IP Library Granted Patent US 11,997,421
Granted Patent B2
US 11,997,421 · App. 17/138,276 · Granted May 28, 2024

Cable device

Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart (Raleigh, NC); Ellis Anderson (Greensboro, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04N7/108G08B5/36G08B21/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,997,421
App. No.
17/138,276
Filed
Dec 30, 2020
Granted
May 28, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2422
USPC
348/723
Abstract

A device can include a video cable that includes opposing ends; and a human presence sensor operatively coupled to the video cable between the opposing ends.

Claims (33)

1. A device comprising:

a video cable that comprises opposing ends;

a human presence sensor operatively coupled to the video cable between the opposing ends;

a status light; and

a controller that controls the status light to indicate at least one of availability and non-availability of the video cable and a display device, wherein the video cable is connected at one of the opposing ends to the display device, and wherein the controller changes the status light from indicating availability to indicating non-availability responsive to detection of human presence.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the video cable between the opposing ends and operatively coupled to the human presence sensor.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the video cable comprises at least two differential pairs for transmission of video data.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the video cable comprises a differential pair for transmission of human presence data.

5. The device of claim 1 , comprising memory that stores human presence sensor data.

6. The device of claim 1 , comprising connection circuitry that detects connection of the video cable to at least one of a display device and a computing device.

7. The device of claim 6 , comprising memory that stores human presence sensor data generated by the human presence sensor and connection data generated by the connection circuitry.

8. The device of claim 6 , comprising logical states that comprise a null state, a human presence state, a connected state, and a human presence and connected state.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the human presence sensor comprises a thermal sensor.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a housing between the opposing ends.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the human presence sensor is carried by the housing.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the housing comprises a display, wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the display for rendering of a graphical user interface to the display, wherein the graphical user interface operates as the status light that indicates the at least one of availability and non-availability of at least the video cable.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the video cable is a USB-C cable.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the human presence sensor comprises a power interface that is electrically coupled to at least one power conductor of the video cable.

15. The device of claim 1 , comprising memory and transmission circuitry operably coupled to the memory.

16. The device of claim 1 , comprising at least two human presence detection sensors.

17. The device of claim 1 , comprising at least one environmental sensor.

18. A device comprising:

a video cable that comprises opposing ends;

a human presence sensor operatively coupled to the video cable between the opposing ends;

connection circuitry that detects connection of the video cable to at least one of a display device and a computing device; and

logical states that comprise a null state, a human presence state, a connected state, and a human presence and connected state.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the video cable is connected to the display device, the human presence state corresponds to presence of a human without connection of the computing device to the video cable, the connected state corresponds to connection of the computing device to the video cable without presence of a human, and the human presence and connected state corresponds to presence of a human with connection of a computing device to the video cable.

20. A device comprising:

a video cable that comprises opposing ends;

a human presence sensor operatively coupled to the video cable between the opposing ends;

a status light; and

a controller that controls the status light to indicate at least one of availability and non-availability of at least the video cable,

wherein the opposing ends of the video cable comprise a first end and a second end, wherein, for the first end being connected to a display device, the controller determines logical states that comprise a first state that corresponds to detection of a computing device connected to the second end of the video cable and detection of human presence, a second state that corresponds to detection of a computing device connected to the second end of the video cable without detection of human presence, a third state that corresponds to detection of human presence without detection of a computing device connected to the second end of the video cable, and a fourth state that corresponds to no detection of human presence and no detection of a computing device connected to the second end of the video cable, and wherein the controller controls the status light based at least in part on a transition from one of the logical states to another one of the logical states.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070269/0077 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2022
From: STEWART, AARON MICHAEL; ANDERSON, ELLIS
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 059617/0280 →