Configurable auxiliary output device for information

• US 20070052615A1
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ohta, Seiya, Fuller, Andrew, Van Dongen, Niels
• Application Number:
  US11/474,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information

Abstract

Described is the outputting of a representation of complex state or other information to an output mechanism, such as computer program state data, in which the output of the state information is configurable. The state information is conveyable via the output mechanism, which may be an auxiliary display device, such as at least one LED and/or luminescent strip, and which may be viewed from a large distance relative to text and graphics displays, and/or remotely on a peripheral device. Logic receives state data from a data source such as an application program, and applies configuration data such as rules and/or user defined preferences to selectively control the output to be conveyed. Various state data may be conveyed via differing colors, differing numbers of LEDs illuminated, differing brightness, differing color intensity, differing hue and/or differing flash/pulse patterns. State information that is output is updatable when some state change occurs.

Claims

8-1. The system of claim 1 wherein the state data source includes a sensor or a control or both a sensor and a control.

12. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

(a) obtaining state data from at least one source and setting the state data as current state data;

(b) applying configuration data to convert the current state data to current complex state information that matches an output mechanism'"'"'s display capability, the complex state information being different from the current state data;

(c) driving the output mechanism to display the current complex state information; and

(d) when a state change occurs, returning to step (a).

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the output mechanism comprises a plurality of LEDs, and wherein applying the configuration data to convert the current state data to current complex state information that matches an output mechanism'"'"'s display capability comprises determining how many of the LEDs to illuminate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the output mechanism comprises a luminescent strip or an LED, and wherein applying the configuration data to convert the current state data to current complex state information that matches an output mechanism'"'"'s display capability comprises selecting one member of a group comprising:

a color for driving the output mechanism;

a brightness for driving the output mechanism;

an intensity for driving the output mechanism;

a flash pattern for driving the output mechanism;

an orientation for driving subcomponents of the output mechanism;

or a pulsing pattern for driving the output mechanism.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein obtaining the state data comprise communicating to obtain the state data from an application program.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein applying the configuration data comprises accessing user definable preference data.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform steps, comprising:

detecting complex state data including state data related to an application program state running on a host computer system; and

applying configuration data to determine how to control an auxiliary device to convey information that corresponds to the complex state data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the auxiliary device is detachable from the host computer system, and further comprising, outputting signals to a receiving device coupled to the auxiliary device to control the auxiliary device to convey the information.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the information includes visually perceived information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the step of applying configuration data occurs when the host computer system is in an inactive state.