Interactive electronic device shell

• US 8,933,813 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Small, Andrea, Giardini, Anthony, Wolfe, Ryan, Chou, Joyce S., Lee, Jae Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US12/764,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20110175747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 362/296.01, 345/173, 455/573
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 1/00 Shades for light sources , i.e. lampshades for table, floor, wall or ceiling lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0095 Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• 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: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

An interactive electronic device shell and light source may enable personalization and increased functionality of an electronic device. The shell may at least partially cover a light source and attach to an electronic device. The shell includes at least some transparent or translucent portions (e.g., light stencils) that enable light from a matrix of the light source to emit through the shell, thus causing a display of light from the shell. In some aspects, the electronic device may be linked with the shell and/or the light source to control light emission through the shell. In various aspects, an illumined portion of the shell may have significance, such as revealing an artistic design or indicating a message based on activity of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a telecommunications device assembly including;

a transceiver to communicate wirelessly with at least one other device;

a primary display to output visual information;

one or more processors to control at least the transceiver and the primary display; and

a body to house at least the transceiver, the primary display, and the one or more processors;

a light panel to cause selective illumination of a matrix of lights based on signals received by the one or more processors of the telecommunications device assembly, the light panel configured for placement proximate to a side of the body opposite the primary display of the telecommunications device assembly; and

a shell configured to couple to the body, the shell to at least partially cover the light panel such that light, when emitted by the light panel, passes through transparent or translucent potions of the shell, the portions to refract at least a portion of the light to reveal a design that is integrated within the shell and that is visible to a user when the light panel is illuminated and that is hidden from the user when the light panel is not illuminated.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the shell includes design features as the transparent or translucent portions that include at least one of etches, reflecting features, or stencils that create the design by refracting the light and allowing light from the light panel to emit through the shell via the design features.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the matrix of lights is arranged as a grid of lights that are selectable, via the one or more processors of the telecommunications device assembly, to activate or deactivate to vary light transmission through the transparent or translucent portions of the shell.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the light panel comprises at least one of electroluminescence lights (EL) or light emitting diodes (LEDs).

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the design includes a plurality of interconnected portions that are independently made visible to the user when corresponding light segments of the light panel are illuminated, the amount of the interconnected portions that are illuminated indicating a quantity of messages available via the telecommunications device, and wherein various combinations of the plurality of interconnected portions create an artistic representation when illuminated by the corresponding light segments of the light panel.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the signals relate to messages received from the at least one other device.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a light router to direct light from the light panel to the transparent or translucent portions of the shell.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the light router includes at least one of molded plastic light tubes or fiber optics to perform the routing.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a light controller to direct the light panel to emit light via selected light segments based on an event performed by the one or more processors of the telecommunications device assembly.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a touch interface panel disposed between the light panel and the shell, the touch interface panel to enable control of an emission of light from the light panel based on received touch inputs on the shell that are detected by the touch interface panel.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a light panel to receive signals from a telecommunications device and emit light in response to at least some of the signals; and

a shell to couple to a body of the telecommunications device, the shell having transparent or translucent portions that allow light to pass through the shell from the light panel located between the shell and the telecommunications device, the portions to refract at least a portion of the light to reveal a design that is integrated within the shell and that is visible to a user when the light panel is illuminated and that is hidden from the user when the light panel is not illuminated.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the portions include stencils that create the design, the stencils being at least one of etched designs in the shell or reflective surfaces in the shell.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising a light controller to process the signals from the telecommunications device and control the illumination of light from the light panel based in part on the design of the shell.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the shell further includes at least one of molded plastic light tubes or fiber optics to route light from the light panel to at least one of the transparent or translucent portions.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the shell further includes a touch interface panel to enable receipt of inputs via interaction with the shell.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the signals indicate availability of messages received by the telecommunications device from at least one other device.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a light source configured to selectively emit light to segments of a surface, the light source to receive signals from a processor of a telecommunications device and, in response to the signals, to activate and deactivate emission of light to the segments; and

a shell to cover at least a portion of the segments, the shell having a plurality of at least transparent or translucent portions on the surface that guide light that is emitted from the light source to pass through the shell to reveal at least a portion of a design included within the shell, wherein the light from the light source that refracts off of the design causes the design to be visible.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising a light router that routes light from the segments of the light source to the plurality of at least transparent or translucent portions of the shell using at least one of molded plastic light tubes or fiber optics.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the light source comprises a matrix of electroluminescent (EL) lights.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the shell includes stencils that create the design, the stencils being at least transparent or translucent, the stencils to receive light from one or more segments of the light source to refract at least a portion of the light based on activity of the light source.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a shell having a plurality of at least transparent or translucent portions on a surface that allow light that is emitted from a light source to pass through the shell to reveal at least a portion of an artistic design that is integrated within the shell, the shell configured to receive the light source adjacent to the segments such that when light is emitted from the light source and refracted by the design, the light is visible through at least one of the plurality of at least transparent or translucent portions of the artistic design, the artistic design being at least partially visible to a user when the light is emitted and being hidden from the user absent emission of the light.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the shell is configured for attachment to a telecommunications device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the shell includes the light source integrally formed within the shell, the shell to further include a processor to activate and deactivate emission of light of the light source.