Computing device with dynamic ornamental appearance

• US 20020190975A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

The invention pertains to electronic devices capable of dynamically changing their ornamental or decorative appearance, i.e., the outer appearance as seen by a user. The electronic devices generally include an illuminable housing. The illuminable housing, which includes at least one wall configured for the passage of light, is configured to enclose, cover and protect a light arrangement as well as functional components of the electronic device. The light arrangement, which generally includes one or more light sources, is configured to produce light for transmission through the light passing wall(s) of the illuminable housing. The transmitted light illuminates the wall(s) thus giving the wall a new appearance. That is, the transmitted light effectively alters the ornamental or decorative appearance of the electronic device. In most cases, the light is controlled so as to produce a light effect having specific characteristics or attributes. As such, the electronic device may be configured to provide additional feedback to the user of the electronic device and to give users the ability to personalize or change the look of their electronic device on an on-going basis. That is, a housing of the electronic device is active rather than passive, i.e., the housing has the ability to adapt and change. For example, the light may be used to exhibit a housing behavior that reflects the desires or moods of the user, that reflects inputs or outputs for the electronic device, or that reacts to tasks or events associated with operation of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer system, said computer system comprising:

a microprocessor configured to control operation of said computer system, said microprocessor producing or receiving monitored events while controlling operation of said computer system;

a data storage device;

a light system configured to provide a dynamic light effect based on the monitored events; and

a housing containing said microprocessor, said data storage device, and said light system,

wherein said light system provides said housing with a dynamic ornamental appearance.

2. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic ornamental appearance is multi-colored.

3. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is a general purpose computer system.

4. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said light system comprises:

a plurality of light elements; and

a light controller operatively connected to said light elements to control said light elements to produce the dynamic light effect based on the monitored events.

5. A computer system as recited in claim 4, wherein said light elements are Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

6. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes at least one substantially non-translucent portion and at least one substantially translucent portion, and

wherein the dynamic ornamental appearance is provided at the at least one substantially translucent portion of said housing.

7. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the monitored events comprise computer status conditions.

8. A computer system as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer status conditions include at least device status conditions or program status conditions.

9. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the monitored events comprise internal computer status conditions or external status conditions.

10. A method for illuminating a housing of a general purpose computer system, said method comprising:

monitoring computer system events; and

illuminating at least a non-insignificant portion of the housing of the general purpose computer system in accordance with the computer system events.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said illuminating provides said general purpose computer system with a dynamic light effect.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said illuminating provides said general purpose computer system with a dynamic ornamental appearance.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the dynamic ornamental appearance is multi-colored.

14. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer system events are chosen from the group consisting of:

processor mode, processor status, data being processed, displayed information, I/O device status, I/O device mode, and program status.

15. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the non-insignificant portion of the housing of the general purpose computer system being illuminated is semi-transparent or transparent.

16. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer system events are chosen from the group consisting of:

removable medium insertion, network connectivity, computer system start-up and computer system shut-down.

17. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer system includes a microprocessor that operates in one of a plurality of states, and

wherein the computer system events comprise the states of the microprocessor which are chosen from the group consisting of:

on, sleep or off.

18. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer system includes a microprocessor that can recognize a plurality of different program status events, and

wherein the computer system events comprise the program status events which are chosen from the group consisting of:

program error, new electronic mail, awaiting input, and loading program

19. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the general purpose computer system is a desktop computer system.

20. A method for illuminating a housing of a computing device, the computing device having a screen display, said method comprising:

sampling a plurality of regions on the screen display to acquire color indicators for the plurality of regions; and

illuminating a plurality of regions of the housing of the computing device based on the color indicators.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, the housing of the computing device includes a plurality of light elements within the housing of the computing device, and

wherein said illuminating operates to drive the light elements to illuminate the plurality of the regions of the housing of the computing device.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of regions on the screen display that are sampled correspond to one of the light elements.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of regions on the display screen are associated with a configuration, and wherein the plurality of the regions of the housing being illuminated are associated with the configuration.

24. A method as recited in claim 21,

wherein the plurality of regions on the screen display are arranged in a first configuration, and

wherein the plurality of the regions of the housing of the computing device are substantially arranged in the first configuration.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the number of the plurality of the regions of the housing is the same as the number of the plurality of the regions of the housing of the computing device.

26. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein each of the light elements is capable of producing colored light.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein each of the light elements comprises a plurality of different colored Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

28. A method as recited in claim 20, the computing device is a general purpose computer.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the housing of the computing device houses at least the screen display at a front portion thereof, and

wherein the plurality of regions of the housing being illuminated are provided on a rear portion of the housing of the computing device.

30. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the housing of the computing device houses at least a microprocessor, memory and input/output ports for the general purpose computer.

31. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the computing device is chosen from the group consisting of:

display device, computer base, mobile computing device, printer, copier, and facsimile machine.

32. A method for illuminating a housing of a computing device, the computing device having a screen display, said method comprising:

determining color indicators for a plurality of regions on the screen display; and

illuminating a plurality of zones of the housing of the computing device based on the color indicators.

33. A method as recited in claim 32, the computing device is a general purpose computer.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the housing of the computing system being illuminated houses at least a microprocessor, memory and input/output ports.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the housing of the computing system being illuminated houses at least the screen display.

37. A method as recited in claim 34, the computing system is a general purpose computer.

38. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein said method is periodically performed such that the regions of the housing being illuminated are color matched with the regions of the screen display.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein each of the light elements comprises a LED.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the computer system hardware forms a general purpose computer.

42. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the predetermined configuration information is provided by user settings.

34. A method for method for illuminating a housing of a computing system, the computing system having a screen display, said method comprising:

sampling regions of the screen display to acquire color indicators;

associating the color indicators acquired to a plurality of illuminable regions of the housing of the computing system; and

driving at least one light element at the illuminable regions of the housing in accordance with the color indicators mapped thereto, thereby illuminating the regions of the housing.

39. A method for controlling light elements provided internal to a housing for computer system hardware, said method comprising:

monitoring the computer system components to obtain status information;

determining illumination characteristics for the housing based on the status information and predetermined configuration information;

determining driving signals for the light elements in accordance with the illumination characteristics; and

controlling the light elements using the driving signals.

43. A computer system having a computer device, said computer device including a computer component for performing an operation associated with said computer system, and an illuminable housing, said computer system, comprising:

an event monitor configured to track a computer event associated with said computer system;

a light effect manager operatively coupled to said event monitor, said light effect manager being configured to generate light control signals when said computer event is executed by said computer system; and

a light arrangement operatively coupled to said light effect manager and disposed in said housing, said light arrangement being configured to illuminate said illuminable housing so as to dynamically change the ornamental appearance of said housing in accordance with said light control signals associated with said computer event.

44. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said computer component is one of a processor or controller.

45. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said computer component is one of an operating system, utility program or application program.

46. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said computer event is one of input data or output data.

47. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said light control signal carries illumination characteristics pertaining to the desired light effect that said light arrangement is to provide to said illuminable housing.

48. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said light arrangement includes a plurality of light elements that produce the desired light effect.

49. A computer system as recited in claim 43, wherein said computer system further includes a second computer device, the second computer device including a second computer component, and a second illuminable housing.

50. A computer system as recited in claim 49, further including a second light arrangement operatively coupled to said light effect manager and disposed in said second housing, said second light arrangement being configured to illuminate said second housing so as to dynamically change the ornamental appearance of said second housing in accordance with said light control signals associated with said computer event.

51. A computer system as recited in claim 50, wherein the first and second light arrangements are configured to illuminate their respective illuminable housings when said computer event is executed by said computer system.

52. A computer system as recited in claim 50, wherein the computer system is a general purpose computer, wherein the first computer device is a base of the general purpose computer, and wherein the second computer device is a peripheral device coupled to the base.

53. A computer system as recited in claim 52, wherein the peripheral device is selected from a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a speaker, a disk drive or a printer.

54. A computer system as recited in claim 50, wherein the computer system is a computer network, and wherein the first computer device is a first computer-based system and the second computer device is a second computer-based system, both of which are connected to the computer network.