Smart device with integrated conditional lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9900958-B2
Application number	US-201715448733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

Various arrangements of smart devices are presented. Such a smart device may include a case, a wireless interface, a light sensor that detects an ambient brightness level of an ambient environment of the smart device, a motion sensor that detects motion of a user in the ambient environment of the smart device, a light that is capable of outputting light into the ambient environment of the smart device, and a processing system. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on: the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart device, comprising:
a case;
a wireless interface;
a light sensor that detects an ambient brightness level of an ambient environment of the smart device;
a motion sensor that detects motion of a user in the ambient environment of the smart device;
a light that is capable of outputting light into the ambient environment of the smart device; and
a processing system, the processing system being in communication with the wireless interface, the motion sensor, the light sensor, and the light, the processing system comprising at least one processor and being configured to:
receive, via the wireless interface, a message indicating that a lighting feature that provides illumination based on movement and the ambient brightness level has been activated;
receive an indication of the ambient brightness level in the ambient environment of the smart device as sensed by the light sensor;
determine that the ambient brightness level is less than a threshold brightness value;
receive information from the motion sensor indicative of the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device; and
cause the light to illuminate based on all of the following conditions being present: (1) the message having been received that indicates that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

2. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
perform an initial configuration of the smart device based on information received via the wireless interface; and
enable the lighting feature based at least in part on the initial configuration of the smart device being performed, wherein the processing system is configured to activate the light based on: (4) the lighting feature being enabled, in addition to (1) the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

3. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the light outputs light from the smart device in a shape of a ring when each of the plurality of LEDs is illuminated.

4. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises one or more LEDs and the light outputs light that is reflected into the ambient environment of the smart device off the case of the smart device.

5. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
receive, via the wireless interface, a second message indicating that a brightness level of the lighting feature has been set to a user-defined brightness level, wherein:
the processing system is configured to cause the light to illuminate at the user-defined brightness level based on: (1) the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

6. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
receive, via the wireless interface, a second message indicating that the lighting feature has been deactivated; and
following the second message being received, prevent the light from illuminating based on: the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value and the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

7. The smart device of claim 1 , wherein:
the light is capable of illuminating in a plurality of colors; and
the processing system is further configured to cause the light to illuminate in a first color based on: (1) the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

8. The smart device of claim 7 , further comprising:
an environmental sensor, wherein:
the processing system is further configured to:
receive data from the environmental sensor; and
activate the light in a second color of the plurality of colors in response to the data from the environmental sensor.

9. A smart illumination system comprising:
an application executed by a portable electronic device;
a cloud-based server system; and
a smart device, comprising:
a case;
a wireless interface;
a light sensor that detects an ambient brightness level of an ambient environment of the smart device;
a motion sensor that detects motion of a user in the ambient environment of the smart device;
a light that is capable of outputting light into the ambient environment of the smart device; and
a processing system, the processing system being in communication with the wireless interface, the motion sensor, the light sensor, and the light, the processing system comprising at least one processor and being configured to:
receive, via the wireless interface, a message from the cloud-based server system indicating that a lighting feature that provides illumination based on movement and the ambient brightness level has been activated by the application executed on the portable electronic device;
receive an indication of the ambient brightness level in the ambient environment of the smart device as sensed by the light sensor;
determine that the ambient brightness level is less than a threshold brightness value;
receive information from the motion sensor indicative of the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device; and
cause the light to illuminate based on all of the following conditions being present: (1) the message having been received that indicates that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

10. The smart illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the processing system of the smart device is further configured to:
perform an initial configuration of the smart device based on information received via the wireless interface from the cloud-based server system; and
enable the lighting feature based at least in part on the initial configuration of the smart device being performed, wherein the processing system is configured to activate the light based on: (4) the lighting feature being enabled, in addition to (1) the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; (2) the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and (3) the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.

11. The smart illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the light of the smart device comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the light outputs light from the smart device in a shape of a ring when each of the plurality of LEDs is illuminated.

12. The smart illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the light comprises one or more LEDs and the light outputs light that is reflected into the ambient environment of the smart device off the case of the smart device.

13. The smart illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
receive, via the wireless interface, a second message from the cloud-based server system indicating that a brightness level of the lighting feature has been set to a user-defined brightness level via the application executed by the portable electronic device, wherein:
the processing system is configured

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Fadell Anthony M
• Webb Nick
• Rogers Matthew L
• Sloo David
• Matsuoka Yoky
• Mittleman Adam
• Honjo Shigefumi

Classifications

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G08B29/02

  Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems · CPC title