Visual feedback system for electronic device

• US 6,457,992 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Posey, Charles E., Oliphant, David, Johnson, Thomas A., Price, Tim U.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/845,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20020009910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 439/488, 439/489, 439/490, 439/910, 439/955
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/60 Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

A visual feedback system for providing information to a user regarding aspects such as the status and operation of the systems and components of one or more electronic devices. The visual feedback system is preferably employed in the context of a PC card and includes one or more light sources, preferably light emitting diodes, configured for electrical communication with the electronic circuitry by which the functionality of the PC card is implemented so that certain events that occur with respect to the status and operation of the PC card cause the light source to emit light. The emitted light is received by a light reflecting member that, preferably, substantially encloses the light source and reflects the received light in a manner and form consistent with a desired application. The reflected light is then directed, by virtue of the geometry of the light reflecting member, to one or more predetermined locations, one of which is preferably proximate to the receptacle of a connector included in the PC card. Thus, light emitted by the light source is correlated with operations performed by, and/or in conjunction with the PC card, and is then directed to a location visible to a user thereby enabling the user to ascertain information regarding aspects such as the status and operation of various electronic systems and components of, or relating to, PC card (100).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a printed circuit board including electronic circuitry and being substantially disposed within said housing;

(c) at least one connector in communication with said electronic circuitry and defining a receptacle configured to physically and electrically interface with an electrical plug; and

(d) a visual feedback system optically coupled with a portion of said at least one connector, and including;

(i) at least one light source in communication with said electronic circuitry, emission of light from said at least one light source being indexed to occurrence of at least one predetermined event relating to said electronic circuitry; and

(ii) at least one light reflecting member configured and arranged to receive light emitted by said at least one light source and to reflect at least some received light into said portion of said connector with which said visual feedback system is optically coupled;

wherein said electronic device further comprises a ground plane disposed on top of said at least one connector and attached to said at least one light reflecting member.

2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plug ground connection path integral with said ground plane.

3. An electronic device, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a printed circuit board including electronic circuitry and being substantially disposed within said housing;

(c) at least one connector in communication with said electronic circuitry and defining a receptacle configured to physically and electrically interface with an electrical plug;

(d) a visual feedback system optically coupled with a portion of said at least one connector, and including;

(i) at least one light source in communication with said electronic circuitry, emission of light from said at least one light source being indexed to occurrence of at least one predetermined event relating to said electronic circuitry; and

(ii) at least one light reflecting member configured and arranged to receive light emitted by said at least one light source and to reflect at least some received light into said portion of said connector with which said visual feedback system is optically coupled; and

(e) at least one lens interposed between said at least one light source and said at least one light reflecting member.

4. In an electronic device having a housing and a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including electronic circuitry and being disposed within the housing, a visual feedback system for conveying information concerning the electronic device, the visual feedback system comprising:

(a) at least one light source in communication with the electronic circuitry, emission of light from said at least one light source being indexed to occurrence of at least one predetermined event relating to the electronic circuitry;

(b) means for reflecting light, said means for reflecting light receiving light emitted by said at least one light source and reflecting some received light at least indirectly out of the housing; and

(c) at least one lens, said at least one lens being arranged to pass light from said at least one light source to said means for reflecting light.

5. In an electronic device having a housing and a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including electronic circuitry and being disposed within the housing, a visual feedback system for conveying information concerning the electronic device, the visual feedback system comprising:

(a) at least one light source in communication with the electronic circuitry, emission of light from said at least one light source being indexed to occurrence of at least one predetermined event relating to the electronic circuitry;

(b) at least one light reflecting member configured and arranged to receive light emitted by said at least one light source and to reflect at least some received light at least indirectly out of the housing; and

(c) at least one lens interposed between said at least one light source and said at least one light reflecting member.

6. In an electronic device including a light source in communication with electronic circuitry and including at least one light reflecting member positioned to receive light from the light source, and at least one lens, a method for providing visual feedback concerning the electronic device, the method comprising:

(a) generating, with the light source, light within the electronic device;

(b) receiving some generated light at a light reflecting member; and

(c) reflecting, with the light reflecting member, at least some received light to a first predetermined location;

wherein at least some light from the light source is passed through the at least one lens prior to reflection of said received light by said at least one light reflecting member.

7. A PC card, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a printed circuit board including electronic circuitry and being substantially disposed within said housing;

(c) at least one RJ-type connector in communication with said electronic circuitry and defining a receptacle defining an aperture and configured to physically and electrically interface with an RJ-type plug;

(d) a visual feedback system, including;

(i) at least one light emitting diode in communication with said electronic circuitry, emission of light from said at least one light emitting diode being indexed to occurrence of at least one predetermined event relating to said electronic circuitry; and

(ii) at least one light reflecting member, said at least one light reflecting member receiving light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode and reflecting some received light through said aperture and into said receptacle defined by said connector; and

(e) at least one lens interposed between said at least one light emitting diode and said at least one light reflecting member.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board disposed within the housing and including electronic circuitry and electronic components;

a connector in electrical communication with the electronic circuitry, the connector including a receptacle that is sized and configured to receive a media plug, the connector being configured to allow electrical communication to be established between the media plug and the electronic circuitry when the plug is received within the receptacle; and

a visual feedback system for directing light to a target without transmitting the light through a different medium, the visual feedback system including;

a light source in communication with said electronic circuitry; and

a light reflecting surface that is sized and configured to reflect light from the light source to the target, the light reflecting surface being a parabolic mirror.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the light reflecting surface is configured to form a light reflective pathway.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the light reflecting surface is at least partially curved in order to direct light towards the target.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the target is at least a portion of the connector.

12. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the target is at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing.

13. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the target is at least a portion of the media plug when the media plug is received within the receptacle in the connector.

14. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the light reflective surface extends generally from the light source to the target.

15. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the light reflecting surface forms a portion of said housing.

16. In an electronic device including a housing, a printed circuit board with electronic circuitry and electronic components disposed within the housing, a connector in electrical communication with the electronic circuitry and including a receptacle that is sized and configured to receive a media plug, and a visual feedback system disposed within the housing for transmitting light to a target, the visual feedback system capable of conveying information concerning the electronic device to a user, the visual feedback system comprising:

a light source in communication with the electronic circuitry, the light source emitting light according to one or more predetermined events; and

a light reflecting surface that is sized and configured to reflect at least some of the light emitting from the light source to a target without the emitted light being transmitted through a change in medium, the light reflecting surface being a parabolic mirror.

17. The visual feedback system as recited in claim 16, wherein the target is at least a portion of the connector.

18. The visual feedback system as recited in claim 16, wherein the target is at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing.

19. The visual feedback system as recited in claim 16, wherein the target is at least a portion of the media plug when the media plug is received within the receptacle in the connector.

20. A communication card that is capable of being connected to an electronic device such as a computer, the communication card comprising:

a housing;

a circuit board disposed within the housing, the circuit board including electronic circuitry and electronic components;

a connector in electrical communication with the electronic circuitry of the circuit board, the connector being sized and configured to removably receive a RJ-type connector plug; and

a visual feedback system, including;

a light source in communication with the electronic circuitry of the circuit board; and

a light reflecting member that is sized and configured to receive light emitted from the light source and reflect the light to a target without transmitting the light through a different medium, the light reflecting surface being a parabolic mirror.

21. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the light reflecting member is configured to form a light reflective pathway.

22. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the light reflecting member is at least partially curved in order to direct light towards the target.

23. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the target is at least a portion of the connector.

24. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the target is at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing.

25. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the target is at least a portion of the media plug when the media plug is received within the receptacle in the connector.

26. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the light reflective member extends generally from the light source to the target.

27. The communication card as recited in claim 20, wherein the light reflecting member forms a portion of said housing.