System and method for displaying visual notifications on an electronic device

1. A light assembly for providing a notification light on an electronic device, the light assembly comprising:

a first light source for providing a background portion for the notification light emitted at a front surface of a light assembly;

a second light source, behind the first light source, for providing a patterned portion for the notification light emitted at the front surface of the light assembly; and

at least one pattern element in a layer disposed between the first light source and the second light source, to generate the patterned portion; and

wherein the first and second light sources are provided by light emitting diodes and corresponding waveguides to direct light through the light assembly, and wherein the pattern element is provided in an interface between the corresponding waveguides to restrict light from the second light source emitting to the front surface of the light assembly other than through a predetermined pattern in the pattern element in generating the patterned portion; and

further comprising an optical diffuser comprising a concave portion of the waveguide of the first light source to direct and diffuse incident light received at the concave portion of the waveguide of the first light source from the second light source.

2. The light assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a light controller for selectively operating the first light source and the second light source.

3. The light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding waveguides are located one in front of the other, and wherein the first and second light sources are side emitting light emitting diodes that emit light directly toward a side of their corresponding waveguide other than toward a front side or toward a back side thereof.

4. The light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding waveguides are located one in front of the other, and wherein the first light source is a side emitting light emitting diode that emits light directed toward a side of its corresponding waveguide other than a front side or a back side thereof, and the second light source is a front emitting light emitting diode that emits light directed toward a front side of its corresponding waveguide.

5. The light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light sources are provided by light emitting diodes directing light through a single waveguide, the first light source being a side emitting light emitting diode that emits light directed toward a side of the single waveguide other than a front side or a back side thereof and the second light source being a front emitting light emitting diode that emits light incident to the back side of the single waveguide and directed toward a front side of the single waveguide.

6. The light assembly of claim 5 , wherein the single waveguide comprises a convex portion at the back side of the single waveguide and in front of and aligned with the second light source to direct incident light received at the convex portion of the waveguide from the second light source in a direction substantially normal to the front side of the single waveguide.

7. The light assembly of claim 5 , wherein the concave portion is aligned with the second light source.

8. The light assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second light source is aligned with the pattern element and the pattern element restricts light from the second light source to generate the patterned portion of the notification light.

9. A light assembly for providing a notification light on an electronic device, the light assembly comprising:

a first light source for providing a background portion for the notification light emitted at a front surface of a light assembly;

a second light source for providing a patterned portion for the notification light emitted at the front surface of the light assembly; and

at least one pattern element to generate the patterned portion, comprising a plurality of pattern elements one located in front of another on respective stacked organic light emitting diode layers, wherein the second light source selectively illuminates at least one of the plurality of pattern elements to provide the patterned portion of the notification light.

10. The light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first light source is provided by at least one background organic light emitting diode layer located beneath the plurality of respective organic light emitting diode layers for the plurality of pattern elements.

11. The light assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one background organic light emitting diode layer comprises a plurality of background organic light emitting diode layers located beneath the plurality of respective organic light emitting diode layers for the plurality of pattern elements.

12. The light assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of background organic light emitting diode layers comprises

a first background organic light emitting diode layer of a first color, and

a second background organic light emitting diode layer of a second color, the second color being different from the first color, and located beneath the first background organic light emitting diode layer and the plurality of respective organic light emitting diode layers for the plurality of pattern elements, the first and second background organic light emitting diode layers being individually selectable to emit at the front surface of the light assembly a background portion for the notification light of any of the first color, the second color, or a combination of the first color and the second color.

13. A light assembly for providing a notification light on an electronic device, the light assembly comprising:

a first light source for providing a background portion for the notification light emitted at a front surface of the light assembly;

a second light source for providing a patterned portion for the notification light emitted at a front surface of the light assembly, the second light source comprising a first organic light emitting diode layer and a first pattern element;

a third light source for providing the patterned portion for the notification light emitted at the front surface of the light assembly, the third light source comprising a second organic light emitting diode layer and a second pattern element, the first and second organic light emitting diode layers being stacked with the first and second pattern elements being located one in front of the other; and

wherein at least one of the second and third light sources selectively illuminates respective at least one of the first and second pattern elements to provide the patterned portion of the notification light.

14. The light assembly of claim 13 , wherein both the second and third light sources selectively illuminate respective first and second pattern elements to provide the patterned portion of the notification light.