Video Game Device Case for Enhanced Playing Experience

Abstract

A video game device case includes a body configured to receive a hand-held video game device and a plurality of video game cartridges. In some examples, the video game device case includes a selector switch, which may be used to select between the plurality of video game cartridges housed in the video game device case. In some examples, the body of the video game device case is configured to receive a battery. Upon being electrically connected to the hand-held video game device, the video game device case may provide power to the hand-held device and different games for play at the touch of a switch, thus enhancing the length of playing time and the variety of gaming experiences available when using the hand-held gaming device.

1 . A video game device case comprising:
 a body configured to:
 receive a hand-held video game device; and 
 receive a plurality of video game cartridges; 
   a plurality of video game cartridge connectors, each video game cartridge connector of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors configured to electrically connect to one of the plurality of the video game cartridges;   a device connector configured to establish electrical connectivity with the hand-held video game device; and   a selector switch electrically connected between the device connector and the plurality of video game cartridge connectors, wherein the selector switch includes a plurality of settings configured to separately place each video game cartridge connector of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors in electrical communication with the device connector.   
     
     
         2 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the selector switch is a mechanical switch configured to at least one of establish electrical contact or terminate electrical contact with one of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors when the selector switch is physically moved from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         3 . The video game device case of  claim 2 , wherein the selector switch comprises a slide configured to be moved to a plurality of different positions, each of the plurality of different positions corresponding to a different one of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors. 
     
     
         4 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the selector switch is an electrical switch configured to at least one of establish electrical contact or terminate electrical contact with one of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors in response to an electrical control signal. 
     
     
         5 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to receive a battery, and further comprising a battery connector configured to establish electrical connectivity between the battery and a power connector of the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         6 . The video game device case of  claim 5 , further comprising a charge status indicator configured to indicate a charge of the battery. 
     
     
         7 . The video game device case of  claim 6 , wherein the charge status indicator comprises a plurality of lights. 
     
     
         8 . The video game device case of  claim 6 , further comprising a charge status switch, wherein engagement of the charge status switch results in activation of the charge status indicator to indicate the charge of the battery. 
     
     
         9 . The video game device case of  claim 5 , wherein, upon establishing electrical connection between the battery and the hand-held video game device, the video game device case is configured to trickle charge a video game device battery housed in the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         10 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , further comprising a lid pivotally mounted to the body, wherein the lid is configured to receive a pivotally mounted screen of the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         11 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two body extensions extending from opposing sides of the body, wherein the body extensions are configured to be gripped by a user during operation of the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         12 . The video game device case of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two body extensions are removable. 
     
     
         13 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the device connector comprises a cable and a plug, the cable extending from the body to the plug, and wherein the plug is configured to be inserted in a video game receiving slot of the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         14 . The video game device case of  claim 13 , wherein the plug substantially replicates a shape and an electrical contact pattern of a video game cartridge such that the plug can be inserted into the video game receiving slot of the hand-held video game device and electrically engaged with the hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         15 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video game cartridges comprise at least three video game cartridges. 
     
     
         16 . The video game device case of  claim 1 , wherein the hand-held video game device is at least one of a Nintendo DSi hand-held video game device or a Nintendo DSi XL hand-held video game device. 
     
     
         17 . A video game device case comprising:
 a body configured to:
 receive a hand-held video game device; 
 receive at least two video game cartridges; and 
 receive a battery; 
   a lid pivotally mounted to the body, wherein the lid is configured to receive a pivotally mounted screen of the hand-held video game device;   a battery connector configured to establish electrical connectivity between the battery and a power connector of the hand-held video game device;   a plurality of video game cartridge connectors, each video game cartridge connector of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors configured to electrically connect to one of the plurality of the video game cartridges;   a device connector configured to establish electrical connectivity with the hand-held video game device; and   a selector switch electrically connected between the device connector and the plurality of video game cartridge connectors, wherein the selector switch includes a plurality of settings configured to separately place each video game cartridge connector of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors in electrical communication with the device connector.   
     
     
         18 . The video game device case of  claim 17 , wherein the selector switch is configured to be moved to a plurality of different positions, each of the plurality of different positions corresponding to a different one of the plurality of video game cartridge connectors. 
     
     
         19 . The video game device case of  claim 17 , wherein the body defines a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a sidewall connecting the top surface to the bottom surface, the body including:
 a device compartment defined in the top surface of the housing, wherein the device compartment is configured to receive the hand-held video game device; and   at least two cartridge slots defined in the sidewall of the body, wherein the at least two cartridge slots are configured to receive the at least two video game cartridges.   
     
     
         20 . The video game device case of  claim 17 , wherein the hand-held video game device is at least one of a Nintendo DSi hand-held video game device or a Nintendo DSi XL hand-held video game device, and wherein the device connector comprises a cable and a plug, the cable extending from the body to the plug, and wherein the plug is configured to be inserted in a video game receiving slot of the at least one of the Nintendo DSi hand-held video game device or the Nintendo DSi XL hand-held video game device.