Notification lights, locations and rules for a computer system
First Claim
1. In a computer system, a subsystem comprising:
- a plurality of different indicators that each corresponds to a different item of a computer system and that each convey different information about a state of the computer system and the corresponding computer system item, wherein each one of the plurality of different indicators is individually associated with and includes a plurality of colors; and
control logic that selects, for each of the plurality of different indicators, an appropriate one or more of the colors that are included with each indicator, as well as an illumination pattern for illuminating the appropriate one or more selected colors for each indicator and in such a way as to convey information about the state of the computer system and the corresponding item of the computer system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Notifications to computer users are provided via indicators such as lights. The indicators are controlled according to rules, to convey computer-related state information to users in a consistent manner. Locations of visible indicators are chosen to facilitate easy viewing. The rules dictate colors and/or illumination pattern components that together provide users with important computer-related information. For example, colors are assigned to types of information, and illumination patterns generally to behavior-related information. Colors may be combined in various illumination patterns. In one implementation, many or all of the visible indicators may be grouped together on a single control panel from rapid viewing. Alternatively, the visible indicators may be grouped by function or other logical arrangement, such as on the keyboard and/or frame of a monitor. Alternative light sources that illuminate the system (e.g., the monitor bezel) to convey state information, instead of or in addition to individual indicators, are also described.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. In a computer system, a subsystem comprising:
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a plurality of different indicators that each corresponds to a different item of a computer system and that each convey different information about a state of the computer system and the corresponding computer system item, wherein each one of the plurality of different indicators is individually associated with and includes a plurality of colors; and control logic that selects, for each of the plurality of different indicators, an appropriate one or more of the colors that are included with each indicator, as well as an illumination pattern for illuminating the appropriate one or more selected colors for each indicator and in such a way as to convey information about the state of the computer system and the corresponding item of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. In a computer system, a method comprising:
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receiving state data related to a current state of the computer system; selecting an indicator from among a plurality of indicators for outputting the state data, wherein each of the plurality of indicators corresponds to a different item of the computer system and wherein each one of the plurality of different indicators is individually associated with and includes a plurality of colors; selecting, for each of the plurality of different indicators, an appropriate one or more of the colors that are included with each indicator, as well as an illumination pattern that is selected from a plurality of different illumination patterns for illuminating the appropriate one or more selected colors based on received state information about the computer system and the corresponding item of the computing system; and illuminating the selected one or more appropriate colors of each indicator in the selected illumination pattern, as appropriate, in order to visually convey the state information received about the state of the computer system and the corresponding item of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification