Patent Publication Number: US-2003229669-A1

Title: Device for notification of receipt of email

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a device for notification of receipt of an email.  
       [0003] 2. Related Prior Art  
       [0004] Personal computers are popular in modem societies. A lot of people send and receive emails through Internet by means of their personal computers. However, when a user is not sitting in front of his or her personal computer, the user cannot be aware of receipt of an email by means of the personal computer. If the email carries an urgent and important that must be addressed immediately, the user misses the best timing to review and respond to it.  
       [0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problem encountered in prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a device for notification of receipt of an email.  
       [0007] According to the present invention, a system includes a computer for receiving emails and sending a signal after receiving an email and a device for receiving the signal from the computer and notifying of the receipt of the email.  
       [0008] The device includes a casing, a circuit board received in the casing for electric connection with the computer and a signaling element in electric connection with the circuit board. A central processor unit is installed on the circuit board. The signaling element is a speaker or a luminescent strip.  
       [0009] In an aspect, the device includes a wire leading from the circuit board. A plug is formed at an end of the wire.  
       [0010] In another aspect, the device includes a wireless transmitter for electric connection with the personal computer and sending a wireless signal and a wireless receiver in electric connection with the circuit board and for receiving the wireless signal.  
       [0011] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0012] The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the attached drawings wherein:  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for notification of receipt of an email according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the device shown in FIG. 1;  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a personal computer used together with the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and  
     [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a personal computer used together with a device for notification of receipt of an email according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
     [0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a device  10  for notification of receipt of an email includes a casing  11 , a circuit board  12 , a luminescent strip  13  and a panel  14 .  
     [0018] Like a casing of an alarm clock, includes a periphery  12 , a back plate  113  formed on a rear side of the periphery  12  and two legs  114  extending from a lower portion of the periphery  12 . A space  111  is defined by means of the periphery  12  and the back plate  13 . The back plate  113  defines an aperture  115  in communication with the space  111 .  
     [0019] The circuit board  12  is received in the space  111 . The circuit board  12  includes a wire leading from the circuit board  12 , a central processor unit (“CPU”)  122  installed thereon and a speaker  123  installed thereon. The wire  121  is formed with a plug  124  at an end. The wire  121  is inserted through the aperture  115  so that the plug  124  can be put in engagement with a port of a personal computer as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.  
     [0020] The luminescent strip  13  is in electric connection with the circuit board  12 . The electric connection of the luminescent strip  13  with the circuit board  12  however will not be described in detail for being conventional. The luminescent strip  13  defines a plurality of apertures  130 . The luminescent strip  13  is received in the space  111  or located against a front end of the casing  11 . The apertures  130  are positioned in front of the speaker  123 . Thus, voices produced by means of the speaker  123  can be easily transmitted through the apertures  130 .  
     [0021] The panel  14  defines a plurality of apertures  140  corresponding to the apertures  130 . The apertures  140  are positioned in front of the apertures  130  when the panel  14  is mounted on the front end of the casing  11 . Thus, voices produced by means of the speaker  123  can be easily transmitted through the apertures  140 . The panel  14  defines a plurality of windows  141 . Each of the windows  141  may be an opening or an opening covered by means of a transparent lens. Thus, light emitted by means of the luminescent strip  13  can be seen through the windows  141 .  
     [0022] Referring to FIG. 3, the device  10  can be put in electric connection with a personal computer (“PC”)  20  through electric connection of the plug  124  with an appropriate port (not shown) formed on the personal computer  20 . After receiving an email, the PC  20  sends a signal to the device  10 . After receiving the signal, the device  10  activates the speaker  123  to produce voices and the luminescent strip  13  to emit light in order to notify a user of the PC  20  of the receipt of the email.  
     [0023]FIG. 4 shows an apparatus for notification of receipt of an email according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus includes a device  10 ′ and a wireless transmitter  30 . The wireless transmitter  30  includes a wire  31  for electric connection with the PC  20 . The device  10 ′ is similar to the device  10  except for including a wireless receiver (not shown), instead of the wire  121 , corresponding to the wireless transmitter  30 . The wireless receiver is in electric connection with the circuit board  12 . After receiving an email, the PC  20  sends a signal to the wireless transmitter  30 . After receiving the signal, the wireless transmitter  30  sends a wireless signal to the wireless receiver installed in the device  10 ′. Then, the device  10 ′ activates the speaker  123  to produce voices and the luminescent strip  13  to emit light in order to notify a user of the PC  20  of the receipt of the email.  
     [0024] The present invention has been described via detailed illustration of two embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive many variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the attached claims.