Active enclosure for computing device

• US 20060256037A1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• 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 7,868,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.

Claims

1. A computer system, said computer system comprising:

a housing for enclosing various components of the computer system;

a microprocessor disposed inside said housing and 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 disposed inside said housing; and

a light system disposed inside said housing and configured to provide a dynamic light effect based on the monitored events, said dynamic light effect significantly altering the surface appearance of said housing such that a significant portion of said housing itself and not said light system provides visual indication of monitored events.

2. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic light effect and therefore the surface ornamental appearance of said housing is multi-colored.

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

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 opaque portion and at least one substantially illuminable portion, and

wherein the dynamic ornamental appearance is provided at the at least one substantially illuminable 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:

providing a housing for enclosing a device of the general purpose computer system;

monitoring computer system events;

emitting light inside the housing in accordance with computer system events;

illuminating at least a significant portion of the housing of the general purpose computer system with the emitted light, the light illuminating an inner surface of the housing to effect an appearance change at an outer surface of the housing.

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 illumination and thus the surface appearance of the housing 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 computer system events are chosen from the group consisting of:

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

16. 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.

17. 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

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

19. A method for controlling light elements provided internal to a housing that encloses 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, the internal light elements illuminating the housing, the illumination significantly altering the surface appearance of the housing such that a significant portion of the housing itself and not the internal light elements provides visual indication of the status information of the monitored computer system components.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the light elements comprises a LED.

21. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the computer system hardware forms a general purpose computer.

22. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the predetermined configuration information is provided by user settings.

23. 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.

24. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said computer component is one of a processor or controller.

25. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said computer component is one of an operating system, utility program or application program.

26. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said computer event is one of input data or output data.

27. A computer system as recited in claim 23, 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.

28. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said light arrangement includes a plurality of light elements that produce the desired light effect.

29. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said computer system further includes a second computer device, the second computer device including a second computer component, a second illuminable housing, and 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.

30. A computer system as recited in claim 29, 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, wherein the peripheral device is selected from a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a speaker, a disk drive or a printer.

31. A computer system as recited in claim 29, 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.

32. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein the illumination significantly altering the surface appearance of the housing such that a significant portion of the housing itself and not light arrangement provides visual indication of the computer event.

33. A computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein the light illuminates an inner surface of the housing to effect an appearance change at an outer surface of the housing.

34. A computer system as recited in claim 23, where the housing is capable of changing between multiple colors or patterns.

35. A computer system as recited in claim 34, wherein the multiple colors are selected from the color spectrum.

36. A computer system as recited in claim 34, wherein the multiple colors that are available are similar to the colors available to a screen display.