Strap for portable device with light indicator

• US 9,047,744 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jokinen, Teppo Tapani
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US12/722,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20110223977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/575, 455/1, 455/90.1, 455/347, 455/351, 455/567, 455/571.2, 455/571.3, 362/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

An apparatus including a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light; and a connection section configured to connect the flexible strap section to a portable electronic device such that the portable electronic device can hang from the flexible strap section. The connection section is configured to receive a signal from the portable electronic device. The flexible strap section is configured to emit the visible light based, at least partially, upon the signal from the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a portable electronic device; and

a carry strap connected to the portable electronic device, wherein the carry strap is configured to allow the portable electronic device to hang therefrom, wherein the carry strap comprises;

a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light, wherein the flexible strap section comprises a signal conductor; and

a signal connector connected to a first end of the signal conductor, wherein the signal connector is directly connected to the portable electronic device by a removable connection,

wherein a second end of the signal conductor is connected to circuitry of the portable electronic device, and wherein the signal conductor is configured to transmit signals between the signal connector and the circuitry,

wherein the apparatus comprises a system including an electronic controller configured to allow a user to customize different emissions of visible light from the flexible strap section based upon predetermined different events.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device comprises a transceiver, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the flexible strap section to emit the visible light based upon occurrence of an incoming telephone call, or an incoming Short Message Service (SMS), or an incoming text message, or an incoming instant message, or a missed telephone call, or a predetermined data transmission event to or from the portable electronic device.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the controller is configured to allow different colors, or light intensities, or patterns of illumination to occur at the flexible strap section.

4. An equipment comprising:

a portable electronic device; and

an apparatus connected to the portable electronic device, wherein said apparatus comprises;

a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light; and

a connection section configured to connect the flexible strap section to the portable electronic device such that the portable electronic device can hang from the flexible strap section,

wherein the connection section is configured to receive a signal from the portable electronic device, and the flexible strap section is configured to emit the visible light based, at least partially, upon the signal from the portable electronic device,

where the flexible strap section comprises an electrical conductor connected to an electrical connector at a first end of the flexible strap section, where the electrical connector is adapted to removably connect the electrical conductor to another device,

wherein the portable electronic device comprises a system including an electronic controller configured to allow a user to customize different emissions of visible light from the flexible strap based upon at least two predetermined different events, where the equipment is configured to provide a different, user customized, emission of visible light for each respective one of the at least two predetermined different events.

5. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the flexible strap section comprises a longitudinal flexible light guide.

6. An equipment as in claim 5 wherein the signal is an optical signal and the connection section comprises an input into the flexible light guide.

7. An equipment as in claim 5 wherein the flexible strap section comprises a substantially transparent flexible tube around the light guide.

8. An equipment as in claim 5 wherein the connection section comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) configured to emit the visible light into the light guide, and wherein the signal is an electrical signal provided to the Light Emitting Diode (LED).

9. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the flexible strap section comprises a linear array of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

10. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the connection section is located at a second end of the flexible strap section.

11. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the electrical connector comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) electrical connector.

12. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the flexible strap section comprises luminescent material.

13. An equipment as in claim 12 wherein the connection section comprises a first section configured to user detachably connect the first end of the flexible strap section to the portable electronic device, and an opposite second section configured to fixedly connect a second end of the flexible strap section to the portable electronic device.

14. An equipment as in claim 4 wherein the portable electronic device comprises a general loop shaped groove adapted to have the flexible strap section removably located therein along a substantially entire length of the flexible strap section.

15. An equipment as in claim 14 wherein the portable electronic device comprises a transceiver and a controller, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the flexible strap section to emit the visible light based upon occurrence of an incoming telephone call, or an incoming Short Message Service (SMS), or an incoming text message, or an incoming instant message, or a missed telephone call, or a predetermined data transmission event to or from the portable electronic device.

16. An equipment as in claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to allow different colors, or light intensities, or patterns of illumination to occur at the flexible strap section for different predetermined events.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a portable electronic device; and

a carry strap connected to the portable electronic device, wherein the carry strap is configured to allow the portable electronic device to hang therefrom, wherein the carry strap comprises a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light,

where the portable electronic device comprises a system, including an electronic controller, configured to allow a user to customize automatic different emissions of visible light from the flexible strap based upon predetermined different events, where the equipment is configured to provide a plurality of user customized different emissions of visible light for respective ones of the predetermined different events.