Secondary backlight indicator for portable media devices

• US 20080284696A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1336 Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/16 series; tandem
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for displaying icons directly on a display, such as an LCD, regardless of whether the display is ON. When the display is ON, a primary backlight may be used to illuminate the display. When the display is OFF, a secondary backlight may project light through the primary backlight to display one or more icons on the display. The displayed icons may be of various shapes, colors, and sizes.

Claims

1. A method for presenting information on a display of an electronic device comprising primary and secondary backlight systems, the method comprising:

projecting light from the secondary backlight system through at least one region of the primary backlight system to display at least one informational indicator on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is turned OFF when the at least one informational indicator is displayed on the display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein primary backlight system is turned OFF when the at least one informational indicator is displayed on the display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display and the primary backlight system are turned OFF when the at least one informational indicator is displayed on the display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a shape of the at least one informational indicator is defined by the at least one region of the primary backlight system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the light projected from the secondary backlight system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein projecting light from the secondary backlight system comprises:

selectively providing light from either a first light source or a second light source of the secondary backlight system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a status of the electronic device; and

displaying an informational indicator based on the determined status.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input; and

displaying an informational indicator based on the received user input.

10. A method for presenting information on a display of an electronic device comprising primary and secondary backlight systems, the method comprising:

turning OFF the display and the primary backlight system; and

selectively turning ON the secondary backlight system to display at least one indicator on the display.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a status of the electronic device; and

determining whether to turn ON the secondary backlight system based on the determined status.

12. A method of presenting one of a plurality of informational indicators on a display of an electronic device comprising primary and secondary backlight systems, wherein the secondary backlight system comprises a plurality of light sources, the method comprising:

selectively projecting light from a subset of the plurality of light sources through a region of the primary backlight system to selectively display one of the plurality of informational indicators on the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the primary backlight system comprises a plurality of regions for light to project through from the secondary backlight system, and wherein each informational indicator is associated with one of the plurality of regions.

14. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

filtering the light provided by the subset of the plurality of light sources to allow light through one of the plurality of regions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein each informational indicator is associated with a set of properties, the method further comprising:

determining the set of properties associated with an informational indicator that is to be displayed; and

selectively projecting light from at least one of the plurality of light sources that can provide light according to the set of properties.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the set of properties includes at least one of color, intensity, blinking pattern, blinking speed, and location.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein light is selectively provided from multiple light sources to create a motion icon.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

turning ON and OFF a selected light source repeatedly at a predetermined rate.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

adjusting an intensity of a selected light source.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

filtering light provided by the subset of the plurality of light sources to shape the displayed informational indicator.

21. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a primary backlight system comprising at least one semitransparent region, the primary backlight system operative to illuminate a substantially full portion of the display; and

a secondary backlight system operative to selectively project light through the at least one semitransparent region onto the display.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary backlight system comprises one or more light sources for generating light to illuminate the substantially full portion of the display.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary backlight system comprises a light pipe for transporting light evenly across the substantially full portion of the display.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary backlight system comprises a reflective layer for directing light toward the display.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the secondary backlight system comprises one or more light sources for lighting a portion of the display.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more light sources are in a single device.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the secondary backlight system comprises a light pipe for transporting light to at least a location near the semitransparent region.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the secondary backlight system comprises a reflective layer for directing light through the at least one semitransparent region.

29. The system of claim 21, further comprising a filtering system, wherein the filtering system allows light of certain properties to reach predetermined areas of the display.

30. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a primary backlight system including at least one primary light source, a primary light pipe having a first and second side, and a primary reflective layer comprising at least one semitransparent region, the primary reflective layer having a third and fourth side, wherein the second side is mated to the third side and the primary light source is operative to project light to at least the first side; and

a secondary backlight system including at least one secondary light source, at least one secondary light pipe having fifth and sixth sides, and at least one secondary reflective layer having seventh and eight sides, wherein the sixth side is mated to the seventh side and the at least one secondary light source is operative to project light to at least the fifth side, and the fifth side faces the fourth side.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein each of the at least one secondary light source provides light though a subset of the at least one semitransparent region.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the secondary backlight system is operative to selectively project light through the at least one semitransparent region and the primary light pipe.

33. The electronic device of claim 30, further comprising a filtering system mated to the fourth and fifth sides.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the filtering system is operative to allow light projected from the secondary backlight system to reach one of the at least one semitransparent region.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the filtering system comprises a different filter associated with each of the at least one semitransparent region.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the filtering system comprises color filters.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the secondary light source is positioned near a perimeter of the secondary light pipe.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the secondary light source is positioned near the at least one semitransparent region.