terminal further provides a method for using a protective case for a smart terminal, comprising: step S10: placing the smart terminal in the housing and positioning the NFC sensing area of ​​the smart terminal facing the RFID coil; and step S20: triggering one of a plurality of switch elements to conduct electricity to the circuit where the triggered switch element is located and to generate an electronic tag that can be sensed and read by the NFC module of the smart terminal.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the frequency of the RFID chip is 10 MHz to 15 MHz, and the method of using the protective case of the smart terminal further includes step S30: simultaneously triggering two or more of the plurality of switch elements to conduct the circuit in which two or more triggered switch elements are located, thereby generating an electronic tag that cannot be detected by the NFC module of the smart terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] In the protective case for a smart terminal according to the present invention, a reinforcing sheet is fixed in a mounting groove, an RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet, multiple RFID chips are arranged in parallel and electrically connected to the RFID coil, multiple switch elements are mounted in positioning grooves and connected in series to the circuits to which the corresponding RFID chips and RFID coils are connected. This allows for easy positioning and mounting of a flexible RFID coil in the mounting groove, and the strength of the mounting grooves and positioning grooves in the housing can be improved by the reinforcing sheet, thus allowing for a thinner housing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] To more clearly show the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings in the following description are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative work. [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the protective case of the smart terminal of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the case in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged schematic diagram of part A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of the housing in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged schematic diagram of part B in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the RFID coil, a plurality of RFID chips and a plurality of switch elements in the protective case of the smart terminal of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the RFID coil, a plurality of RFID chips and a plurality of switch elements in the protective case of the smart terminal of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is an exploded view of the reinforcement sheet, RFID coil, RFID chip, switch element, sealing film, polyester film and PET sheet of the protective case of the smart terminal of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the decorative plate of the protective case of the smart terminal of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of the protective case of the smart terminal in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] It is an enlarged schematic diagram of part C in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart of one embodiment of the usage method of the protective case of the smart terminal according to the present invention. [Figure 13]This is a flowchart of another embodiment of how to use the protective case for a smart terminal according to the present invention. The realization of the object, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments and drawings. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The following describes the technical solutions in embodiments of the present invention clearly and completely, with reference to the drawings of the embodiments. Note that the embodiments described are merely a part of, and not all, embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work based on embodiments of the present invention fall within the scope of the protection of the present invention.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 to 11, the present invention provides a protective case 100 for a smart terminal. The protective case 100 for a smart terminal is applicable to electronic devices equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality, such as mobile phones and tablets. The protective case 100 for a smart terminal includes a housing 10, a reinforcing sheet 20, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) coil 30, two or more RFID chips 40, and two or more switch elements 50. The reinforcing sheet 20, the RFID coil 30, the two or more RFID chips 40, and the two or more switch elements 50 are all provided in the housing 10.

[0025] The shape of the housing 10 can vary widely. The housing 10 may be provided in a flat plate shape, a U-shape, or a basin shape with a higher perimeter and a lower center. However, the shape of the housing 10 is not specifically limited here. The material used to form the housing 10 can vary widely. The housing 10 may be made of a flexible material; for example, it may be made of rubber, silicone, or flexible plastic. Alternatively, the housing 10 may be made of a rigid material; for example, it may be made of hard plastic. Alternatively, the housing 10 may be made of a composite material, and a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0026] The housing 10 has an inner surface and an outer surface. Here, the inner surface of the housing 10 is the surface adjacent to the smart terminal of the housing 10, and the outer surface of the housing 10 is the surface away from the smart terminal of the housing 10. A mounting groove 10a is provided on the inner surface of the housing 10, and the mounting groove 10a may be elongated, circular, rectangular, or of other shape. A positioning groove 10b is provided on the outer surface of the housing 10, and the positioning groove 10b is provided opposite to the mounting groove 10a. The positioning groove 10b may be elongated, circular, rectangular, or of other shape. The positioning groove 10b may be provided so as to communicate with the mounting groove 10a, or it may not be provided so as to communicate with it. The number of positioning grooves 10b may be one or more. If there is one positioning groove 10b, the positioning groove 10b is provided so as to correspond to multiple switch elements 50, and if there are multiple positioning grooves 10b, the multiple positioning grooves 10b are provided so as to correspond one-to-one to multiple switch elements 50.

[0027] The shape of the reinforcing sheet 20 can vary widely and may be elongated, circular, rectangular, or other shapes. The shape of the reinforcing sheet 20 is usually adapted to the shape of the mounting groove 10a in order to install the reinforcing sheet 20 in the mounting groove 10a and cover the opening of the mounting groove 10a. The reinforcing sheet 20 may be made of a metallic material, a metal oxide, a composite material, or other material, and preferably the reinforcing sheet 20 is made of a metallic material (e.g., metallic aluminum, metallic copper, stainless steel, etc.). Because metallic materials have the advantage of high strength and good flexural resistance, the support performance and flexural resistance of the reinforcing sheet 20 can be ensured.

[0028] The RFID coil 30, also known as a radio frequency antenna, primarily serves to transmit energy and information. The RFID coil 30 is attached to the surface of the reinforcing sheet 20 so as to be fixed thereto. That is, the RFID coil 30 may be entirely located within the mounting groove 10a, or part of the RFID coil 30 may be located within the mounting groove 10a and the other part may be located on the inner surface, outer surface, or inside of the housing 10. If the other part of the RFID coil 30 is located outside the mounting groove 10a, the portion of the RFID coil 30 located outside the mounting groove 10a is preferably located inside the housing 10. This prevents the RFID coil 30 from being exposed to the outside.

[0029] Multiple RFID chips 40 are all electrically connected to an RFID coil 30, and the multiple RFID chips 40 are arranged to be connected in parallel. The multiple RFID chips 40 and the RFID coil 30 are electrically connected via a conductor, or the multiple RFID chips 40 are integrated into the RFID coil 30. The multiple RFID chips 40 are provided in a mounting groove 10a. The multiple RFID chips 40 may be fixed to the groove wall of the mounting groove 10a, or fixed to the reinforcing sheet 20, or provided on the RFID coil 30. Here, the method of fixing is not limited, and it is sufficient that the multiple RFID chips 40 are fixed within the mounting groove 10a.

[0030] The multiple switch elements 50 are elements that control the conduction or interruption of an electrical circuit. The switch elements 50 may be mechanical switches, electronic switches, capacitive switches, inductive switches, etc., and the type of switch element 50 is not particularly limited. The multiple switch elements 50 are mounted in positioning grooves 10b. The multiple switch elements 50 are arranged to correspond one-to-one with the multiple RFID chips 40, that is, each switch element 50 is connected in series to the circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 are connected.

[0031] Specifically, each switch element 50 is connected in series with the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 to form a circuit. Multiple switch elements 50 form multiple circuits with multiple RFID chips 40 and RFID coils 30, and the conduction of each circuit can generate one electronic tag, which can be detected and read by the NFC (Near Field Communication) module of a smart terminal.

[0032] When the smart terminal is attached to the smart terminal protective case 100, the NFC-sensitive area of ​​the smart terminal is positioned opposite the location where the RFID coil 30 of the housing 10 is provided. When the smart terminal activates the NFC program, the smart terminal's NFC module begins scanning for electronic tags. When one of the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the circuit formed by the conductive switch element 50 and the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 generates one electronic tag. When the smart terminal's NFC module scans and reads the electronic tag, the smart terminal's controller determines whether to perform the following action (for example, launching an app, closing an app, pausing an app, turning off the smart terminal, etc.), that is, whether the electronic tag is a control command for the smart terminal. If YES, the corresponding action is performed; if NO, no response is given. This allows the smart terminal protective case 100 to send quick commands to the smart terminal, making it easy for the user to operate the smart terminal.

[0033] The multiple switch elements 50 in the protective case 100 for the smart terminal may be configured with quick commands according to the user's preference, and the following explanation will use a smartphone as an example. When the NFC program of the smartphone is activated, the NFC module of the smartphone starts scanning for electronic tags. When the first switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the conductive circuit generates a first electronic tag, and the first electronic tag may be a quick command to turn the smartphone's browser on or off. When the second switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the conductive circuit generates a second electronic tag, and the second electronic tag may be a quick command to receive or disconnect a call on the smartphone.

[0034] When the third switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a third electronic tag, which may be a quick command to turn on the smartphone camera and press the shutter. When the fourth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a fourth electronic tag, which may be a quick command to launch a smartphone game app. When the fifth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a fifth electronic tag, which may be a quick command to pop up the smartphone's battery level reminder page. When the sixth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a sixth electronic tag, which may switch to a specific instant communication software application on the smartphone. The smartphone quick commands corresponding to each electronic tag in the smart device protective case 100 may be customized according to personal preference, and a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0035] Furthermore, the protective case 100 for the smart terminal needs to communicate with the smart terminal before use in order to perform custom definitions on the electronic tags generated when the circuit containing multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive. When performing custom definitions on the electronic tags generated when the circuit containing multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the multiple switch elements 50 are sequentially triggered to make the corresponding circuits conductive, the NFC module of the smart terminal sequentially senses and reads the corresponding electronic tags, and the smart terminal performs custom definitions on the electronic tags. In this way, each electronic tag forms a quick command for the smart terminal to perform a specific action.

[0036] In the smart terminal protective case 100 according to the present invention, a reinforcing sheet 20 is fixed in the mounting groove 10a, an RFID coil 30 is attached to the reinforcing sheet 20, multiple RFID chips are arranged in parallel and electrically connected to the RFID coil, multiple switch elements 50 are mounted in positioning grooves and connected in series to the circuits to which the corresponding RFID chips 40 and RFID coils 30 are connected. This allows the flexible RFID coil 30 to be easily positioned and mounted in the mounting groove 10a, and the reinforcing sheet 20 improves the strength of the mounting groove 10a and positioning groove 10b of the housing 10, so that the thickness of the housing 10 can be made thinner.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, in some embodiments of the present invention, the housing 10 includes a back plate 11 and side plates 12 extending in the same direction from the edge of the back plate 11. The side plates 12 and the back plate 11 are arranged to surround each other to form a mounting cavity 10c for housing a smart terminal. A mounting groove 10a is recessed in the surface of the side plate 12 adjacent to the mounting cavity 10c, and a positioning groove 10b is recessed in the surface of the side plate 12 opposite to the mounting cavity 10c. This allows the smart terminal to be quickly and easily positioned and mounted in the housing 10, and enables the position where the RFID coil 30 of the housing 10 is provided to face the NFC sensing area of ​​the smart terminal.

[0038] The thickness of the side plate 12 is usually the same as the thickness of the back plate 11. Although the installation of the mounting groove 10a and positioning groove 10b reduces the strength and flexural strength of some parts of the side plate 12, by installing the reinforcing sheet 20 in the mounting groove 10a, the strength and flexural strength of the reinforcing sheet 20 itself are relatively high, so the strength and flexural strength of the side plate 12 can be improved by the reinforcing sheet 20. As a result, the strength and flexural strength of each part of the side plate 12 become equal, that is, the thickness of the side plate 12 can be made thinner by installing the reinforcing sheet 20.

[0039] Furthermore, the side panel 12 is typically provided with a first through-hole corresponding to the keys on the side of the smart terminal, a second through-hole corresponding to the earphone hole on the side of the smart terminal, and a third through-hole corresponding to the charging hole on the side of the smart terminal. The number of the first, second, and third through-holes may be set according to the corresponding smart terminal. The back panel 11 is provided with a shooting window corresponding to the camera of the smart terminal. The shape of the shooting window may be circular, square, polygonal, or the like.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4, 5, 10, and 11, the back plate 11 has a first region 11a provided facing the NFC sensing area of ​​the smart terminal and a second region 11b provided facing the wireless charging sensing area of ​​the smart terminal. The first region 11a and the second region 11b are spaced apart. The mounting groove 10a is provided adjacent to the first region 11a and spaced apart from the second region 11b. A part of the RFID coil 30 is provided in the first region 11a, and the other part of the RFID coil 30 is provided in the mounting groove 10a. This prevents the RFID coil 30 and the reinforcing sheet 20 made of metal material from affecting the wireless charging of the smart terminal, and also prevents the RFID coil 30 and the reinforcing sheet 20 made of metal material from affecting the wireless charging magnetic field.

[0041] As described above, in some embodiments of the present invention, the frequency of the RFID chip is 10MHz to 15MHz, and preferably, the frequency of the RFID chip 40 is 13.56MHz. Since the frequency of the RFID chip 40 is 13.56MHz, the RFID chip 40 of this frequency does not need to be powered by a power supply when in use. Furthermore, when two or more of the multiple switch elements 50 conduct simultaneously, the energy emitted from the smart terminal received by the RFID coil 30 does not change, but because the frequency of the RFID coil 30 decreases due to the conduction of two or more circuits, the electronic tag generated by the RFID chip in two or more conducting circuits cannot be detected by the NFC module of the smart terminal. Therefore, by selecting an RFID chip within the above frequency range, the effect of selectively conducting one of multiple parallel-connected RFID chips can be achieved.

[0042] In other words, in the above embodiment, by selecting an RFID chip 40 with a frequency within 10MHz to 15MHz, it is not necessary to install a power supply or external power supply in the protective case 100 of the smart terminal, thus the thickness of the housing 10 can be made even thinner. On the other hand, by selectively conducting one of the multiple parallel-connected RFID chips, it is possible to avoid the problem that when a user presses two or more switch elements at the same time, the smart terminal needs to perform two or more operations simultaneously, which would affect the normal operation of the smart terminal.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the RFID coil 30 and the reinforcing sheet 20 are bonded and fixed together with a double-sided adhesive. Since the double-sided adhesive has adhesive properties on both sides, the reinforcing sheet 20 and the RFID coil 30 can be easily bonded and fixed together. Furthermore, since the double-sided adhesive has insulating properties, if the reinforcing sheet 20 is made of a metal material, the double-sided adhesive can insulate the connection between the reinforcing sheet 20 and the RFID coil 30, thereby preventing the reinforcing sheet 20 from affecting the operation of the RFID coil 30. Moreover, by employing a double-sided adhesive, the distance between the reinforcing sheet 20 and the RFID coil 30 can be adjusted according to the actual situation, so that the space of the mounting groove 10a can be made to the maximum extent to ensure the mounting of the RFID chip 40, switch element 50 and other structures.

[0044] As shown in Figures 8 and 11, in some embodiments of the present invention, the RFID coil 30 is provided on the surface of the reinforcing sheet 20 facing the bottom of the mounting groove 10a. Multiple RFID chips 40 are all provided on the surface of the RFID coil 30 facing the bottom of the mounting groove 10a. Multiple RFID chips 40 are all sealed with an sealing film 60. This prevents the RFID chips 40 from being exposed to the outside through the opening of the mounting groove 10a, while the sealing film 60 completely covers the RFID chips 40. Because the sealing film 60 itself is relatively thin, when the sealing film 60 covers the RFID chips, it hardly affects the space occupied by the RFID chips 40, and the installation of the sealing film 60 avoids the problem of the RFID chips 40 wearing down due to direct contact with the bottom of the mounting groove 10a.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 11, in some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of retractable recesses 10d are provided at the bottom of the mounting groove 10a. Each of the multiple retractable recesses 10d is provided to retract the RFID chip 40. The retractable recesses 10d and the RFID chip 40 may be provided in a one-to-one or one-to-many relationship. This avoids the problem of multiple RFID chips 40 directly contacting the bottom of the mounting groove 10a and wearing down.

[0046] Although the thickness of the housing 10 at the location where the mounting groove 10a is provided is reduced by providing multiple retractable recesses 10d at the bottom of the mounting groove 10a, a reinforcing sheet is installed inside the mounting groove 10a, and the strength of the reinforcing sheet 20 itself is relatively high, and the reinforcing sheet 20 has relatively high bending resistance, thus ensuring the strength and bending resistance of the housing 10 at the location where the mounting groove 10a and positioning groove 10b are provided.

[0047] As shown in Figures 8 and 11, in some embodiments of the present invention, the positioning groove 10b is provided in communication with the mounting groove 10a. Each switch element 50 includes a press-type button 51 and a key cap 52. Each press-type button 51 is connected in series with an RFID coil 30 and a corresponding RFID chip 40 to form a circuit. Each press-type button 51 is positioned so as to face the RFID coil 30 and the positioning groove 10b. Each key cap 52 is fitted into the positioning groove 10b and is reciprocating along the positioning groove 10b to press or release the corresponding press-type button 51. This allows the circuit in which the corresponding press-type button 51 and the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 are located to be electrically connected or disconnected.

[0048] The press-type button 51 may be a soft rubber button, a film button, a metal dome button, or other types of buttons, but their description is omitted here. Preferably, the press-type button 51 is a metal dome button. Because the thickness of a metal dome button is relatively small, the overall thickness of the RFID coil 30 and the metal dome button can be formed to 0.3 mm or less, which reduces the depth of the mounting groove 10a and makes the thickness of the housing 10 relatively thin. In addition, since the metal dome button can automatically return to its original position when an external force is canceled, the switch element 50 can be easily operated and is suitable for use by special users such as the elderly.

[0049] As shown in Figure 11, in some embodiments of the present invention, the protective case 100 for the smart terminal further includes a polyester film 70. The polyester film 70 is provided to cover the reinforcing sheet 20, the RFID coil 30, the multiple RFID chips 40, and the press-type button 51. This allows the polyester film 70 to provide dust protection, while the polyester film 70 itself has relatively good moisture resistance, thus preventing moisture from the outside air from entering the mounting groove 10a through the positioning groove 10b and affecting the normal operation of the RFID coil 30, RFID chips 40, and press-type button 51.

[0050] Furthermore, because the polyester film 70 is very thin, when it covers the reinforcing sheet 20, RFID coil 30, RFID chip 40, and press-type button 51, the overall change in thickness is not significant. Specifically, the total thickness of the reinforcing sheet 20, RFID chip 40, RFID coil 30, and metal dome button covered by the polyester film 70 is 0.8 mm or less. In other words, the installation of the polyester film 70 does not cause an increase in the thickness of the housing 10.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 and 11, in some embodiments of the present invention, the protective case 100 for the smart terminal further includes a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet 80. The PET sheet 80 is provided with a first retraction hole 80a through which it passes, corresponding to the RFID chip 40. The PET sheet 80 is provided with a second retraction hole 80b through which it passes, corresponding to the press-type button 51. One side of the PET sheet 80 is in contact with the polyester film 70, and the other side of the PET sheet 80 is adhered and fixed to the RFID coil 30 by double-sided tape.

[0052] The first retraction hole 80a in the PET sheet 80 is provided to correspond to one or more RFID chips 40, and the second retraction hole 80b in the PET sheet 80 is provided to correspond to one or more press-type buttons 51. In other words, the area around the press-type buttons 51 and RFID chips 40 in the RFID coil 30 is sealed by the PET sheet 80. Since the PET sheet 80 has relatively good barrier performance against gas, water, oil, and odors, the waterproof and dustproof effects can be further improved by using the PET sheet 80 in combination with the polyester film 70. In addition, since the PET sheet 80 has a certain thickness, it is possible to ensure a gap between the RFID chips 40 in the RFID coil 30 and the bottom of the mounting groove 10a.

[0053] Note that the switch element 50 may be of other types. In some embodiments of the present invention, the switch element 50 is a self-resetting knob switch. The self-resetting knob switch includes a knob switch and a reset wheel. The reset wheel is rotatably mounted on the housing 10. A reset torsion spring is further provided between the reset wheel and the housing 10. The reset wheel rotates the knob switch in conjunction with an external force. When the knob switch is rotated by a predetermined angle and becomes conductive, the knob switch makes contact with the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 to generate an electronic tag. When the reset wheel is released, the reset wheel returns to its initial position by the action of the reset torsion spring, and the knob switch also switches from a conductive state to a disconnected state.

[0054] Note that the switch element 50 may be of another type. For example, the switch element 50 may be an electronic switch. The types of electronic switches include all electronic components that have a switching function, such as MOS transistors, triode vacuum tubes, relays, solid relays, photocouplers, and analog switches. In this case, the protective case 100 of the smart terminal further includes a power supply module or a power connector. The electronic switch is electrically connected to the power supply module or power connector. The electronic switch may achieve conductivity by methods such as tapping, shaking, pressing, or touching.

[0055] As shown in Figures 3 and 8, in some embodiments of the present invention, a mounting groove 10a is provided in an elongated shape, and two positioning columns 13 are provided protruding from the bottom of the mounting groove 10a, with the two positioning columns 13 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the mounting groove 10a. A reinforcing sheet 20 is provided in an elongated shape, and positioning holes 20a are provided through both ends in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing sheet 20, and the two positioning holes 20a engage with the two positioning columns 13 so as to be inserted into them. This allows the reinforcing sheet 20 to be easily positioned and attached to the mounting groove 10a, and the reinforcing sheet 20 to be easily installed inside the mounting groove 10a.

[0056] Furthermore, the side of the reinforcing sheet 20 facing the opening of the mounting groove 10a may be filled with foam material and rubber. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the side of the reinforcing sheet 20 facing the opening of the mounting groove 10a may be covered with a decorative plate 90 made of polycarbonate (PC) material. The decorative plate 90 may be bonded and fixed to the side plate 12 with adhesive, or fixed and connected to the side plate 12 by ultrasonic welding, or fixed and connected to the side plate 12 by other methods, but these will not be explained here. Because the decorative plate 90 itself has high strength, it can further reinforce the strength of the area where the mounting groove 10a of the housing 10 is provided.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, in some embodiments of the present invention, mounting holes 90a are provided at both ends of the decorative plate 90 in the longitudinal direction. The two mounting holes 90a engage with the two positioning pillars 13. The decorative plate 90 and the reinforcing sheet 20 are fixed together with double-sided adhesive. The decorative plate 90 is used to cover the mounting groove 10a. This allows the decorative plate 90 to be easily positioned and attached to the side plate 12 of the housing 10, and allows the decorative plate 90 to be easily fixed and attached to the side plate 12.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 9, a wiring notch 11c is provided adjacent to the mounting groove 10a of the back plate 11, communicating with the mounting groove 10a. A covering block 91 is provided on the side of the decorative plate 90 adjacent to the back plate 11. The covering block 91 is provided to fit with the wiring notch 11c and cover the wiring notch 11c. This allows the RFID coil 30 to be hidden inside the housing 10, while the covering block 91 acts as a foolproof mechanism when assembling the decorative plate 90 and the side plate 12. In addition, the fitting of the covering block 91 and the wiring notch 11c allows for positional restriction of the decorative plate 90 in the longitudinal direction of the mounting groove 10a.

[0059] As shown in Figure 12, the present invention further provides a method for using the smart device protective case 100. The smart device protective case 100 is as described in each of the embodiments described above. The method for using the smart device protective case 100 includes the following steps.

[0060] Step S10: Place the smart terminal in the housing and position the NFC sensing area of ​​the smart terminal facing the RFID coil.

[0061] Step S20: Trigger one of the multiple switch elements to conduct electricity to the circuit where the triggered switch element is located, thereby generating an electronic tag that can be sensed and read by the NFC module of a smart terminal.

[0062] When the smart terminal is attached to the smart terminal protective case 100, the NFC-sensitive area of ​​the smart terminal is positioned opposite the location where the RFID coil 30 of the housing 10 is provided. When the smart terminal activates the NFC program, the smart terminal's NFC module begins scanning for electronic tags. When one of the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the circuit formed by the conductive switch element 50 and the corresponding RFID chip 40 and RFID coil 30 generates one electronic tag. When the smart terminal's NFC module scans and reads the electronic tag, the smart terminal's controller determines whether to perform the following action (for example, launching an app, closing an app, pausing an app, turning off the smart terminal, etc.), that is, whether the electronic tag is a control command for the smart terminal. If YES, the corresponding action is performed; if NO, no response is given. This allows the smart terminal protective case 100 to send quick commands to the smart terminal, making it easy for the user to operate the smart terminal.

[0063] The multiple switch elements 50 in the protective case 100 for the smart terminal may be configured with quick commands according to the user's preference, and the following explanation will use a smartphone as an example. When the NFC program of the smartphone is activated, the NFC module of the smartphone starts scanning for electronic tags. When the first switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the conductive circuit generates a first electronic tag, and the first electronic tag may be a quick command to turn the smartphone's browser on or off. When the second switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the conductive circuit generates a second electronic tag, and the second electronic tag may be a quick command to receive or disconnect a call on the smartphone.

[0064] When the third switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a third electronic tag, which may be a quick command to turn on the smartphone camera and press the shutter. When the fourth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a fourth electronic tag, which may be a quick command to launch a smartphone game app. When the fifth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a fifth electronic tag, which may be a quick command to pop up the smartphone's battery level reminder page. When the sixth switch element among the multiple switch elements 50 conducts, the conducted circuit generates a sixth electronic tag, which may switch to a specific instant communication software application on the smartphone. The smartphone quick commands corresponding to each electronic tag in the smart device protective case 100 may be customized according to personal preference, and a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0065] Furthermore, the protective case 100 for the smart terminal needs to communicate with the smart terminal before use in order to perform custom definitions on the electronic tags generated when the circuit containing multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive. When performing custom definitions on the electronic tags generated when the circuit containing multiple switch elements 50 becomes conductive, the multiple switch elements 50 are sequentially triggered to make the corresponding circuits conductive, the NFC module of the smart terminal sequentially senses and reads the corresponding electronic tags, and the smart terminal performs custom definitions on the electronic tags. In this way, each electronic tag forms a quick command for the smart terminal to perform a specific action.

[0066] The frequency of the RFID chip 40 is 10MHz to 15MHz. As shown in Figure 13, the method of using the protective case 100 for the smart terminal further includes the following steps.

[0067] Step S30: Two or more of the multiple switch elements are simultaneously triggered to simultaneously conduct electricity in the circuits where the two or more triggered switch elements are located, thereby generating an electronic tag that cannot be detected by the NFC module of the smart terminal.

[0068] The frequency of the RFID chip is 10MHz to 15MHz, and preferably, the frequency of the RFID chip 40 is 13.56MHz. An RFID chip 40 with this frequency does not need to be powered by a power supply during use. Furthermore, when two or more of the multiple switch elements 50 conduct simultaneously, the energy emitted from the smart terminal received by the RFID coil 30 does not change. However, because the frequency of the RFID coil 30 decreases due to the conduction of two or more circuits, the electronic tag generated by the RFID chip in the two or more conducting circuits cannot be detected by the NFC module of the smart terminal. Therefore, by selecting an RFID chip within the above frequency range, it is possible to achieve the effect of selectively conducting one of multiple parallel-connected RFID chips.

[0069] In other words, in the above embodiment, by selecting an RFID chip 40 with a frequency within 10MHz to 15MHz, it is not necessary to install a power supply or external power supply in the protective case 100 of the smart terminal, thus the thickness of the housing 10 can be made even thinner. On the other hand, by selectively conducting one of the multiple parallel-connected RFID chips, it is possible to avoid the problem that when a user presses two or more switch elements at the same time, the smart terminal needs to perform two or more operations simultaneously, which would affect the normal operation of the smart terminal.

[0070] The above embodiments are merely for illustrating the technical means of the present invention and are not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions described in each of the above embodiments can be modified or some of their technical features can be replaced equally. Even when such modifications or replacements are made, the essence of the corresponding technical solutions will not deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of each embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 100 Smart Device Protective Cases 10 cabinets 10a Mounting groove 10b Positioning groove 10c mounting cavity 10d Recess 11 Back plate 11a First area 11b Second area 11c wiring notch 12 Side panels 13 Positioning column 20 Reinforcement Sheets 20a Positioning hole 30 RFID coils 40 RFID chips 50 Switching elements 51 Buttons / Press-type Buttons 52 keycaps 60 Sealing film 70 Polyester film 80 PET sheets 80a First escape hole 80b Second escape hole 90 Decorative panels 90a Mounting hole 91 Covering block

Claims

1. A protective case for smart devices, It includes a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, multiple RFID chips, and multiple switch elements. The housing includes a back plate and side plates extending in the same direction from the edge of the back plate. Mounting grooves are provided on the inner surface of the side plate, positioning grooves are provided on the outer surface of the side plate, and the positioning grooves are provided opposite to the mounting grooves. The reinforcing sheet is provided within the mounting groove, The RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet so as to be fixed thereto. The plurality of RFID chips are mounted in the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, and the plurality of RFID chips are arranged to be connected in parallel. A protective case for a smart terminal, characterized in that the plurality of switch elements are mounted in the positioning grooves, and each of the plurality of switch elements is connected in series to a circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected.

2. The back plate and the side plate are arranged to form a mounting cavity for housing a smart terminal, The mounting groove is recessed in the surface of the side plate adjacent to the mounting cavity. The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning groove is provided on the surface of the side plate opposite to the mounting cavity.

3. The back plate has a first region provided facing the NFC sensing region of the smart terminal and a second region provided facing the wireless charging sensing region of the smart terminal. The first region and the second region are provided with a gap between them. The mounting groove is provided adjacent to the first region and spaced apart from the second region. A portion of the RFID coil is provided in the first region, The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that the other part of the RFID coil is provided within the mounting groove.

4. The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the frequency of the RFID chip is 10 MHz to 15 MHz.

5. The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the RFID coil and the reinforcing sheet are bonded and fixed together with a double-sided adhesive.

6. A protective case for a smart device, It includes a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, multiple RFID chips, and multiple switch elements. Mounting grooves are provided on the inner surface of the housing, positioning grooves are provided on the outer surface of the housing, and the positioning grooves are provided opposite to the mounting grooves. The reinforcing sheet is provided within the mounting groove, The RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet so as to be fixed thereto. The plurality of RFID chips are mounted in the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, and the plurality of RFID chips are arranged to be connected in parallel. The plurality of switch elements are mounted in the positioning grooves, and each of the plurality of switch elements is connected in series to the circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected. The RFID coil is provided on the surface of the reinforcing sheet facing the bottom of the mounting groove, Each of the aforementioned plurality of RFID chips is provided on a surface of the RFID coil facing the bottom of the mounting groove. A protective case for a smart terminal, characterized in that each of the aforementioned multiple RFID chips is sealed with an sealing film.

7. Multiple retractable recesses are provided at the bottom of the mounting groove. The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that each of the plurality of retraction recesses is provided for retracting the RFID chip.

8. A protective case for a smart device, It includes a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, multiple RFID chips, and multiple switch elements. Mounting grooves are provided on the inner surface of the housing, positioning grooves are provided on the outer surface of the housing, and the positioning grooves are provided opposite to the mounting grooves. The reinforcing sheet is provided within the mounting groove, The RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet so as to be fixed thereto. The plurality of RFID chips are mounted in the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, and the plurality of RFID chips are arranged to be connected in parallel. The plurality of switch elements are mounted in the positioning grooves, and each of the plurality of switch elements is connected in series to the circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected. The positioning groove is provided in communication with the mounting groove, The aforementioned switch element includes a press-type button and a keycap. The push-button is connected in series with the RFID coil and the corresponding RFID chip to form a circuit. The aforementioned press-type button is provided at a position where the RFID coil and the positioning groove face each other. A protective case for a smart terminal, characterized in that the keycap engages with the positioning groove to press or release the press-type button, and is capable of reciprocating along the positioning groove.

9. The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that the press-type button is a metal dome button.

10. The RFID chip is provided on the surface of the RFID coil facing the positioning groove, The protective case for the aforementioned smart device further includes a polyester film, The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that the polyester film is provided so as to cover the reinforcing sheet, the RFID coil, the plurality of RFID chips, and the press-type button.

11. The protective case for the aforementioned smart device further includes a PET sheet, The PET sheet is provided with a first retraction hole that penetrates through it, corresponding to the RFID chip. The PET sheet is provided with a second retractable hole passing through it, corresponding to the press-type button. One side of the PET sheet is in contact with the polyester film, The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 10, characterized in that the other side of the PET sheet is adhered and fixed to the RFID coil by double-sided tape.

12. The aforementioned switch element is a self-resetting knob switch, or, The protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 1, wherein the switch element is an electronic switch, the protective case for the smart terminal further includes a power supply module or a power connector, and the electronic switch is electrically connected to the power supply module or the power connector.

13. A protective case for a smart device, It includes a housing, a reinforcing sheet, an RFID coil, multiple RFID chips, and multiple switch elements. Mounting grooves are provided on the inner surface of the housing, positioning grooves are provided on the outer surface of the housing, and the positioning grooves are provided opposite to the mounting grooves. The reinforcing sheet is provided within the mounting groove, The RFID coil is attached to the reinforcing sheet so as to be fixed thereto. The plurality of RFID chips are mounted in the mounting groove and electrically connected to the RFID coil, and the plurality of RFID chips are arranged to be connected in parallel. The plurality of switch elements are mounted in the positioning grooves, and each of the plurality of switch elements is connected in series to the circuit to which the corresponding RFID chip and RFID coil are connected. The protective case for the aforementioned smart device further includes a decorative panel. The decorative plate is provided on the side of the reinforcing sheet opposite to the positioning groove, A protective case for a smart terminal, characterized in that the decorative plate is provided so as to cover the opening of the mounting groove.

14. A method for using a protective case for a smart device, wherein the protective case for the smart device is the protective case for a smart device described in any one of claims 1 to 13, and the method for using the protective case for the smart device is: Step S10: The step of placing the smart terminal in the housing and positioning the NFC sensing area of ​​the smart terminal facing the RFID coil, Step S20: A method for using a protective case for a smart terminal, comprising the step of triggering one of a plurality of switch elements to conduct electricity to the circuit in which the triggered switch element is located, thereby generating an electronic tag that can be sensed and read by the NFC module of the smart terminal.

15. The frequency of the RFID chip is 10 MHz to 15 MHz. The method for using the protective case for the aforementioned smart device is as follows: Step S30: The method for using a protective case for a smart terminal according to claim 14, further comprising the step of simultaneously triggering two or more of the plurality of switch elements to simultaneously conduct circuits in which two or more triggered switch elements are located, thereby generating an electronic tag that cannot be detected by the NFC module of the smart terminal.

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