COMMUNICATION USING LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE

• US 20140118233A1
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mahowald, Peter Henry
• Granted Patent: US 9,064,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/325 by lamps or LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for communicating information. An event is detected. A light effect is emitted in response to the detected event. The emitted light effect simulates the detected event or a sensory output associated with the detected event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a first device communicably coupled to a second device, an event associated with the first device;

in response to the event, producing, by the first device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output; and

transmitting instructions to the second device to emit light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output, wherein the light is emitted concurrently with the sensory output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display of a device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the emitted light substantially similar to the on screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates the on screen dynamic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the emitted light substantially similar to the on screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose color over time simulates the on screen dynamic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the emitted light substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the emitted light substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitted light whose color over time varies with the audio output.

8. A first device, comprising:

an interface to a second device

one or more processors;

a storage medium; and

instructions stored in the storage medium and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising instructions to;

detect an event associated with the first device;

in response to the event, producing, by the device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output produced; and

transmit, through the interface, instructions to the second device to emit light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output, wherein the light is emitted concurrently with the sensory output.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a display device;

and

wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display of a device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the emitted light having characteristics of the on-screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the emitted light having characteristics of the on-screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose color over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output from the device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the emitted light having characteristics of the audio output comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

14. A computer program product, encoded on a machine-readable storage device or substrate, operable to cause a data processing apparatus comprising a light-emitting device to perform operations comprising:

detecting an event associated with a first device, wherein the first device is communicably coupled to a second device;

in response to the event, producing, by the mobile device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output produced; and

transmitting, from the first device to the second device, instructions to emit light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output, wherein the light is emitted concurrently with the sensory output.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the emitted light having characteristics substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the emitted light having characteristics substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitted light whose color over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the emitted light that having a characteristic substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitted light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

20. A system, comprising:

means for detecting, by a first device communicably coupled to a second device, an event associated with the first device;

in response to the event, means for producing, by the first device, a sensory output indicating the event;

means for determining a pattern in the sensory output; and

means for transmitting instructions to the second device to emit light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output, wherein the light is emitted concurrently with the sensory output.

21. A method comprising:

detecting an event associated with a first device, wherein the first device is communicably coupled to a second device;

interrupting a normal mode of emission and switching to an event mode of emission, where the normal mode conveys specified device information using an emission of a particular normal mode light effect;

determining a pattern in the event mode of emission;

in response to switching to the event mode of emission, transmitting instructions to the second device to emit an event mode light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the event mode of emission.