Mobile computing device including a graphical indicator

• US 10,171,188 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lagnado, Isaac
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US15/517,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20170317770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

An example mobile computing device includes a display, a housing coupled to the display, and a graphical indicator. The housing includes a chamber, an antenna to communicate with a wireless network, and an exterior antenna region. The graphical indicator identifies the exterior antenna region on the housing and a signal strength of a connection to the wireless network.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a display;

a housing coupled to the display, the housing including a chamber, a first antenna to communicate with a first wireless network, a first exterior antenna region, a second antenna to communicate with a second wireless network, and a second exterior antenna region;

a first graphical indicator to identify the first exterior antenna region on the housing and a first signal strength of a connection to the first wireless network; and

a second graphical indicator to identify the second exterior antenna region on the housing and a second signal strength of a connection to the second wireless network.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the first graphical indicator is to selectively appear on the display in response to an event.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the event comprises one of a manual user event and an automatic event.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 3, wherein the automatic event corresponds to a reduction of the first signal strength below a predetermined signal strength threshold.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 3, wherein the automatic event corresponds to a reduction of a threshold signal strength amount within a predetermined time period.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 3, wherein the manual user event corresponds to one of a user touching a key and a user issuing a voice command.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the first graphical indicator is a dialog region to appear on the display proximate to the first exterior antenna region and includes a graphical representation of the first signal strength.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the graphical representation of the first signal strength corresponds to at least one of a plurality of colors, a plurality of symbols, and an amount of fill of a first image.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein a location of the first graphical indicator on the display is indicative of a location of the first antenna.

10. The mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical indicator and the second graphical indicator selectively appear on the display in response to at least one of a manual user event and an automatic event.

11. The mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein:

the first graphical indicator is a first dialog region to appear the display adjacent to the first exterior antenna region indicative of a location of the first antenna and includes a first graphical representation of the first signal strength; and

the second graphical indicator is a second dialog region to appear on the display adjacent to the second exterior antenna region indicative of a location of the second antenna and includes a second graphical representation of the second signal strength.

12. The mobile computing system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network is a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and the second wireless network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

13. A method comprising:

communicating, via a first antenna, with a first wireless network;

identifying a first exterior antenna region on a housing and a first signal strength of the first wireless network with a first graphical indicator;

communicating, via a second antenna, with a second wireless network; and

identifying a second exterior antenna region on the housing and a second signal strength of the second wireless network with a second graphical indicator, wherein the first graphical indicator and the second graphical indicator selectively appear on a display in response to one of a manual user event and an automatic event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the automatic event corresponds to a reduction of a threshold signal strength amount within a predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the manual user event corresponds to one of a user touching a key and a user issuing a voice command.