Illuminable latch

• US 8,035,481 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Krah, Christoph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US12/499,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20090268401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.58, 340/7.61, 340/7.51, 250/239, 361/683, 345/157, 345/83, 345/88, 362/23, 362/84, 362/572, 607/88, 607/89
• US Class Current: 340/7.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera

Abstract

A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a data capture device such as a camera. In one aspect, the data capture device may integrated with the housing of the computing device and further detachable therefrom. In another aspect, the data capture device may swivel and/or translate relative to the housing of the computing device. In another aspect, the computing device may include a positioning device for controlling the movement of the data capture device relative to the housing. In yet another aspect, the computing device may include a latch that is automatically positioned in a home position when a housing component of the computing device is positioned in first position, and is automatically positioned in a lock position when the housing component of the computing device is positioned in a closed position.

Claims

1. A method of producing a symbol light effect on an illuminable portion of a latch coupled to a lid of a portable computer, comprising:

monitoring an event associated with the computer, wherein monitoring is performed by a processor of the computer; and

associating the monitored event with an illumination characteristic;

controlling a light source based on the monitored event and illumination characteristic to indicate a status of the monitored event, the light source being positioned inside a housing of the latch, wherein the light source is a side firing LED.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored event and illumination characteristic are stored in a database of the computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the illumination characteristic may be customized by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored event is related to the portable computer or a device attached to the portable computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the light source to produce different symbol light effects for different events.

6. A method of illuminating a symbol on an illuminable portion of a latch coupled to a lid of a portable computer, comprising:

monitoring an event associated with the computer; and

controlling a light source to illuminate the symbol, the light source being a side firing LED positioned inside a housing of the latch, wherein the symbol has a characteristic associated with the event, wherein monitoring and controlling are performed by a processor operatively coupled to the latch.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the light source is in the lid.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising controlling the light source to produce different symbols for different events.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the monitored event and the characteristic are stored in a database of the computer.

10. A method of producing a symbol light effect on an illuminable portion of a latch coupled to a lid of a portable computer, comprising:

monitoring an event associated with the computer, wherein monitoring is performed by a processor of the computer; and

associating the monitored event with an illumination characteristic;

controlling at least one side firing LED based on the monitored event and illumination characteristic to indicate a status of the monitored event, the at least one side firing LED being positioned inside a housing of the latch, wherein the illuminable portion of the latch is a translucent insert having an outer surface visible to an end user of the portable computer and at least one side portion not directly viewable to the end user and arranged to receive light directly from the at least one side firing LED and wherein the at least one side firing LED produces enough illumination to emit a characteristic glow that emanates equally from the outer surface of the translucent insert.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitored event and illumination characteristic are stored in a database of the computer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the illumination characteristic may be customized by a user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitored event is related to the portable computer or a device attached to the portable computer.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling the light source to produce different symbol light effects for different events.

15. A method of producing a symbol light effect on an illuminable portion of a latch coupled to a lid of a portable computer, comprising:

monitoring an event associated with the computer, wherein monitoring is performed by a processor of the computer; and

associating the monitored event with an illumination characteristic;

controlling at least one side firing LED based on the monitored event and illumination characteristic to indicate a status of the monitored event, wherein the at least one side firing LED is arranged to produce different colors of a color spectrum allowing the portable computer to change a color of the illuminable portion according to specific tasks being performed in the portable computer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the illuminable portion is a translucent portion of the housing of the latch.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one side firing LED is configured to produce different light effects for different events monitored by the processor in the computer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitored event and illumination characteristic are stored in a database of the computer.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the light source to produce different symbols for different events.