Housing Illumination for Portable Electronic Devices

• US 20100327774A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: King, Nick, Kerr, Duncan Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/495,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods for electronically marking a housing of a portable electronic device are disclosed. When the housing of the portable electronic device is electronically marked, the marking(s) are non-permanent and able to be rapidly and dynamically changed. The marked housing can provide notification or guidance to a user. The housing can also be electronically marked in a manner that facilitates low power operation of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can, for example, be a mobile phone (e.g., cell phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer peripheral (e.g., mouse), a portable media player, and the like.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing an outer surface of a housing of a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

receiving a notification request;

obtaining notification data; and

presenting the notification data to the user of the portable electronic device using a portion of the outer surface of the housing of the portable electronic device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device includes a primary display screen, and wherein the portion of the outer surface of the housing is separate and distinct from the primary display screen.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device include at least one user input device, and wherein said receiving of the notification request receives the notification request from the at least one user input device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving of the notification request receives the notification request from a software component operating on the computer, and wherein the notification data is determined based on an instruction or command from the computer.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

detecting movement of the portable electronic device; and

issuing a notification request based on the detection of movement of the portable electronic device.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said presenting of the notification data operates to present the notification data on the outer surface of the housing of the portable electronic device only a predetermined amount of time unless additional movement of the portable electronic device is detected.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A method for illuminating a housing of a portable device capable of receiving user input, said method comprising:

receiving an event at the portable device;

determining whether auxiliary illumination imposed on the housing of the portable device is affected by the event; and

configuring an illumination effect for a portion of the housing of the portable device if the auxiliary illumination imposed on the housing of the portable device is affected by the event, the illumination effect providing auxiliary illumination to the portion of the housing of the portable device.

21. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the illumination effect provides visual gesture guidance to the user of the portable device.

22. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the illumination effect provides a visual indication of orientation for the portable device.

24. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the illumination effect provides an indication of a placement of at least one button on the housing of the portable device.

26. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein when the illumination effect does not visually denote a user input control region on the housing of the portable device, the user input control region is not visually perceptible.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing for said portable electronic device;

at least one light source on or internal to the housing; and

an illumination controller operatively connected to the at least one light source, said illumination controller dynamically controls the at least one light source to illuminate a portion of the housing.

37. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 35, wherein said portable electronic device is a computer peripheral product,

wherein said computer peripheral product comprises a user pointing device for use with a computer system, and

wherein control of the illumination of the portion of the housing is dependent on a user input provided via the user pointing device.

41. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 35,

wherein said portable electronic device further comprising:

a sensor for sensing motion of said portable electronic device, and

wherein the illumination controller is coupled to the sensor, and wherein control of the illumination of the portion of the housing is dependent on motion of said portable electronic device.

43. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 35, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises:

a communications port configured to receive an illumination command from a host device, and

wherein control of the illumination of the portion of the housing is dependent on the illumination command received from the host device via the communication port.

44. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 35, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises:

a display device configured to present at least one graphical user interface.

36. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

45. A method for marking an outer surface of a housing of a peripheral user input device for use with a computer, said method comprising:

receiving a marking request from the computer; and

electronically marking a portion of the outer surface of the housing of the peripheral user input device in response to the received marking request.

46. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein said electronically marking comprises illuminating the portion of the outer surface of the housing of the peripheral user input device based on the received marking request.

48. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein said electronically marking uses electronic ink.

53. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein said method further comprises:

determining the portion of the outer surface of the housing of the peripheral user input device to be marked based on the received illumination request.

47. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

51. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein said electronically marking of the portion operates to present a gesture reference on the outer surface of the housing.

50. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

54. A method for marking an outer surface of a housing of a peripheral user input device for use with a computer, said method comprising:

receiving a sensor input from a sensor provided with the peripheral user input device; and

electronically marking a portion of the outer surface of the housing of the peripheral user input device based on the received sensor input.

56. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein said electronically marking uses electronic ink.

58. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein the sensor is internal to the peripheral user input device.

60. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein said electronically marking of the portion operates to present a logo or graphical image on the outer surface of the housing that indicates orientation of the peripheral user input device.

55. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

59. (canceled)