Thigh-mounted device holder

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a cell phone holder that is attached to a wearer's thigh. In a particular embodiment the holder uses a pocket attached to a body that is secured around a thigh with a horizontal strap or straps. A vertical strap is used to couple to a horizontal strap and to part of the user's clothing such as a belt, belt loop, pocket or other garment structure to prevent the holder from slipping down the thigh. Other variations are disclosed including mechanisms to rotate the phone, operate the phone's touch screen and other controls while in the holder, secure the holder to the garment or thigh, provide advertising or animations on the phone's display screen while the wearer is upright such as standing or walking, etc.

1 . An apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a holder for coupling a mobile phone to a thigh of a wearer of the apparatus, wherein the mobile phone includes a display screen, the holder comprising:
 a pocket for slidably receiving the mobile phone, the pocket including
 a top edge opening for sliding the mobile phone into the pocket; 
 a transparent top face allowing at least a part of the mobile phone's display to be visible when the mobile phone is inside the pocket; 
   a horizontal strap for securing the pocket to a thigh of a wearer of the holder such that the mobile phone is upside-down when the wearer is upright and is right-side-up to the wearer's viewpoint when the wearer is sitting; and   a vertical strap for preventing downward movement of the pocket when the wearer is upright.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top face includes a plastic sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein when the phone is inserted into the pocket the plastic sheet does not cover all of a top face of the phone. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top face includes a mesh material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top face is open. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a body coupled to the horizontal strap and to the pocket.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pocket can be rotated by hand with respect to the body. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pocket is secured to the body at an angle with respect to the horizontal strap so that any sag of the horizontal strap on one side of the wearer's thigh is compensated to maintain the phone in a more vertical position than if the pocket was not secured at the angle. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket size provides for a part of the phone to protrude from the pocket when the phone is inserted into the pocket so that the phone may be easily removed from the pocket by gripping, at least in part, the protruding part of the phone. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the phone includes a processor, one or more sensors and a storage device, wherein the storage device includes instructions executable by the processor for:
 using a signal from the one or more sensors to determine if the phone is worn by someone who is upright; and   displaying an image in response to the signal.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein upright includes standing. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein upright includes walking. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein an animation occurs in time with footsteps of the walking. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket further includes:
 a pocket edge made of flexible cloth.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pocket edge includes:
 a backing for allowing the pocket edge to be arranged on a body of the holder so that the pocket can accommodate different shapes of devices to be inserted into the pocket.   
     
     
         16 . A holder for a portable device, wherein the holder affixes the portable device to a thigh of a wearer, wherein the portable device includes a display screen, the holder comprising:
 means for coupling the portable device to a holder; and   means for coupling the holder to the thigh of the wearer in a manner that prevents vertical slipping of the holder down the thigh when the wearer is upright.