Abstract:
Electronic devices such as smartphones ( 100 ) or tablet computers are provided with an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and button ( 110 ) which allows audio energy to pass out of the speaker port ( 108 ), serves as control button for a function such as volume control or power, and is provided with single or multi-color illumination ( 212 ) so as to serve as a visual information indicator. The button ( 110 ) can serve in place of side mounted button while not requiring additional allocation of area on the devices front surface beyond what would be allocated for a speaker port and therefore not reduce the area available for a display screen ( 203 ). The button may be more readily located by touch due to its location and by sight due to the provision of illumination and owing to its use as a speaker port insert the purpose of the button may be intuitively grasped and later recalled by the user.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present specification relates generally to electronic devices such as smart mobile telephones, portable media players, and tablet computers. More particularly the present specification relates to button controls for mobile telephones, portable media players, and tablet computers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently high end mobile electronic telephones take the form of smartphones, which have only a small number (e.g., one or two) physical buttons but have a large touch screen display, through which a user using several touch gestures is able to operate basic telephone functionality such as sending and receiving telephone calls as well as operate a variety of manufacturer provided and third party software applications (‘apps’). While most of the tactile user interaction with such smartphones is via virtual controls (e.g., buttons, keyboards, keypads) that are emulated on the touch screen display, such smartphones do retain a few actual physical buttons. One such button is the power button and another that is typically provided is a volume control rocker button. In keeping with the current design trend and in order to avoid placement of components on the front of the device that would limit the fraction of the front of the device available for the display, certain physical buttons such as the volume control rocker button and power button have been located on side edges of the device. Such side edge buttons are slim, and protrude out of the housing of the device by only a small amount and they can be difficult to locate by feel, as might be convenient in dimly lit location. In fact due to their location and diminutive size they may sometimes not be readily located by sight in a well lit room. 
       FIG. 19  shows a prior art smartphone  1900 . The prior art smartphone  1900  includes a rear housing part  1902  connected to a front housing part  1904 . A front surface  1906  of the smartphone  1900  accommodates a touch screen display  1908  which occupies a large fraction of the front surface  1906 . An earpiece speaker port  1910  is located on the front surface  1906  of the smartphone  1900  above the touch screen display  1908 . A loudspeaker port  1912  is located on the front surface  1906  of the smartphone  1900  below the touch screen display  1908 . A slim, low profile power button  1914  and a slim, low profile, volume control rocker button  1916  are located on a side edge  1918  of the smartphone  1900 . 
     Certain recently produced tablet computers have outward mechanical designs that are basically scaled-up versions of smartphones including a touch screen which occupies a large fraction of the front of the device and a limited number of small edge-mounted physical buttons. 
     It would be desirable to provide a physical button for a mobile telephone or tablet computer that requires no or limited extra allocation of space on the front of the device so as not to limit the space available for the display, and that is more readily located by sight or touch and in some cases is so situated that its purpose is intuitively apprehended based on its location. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an electronic device according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button that is used in the electronic device shown in  FIGS. 1-3  according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a second perspective view of the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button that is shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary partially exploded view of an electronic device that includes an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of an electronic device according to yet another embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of an illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert according to yet another embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is an elevation view of the illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert shown in  FIG. 10  along with an LED that is used to illuminate it; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert shown in  FIGS. 10-12  along with an accessory glare shield; 
         FIG. 13  is a fragmentary sectional view of the illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert showing a light scattering top surface of a lossy light guide portion; 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of an illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert with multicolor illumination; 
         FIG. 15  is an elevation view of the illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert shown in  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart of a method of operating an electronic device that includes button illumination according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a functional block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic of communication system in which electronic devices according to certain embodiments are used to exchange color coded messages; and 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a prior art mobile telephone. 
     
    
    
     Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments set forth in the present disclosure. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before describing in detail embodiments, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and button. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
       FIGS. 1-3  are different views of an electronic device  100 . In the following examples, the electronic device is a smartphone; however, other electronic devices could be substituted such as any type of computer, a remote controller, a media player, an electronic game or game controller, a television receiver, or other portable or non-portable electronic device.  FIG. 1  is a front view of the smartphone  100 ,  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the smartphone  100 , and  FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the smartphone  100  according to an embodiment. The cut plane of the cross sectional view of  FIG. 3  is indicated in  FIG. 1 . The smartphone  100  includes a touch panel  102  formed on an oversized lens  105  which forms at least part of the front of the smartphone  100 . The lens  105  is mounted in a housing frame  202  over a display  203 . The lens  105  can be made of a material such as glass, sapphire, or clear plastic. The display  203  may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or an Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display. A back housing part  204  connects to the housing frame  202 . 
     An opaque mask  104  often is printed on a portion of the inside (back) surface of the lens  105 . The mask is usually black and surrounds a large central area of the touch panel  102  through which the display  203  is visible. The black mask  104  may be used to hide components that are mounted under or on the back of the lens  105 , e.g., touch sensor circuit interconnects. 
     The lens  105  has a top through-slot  106  (i.e., a slot that extends completely through the lens from front to back) and a bottom through-slot  108 . The top through-slot  106  serves as part of an earpiece speaker port and the bottom through-slot  108  serves as part of a loud-speaker port. The earpiece speaker is designed for audio calls where the user holds the phone closely to an ear. The loudspeaker is designed for speakerphone calls, audiovisual playback, or audio playback where the user holds the phone away from the head. An illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  110  is partly located in the bottom through-slot  108 . The button  110  extends above the lens  105  so that it can be pressed down by a user. 
     The smartphone  100  encloses a printed circuit board (PCB)  206  that is located between the lens  105  and the back housing part  204 . A first momentary contact electric switch  208  and a second momentary contact electric switch  210  are mounted on and electrically connected to the PCB  206 . A Light Emitting Diode (LED)  212  is mounted on the PCB  206  at a position centered between the two electric switches  208 ,  210 . A speaker driver  302  for the loudspeaker is mounted in the smartphone  100 . The smartphone  100  includes a pathway for acoustic energy generated by the smartphone  100  to reach the bottom through-slot  108  and the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  110 . The pathway includes a hole  304  in the printed circuit board. Acoustic energy travels around the button  110  and through passages through the button  110 . 
       FIGS. 4-6  show three views of the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  110 . Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , the button  110  includes a longitudinally extending button body  306  that extends along a longitudinal axis  402 . The button  110  also has a first switch engaging portion  308  that engages with the first momentary contact electric switch  208  and a second switch engaging portion  310  that engages with the second momentary contact electric switch  210 . Either switch  208 ,  210  may be actuating by pressing the corresponding side of the button  110 . The switch engaging portions  308 ,  310  each include a shaft portion  312  that extends from the button body  306  and a frusto conical button retention portions  314  (also known as “dart heads”) on their free (distal with respect to button body  306 ) ends. The dart heads  314  have large diameter ends  416  connected to the shaft portions  312 . The dart heads  314  are pushed through holes  214  that are formed in the front housing part  202 . The holes  214  are located above the positions of the electric switches  208 ,  210 . The dart heads  314  catch in the holes  214  thereby retaining the button  110  in the bottom through-slot  108  of the lens  105  with the switch engaging portions  308 ,  310  above or resting on the switches  208 ,  210 . 
     The button  110  also includes a light receiving portion  318  having a free (distal) end  320  located over the LED  212  so as to receive light therefrom. The switch engaging portions  308 ,  310  and the light receiving portion  318  extend perpendicularly and downward from the longitudinally extending button body  306 . 
     The longitudinally extending button body  306  includes a molded part  422  molded out of light transmissive material over which a metal cap  424  is fitted. The molded part  422  may, for example be molded out a light transmissive organic polymer such as polycarbonate (PC) or Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or silicone. 
     The molded part  422  includes a lossy light guide portion  326 . The lossy light guide portion  326  takes the form of a central, longitudinally extending rectangular beam. The longitudinally extending button body  306  also include a wider central portion  528 , wider medial portions  530  and wider end portions  532  that are wider than the lossy light guide portion  326 , and extend the Y-axis width of the molded part  422  on either side of the lossy light guide portion  326 . Some light will propagate and/or scatter into the wider portions  528 ,  530 ,  532 . The light receiving portion  318  is attached to the wider central portion  528 , while the switch engaging portions  308 ,  310  are attached to the wider end portions  532 . The wider end portions  532  have 180° radiused ends in this example. 
     The metal cap  424  may, for example, be an electroformed part or a stamped part. The metal cap  424  has an inverted trough shape. A top surface  434  of the metal cap  424  includes an array of through holes  436  which allow acoustic energy to pass. Acoustic energy can pass by the sides of the lossy light guide  326 , between the wider portions  528 ,  530 ,  532  and then reach the holes  436  in the metal cap. 
     The molded part  422  has a top surface  638  that extends over the lossy light guide  326  and the wider portions  528 ,  530 ,  532 . At least portions of the top surface can have a light scattering surface texture, such as shown in  FIG. 12  and described herein below. The light scattering surface texture can be limited to locations underlying the holes  436 . The light scattering surface texture makes the lossy light guide portion  326  lossy by scattering light out of the top surface  638  of the button  110 , but in doing achieves the intended purpose of illuminating the button  110 . 
     Thus the button  110  in serving the basic function of allowing the user to actuate either of the momentary contact electric switches, also provides illumination from a relatively large surface area (compared to a bare LED), and allows audio that is generated by the speaker driver  302  to exit the smartphone  100 . 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary partially exploded view of a smartphone  700  that includes an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  702  according to another embodiment and  FIG. 8  is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the smartphone  700  shown in  FIG. 7 . The cut plane corresponding to  FIG. 8  is indicated in  FIG. 7 . This embodiment differs from that described above and shown in  FIGS. 1-6  in that, although there are no holes through the button  702  itself that would allow audio energy pass, a through-slot  704  in the lens  105  in which the button  702  is located is wide enough to leave a gap  706  along the side of the button  702  for audio energy to pass. The button  702  also includes a tapered light receiving portion  708  which has free (distal) end which has a smaller diameter than a proximal end that is connected to a button body  710 . The through-slot  704  serves as at least part of an audio port. The audio energy is generated by a loudspeaker driver  812  and passes through a hole  814  in a printed circuit board  816  of the smartphone  700  and then propagates through the gap  706 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of a smartphone  900  according to yet another embodiment. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 9  differs from those shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , in that an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  902  of the smartphone includes an English letter ‘V’ shaped slot  904  formed in the formed in the top surface  638  of the molded part  422 . The English letter ‘V’ shaped slot  904  is located in the top surface  434  opposite (above) the light receiving portion  318 . The English letter ‘V’ shaped slot serves as a pair of Total Internal Reflection (TIR) mirrors that split light coming from the light receiving portion into two portions which are directed in opposite directions in the lossy light guide portion  326 . 
       FIGS. 10-13  show an illuminated speaker port insert and integrated rocker button (“button”)  1002  according to yet another embodiment.  FIG. 10  is a top view of the button  1002 ,  FIG. 11  is an elevation view of the button  1002  along with an LED  1102  used to illuminate the button  1002 ,  FIG. 12  is a perspective view of button  1002  along with a glare shield  1202 , and  FIG. 13  is a fragmentary sectional view of the button  1002  showing a light scattering top surface  1302  of a lossy light guide portion. 
     The button  1002  includes a light receiving portion  1004  that has a bottom light receiving recess  1106  defined by a frusto conical surface  1108  topped by a hyperbolic lens surface  1010 . Light from the LED  1102  that is transmitted by the frusto conical surface  1108  is incident on the inside of a parabolic collimator surface  1112  of the light receiving portion  1004 . The hyperbolic lens surface  1010  which refracts light and the parabolic collimator surface  1112  which both reflects light and redirects light generally upward, with an average direction corresponding to the direction of an optical axis O.A. in the Z-axis direction and some finite spread in the direction distribution due to the finite size of the LED  1102 . The hyperbolic lens surface  1010  and the parabolic collimator surface  1112  are rotational symmetric about the optical axis O.A. but alternatively could be cylindrical optic surfaces. The light that is redirected upward is incident on a left facet  1014  and a right facet  1016  which form an English letter ‘V’ shaped groove  1018  in an upper surface  1020  of the button  1002 . The facets  1014 ,  1016  serve as TIR surfaces because light redirected by hyperbolic lens surface  1010  and the parabolic collimator surface  1112  and incident on the facets  1014 ,  1016  is incident at angles of incidence above the critical angle which is defined by:
 
θ c =arcsin(1/ n   b )
 
     where, n b  is the index of refraction of the button  1002 . 
     The button  1002  would typically have an index an index of refraction n b  that is between 1.4 and 1.6 for which the corresponding critical angles θ c  are 45.6° and 38.7°. 
     According to certain embodiments an angle of a between the optical axis O.A. and a surface normal to the facets  1014 ,  1016  (see  FIG. 11 ) is set to an angle between 53° and the critical angle for the material out of which the button is made. A few traced light rays are shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     The light receiving portion  1004  and the facets  1014 ,  1016  make up a central part  1022  of the button  1002 . A left arm  1024  and a right arm  1026  are connected to (suitably integral with) and extend from the central part  1022  of the button  1002 . The two arms  1024 ,  1026  are mirror images of each other, and thus the same structural description provided hereinbelow applies to both. 
     A set of three tapered end through-slots  1028  extend longitudinally in each arm  1024 ,  1026 . When the button  1002  is positioned in a speaker port (for example in bottom through slot  108  of the lens  105  which as described above serves as part of a speaker port) the tapered-end through slots  1028  allow audio energy to pass through the button  1002 . A proximal (with respect to the central part  1022 ) set of tapered ends  1030  and a distal set of tapered ends  1032  delineate, respectively, a set of proximate tapered light guide portions  1034  and a distal set of tapered light guide portions  1036 . Non-tapered middle portions  1038  of the slots  1028  bound non-tapered light guide portions  1040  that are connected to the tapered light guide portions  1034 ,  1036 . Bridge portions  1046  (only two of which are labeled to avoid crowding the drawing) crossing the tapered through slots  1028  are provided for mechanical strengthening. 
     Portions  1302  of the upper surface  1020  of the button  1002  that are on the light guide portions can be non-smooth and light scattering so as to effect emission of light from the button  1002 . The non-smooth light scattering portions  1302  can have a random surface profile or a 1-D or 2-D periodic profile. The non-smooth light scattering portions make the light guides  1034 ,  1036 ,  1040  lossy. Injection mold finishers can appropriately roughen mold surfaces in order to produce non-smooth light scattering portions  1302  in a molded embodiment of the button  1002 . The scale of the roughness can be much larger than a wavelength of light emitted by the LED  1102  or comparable to a wavelength of light emitted by the LED. 
     Side edges  1042  of the arms  1024 ,  1026  have a double bevel shape that serves as a TIR retroreflector to keep light from escaping from the edges. The double bevel shape has an English letter ‘V’ cross section in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  1206  of the button  1002 . The longitudinal axis  1206  is aligned with the X-axis shown in  FIGS. 10-12 . Although not necessary, it is noted that refraction of light by tapered light guide portions  1034 ,  1036  and scattering by non-smooth light scattering surface portions  1302  can deflect light to angles that might lead to the escape of the light from the side edges  1042  if not for the double bevel shape. 
     Ends  1044  of the arms  1024 ,  1026  also have a double bevel shape that acts as a retroreflector that reflects light that reaches the end of the arms  1024 ,  1026  back toward the central part  1022  of the button  1002 . The outline of the double bevel shape of the ends  1044  is apparent in the  FIG. 10  top view. The faces of the ends  1044  that form the double bevel can also be slightly angled as shown in  FIG. 11  so as to steer the retroreflected light toward the top surface  1302  which serves as the light emission surface of the button  1002 . The tilt (or draft angle) is such that intersections of the faces of the ends  1044  with planes parallel to a plane containing the optical axis O.A. of the light receiving portion  1004  and the longitudinal axis L are not vertical. 
     Switch engaging portions  308 ,  310  as described above in reference to  FIGS. 2-6  extend downward from positions close to the ends  1044  of the arms  1024 ,  1026 . 
     While in theory, if the facets  1014 ,  1016  forming the V shaped groove  1018  are angled so that light from the light receiving portion  1004  is incident upon them at an angle of incidence that is at least equal to the critical angle θ c  the light should be reflected into the arms  1024 ,  1026  and not transmitted through the facets  1014 ,  1016 , in practice due, for example, to surface imperfections or bulk scattering within the material of the button  1002  some light will pass through the facets  1014 ,  1016 . Because the LED  1102  is directly below the facets  1014 ,  1016  such light could appear uncomfortably bright to the user. This is addressed by providing a small glare shield  1202  which fits on the button  1002  over the facets  1014 ,  1016  and is retained thereon by four bendable retention tabs  1204  (two of which are visible in  FIG. 12 ). The glare shield  1202  may for example be an electroformed part or small stamping and may for example be made of stainless steel or aluminum. Alternatively the facets  1014 ,  1016  could be covered with a reflective metal coating. 
     According to certain embodiments the bottom surface of the button  1002  excluding the bottom light receiving recess  1106  is covered with a reflective metal coating (not shown). Such a coating will reflect light scattered from the top surface  1020  notwithstanding the angle of incidence of such light being below the critical angle. Thereby such a reflective metal coating will serve redirect light that might otherwise be lost toward the top surface  1020  from which it may be emitted and provide illumination of the button  1002 . Such a coating can for example be formed by vacuum metallization or an electroless plating. 
       FIG. 14  is a top view of an illuminated speaker port insert and integrated rocker button “button”  1402  with multicolor illumination and  FIG. 15  is an elevation view of the button  1402 . The button  1402  includes three light receiving portions  1404 ,  1406 ,  1408  which are of similar design to the light receiving portion  1004  provided in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10-13  and described above. The three light receiving portions  1404 ,  1406 ,  1408  are arranged in a row under an English letter ‘V’ shaped groove  1410  that is of similar design to the ‘V’ shaped groove  1018  described above an shown in  FIGS. 10-12 . The button  1402  is provided with double bevel side edges  1412  and double bevel end edges  1414 . Vertical English letter ‘V’ shaped grooves  1416  are located on at the ends of the V shaped groove  1410 . 
     An LED  1502  is positioned facing into each light receiving portion  1404 ,  1406 ,  1408 , so that there are three LEDs. The three LEDs  1502  emit different colors, suitably red, green and blue, so that by controlling the intensity of each LED  1502  separately a gamut of colors can be produced. Only one of the LEDs  1502  is visible in  FIG. 15 . 
     An alternative multi-color embodiment may be obtained by providing the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10-13  with a three-color LED that includes three separately operable light emitting junctions formed on on top of another. 
     When the illuminated integrated rocker button and speaker port insert  1402  is used as an indicator light, it can present color coded indications of different events. For example one color can be used to indicate receipt of a text, another color used to indicate a missed call, yet another to indicate receipt of a voice mail and a distinct color used to indicate a social network update. 
       FIG. 16  is a flowchart  1600  of a method of operating an electronic device (e.g., smartphone  100 ) that includes button illumination according to an embodiment. In block  1602  a trigger event that calls for actuation of the illumination of the button is detected. The trigger event that is detected can for example be: an incoming telephone call, receipt of an email, receipt of a text or multimedia message, notification of a social network update, reserve battery energy dropping below a predetermined threshold, an alert from a third party app or the user starting a particular app, such as, for example a camera app. 
     In block  1604  light actuation information that is associated with the particular event detected in block  1602  is accessed. The information may be pre-programmed for a given event. The information may specify a color, a sequence of colors, and optionally the duration for which each color in a sequence of colors is display and optionally the duration of light-off periods between periods of illumination. The information may also specify continuous transitions between two or more colors, for example a continuous transition from red to blue in which the red intensity continuously decreases while the blue intensity is continuously increases. A user will learn to associate particular color patterns with particular events. Alternatively, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows the user to customize the display of colors associated with a given event may be implemented in the electronic device. A user may configure the device to use a particular color of illumination when messages from a particular person are received. A particular color of illumination may be set when an app is started and when the app is in certain state. For example the button may be set to one color when the camera app is started and another color to indicated that automatically determined camera settings (e.g., focus, exposure) have been established. 
     In block  1606  one or more button lighting devices (e.g., LEDs  1502 ) are driven according to the light actuation information that was accessed in block  1604 . 
     In block  1608  actuation of one of the switches  208 ,  210  that are actuated by the button  1402  is detected. 
     In block  1610  a specific action, the identity of which is dependent on the particular switch (e.g.,  208  or  210 ) that was actuated and is dependent on the identity of the trigger event that was detected, is performed. For example, if the event that was detected was the user commencing a telephone conversation then the specific action may be raising the audio volume in the case that one switch (e.g.,  210 ) is actuated and lowering the volume in the case that the other switch (e.g.,  208 ) is actuated). In another case the button may be illuminated with a particular color during video playback and button actuations also used to control audio playback volume. When using the camera app, the button  1402  and two switches  208 ,  210  can be used to zoom in and out. 
     In some variations, pressing both sides of the button  1402  at the same time in order to actuate both switches  208 ,  210  at the same time can be used to alter the color of illumination of the button and the function of the button  1402 . The color of the button will then signify its function. For example, for a media player application, the button  1402  can be toggled between controlling the volume and controlling the playback. For example, in a volume-control state, the button will be illuminated green and actuation of one switch  208  will increase the volume and actuation of the other switch  210  will decrease the volume. When the media player application is active and both switches  208 ,  210  are actuated simultaneously, the state may toggle between the volume-control state and a playback-control state. In a playback-control state example, the button will be illuminated blue and actuation of one switch  210  will fast-forward to the next track and actuation of the other switch  208  will rewind to the previous track. When the button  1402  is being used for a particular function (e.g., volume control or playback control), the user will press either side of the button  1402  separately in order to actuate the switches  208 ,  210  individually. 
     As another example, when a new message is received, the button  1402  can be blinked a specific number of times followed by a pause in blinking (in the off or on state) in order to signify that the specific number of unread messages have been received. The button  1402  and switches  208 ,  210  can be used to navigate forward and backward through a list of the received messages by pressing one or the other side of the button  1402  in order to actuate one or the other switch  208 ,  210 . 
     Block  1612  is a decision block the outcome of which depends on whether a new trigger event is detected. If not then the flowchart loops back to block  1608  to detect button actuations. If on the other hand a new trigger event is detected then the flowchart loops back to block  1604  and operation proceeds as described above. 
       FIG. 17  is a functional block diagram of the smartphone  100  according to an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 17  the smartphone  100  includes a first analog-to-digital converter (ND)  1702 , a first digital-to-analog converter (D/A)  1704 , a second D/A  1706 , a switch interface  1708 , a button illumination driver  1710 , a program memory  1712 , a workspace memory  1714 , a processor  1716 , a camera interface  1717 , a display driver  1718 , a touch sensor controller  1720 , a second ND  1722  and a transceiver  1724  all coupled together through a system bus  1726 . A microphone  1728  is coupled through a microphone amplifier  1730  to the first ND  1702 . The first D/A  1704  is coupled through a first speaker amplifier  1732  to an earpiece speaker driver  1734 . The second D/A  1706  is coupled through a second speaker amplifier  1736  to the loudspeaker driver  302 . The first momentary contact electric switch  208  and the second momentary contact switch  210  are electrically coupled to the switch interface  1708 . Dashed lines represent mechanical engagement of the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and rocker button  110  with the switches  208 ,  210 . Acoustic energy  1738  is shown coupled from the loudspeaker driver  302  to the button  110 . The button illumination driver  1710  is drivingly coupled to the LED  212 . Light  1740  is shown coupled from the LED  212  to the button  110 . A light sensor  1742  is coupled to the second ND  1722 . The brightness of the LED  212  can be adjusted based on the ambient light level as detected by a light sensor (not shown). An antenna  1744  is coupled to the transceiver  1724 . The display  203  is coupled to the display driver  1718 , and the touch panel  102  is coupled to the touch sensor controller  1720 . A camera  1719  is coupled to the camera interface  1717 . 
       FIG. 18  is a schematic of communication system  1800  in which electronic devices  1802 ,  1804  according to certain embodiments are used to exchange color coded messages. The system includes one or more interconnected networks  1806  including, for example, cellular telephony networks, WiFi networks, and landline telephone networks. Color coding of messages may be performed automatically or under user control. At least one of the devices  1802 ,  1804  includes an illuminated integrated speaker port insert and button that is capable of multi-color illumination and is used to output colors that are implicitly or explicitly part of the messages exchanged through the one or more interconnected networks  1806 . 
     While the disclosure includes a variety of smartphone embodiments alternatively the teaching disclosed herein including the illuminated integrated speaker port insert and button can be included tablet computers. As used herein the term “electronic device” includes smartphones, portable media players, remote controllers, televisions, radios, desktop computers, laptop computers, and tablet computers. 
     In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
     In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The scope is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.