Abstract:
Disclosed is a light pipe signaling device for signaling a user. A light pipe has a first end portion that fits into a receptacle. Both light pipe and receptacle are constructed using a transparent material. Light from a light source enters the receptacle and is transmitted to the light pipe. The light travels along a body of the light pipe to a second end portion. The second end portion is adapted to reflect or dissipate the light such that the user is able to see the light from a wide field of view. The light pipe is preferably removable and the receptacle is preferably incorporated into a device that activates the light source in order to alert the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for signaling a user of a device. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Communications devices, such as telephones, and data devices, such as personal computing devices, often include an indicator that alerts a user of the device that a message has been stored for the user. For example, some telephones, such as those found in hotels, have a red indicator light that flashes to notify a guest staying in the room corresponding to the phone that a message for the guest is waiting at the hotel desk or in the hotel&#39;s voice mail system. Likewise, an application program in a personal computer, such as an email program, will send a message or post an icon to a monitor screen of the personal computer to notify the user of the computer that an electronic mail message for the user has arrived and is stored in the user&#39;s inbox. 
     The present invention provides a system and method to notify the user of a communication device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward a system and method for alerting a user of a device. An embodiment of a system for signaling a user, according to the present invention, includes a first transparent body having first and second end portions. The first end portion is adapted to receive a light beam and the first transparent body is adapted to transmit the light beam received at the first end portion to the second end portion. The second end portion is adapted to disperse the light beam. This embodiment also includes a second transparent body having a first surface, an opening, and a second surface interior to the opening. The opening is adapted to receive the first end portion of the first transparent body such that the second surface is adjacent the first end portion of the first transparent body. The second transparent body is adapted to transmit the light beam received through the first surface to the second surface such that the light beam is transmitted to the first transparent body. 
     An embodiment of a light pipe signaling apparatus, according to the present invention, includes an elongate transparent body having a lengthwise axis and a reflective sidewall and a first end portion of said body. The first end portion is disposed at a first end of the lengthwise axis and adapted to fit within an opening in a receptacle. The first end portion is further adapted to receive a light beam transmitted from a surface of the receptacle. The light pipe signaling apparatus also includes a second end portion of said body. The second end portion is disposed at a second end of the lengthwise axis opposing the first end of the lengthwise axis, and the second end portion is adapted to disperse the light beam received by the first end portion. 
     An embodiment of a method for signaling a user of a device, according to the present invention, includes the steps of providing a light source in the device, providing a transparent receptacle in the device adjacent to the light source, the receptacle having an opening, and providing a light pipe adapted to fit within the opening in the receptacle. The method then calls for inserting the light pipe into the opening in the receptacle, and activating the light source to signal the user of the device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are described below in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in the various figures, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is diagram of a device incorporating a signaling system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a signaling system according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a signaling system according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the light pipe stylus of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is directed toward a system and method for alerting a user of a communication device. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system  10  that utilizes an embodiment of a light pipe stylus  40  according to the present invention. A communications device  20  has a receptacle  30  that receives light pipe stylus  40 . When a message, or other notification, is waiting for a user of device  20 , device  20  activates a light source adjacent receptacle  30 , which transmits light into receptacle  30  for transmission to a first end of stylus  40  that is inserted into the receptacle. When stylus  40  is inserted into receptacle  30 , light from the light source is transmitted through the transparent body of stylus  40  toward a light dispersing end  42  of the stylus. The light dispersing end  42  is configured to reflect the light such that the user will be readily able to observe the light signal transmitted by the light source. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional diagram illustrating one embodiment of stylus  40  and receptacle  30 . Stylus  40  is composed of a transparent body  50  that functions as a light pipe. The shape of elongate stylus body  50  is preferably substantially cylindrical, but may take on a variety of alternative cross-sections, such as polygonal, and may include contours. Body  50  is composed of a transparent material, such as acrylic or glass, that will transmit light. The sidewall  46  of body  50  is preferably polished in order to reflect light traveling along the length of body  50 , i.e. along lengthwise axis A. 
     At light dispersing end  42 , a surface  44  is formed in body  50  to dissipate light traveling up through the body  50 . In FIG. 2, surface  44  is shown as a concave frusto-conical surface, but alternative embodiments may take a variety of forms, including convex surfaces and hemispherical surfaces. Surface  44  is made translucent or frosted, such as by etching, such that light incident upon the surface is dispersed and thereby made visible through a wide viewing range. 
     A light receiving end  51  of body  50  is adapted to fit within an opening  34  in a body  60  of receptacle  30 . In the embodiment of stylus  40  shown in FIG. 1, a light receiving surface  52  of light receiving end  51  is frusto-conical and, when stylus  40  is place within receptacle  30 , lies substantially adjacent to a surface  62  of receptacle  30 . Receptacle body  60  is composed of a transparent material, such as glass or acrylic, that transmits light from a light source  70  incident upon surface  66  of receptacle body  60 . Light receiving end  51  optionally includes a stylus point  54  for use as a user input device for device  10 . 
     Light source  70  is preferably a high intensity light source, such as a high intensity light emitting diode (LED), that produces a beam of light focused along axis A. At least a portion of the beam of light generated by light source  70  enters body  60  via surface  66 , which should be configured to have an angle of incidence of the light beam on surface  66  of substantially 90° in order to obtain a high level of light transmission into body  60 . A portion of the light entering receptacle body  60  will be emitted through surface  62  into stylus body  50  via surface  52 . Optionally, an emitting surface  32  of receptacle  30  is frosted, by etching for example, such that a portion of the light traveling within receptacle body  60  is incident upon surface  32  and is dispersed so as to be visible to a user of device  10  even when stylus  40  is not inserted into receptacle  30 . Emitting surface  32  is substantially perpendicular to axis A so that a portion of the light received at surface  66  and transmitted by receptacle body  60  is incident upon emitting surface  32 . 
     The transmitted light received in stylus  40  from receptacle  30  through surface  52  travels through the stylus body  50  and is incident upon surface  44 . As noted above, surface  44  is adapted to reflect or diffuse the light transmitted through the body  50  in a manner that is readily observable to users of the device  10 . Generally, surface  44  includes contours that are oblique to axis A so that light transmitted through body  50  along axis A is dispersed away from axis A in order to obtain a wide viewing angle for the light. The surface  44  shown in FIG. 2 is frusto-conical and etched to obtain a frosted surface that will dissipate light in a substantially uniform pattern such that a user can observe the light reflected by surface  44  from a 360° radius around the light pipe stylus  40 . Alternatively, surface  44  can be treated such that it acts as a mirror that reflects substantially all of the transmitted light incident upon the surface. Further, a portion of the outside surface  46  of the stylus  40  that is adjacent the surface  44  can be treated, such as by etching to obtain a frosted surface, to increase light diffusion. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a light pipe stylus  140  and receptacle  130  according to the present invention for use with a device, such as device  10  of FIG.  1 . Light pipe stylus  140  is composed of a transparent body  150  that functions as a light pipe. The shape of body  150  is contoured and has shape that is substantially a hyperboloid of one sheet, where cross-sections of body  150  taken perpendicular to axis B are substantially circular, but may have different values for the radius. Body  150  is composed of a transparent material, such as acrylic or glass, that will transmit light. The sidewall  146  of body  150  is preferably polished in order to reflect light traveling along the length of body  150 , i.e. along lengthwise axis B. 
     At light dispersing end  142  of stylus  140 , a surface  144  is formed in body  150  to dissipate light traveling up through the body  150 . In FIG. 3, surface  144  is shown as a concave surface. Surface  144  can take on a variety of shapes, such as conical, hemispherical, and may take on a variety of forms, including a convex surface. The shape and character of surface  144  is selected to dissipate incident light in order to obtain a wide viewing angle for a user of device  10 . 
     A light receiving end  151  of body  150  is adapted to fit within an opening  134  in a body  160  of receptacle  130 . Light receiving end  151  and opening  134  are constructed such that, when stylus  140  is inserted into opening  134  in receptacle body  160 , an axis of body  150 , which intersects light receiving end  151  and light dispersing end  142 , is substantially aligned with an axis of receptacle body  160  that intersects opening  134  and light receiving surface  166 . 
     In the embodiment of stylus  140  shown in FIG. 3, a light receiving surface  152  of light receiving end  151  includes a series of concentric step contours that interface with a corresponding series of step contours in surface  162  of receptacle  130 . When stylus  140  is placed within receptacle  130 , the steps of surfaces  152  and  162  substantially interlock bringing the axes of the receptacle body  160  and body  150  into alignment along axis B. Receptacle body  160  is composed of a transparent material, such as glass or acrylic, that transmits light from a light source  170  incident upon surface  166  of receptacle body  160 . The corresponding steps of surfaces  152  and  162  are parallel to one another such that light transmitted from surface  162  has an angle of incidence upon surface  152  of substantially 90°. 
     Similar to light source  70  of FIG. 2, light source  170  is preferably a high intensity light source, such as a high intensity light emitting diode (LED), that produces a beam of light focused along axis B. At least a portion of the beam of light generated by light source  170  enters body  160  via surface  166 , which should be configured to have an angle of incidence of the light beam on surface  166  of substantially 90° in order to obtain a high level of light transmission into receptacle body  160 . Receptacle body  160  includes an elongate portion  168  interposed surfaces  162  and  166 . The substantially cylindrical shape of elongate portion  168  functions to columnate, along axis B, the light transmitted through surface  166 . The columnated light transmitted through elongate portion  168  will be emitted through surface  162  into stylus body  150  via surface  152 . The columnating effect of elongate portion  168  combined with the steps of surfaces  152  and  162  contribute to improved transmission of light from light source  170  along axis B through receptacle body  160  into stylus body  150 . 
     The transmitted light received in stylus  140  from receptacle  130  through surface  152  travels through the stylus body  150  and is incident upon surface  144 . As noted above and similar to surface  44  of FIG. 2, surface  144  is adapted to reflect or diffuse the light transmitted through the body  150  in a manner that is readily observable to users of the device  10 . Also, as with receptacle  30 , receptacle  130  may optionally include an emitting surface  132  that is etched or similarly treated such that a portion of the light traveling within receptacle body  160  is incident upon surface  132  and is dissipated so as to be visible to a user of device  10  even when stylus  140  is not inserted into receptacle  130 . 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of light receiving end  151  of light pipe stylus  140  viewed along axis B of FIG.  3 . Disposed between stylus point  154  and sidewall  146  are step contours  152 A-E. Each of step contours  152 A-E is composed of a planar surface that is perpendicular to axis B. The light transmitting surface  162  interior to opening  134  of receptacle  130  has corresponding step contours. Each of the step contours of surface  162  also has a planar surface that is perpendicular to axis B. Thus, when stylus  140  is place into opening  134  of receptacle  130 , the planar surfaces of step contours  152 A-E are substantially adjacent and facing the corresponding contours of surface  162 . The columnated light transmitted from surface  166  through elongate portion  168  is transmitted through the planar surfaces of the step contours of surface  162  to the may be further transmitted through stylus body  150  along axis B to light dispersing end  142 . 
     While the invention has been described in conjunction with presently preferred embodiments of the invention, persons of skill in the art will appreciate that variations may be made without departure from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     This true scope and spirit is defined by the appended claims, interpreted in light of the foregoing.