Abstract:
The present invention is to provide an electronic device having a plurality of light emitting units, which are arranged on a panel of the electronic device above each ports thereon in an alternating pattern or in a chess-board pattern with high density, such that the number of the light emitting units disposed on the panel can be increased and the lights emitted by light emitting elements thereof can easily be recognized without causing the spill interference effect between the adjacent light emitting elements.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an electronic device, more particularly to an electronic device having light emitting units thereon in high density alternating pattern (or chess-board pattern). 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The advancement of modern technology has produced more and more electronic products that can enhance the quality and comfort of people&#39;s life. However, ordinary electronic products, such as hubs, personal computers and blade servers, all of the above employs a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light indicator to provide users with information of the electronic products. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , conventional hubs  10 ,  11 ,  12  comprise twelve, twenty-four or forty-eight network ports  102 ,  112 ,  122  (e.g. RJ-45 ports). Therefore, for the hubs  10 ,  11 ,  12  having high density network ports  102 ,  112 ,  122 , the number of light indicators  101 ,  111 ,  121  disposed thereon for indicating the statuses of the corresponding network ports  102 ,  112 ,  122  increases correspondingly. It is thus difficult for users to realize the statuses of the network ports  102 ,  112 ,  122  of the hubs  10 ,  11 ,  12  at the first glance of the light indicators  101 ,  111 ,  121 . 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a panel  103  of the hub  10  comprises a plurality of upper row network ports  102  and a plurality of lower row network ports  102  adjacent and below the upper row network ports  102 . In addition, the panel  103  comprises two light indicators  101  disposed above each of the upper row network port  102 . The two light indicators  101  emit light indicating the statuses of the upper row and the lower row network ports  102 , respectively. However, the light indicator  101  can only provide very limited information of the network ports  102  of the hub, even by using light indicators of two colors or three colors. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 2 , a panel  113  of the hub  11  comprises a plurality of upper row network ports  112  and a plurality of lower row network ports  112  adjacent and below the upper row network ports  112 . In addition, the panel  113  comprises two light indicators  111  disposed at two upper corners of each the upper row network port  112  respectively. The two light indicators  111  emit light indicating the statuses of the upper row and the lower row network ports  112 , respectively. If the light indicators  111  are of two-color or three-color light indicators, then six or nine different light emission statuses can be provided. However, each of the network port  112  of the hub  11  provides very limited space for disposing the light indicators  111 . Therefore, the structure of the network ports  112  becomes very complicated, which will increase the manufacturing cost. In addition, since the network ports  112  and the light indicators  111  are combined together, the number of pins on each individual network port  112  is increased, thereby rendering many layout problems. For example, the number of layers of the circuit board of the hub  11  should increase in order to allow the upper row and the lower row network ports  112 , and the light indicators  111  to work properly. 
   Further, referring again to  FIG. 3 , a panel  123  of the hub  12  comprises a plurality of upper row network ports  122  and a plurality of lower row network ports  122  adjacent and below the upper row network ports  122 . In addition, the panel  123  comprises four light indicators  121  above each of the upper row network port  122 . Two of the four light indicators  121  emit light indicating the statuses of the upper row network ports  122 , while the other two light indicators  121  emit light indicating the statuses of the low row network ports  122 . However, the light indicators  121  are tightly arranged together, which leaves only a very small distance between the light indicators  121 . Therefore, the information shown on the light indicators  121  of the hub  12  is very hard to recognize. In addition, there is spill light interference between the light indicators  121 . Consequently, it is likely that a user tends to read an erroneous light emission status. For this reason, it is deemed necessary to develop a hub that allows a plurality of light indicators to densely be disposed thereon. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In light of the drawbacks of the conventional hubs described above, the inventor of the present invention has developed an electronic device having a plurality of light emitting elements thereon in high density that can overcome the above drawbacks. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a plurality of light emitting units that are arranged in an alternating pattern (or in a chess-board pattern) with high density. With such a structurally simple electronic device, one can increase the number of light emitting units disposed on the panel of the electronic device without having the spill interference effect between the adjacent light indicators  121 . 
   The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional hub. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates another conventional hub. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates yet another conventional hub. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an electronic device of the present invention and the display panel thereof. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the light penetrating portion of the present invention and the hollow holes thereof. 
       FIG. 6   a  illustrates the electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6   b  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of the electronic device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7   a  illustrates the electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7   b  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of the electronic device of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention provides an electronic device that includes a plurality of light emitting elements. These light emitting elements are disposed close to each other. Referring to  FIG. 4 , a display panel  21  is formed on an electronic device  20 . The display panel  21  includes a plurality of light emitting units  22 , which are arranged in alternating pattern (or in chess-board pattern), as shown in  FIG. 6   a . In this manner, the electronic device  20  can increase the number of light emitting unit  22  being disposed thereon with a simple structure design, but without having spill interference effect between the adjacent light emitting units  22 . Thus, the user of the electronic device  20  can correctly read the light emitting unit  22  to obtain information of the electronic device  20 . 
   In one particular embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 4  or  FIG. 5 , the display panel  21  comprises a plurality of mutually adjacent light penetrating portions  23 . The light penetrating portion  23  comprises a plurality of hollow holes  24  formed on the display panel  21 . Each hollow hole  24  is alternatively formed. In other words, each hollow hole  24  is located between two adjacent hollow holes  24  and is shifted above or below the two adjacent hollow holes  24 . The hollow holes  24  are thus formed in an alternating pattern (or in a chess-board pattern). A light emitting element  35 ,  43  (as shown in  FIG. 6   a ,  FIG. 6   b ,  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b ) is formed in the hollow hole  24 , thereby forming a light emitting unit  22 . In addition, a plurality of mutually adjacent connection holes  25  is formed close to the position of the light penetrating portion  23 . Connection elements  32 ,  42  are disposed in the connection holes  25  (as shown in  FIG. 6   a ,  FIG. 6   b ,  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b ), so as to provide a connection cable  45  (as shown in  FIG. 7   a ) of another electronic device (not shown) to insert therein. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 6   a ,  FIG. 6   b ,  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b , the electronic device  20  includes a circuit board  30 ,  40  disposed therein. The circuit board  30 ,  40  includes a control circuit  31 ,  41 . The connection elements  32 ,  42  are connected with the control circuits  31 ;  41 , thereby connecting those other electronic devices (not shown) together with the electronic device  20  via the connection cable  45  and its corresponding connection elements  32 ,  42 , and transmitting data to the electronic device  20 . Furthermore, the light emitting elements  35 ,  43  generates different types of light according to the action of the corresponding connection element  32 ,  42 . The user of the electronic device  20  can thus read the status information of each connection element  32 ,  42  according the type of light that is generated. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , it is appreciated that the number of light penetrating portion  23  on the display panel  21  is not limited to one upper row and one lower row only. It is considered under the scope of the present invention as long as the hollow holes  24  of the light penetrating portions  23  are formed in a alternating pattern (or in a chess-board pattern) with at least a light emitting element disposed in the hollow hole  24 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6   a  and  FIG. 6   b , another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The electronic device  20  includes a light emitting circuit board  33 . The light emitting circuit board  33  is disposed between any two adjacent light penetrating portions  23  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). The light emitting elements  35  are then disposed on two sides of the light emitting circuit board  33  facing the hollow holes  24 , so as to form light emitting units  22  comprising the hollow holes and the light emitting element  35 . The light source generated from the light emitting element  35  is projected out through the corresponding hollow hole  24 . In this manner, the light emitting elements  35  of the light emitting circuit board  33  are properly spaced and separated by the light emitting circuit board  33 . Thus, the light source generated from the light emitting element  35  will not interfere with the light source from the adjacent light emitting element  35 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6   b , the light emitting circuit board  33  comprises a conducting circuit  34 . The conducting circuit  34  is connected with each light emitting element  35  and is connected with the control circuit via at least a transmission line  36  (or cable line). The control circuit  31  can thus control the light emitting status of the light emitting element via the transmission line  36 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b , the light emitting elements  43  are disposed on the circuit board  40  corresponding to the position of the connection elements  42 , and is connected to the control circuit  41 . The control circuit  41  can then control the light emitting status of each light emitting element  43  corresponding to the usage status of each connection element  42 . 
   Referring again to  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b , the electronic device further comprises a plurality of light guide pillar  44 . One end of the light guide pillar  44  is connected to the light emitting element  43 . The other end of the light guide pillar  44  is then connected to the corresponding hollow hole  24  of the display panel  21 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The light source generated from the light emitting element  43  can then be transmitted through the light guide pillar  44  and projected out through the hollow hole  24 . Each hollow hole  24 , light guide pillar  44  and light emitting element  43  form a light emitting unit  22 . Therefore, the light guide pillar  44  can only transmit light source from one end to the other end. The light source projected out of two hollow holes  24  will not interfere with each other. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 7   a , the light guide pillar  44  is formed in a L-shape. The angle formed in the L-shape is approximately between 30 degrees to 180 degrees. Accordingly, the light guide pillar  44  can be adopted to satisfy the need of different electronic devices, such as a hub, a personal computer and a blade server, thereby delivering light source from the light emitting element  43  and projecting out the light source. 
   While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.