Methods and apparatuses using control indicators for data processing systems

• US 7,936,348 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huppi, Brian Q., Krah, Christoph H., Gong, Andrew, Cappels, Richard D., Kerr, Duncan R., Culbert, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Srilakshmi K
• Application Number:
  US11/378,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 345204-211, 327 1- 12, 327/40, 327/42
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/18 Modifications for indicating state of switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

A control indication assembly. A first control mounted on a surface of a computer is coupled to a first sensor, to a first sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to the first control when a user-touch occurs to the first sensor, and to a first indicator to indicate an occurrence of said user-touch. A second control mounted on a surface of a display which is coupled to the computer is coupled to a second sensor, to a second sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to said second control when said user-touch occurs to the display, and to a second indicator to indicate an occurrence of the user-touch. The first and second control are configured such that the first and second indicator are synchronized to exhibit identical behaviors when the user-touch occurs to either the first control or the second control.

Claims

1. A method for operating a data processing system, said method comprising:

receiving a reference signal having pulses which are used to generate a presentation pattern of an indicator of the data processing system;

comparing said reference signal with a signal derived from a sensor which is designed to receive input from a user, said signal having pulses, wherein said comparison comprises determining if the pulses of the reference signal are larger than the pulses of said signal; and

controlling the presentation pattern of the indicator in response to said comparing, wherein the indicator indicates at least one state of the data processing system.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said reference signal is a reference pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said comparison is based on widths of the pulses of said reference signal and widths of the pulses of said signal.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said controlling comprises driving said indicator with said reference signal if said comparing produces a first result.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein said controlling comprises driving said indicator with said reference signal modulated with said signal if said comparing produces a second result.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a capacitive sensor and said input from said user is a finger touch.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

filtering a sensor signal from said sensor to derive said signal.

8. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

filtering a sensor signal from said sensor to provide a filtered sensor signal and converting said filtered sensor signal to a pulse width modulation signal to provide said signal.

9. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

interrupting periodically a processor and causing said processor to perform said comparing.

10. A data processing system comprising:

an indicator having a presentation pattern;

a reference signal generator, the reference signal having pulses which are used to generate the presentation pattern;

a processor coupled to said reference signal generator and the indicator; and

a sensor coupled to said processor, the sensor to derive a signal having pulses, wherein said processor compares said reference signal with said signal to determine if the pulses of the reference signal are larger than the pulses of said signal, and wherein said processor controls the presentation pattern of the indicator in response to the comparison of said reference signal with said signal and wherein the indicator indicates at least one state of the data processing system.

11. A data processing system as in claim 10 wherein said sensor senses a finger touch and said indicator emits light.

12. A data processing system as in claim 10 further comprising:

a main processor;

memory coupled to said main processor;

a bus coupled to said memory and said main processor;

a display coupled to said main processor; and

wherein said processor is coupled to said main processor through said bus.

13. A data processing system as in claim 12 further comprising:

a further processor coupled to said main processor;

a further indicator coupled to said further processor; and

wherein said further indicator is disposed on a first housing and said indicator is disposed on a second housing which houses said display.

14. A data processing system as in claim 13 wherein said processor and said further processor synchronize presentations of said indicator and said further indicator during at least one mode of operation of said data processing system.

15. A data processing system as in claim 14 wherein said at least one mode comprises a sleep mode.

16. A data processing system as in claim 15 wherein at least one of said indicators presents a short flash of light when turning on said data processing system and then presents a lower intensity of light which is less bright than said short flash.