Case for mobile communications device

Abstract

A case attachable to a mobile communications device such as a smart phone operatively equipped with a camera can accommodate an optical refractor. The optical refractor can be adapted to change the direction of light rays passing through it. The case can align a first optical surface of the optical refractor with the camera lens and can maintain a second optical surface in a non-parallel arrangement with the first optical surface. The optical refractor can redirect light rays form an unaligned object to the camera lens. In an aspect, the object may be a bar code label.

1 . A case for a mobile communications device comprising:
 an attachment component for releasable attachment with the mobile communications device, the attachment component including a panel having a first aperture alignable with a camera lens of the mobile communications device and a peripheral wall extending generally perpendicularly from a peripheral edge of the panel;   a refractor housing for accommodating and mounting an optical refractor to the attachment component, the refractor housing including a second aperture in an unaligned arrangement with the first aperture; and   an optical refractor for refracting light between the first aperture and the second aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The case of  claim 1 , where optical refractor is a prism including a first optical surface and a non-parallel second optical surface. 
     
     
         3 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein the prism is a pentaprism adapted to refract light approximately 90°. 
     
     
         4 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the optical refractor is a three-sided right triangle adapted to refract light approximately 90°. 
     
     
         5 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is generally planar and includes an inner surface adapted to placed adjacent a major surface of the mobile communications device and an opposite outer surface. 
     
     
         6 . The case of  claim 5 , wherein the peripheral wall generally corresponds in shape to an outline of the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         7 . The case of  claim 6 , wherein the prism housing attaches to the attachment component via a mounting mechanism disposed in part on an outer surface of the panel. 
     
     
         8 . The case of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting mechanism is a snap-lock mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The case of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to dispose the optical refractor proximate a top edge of the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         10 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the case is made of opaque plastic. 
     
     
         11 . A method of capturing an image with a mobile communications device, the method comprising:
 attaching a case to the mobile communications device, the case including a first aperture aligned with a camera lens of the mobile communications device;   mounting an optical refractor to the case, the optical refractor including a first refractor surface and a non-parallel second refractor surface, the first refractor surface generally facing the first aperture;   refracting an image from the second refractor surface to the first refractor surface; and   directing the image from the first surface through the first aperture to the camera lens.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optical refractor is a penta-prism adapted to refract light approximately 90°. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optical refractor is a three-sided right triangle adapted to refract light approximately 90°. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first aperture and the camera lens are aligned along a first direction perpendicular to the first refractor surface and the second refractor surface is perpendicular to a second direction oriented toward an object projecting the image. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the case includes an attachment component releasably attachable to the mobile communications device and a refractor housing for accommodating the optical refractor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the refractor housing aligns the first refractor surface with the first aperture and the camera lens. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the refractor housing includes a second aperture enabling visual access to the second refractor surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first aperture and the second aperture are oriented at an approximate right angle to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the refractor housing mounts to the attachment component via a snap-lock mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the object projecting the image is a barcode.