Communication using light-emitting device

• US 8,624,809 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mahowald, Peter Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US11/947,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178, 345/82, 345/83, 455/566, 715/772
• US Class Current: 345/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/325 by lamps or LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for communicating information. An event is detected. A light effect is emitted in response to the detected event. The emitted light effect simulates the detected event or a sensory output associated with the detected event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an event associated with a mobile device;

in response to the event, producing, by the mobile device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output;

emitting light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output while concurrently producing the sensory output; and

returning to a normal mode of emission once the sensory output has terminated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display of a device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein emitting light substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein emitting light substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose color over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein emitting light substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein emitting light substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitting light whose color over time varies with the audio output.

8. A device, comprising:

a light emission module;

one or more processors;

a storage medium; and

instructions stored in the storage medium and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising instructions to;

detect an event associated with a mobile device;

in response to the event, producing, by the device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output produced;

emitting light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output while concurrently producing the sensory output; and

returning to a normal mode of emission once the sensory output terminates.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a display device;

and

wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display of a device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein emitting light having characteristics of the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein emitting light having characteristics of the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose color over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output from the device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein emitting light having characteristics of the audio output comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

14. A computer program product, encoded on a machine-readable storage device or substrate, operable to cause a data processing apparatus comprising a light-emitting device to perform operations comprising:

detecting an event associated with a mobile device;

in response to the event, producing, by the mobile device, a sensory output indicating the event;

determining a pattern in the sensory output produced;

emitting light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output while concurrently producing the sensory output; and

returning to a normal mode of emission once the sensory output terminates.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an on-screen dynamic displayed on a display.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein emitting light having characteristics substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein emitting light having characteristics substantially similar to the on-screen dynamic comprises emitting light whose color over time simulates the on-screen dynamic.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the associated sensory output comprises an audio output.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein emitting light that having a characteristic substantially similar to the audio output comprises emitting light whose intensity over time simulates at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the audio output.

20. A system, comprising:

means for detecting an event associated with a mobile device;

means for, in response to the event, producing a sensory output indicating the event;

means for determining a pattern in the sensory output;

means for interrupting a normal mode of emission that emits a normal mode light effect, the normal mode light effect conveying particular device information, and initiating an event mode;

means for emitting, in response to the initiation of the event mode, a different event mode light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the sensory output; and

means for returning to the normal mode of emission following the event mode light effect.

21. A method comprising:

detecting an event;

interrupting a normal mode of emission and switching to an event mode of emission, where the normal mode conveys specified device information using an emission of a particular normal mode light effect;

determining a pattern in the event mode of emission;

in response to switching to the event mode of emission, emitting an event mode light that substantially simulates the determined pattern in the event mode of emission; and

exiting the event mode of emission and returning to the normal mode of emission.