Methods and apparatuses using control indicators for data processing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935631-B2
Application number	US-201113095806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2011
Priority date	Jul 13, 2001
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A control indication assembly. A first control mounted on a surface of a computer is coupled to a first sensor, to a first sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to the first control when a user-touch occurs to the first sensor, and to a first indicator to indicate an occurrence of said user-touch. A second control mounted on a surface of a display which is coupled to the computer is coupled to a second sensor, to a second sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to said second control when said user-touch occurs to the display, and to a second indicator to indicate an occurrence of the user-touch. The first and second control are configured such that the first and second indicator are synchronized to exhibit identical behaviors when the user-touch occurs to either the first control or the second control.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of operating a data processing system comprising a first device and a second device, the first device comprising a first processor, a first sensor and a first indicator, and the second device comprising a second processor, a second sensor, and a second indicator, the method comprising:
receiving a first user input to the first sensor;
in response to receiving the first user input:
displaying light from the first indicator with a first presentation; and
transmitting, with the first processor, a control signal to the second processor of the second device to control the second indicator to display light from the second indicator with a second presentation, the second presentation synchronized to the first presentation;

receiving a second input to the second sensor;
displaying light from the second indicator with a third presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input; and
displaying light from the first indicator with a fourth presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, wherein the fourth presentation is synchronized to the third presentation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of a touch and a proximity sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first indicator comprises a first LED and the second indicator comprises a second LED.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first indicator and the second indicator display a same pattern when synchronized.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first sensor includes the first indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of a touch sensor and a proximity sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device and the second control are capable of operating independently from each other.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device is physically separate from the second device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of device is a computing device and the second type of device is a display device.

10. A data processing system comprising:
a first device comprising a first processor, a first sensor, and a first indicator, the first sensor configured to receive a first user input, the first processor configured to control a presentation of the first indicator in response to the first user input; and
a second device comprising a second processor, a second sensor, and a second indicator, wherein:
the first processor is configured to transmit a control signal to the second processor to display light from the second indicator with a second presentation, the second presentation synchronized to the first presentation,
the second sensor is configured to detect a second user input,
the second indicator is configured to display light with a third presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, and
the first indicator is configured to display light with a fourth presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, the fourth presentation synchronized to the third presentation.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of a touch sensor and a proximity sensor.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the first indicator comprises a first LED and the second indicator comprises a second LED.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the first indicator and the second indicator display a same pattern when synchronized.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the first sensor includes the first indicator.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of a touch sensor and a proximity sensor.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first device and the second device are capable of operating independently from each other.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second device is physically separate from the first device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for operating a data processing system comprising a first device and a second device, the first device comprising a first processor, a first sensor and a first indicator, and the second device comprising a second processor, a second sensor, and a second indicator, the instructions for:
receiving a first user input to the first sensor;
in response to receiving the first user input:
displaying light from the first indicator with a first presentation; and
transmitting, with the first processor, a control signal to the second processor of the second device to control the second indicator to display light from the second indicator with a second presentation, the second presentation synchronized to the first presentation

receiving a second input to the second sensor;
displaying light from the second indicator with a third presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input; and
displaying light from the first indicator with a fourth presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, wherein the fourth presentation is synchronized to the third presentation.

19. A first device comprising:
a first sensor configured to receive a first user input;
a first indicator; and
a first processor, the first processor configured to, in response to receiving the first user input:
display light from the first indicator with a first presentation; and
transmit a control signal to a second processor of a second device to display light with a second indicator of the second device with a second presentation, the second presentation synchronized to the first presentation, wherein:

the second device receives a second input to a second sensor of the second device,
the second indicator of the second device displays light with a third presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, and
the first indicator displays light with a fourth presentation in response to a signal indicative of the second input, the fourth presentation synchronized to the third presentation.

Assignees

• Gong Andrew
• Huppi Brian Q
• Krah Christoph H
• Cappels Richard D
• Kerr Duncan R
• Culbert Michael
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Gong Andrew
• Huppi Brian Q
• Krah Christoph H
• Cappels Richard D
• Kerr Duncan R
• Culbert Michael

Classifications

• H03K2217/96079

  using a single or more light guides · CPC title

• H03K17/18

  Modifications for indicating state of switch · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• H03K17/962 Primary

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title