Apparatus for indicating a state of a device

• US 20070076325A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Anttila, Akseli, Radivojevic, Zoran
• Application Number:
  US11/231,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/272
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02

Abstract

An arrangement for indicating a state of a device comprising a magnet and a coil configured such that one is moveable relative to the other such that, when the device is shaken, the coil generates electrical power and a controller configured to be powered by the coil, to determine the state of the device and to set an output device so as to indicate the state of the device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for indicating a state of a device comprising:

a magnet and a coil configured such that one is moveable relative to the other such that, when the device is shaken, said coil generates electrical power; and

a controller configured to be powered by said coil, to determine the state of the device and to selectively connect an impedance across the coil in dependence upon the state of the device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a data storage device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is an electronic key.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is an electronic card.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the electronic card is an electronic wallet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively connected to non-volatile memory.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of available memory.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine a number of files stored in memory.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is included in the device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output device and wherein the controller is configured to set the output device in dependence upon the state of the device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output device comprises a display.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the output device comprises a liquid crystal display.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the output device comprises a bi-stable display.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output device comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output device comprises a device for producing sound.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state of the device is set before the controller is powered by said coil.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to prevent the user from setting the state of the device.

18. An apparatus for indicating a state of a device comprising:

a magnet and a coil configured such that one is moveable relative to the other such that, when the device is shaken, said coil generates electrical power; and

a controller configured to be powered by said coil, to determine the state of the device and to set an output device so as to indicate the state of the device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the device is a data storage device, the controller is operatively connected to non-volatile memory and the controller is configured to determine an amount of memory available in the non-volatile memory.

20. A removable data storage device comprising:

non-volatile memory for storing data;

a magnet and a coil, the magnet configured to be slidably moveable through the coil such that, when the device is shaken, the coil generates electrical power; and

a controller operatively connected to the non-volatile memory and configured to be powered by said coil when the device is shaken, and further configured, when powered, to determine a state of the non-volatile memory and to selectively connect an impedance across the coil in dependence upon said state.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of memory available in the non-volatile memory.

22. A method, comprising:

determining a state of a data storage device; and

selectively connecting an impedance across a coil in dependence upon said state.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

receiving power from said coil.

24. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for performing a method according to claim 22.