Active enclosure for computing device

• US 7,766,517 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan R., Hotelling, Steve P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US10/773,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20040156192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 362/154, 362 29- 31, 362632-634, 362/800, 362/95, 361/683, 315/292, 345/83
• US Class Current: 362/362
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen, wherein the housing encloses at least various internal components associated with the operation of the computing device; and

an indicator assembly, wherein the indicator assembly indicates at least events associated with the computing device and produces at least a shaped indicator image on the outer surface of the housing having sharp well defined edges at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing when activated, and eliminates the indicator image from the outer surface of the housing when deactivated, and wherein the indicator assembly is not visible from outside the outer surface of the housing at least when deactivated, wherein the indicator assembly further includes a mask that blocks light from illuminating all but the specific portion of the housing desired to be illuminated, the indicator assembly including

at least one light source capable of emitting light, and a light guide that directs light emitted from the at least one light source so as to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing adjacent the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing in order to create the shaped indicator image at the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended surface.

2. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source includes an LED or a group of LEDs.

3. The computing device as recited in claim 2 wherein the light source includes a red, green, blue and white LED, the colored LEDs performing color mixing in order to effect the color of the indicator image.

4. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light guide includes a light pipe for directing light to the pan of the housing desired to be illuminated.

5. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source is a remote light source.

6. A computing device, comprising:

a housing component that forms an extended outer surface of a housing of the computing device, the housing component having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing component that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen; and

an indicator that alerts a user to a particular status of the computing device, the indicator including a light source and a light guide both of which are hidden from view from outside the housing and disposed inside the housing of the computing device, the light source when activated emits light into the light guide, the light guide directs the light emitted from the light source so as to illuminate a small region of the inner surface of the housing component in order to create a shaped indicator image on the outer surface of the housing having sharp well defined edges at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing component adjacent the small region of the inner surface, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended outer surface of the housing, wherein only the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing component is capable of being illuminated when light is made incident on an inner surface of the housing component and the specific small region of the housing component is made illuminable via a recess formed in the inside surface of the housing component, the shape of the recess forming the shape of the shaped indicator image.

7. The computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the extended surface forms substantially the entire front surface of the housing of the computing device.

8. The computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the shaped indicator image is a circle.

9. The computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein only the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing component is capable of being illuminated when light is made incident on an inner surface of the housing component.

10. The computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the indicator is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device.

11. A computing device, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen, wherein the housing encloses at least various internal components associated with the operation of the computing device; and

an indicator assembly, wherein the indicator assembly indicates at least events associated with the computing device and produces at least a shaped indicator image on the outer surface of the housing having sharp well defined edges at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing when activated, and eliminates the indicator image from the outer surface of the housing when deactivated, and wherein the indicator assembly is not visible from outside the outer surface of the housing at least when deactivated, wherein the indicator assembly is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device, the indicator assembly including

at least one light source capable of emitting light, and a light guide that directs light emitted from the at least one light source so as to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing adjacent the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing in order to create the shaped indicator image at the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended surface.

12. The computing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the housing transmits light while causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct objects located within the housing.

13. A computing device, comprising:

a housing that serves to surround internal components associated with the operation of the computing device at a peripheral region thereof so as to cover and protect the internal components from adverse conditions, wherein the housing transmits light while causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct objects located within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a light diffusing means located either internal or external to the housing; and

an indicator disposed internal of the housing and configured to illuminate a specific small portion of an external surface of the housing to form a shaped indicator image having sharp well defined edges associated with an event of the computing device, the indicator image appearing on the external surface of the housing when the indicator is on, the indicator image disappearing from the external surface of the housing when the indicator is off, wherein the indicator image is only formed at the external surface of the housing when the indicator is turned on, wherein only the housing is visible and there is no trace of the indicator on the external surface of the housing when the indicator is off, and wherein the indicator image is not formed from imperfections in the housing.

14. The computing device as recited in claim 13, wherein translucency of the housing is configured to allow the passage of light therethrough while preventing a user from clearly seeing or distinguishing objects disposed within the housing.

15. The computing device as recited in claim 13, wherein an event of the computing device can be a computing device status condition or computing device status change.

16. The computing device as recited in claim 13, wherein the indicator comprises at least one light source and at least one light guide, the light guide being arranged to guide light emitted from the light source to a portion of an inner surface of the housing adjacent and associated with the specific small portion of the external surface of the housing at which the shaped indicator image is illuminated.

17. A computing device, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through an inner surface of the housing wherein the housing encloses at least various internal components associated with the operation of the computing device; and

an indicator assembly, wherein the indicator assembly indicates at least events associated with the computing device and produces at least a shaped indicator image at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing when activated, and eliminates the indicator image from the outer surface of the housing when deactivated, and wherein the indicator assembly is not visible from outside the outer surface of the housing at least when deactivated, wherein the indicator assembly is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device, the indicator assembly including

at least one light source capable of emitting light, and

a light guide that directs light emitted from the at least one light source so as to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing adjacent the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing in order to create the shaped indicator image at the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended surface.

18. The computing device as recited in claim 17 wherein the light source includes an LED or a group of LEDs.

19. The computing device as recited in claim 18 wherein the light source includes a red, green, blue and white LED, the colored LEDs performing color mixing in order to effect the color of the indicator image.

20. The computing device as recited in claim 17 wherein the indicator assembly further includes a mask that blocks light from illuminating all but the specific portion of the housing desired to be illuminated.

21. The computing device as recited in claim 17 wherein the light guide includes a light pipe for directing light to the pan of the housing desired to be illuminated.

22. A computing device, comprising:

a housing component that forms an extended outer surface of a housing of the computing device, the housing component having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through an inner surface of the housing component; and

an indicator that alerts a user to a particular status of the computing device, the indicator including a light source and a light guide both of which are hidden from view from outside the housing and disposed inside the housing of the computing device, the light source when activated emits light into the light guide, the light guide directs the light emitted from the light source so as to illuminate a small region of the inner surface of the housing component in order to create a shaped indicator image at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing component adjacent the small region of the inner surface, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended outer surface of the housing, wherein the indicator is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device.

23. The computing device as recited in claim 22 wherein the extended surface forms substantially the entire front surface of the housing of the computing device.

24. The computing device as recited in claim 22 wherein the shaped indicator image is a circle.

25. The computing device as recited in claim 22 wherein only the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing component is capable of being illuminated when light is made incident on an inner surface of the housing component.

26. The computing device as recited in claim 25 wherein the specific small region of the housing component is made illuminable via a recess formed in the inside surface of the housing component, the shape of the recess forming the shape of the shaped indicator image.

27. A computing device, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen, wherein the housing encloses at least various internal components associated with the operation of the computing device; and

an indicator assembly, wherein the indicator assembly indicates at least events associated with the computing device and produces at least a shaped indicator image a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing when activated, and eliminates the indicator image from the outer surface of the housing when deactivated, and wherein the indicator assembly is not visible from outside the outer surface of the housing at least when deactivated, the indicator assembly including

at least one light source capable of emitting light,

a light guide that directs light emitted from the at least one light source so as to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing adjacent the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing in order to create the shaped indicator image at the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended surface and a mask that blocks light from illuminating all but the specific portion of the housing desired to be illuminated, and

a mask that blocks light from illuminating all but the specific portion of the housing desired to be illuminated.

28. The computing device as recited in claim 27 wherein the light source includes an LED or a group of LEDs.

29. The computing device as recited in claim 28 wherein the light source includes a red, green, blue and white LED, the colored LEDs performing color mixing in order to effect the color of the indicator image.

30. The computing device as recited in claim 27 wherein the light guide includes a light pipe for directing light to the pan of the housing desired to be illuminated.

31. A computing device, comprising:

a housing component that forms an extended outer surface of a housing of the computing device, the housing component having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing component that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen; and

an indicator that alerts a user to a particular status of the computing device, the indicator including a light source and a light guide both of which are hidden from view from outside the housing and disposed inside the housing of the computing device, the light source when activated emits light into the light guide, the light guide directs the light emitted from the light source so as to illuminate a small region of the inner surface of the housing component in order to create a shaped indicator image a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing component adjacent the small region of the inner surface, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended outer surface of the housing wherein only the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing component is capable of being illuminated when light is made incident on an inner surface of the housing component, and wherein the specific small region of the housing component is made illuminable via a recess formed in the inside surface of the housing component, the shape of the recess forming the shape of the shaped indicator image.

32. The computing device as recited in claim 31 wherein the extended surface forms substantially the entire front surface of the housing of the computing device.

33. The computing device as recited in claim 31 wherein the shaped indicator image is a circle.

34. The computing device as recited in claim 31, wherein the indicator is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device.

35. A computing device, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through a translucent inner portion of the housing that transmits light without permitting objects disposed behind it from being seen, wherein the housing encloses at least various internal components associated with the operation of the computing device; and

an indicator assembly, wherein the indicator assembly indicates at least events associated with the computing device and produces at least a shaped indicator image at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing when activated, and eliminates the indicator image from the outer surface of the housing when deactivated, and wherein the indicator assembly is not visible from outside the outer surface of the housing at least when deactivated, the indicator assembly including

at least one light source capable of emitting light, and

a light guide that directs light emitted from the at least one light source so as to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing adjacent the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing in order to create the shaped indicator image at the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended surface,

wherein the indicator assembly is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device.

36. The computing device as recited in claim 35 wherein the light source includes an LED or a group of LEDs.

37. The computing device as recited in claim 36 wherein the light source includes a red, green, blue and white LED, the colored LEDs performing color mixing in order to effect the color of the indicator image.

38. A computing device, comprising:

a housing component that forms an extended outer surface of a housing of the computing device, the housing component having an outer surface at least a portion of which is illuminable by light transmitted through an inner surface of the housing component; and

an indicator that alerts a user to a particular status of the computing device, the indicator including a light source and a light guide both of which are hidden from view from outside the housing and disposed inside the housing of the computing device, the light source when activated emits light into the light guide, the light guide directs the light emitted from the light source so as to illuminate a small region of the inner surface of the housing component in order to create a shaped indicator image at a specific small region of the illuminable portion of the outer surface of the housing component adjacent the small region of the inner surface, the area of the shaped indicator image being substantially smaller than the area of the extended outer surface of the housing, wherein the indicator is configured to turn the shaped indicator image on and off or cycle the shaped indicator image with increasing or decreasing intensity when in a sleep mode of the computing device, wherein only the specific small region of the outer surface of the housing component is capable of being illuminated when light is made incident on an inner surface of the housing component, and wherein the specific small region of the housing component is made illuminable via a recess formed in the inside surface of the housing component, the shape of the recess forming the shape of the shaped indicator image.

39. The computing device as recited in claim 38, wherein the translucency of the housing is configured to allow the passage of light therethrough while preventing a user from clearly seeing or distinguishing objects disposed within the housing.

40. A computing device, comprising:

a housing that serves to surround internal components associated with the operation of the computing device at a peripheral region thereof so as to cover and protect the internal components from adverse conditions; and

an indicator disposed internal of the housing and configured to illuminate a specific small portion of an external surface of the housing to form a shaped indicator image associated with an event of the computing device, the indicator including a light source and a light guide both of which are hidden from view from outside the housing and disposed inside the housing of the computing device, the light source when activated emits light into the light guide, the light guide directs the light emitted from the light source to illuminate a small region of an inner surface of the housing to create the shaped indicator region at the specific small portion of the external surface of the housing, the indicator image appearing on the external surface of the housing when the indicator is on, the indicator image disappearing from the external surface of the housing when the indicator is off, wherein the indicator image is only formed at the external surface of the housing when the indicator is turned on, wherein only the housing is visible and there is no trace of the indicator on the external surface of the housing when the indicator is off, and wherein the indicator does not form substantial breaks, lines, pits, and protrusions in the external surface of the housing, wherein the housing transmits light while causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct objects located within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a light diffusing means located either internal or external to the housing.