Automatically activated visual indicators on computing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016012686-A1
Application number	US-201514866081-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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; 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; and 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.

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 each segment is configured to display at least four different colors.

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

6 . The computing device of claim 4 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least eight different colors.

7 . The computing device of claim 4 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least 256 different colors.

8 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the user activity sensor is configured to generate the user activity signal while at least one of the one or more processors is in a low power sleep state and
wherein the battery status visual indicator is configured to display the non-text-based information indicating a status of the battery while at least one of the one or more processors is in a low power sleep state.

9 . The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising 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 receiving 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.

10 . A method of displaying non-text-based battery status information via a battery status indicator located on a backside surface of display portion of a computing device, wherein the battery status visual indicator is not configured to display text-based information and wherein the battery status indicator includes a plurality of individually-controllable segments, the method comprising:
determining, while the computing device is in a low power sleep state, that an accelerometer housed by the computing device has detected a movement of a housing of the computing device; and in response to the determination, displaying the non-text-based battery status information via the battery status indicator.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein displaying the battery status information occurs while the computing device is in a low power sleep state.

12 . 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 while the computing device is in a low power sleep mode; a battery configured to provide power to the one or more processors; and 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 arranged, 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.

13 . The computing device of claim 12 , wherein battery status visual indicator includes a light emitting diode.

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

15 . The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of segments are arranged contiguously.

16 . The computing device of claim 14 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least four different colors.

17 . 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; one or more memory devices storing executable instructions; one or more processors configured to execute the instructions; a user activity sensor including a microphone and a voice recognition engine, which together are configured to detect predetermined words spoken by a user and to generate a user activity signal in response to the detection of the predetermined spoken words; and 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.

18 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the backside surface on which the battery status visual indicator is located does not include the programmable display screen.

19 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein each segment is configured to display at least four different colors.

20 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of segments are arranged contiguously with each other.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kuscher Alexander Friedrich
• Arscott Simon
• Rodriguez Adam

Classifications

• G06F1/165 Primary

  the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G08B5/36 Primary

  using visible light sources · CPC title

• G01R31/3646

  for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators · CPC title