Illuminable latch

• US 8,384,518 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• 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:
  US13/174,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20110255289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.58, 340/7.61, 340/7.51, 250/239, 361/683, 361/681, 361/682, 345/57, 345/659, 714/36, 713/1, 713/2
• 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 portable computer, comprising:

a base containing a processor, the processor configured to monitor a status of an event associated with the portable computer;

a lid pivotally coupled to the base, the lid containing a display operatively coupled the processor;

a latch for securing the lid to the base, wherein the latch is coupled to the lid, the latch having a symbol illumination system operatively coupled to the processor, the symbol illumination system including a side-firing light emitting diode (LED) disposed within a housing of the latch for illuminating a symbol on an illuminable portion of the latch, wherein the processor causes the side-firing LED to produce an illumination characteristic corresponding to a status of the monitored event; and

a database for storing the illumination characteristic and the corresponding monitored event status.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the side-firing LED is positioned behind the illuminable portion.

3. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein a light directing element directs light from the side-firing LED to the illuminable portion.

4. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the illumination characteristic is associated with an event corresponding to activity of the display.

5. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the illuminable portion is a translucent portion of the housing of the latch.

6. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the illumination characteristic stored in the database can be customized by a user through a graphical user interface.

7. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the latch is detachable.

8. A portable computer, comprising:

a base having a processor;

a lid coupled to the base; and

a latch detachably coupled to the lid, the latch having a data capture device and a symbol illumination system controlled by the processor, wherein the processor causes the symbol illumination system to produce an illumination characteristic corresponding to a status of a processor-monitored event and wherein the illumination system comprises a side-firing light emitting diode (LED) disposed within a housing of the latch.

9. The portable computer of claim 8, wherein the symbol illumination system is configured to illuminate a symbol on an illuminable portion of a housing of the latch.

10. The computer of claim 8, wherein the symbol comprises at least one of a character, letter, number, and shape.

11. The computer of claim 8, wherein the symbol illumination system comprises a masking element configured to help produce a desired symbol shape.

12. The computer of claim 8, wherein the illumination characteristic is stored in a database and can be customized by a user through a graphical user interface.

13. A portable computer, comprising:

a base;

a processor disposed within the portable computer and configured to monitor for an event associated with the portable computer, wherein a status of the monitored event is associated with an illumination characteristic;

a lid that pivots relative to the base;

a latch for securing the lid to the base, the latch being capable of movement relative to the lid, the movement including a pivot and at least one of a swivel and a translation; and

a side-firing light emitting diode (LED) disposed within a housing of the latch, the side-firing LED configured to illuminate an illuminable portion of the housing of the latch in accordance with the illumination characteristic associated with the monitored event status.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the side-firing LED is configured to produce different illumination characteristics for different events monitored by the processor in the portable computer.

15. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the latch is detachable.

16. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the illumination characteristic is stored in a database and can be customized by a user through a graphical user interface.