IP Library Granted Patent US 10,235,846
Granted Patent B2
US 10,235,846 · App. 15/849,636 · Granted Mar 19, 2019

Automatically activated visual indicators on computing device

Inventors: Alexander Friedrich Kuscher (San Francisco, CA); Simon Arscott (San Francisco, CA); Adam Rodriguez (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
G08B5/36G01R31/3682G06F1/165G06F1/1616G10L15/22G09G2310/0232G10L2015/223Y02B70/126
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,235,846
App. No.
15/849,636
Granted
Mar 19, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computing device includes one or more memory devices storing executable instructions, one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, a programmable display screen configured to display text-based information, a user activity sensor, a battery configured to provide power to the one or more processors, and a battery status visual indicator. The battery status indicator is located on a surface of the computing device and is configured to display, in response an indication from the user activity sensor of an interaction by a user with the computing device, non-text-based information indicating a status of the battery.

Claims (29)

1. A computing device, comprising:

a base portion;

a display portion having a frontside surface that includes a programmable display screen configured to display text-based information and having a backside surface opposite to the frontside surface;

a battery status visual indicator located on the backside surface and including a plurality of individually-controllable segments, wherein each segment is configured to display at least four different colors, wherein each segment is generally-rectangular, and wherein the plurality of segments are arranged in a line having a height that is less than 10% of height of the display portion;

one or more memory devices storing executable instructions;

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions;

a user activity sensor including an accelerometer configured to generate a user activity signal in response to a movement of the computing device;

a battery configured to provide power to the one or more processors,

wherein the battery status visual indicator is configured to display, through execution of the instructions by the one or more processors, in response to the generation of the user activity signal, non-text-based information indicating a status of the battery; and

a light sensor configured to generate a signal when an amount of light striking the light sensor is lower than a threshold amount, wherein the battery status visual indicator is configured to turn off in response to the signal from the light sensor and is configured to turn on and display, for a predetermined time period, in response to the generation of the user activity signal, the non-text-based information indicating a status of the battery.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the battery status visual indicator includes a light emitting diode.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the backside surface on which the battery status visual indicator is located does not include the programmable display screen.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segments are arranged contiguously with each other.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least eight different colors.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least 256 different colors.

7. A computing device, comprising:

one or more memory devices storing executable instructions;

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions;

a programmable display screen configured to display text-based information;

a user activity sensor including an accelerometer configured to generate a user activity signal in response to a movement of the computing device;

a battery configured to provide power to the one or more processors;

a status indicator located on a backside surface of the programmable display screen, wherein the status indicator does not include a programmable display screen configured to display text-based information, the status indicator including a plurality of individually-controllable segments, wherein each segment is configured to display at least four different colors, wherein each segment is generally-rectangular, and wherein the plurality of segments are arranged in a line having a height that is less than 10% of height of the display portion, wherein the status indicator is configured to provide, in response to the generation of the user activity signal, non-text-based information indicating a status of the computing device; and

a light sensor configured to generate a signal when an amount of light striking the light sensor is lower than a threshold amount, wherein the status visual indicator is configured to turn off in response to the signal from the light sensor and is configured to turn on and display, for a predetermined time period, in response to the generation of the user activity signal, the non-text-based information indicating a status of computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein status indicator includes a light emitting diode.

9. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least eight different colors.

10. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of segments are arranged contiguously.

11. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of segments are arranged contiguously with each other.

12. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least 256 different colors.

13. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein line height is less than 10% of height of the display portion.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2018
From: KUSCHER, ALEXANDER FRIEDRICH; ARSCOTT, SIMON; RODRIGUEZ, ADAM
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 046917/0582 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 20, 2018
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 047112/0818 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14866081 · Sep 25, 2015
Continuation 14328278 · Jul 10, 2014
Related Publication 20180137719A1 · May 17, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,289,683