Portable voice assistant device with linear lighting elements

• US 10,620,913 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beatty, Jacob William, Ugwu, Emeka Godswill, Rodriguez, Josue Jean, Marason, Eric Gifford, Virgen, Miguel, Pine, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/831,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20190171413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 362486, 362487, 362488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/59 Lighting devices mounted in the vehicle interior and adapted for portability
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0015 Fastening arrangements intended to retain light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0808 Adhesive means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/096 Magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/22 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings, e.g. dichroic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for portable voice assistant devices with linear lighting elements. In one embodiment, an example device may include a housing having a first portion and a second portion, an elongated light bar disposed between the first portion and the second portion, and a first LED disposed within the housing. Example devices may include a reflector component configured to reflect light towards the elongated light bar, and a diffuser positioned adjacent to the elongated light bar. The diffuser may include a first curved portion and a flat portion, and the first curved portion may be substantially aligned with the first LED.

Claims

1. A voice-activated device for use in an automobile, the voice-activated device comprising:

a housing having a top curved portion and a bottom curved portion, wherein the top curved portion forms a first half of an outer surface of the voice-activated device;

a translucent black resin component disposed between the top curved portion and the bottom curved portion, wherein the translucent black resin component and the bottom curved portion together form a second half of the outer surface;

a circuit board disposed within the housing;

a first light emitting diode (LED) disposed on the circuit board;

a reflective surface disposed within the housing and oriented at about 45 degrees with respect to a horizontal axis of the voice-activated device; and

a diffuser disposed adjacent to the translucent black resin component and configured to diffuse light reflected from the reflective surface, wherein the diffuser comprises a first curved portion adjacent to the first LED;

wherein a portion of light emitted by the first LED is reflected by the reflector and propagates through both the diffuser and the translucent black resin component.

2. The voice-activated device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second LED disposed on the circuit board and separated from the first LED by a distance;

wherein the diffuser further comprises a second curved portion adjacent to the second LED and a flat portion between the first curved portion and the second curved portion, wherein a width of the flat portion is less than or equal to the distance.

3. The voice-activated device of claim 1, wherein the first curved portion comprises a first edge and a second edge, and wherein a central axis of the first LED is transverse to the first curved portion at any point between the first edge and the second edge.

4. A portable voice-activated device comprising:

a housing having a first portion and a second portion;

an elongated light bar disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the elongated light bar comprises a translucent black material;

a first LED disposed within the housing; and

a diffuser positioned adjacent to the elongated light bar, the diffuser comprising a first curved portion that is substantially aligned with the first LED, wherein the diffuser is substantially translucent and comprises a plurality of surface features configured to diffuse light.

5. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, further comprising:

a second LED separated from the first LED by a distance;

wherein the diffuser further comprises a flat portion and a second curved portion that is separated from the first curved portion by the flat portion; and

wherein the flat portion has a width that is less than or equal to the distance.

6. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, further comprising:

a reflector component configured to reflect light towards the elongated light bar;

wherein the reflector component comprises a reflective surface that is oriented at an angle transverse to a horizontal axis of the portable voice-activated device.

7. The portable voice-activated device of claim 6, wherein the first LED emits a first portion of light towards the reflector component, and a second portion of light towards the first curved portion, and wherein the first curved portion diffuses the second portion of light.

8. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, further comprising:

a first connector port positioned along a horizontal axis that is defined along a center of a sidewall of the housing; and

a second connector port positioned offset from the horizontal axis of the housing.

9. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the second portion of the housing comprises a cutout portion, and wherein the elongated light bar is disposed within the cutout portion.

10. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the first portion is disposed on a first side of a horizontal plane bisecting a sidewall of the portable voice-activated device, and both the second portion and the elongated light bar are disposed on a second side of the horizontal plane.

11. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one button comprising a raised protrusion, the at least one button accessible through the first portion.

12. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the second portion of the housing comprises a recessed portion, the portable voice-activated device further comprising:

a magnetic mount positioned within the recessed portion, wherein the magnetic mount comprises an adhesive disposed on a surface, and wherein the magnetic mount is removable from the recessed portion.

13. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the first curved portion comprises a first end adjacent to a top side of the diffuser and a second end adjacent to a bottom side of the diffuser, and wherein the first curved portion is tapered between the first end and the second end.

14. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein a center point of a curve forming an outer surface of the first curved portion is substantially aligned with a central axis of the first LED.

15. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the first portion comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall that form sides of the portable voice-activated device, and wherein the second portion comprises a cutout portion configured to receive the elongated light bar.

16. The portable voice-activated device of claim 4, wherein the first LED is a side-firing LED, and the diffuser extends between the first portion and the second portion.

17. A device comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion;

a linear light bar component disposed along an outer surface of the device, wherein the linear light bar comprises a translucent black material;

a plurality of LEDs positioned within the housing; and

a diffuser comprising a plurality of raised portions, wherein respective raised portions are aligned with respective LEDs of the plurality of LEDs;

wherein the diffuser is positioned adjacent to the linear light bar component, and wherein the diffuser is substantially translucent and comprises a plurality of surface features configured to diffuse light.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a reflective surface configured to reflect light emitted by the plurality of LEDs towards the diffuser.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the linear light bar component has a thickness of about 1 millimeter and an optical transmission value greater than about 35% and less than about 75%.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the linear light bar component has a first thickness, and the diffuser has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.