Wearable device assembly having athletic functionality

• US 10,037,053 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Malhotra, Vikram
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US15/628,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20170351295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 3405731
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0015 providing information, e.g. bracelets with calendars identification bracelets G09F3/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

A wearable device assembly has a housing supporting a controller and a display. The display may comprise one or more light guides, where each guide is operatively coupled to an LED. Each LED may light the edge of a guide such that a refraction surface is illuminated. The controller may selectively illuminate the one or more light guides using the LEDs to indicate a level of activity of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first light guide, a plurality of light rays;

reflecting, by the first light guide, a first light ray of the plurality of light rays; and

illuminating, with the first light ray, a first refracting surface positioned along the first light guide to display the first refracting surface through a portion of a second light guide.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

adjusting an intensity of the plurality of light rays.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a first lighting element is operatively coupled to the first light guide.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of light rays further comprises:

receiving, at a first edge of the first light guide, at least the first light ray to illuminate the first edge of the first light guide.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first lighting element comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein reflecting the first light ray further comprises:

reflecting the first light ray along an inner surface of the first light guide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the first refracting surface further comprises:

reflecting the first light ray along the first light guide to cause the first light ray to exit the first light guide at the first refracting surface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

illuminating a second refracting surface positioned along the second light guide to display the second refracting surface through a portion of a third light guide.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a portion of the first refracting surface overlaps a portion of the second refracting surface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

illuminating the first refracting surface to display a portion of the first refracting surface through a portion of a second refracting surface of the second light guide.

11. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

a display comprising a plurality of light guides, wherein each of the plurality of light guides;

is operatively coupled to a lighting element, and

comprises a refracting surface, and

wherein the plurality of light guides are positioned in a layered configuration;

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the device to illuminate one or more lighting elements; and

a controller that adjusts an intensity of light emitted from the one or more lighting elements.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of light guides comprise a contoured surface corresponding to a first surface of the device.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of light guides comprise a transparent silicone film, and wherein the transparent silicone film allows light exiting a first light guide to be displayed through a second light guide.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein a first light guide, of the plurality of light guides, comprises a reflecting sheet to reflect light along an inner surface of the first light guide.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the refracting surface, of a first light guide, comprises a refracting point positioned along an outer surface of the first light guide.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the refracting surface, of a first light guide, is visibly illuminated when light exits the first light guide at the refracting point.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the refracting surface, of a first light guide, comprises a painted surface along a portion of the first light guide.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, by a plurality of light guides, a plurality of light rays, wherein each of the plurality of light guides is operatively coupled to a lighting element;

reflecting, by a first light guide, a first light ray emitted from a first lighting element;

reflecting, by a second light guide, a second light ray emitted from a second lighting element; and

displaying a color transition by illuminating a first refracting surface positioned along the first light guide and a second refracting surface positioned along the second light guide.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first lighting element comprises a light source of a first color and the second lighting element comprises a light source of a second color.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the color transition comprises a transition from the first color to the second color.