Methods and systems for displaying representations of facial expressions and activity indicators on devices
View Patent ↗A method for displaying representations of facial expressions on devices includes receiving, by a processor on a device, data from a sensor coupled to the device. The method includes identifying, by the processor, responsive to the received data, a level of progress that a user of the device made towards a goal. The method includes selecting, by the processor, responsive to the identification, an icon representing a facial expression. The method includes modifying, by the processor, a level of power for each of a plurality of light indicators embedded in the device to display the icon.
1. A method executed by a device comprising a processor for:
receiving user data from a sensor associated with the device;
determining, based on the user data, a level of progress made by a user towards a goal, the goal specifying a predefined amount of activity, the level of progress indicating a percentage of the predefined amount of activity achieved by the user;
selecting, based on the level of progress made by the user towards the goal,
a sequence of power modification instructions for a set of light indicators associated with the device; and
executing the sequence of power modification instructions to illuminate the set of light indicators in a pattern by controlling an on-time of each light indicator of the set of light indicators using pulse width modulation, the illumination of the set of light indicators in the pattern indicating the level of progress made by the user towards the goal and resembling a facial expression.
2. The method of claim 1 , the device including a power control component coupled to the set of light indicators, the executing the sequence of power modification instructions including transmitting the sequence of power modification instructions to the power control component.
3. The method of claim 1 , the sequence of power modification instructions including one or more instructions for:
powering on one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators;
powering off one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators;
lowering the power to one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators; and
increasing the power to one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators.
4. The method of claim 1 , the set of light indicators including a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the facial expression includes at least one of: a happy face, a sad face, a winking face, a disappointed face, and an excited face.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence is a first sequence of power modification instructions and the pattern is a first pattern, the method further comprising:
identifying an activity of the user based on the user data;
selecting, based on the activity, a second sequence of power modification instructions for the set of light indicators; and
executing the second sequence of power modification instructions to illuminate the set of light indicators in a second pattern.
7. The method of claim 6 , the user data including accelerometer data, the identifying the activity including identifying the activity to be running or bicycling when the accelerometer data is greater than a threshold.
8. The method of claim 6 , the user data including an indication of cyclical motion and accelerometer data, the identifying the activity including identifying the activity to be bicycling when the accelerometer data is greater than a threshold.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second pattern in which the set of light indicators are illuminated indicates the activity of the user, the activity including one of: walking, running, cycling, and swimming.
10. The method of claim 9 , the activity including walking or running, wherein the second pattern resembles bipedal activity.
11. The method of claim 9 , the activity including cycling, wherein the second pattern resembles wheel movement.
12. The method of claim 9 , the activity including swimming, wherein the second pattern resembles waves.
13. A device, comprising:
a housing including a top surface;
a sensor configured to generate user data during use;
a set of light indicators arranged about an outer portion of the top surface; and
a processor operably coupled to the sensor and the set of light indicators, the processor configured to:
identify, based on the user data, a goal specifying a predefined amount of activity;
determine, based on the user data, a level of progress made by a user towards the goal, the level of progress indicating a percentage of the amount of activity achieved by the user;
select, based on the user data and the goal, a sequence of power modification instructions for the set of light indicators; and
execute the sequence of power modification instructions for illuminating the set of light indicators in a pattern by modifying a drive current applied to the set of light indicators,
wherein the pattern in which the set of light indicators are illuminated resembles a facial expression associated with the level of progress made by the user towards the goal.
14. The device of claim 13 , further comprising a power control component coupled to the set of light indicators and coupled to the processor, the power control component configured to control a level of power for each light indicator of the set of light indicators, the processor further configured to transmit the sequence of power modification instructions to the power control component to execute the sequence of power modification instructions.
15. The device of claim 14 , the power control component selected from the group consisting of: a driver chip, a transistor, and a microcontroller.
16. The device of claim 13 , the set of light indicators including a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs).
17. The device of claim 13 , the sequence of power modification instructions including one or more instructions for:
powering on one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators;
powering off one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators;
lowering the power to one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators; and
increasing the power to one or more light indicators of the set of light indicators.
18. The device of claim 13 , wherein the sequence is a first sequence of power modification instructions and the pattern is a first pattern, the processor further configured to:
identify an activity of the user based on the user data;
select, based on the activity, a second sequence of power modification instructions for the set of light indicators; and
execute the second sequence of power modification instructions to illuminate the set of light indicators in a second pattern.
19. The device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is disposed within the housing.