Selectively adjustable icons for assisting users of an electronic device

• US 7,898,397 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan R, DiCarlo, Derek J, King, Nicholas V, Mahowald, Peter H
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/818,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 3405681-5729, 340/686.1, 340/687, 340/686.6, 340/500, 340/505, 340/531, 340/532, 340/691.6, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/669, 715/763, 715/762, 715/702, 710/100, 710/302, 324/538
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing selectively adjustable icons to assist users of an electronic device are provided. Icons can be selectively adjusted to assist users in connecting and disconnecting accessories to and from the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user of an electronic device having a housing, a port and an icon, the method comprising:

determining that a port event related to the port is occurring by at least determining that the housing of the electronic device is being physically moved; and

adjusting the icon in response to the determining, wherein the adjusting assists the user with accessing the port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the port event comprises a change in the status of the port.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the port event comprises the user attempting to connect or disconnect an accessory to or from the port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that a port event is occurring comprises accepting an instruction from the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the housing of the electronic device is being physically moved comprises at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

reading an output of an accelerometer;

reading an output of a strain gauge;

reading an output of a switch;

reading an output of a rotary or linear encoder;

reading an output of a vibration detector;

reading an output of a magnetic compass; and

reading an output of a gyroscope.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the housing of the electronic device is being physically moved comprises reading an output of an optical sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that a port event is occurring comprises determining that the user is attempting to perform a function that requires connecting an accessory to or disconnecting an accessory from the port.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that a port event is occurring comprises determining that an object is proximal to the port.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that a port event is occurring comprises using an RFID system to identify the presence of an accessory.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon includes a light source, and wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting the brightness of the light source.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon includes a plurality of differently colored light sources.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon is adjacent to the port.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the housing of the electronic device is being physically moved comprises determining that the entire electronic device is being physically moved.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

one or more ports;

one or more icons operable to assist a user with accessing the one or more ports;

sensor circuitry operable to detect a port event related to at least one of the one or more ports by at least determining that the housing is being physically moved; and

control circuitry coupled to the one or more icons and the sensor circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operable to adjust at least one of the one or more icons in response to the port event detected by the sensor circuitry.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the one or more icons comprises a light source with an adjustable brightness.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the one or more icons comprises a plurality of differently colored light sources.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the port event comprises accepting an instruction from the user of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the port event comprises a change in the status of the at least one of the one or more ports.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the port event comprises the user attempting to connect an accessory to or disconnect an accessory from the at least one of the one or more ports.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the sensor circuitry comprises at least one sensor from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer;

a strain gauge;

a switch;

a rotary or linear encoder;

a vibration detector;

a magnetic compass; and

a gyroscope.

19. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the sensor circuitry comprises at least one proximity or motion detector.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the at least one proximity or motion detector comprises:

an energy source; and

an energy detector, wherein the energy source and the energy detector are aimed at an area proximal to the at least one of the one or more ports.

21. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the proximity or motion detector includes an optical system that was fabricated to be part of an optical computer mouse.

22. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the sensor circuitry includes circuitry that was fabricated to be part of an optical computer mouse.

23. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the sensor circuitry comprises an RFID reader.

31. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein each of the one or more icons is adjacent to a respective one of the one or more ports.

34. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the sensor circuitry is further operable to detect a port event related to at least one of the one or more ports by at least determining that the entire electronic device is being physically moved.

24. A system for assisting a user of an electronic device, the system comprising:

an accessory, wherein the accessory comprises;

a user interface operable to receive, independent of any interaction with the electronic device, a tactile input from the user; and

accessory communications circuitry operable to broadcast a code that identifies the type of port that the accessory is configured to be coupled to in response to receiving the tactile input; and

the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises;

one or more ports;

one or more icons operable to assist the user with accessing the one or more ports;

sensor circuitry operable to determine that the user is attempting to connect or disconnect the accessory to or from at least one of the one or more ports; and

control circuitry coupled to the one or more icons and the sensor circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operable to adjust at least one of the one or more icons in response to the determination of the sensor circuitry.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a remote control device that the user can interface with to notify the electronic device that the user is attempting to connect or disconnect the accessory to or from the at least one of the one or more ports.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the accessory comprises an RFID transponder, and wherein the sensor circuitry comprises an RFID reader.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the RFID transponder is operable to broadcast a code that identifies the type of port that the accessory is configured to be coupled to.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the RFID reader is operable to receive a code, and wherein the control circuitry is operable to adjust the at least one of the one or more icons based on the code.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the sensor circuitry comprises sensor communications circuitry that is operable to receive a code, and wherein the control circuitry is operable to adjust the at least one of the one or more icons based on the code.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein each of the one or more icons is adjacent to a respective one of the one or more ports.