System and Method for Displaying Visual Notifications on an Electronic Device

• US 20140268629A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Broga, Antanas Matthew, Lee, Hsin Chin, KRISHNASWAMY, Priyadarshini
• Granted Patent: US 9,599,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/23.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

A light assembly for providing a notification light on an electronic device is described. The light assembly comprises a first light source for providing a background portion for the notification light, a second light source for providing a patterned portion for the notification light, and at least one pattern element to generate the pattern portion.

Claims

1. A light assembly for providing a notification light on an electronic device, the light assembly comprising:

a first light source for providing a background portion for the notification light;

a second light source for providing a patterned portion for the notification light; and

at least one pattern element to generate the patterned portion.

2. The light assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light controller for selectively operating the first light source and the second light source.

3. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are provided by light emitting diodes and corresponding waveguides to direct light through the light assembly, and wherein the pattern element is provided in an interface between the corresponding waveguides to restrict light from the second light source in generating the patterned portion.

4. The light assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and second light sources are side emitting light emitting diodes.

5. The light assembly of claim 3, wherein the first light source is a side emitting light emitting diode and the second light source is a front emitting light emitting diode.

6. The light assembly of claim 3, further comprising an optical diffuser to direct light from the second light source.

7. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are provided by light emitting diodes directing light through a single waveguide, the first light source being a side emitting light emitting diode and the second light source being a front emitting light emitting diode.

8. The light assembly of claim 7, wherein the single waveguide comprises a convex portion aligned with the second light source.

9. The light assembly of claim 7, wherein the single waveguide comprises a concave portion aligned with the second light source.

10. The light assembly of claim 7, wherein the second light source is aligned with the pattern element and the pattern element restricts light from the second light source to generate the patterned portion of the notification light.

11. The light assembly of claim 1, comprising a plurality of pattern elements on respective organic light emitting diode layers, wherein the second light source selectively illuminates at least one of the plurality of pattern elements to provide the patterned portion of the notification light.

12. The light assembly of claim 11, wherein the first light source is provided by at least one background organic light emitting diode layer located beneath the plurality of respective organic light emitting diode layers for the plurality of pattern elements.

13. A method of providing a notification light on an electronic device, the method comprising:

activating a first light source to provide a background portion of the notification light; and

activating a second light source to provide a patterned portion of the notification light using a pattern element.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a notification type;

determining a corresponding combination of patterned portion and background portion; and

operating the first and second light sources according to the corresponding combination.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second light sources are operated to provide particular ones of a plurality of colors.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for providing a notification light on an electronic device, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

activating a first light source to provide a background portion of the notification light; and

activating a second light source to provide a patterned portion of the notification light using a pattern element.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

determining a notification type;

determining a corresponding combination of patterned portion and background portion; and

operating the first and second light sources according to the corresponding combination.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first and second light sources are operated to provide particular ones of a plurality of colors.