Panel For An Electronic Device And Process

Abstract

A panel for an electronic device, with a front side, and a back side. The panel including a sign, suitable to be viewed from the panel's front side, wherein the sign has an annular shape. The sign has 3 indicia mit light, each being an annular segment of the annular shape, each with an angular length, and further each two adjacent indicia mechanisms are spaced by an angular gap alpha, and wherein 0<=alpha is <=20.

Claims

1. A panel for an electronic device, with a front side, and a back side, the panel comprising a sign, suitable to be viewed from the panel's front side, wherein the sign has a an annular shape, characterized in that the sign has 3 indicia means able to emit light, each being an annular segment of the annular shape, each with an angular length, and wherein each two adjacent indicia means are spaced by an angular gap alpha, and wherein 0<=alpha is <=20.

2. The panel according to claim 1, further comprising a light source associated to each of the indicia means.

3. The panel according to claim 2, wherein each light source comprises at least one bicolor or tricolor LED.

4. The panel according to claim 3, wherein each light source comprises a transparent component with refraction index greater than the refraction index of the air, wherein the transparent component is configured so that the emitted light from the associated LED(s) creates a homogenous image of the annular segment when the LED is emitting light.

5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein each annular segment is flush with the panel front side's surface.

6. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the 3 indicia means occupy the area between two concentric circles having different radius, the panel further comprising a button concentric with the two concentric circles.

7. The panel according to claim 6, wherein the button's symbol is an on/off symbol or a stand-by symbol.

8. The panel according to claim 7, wherein the standardized line segment of the on/off symbol or the stand-by symbol is colinear with a radius of the centre of the two concentric circles which radius is also the bisector of one angular gap alpha.

9. An electrical emanation device comprising a panel according to claim 1.

10. A process comprising the steps of: (i) reading data representing the state of the sign according to claim 1 from a first memory and storing it in a second memory (ii) converting the second memory into a symbol on a computer display which depicts the sign and its current state wherein in step (i) further comprises one of: a. receiving the data from a device comprising the sign; or b. receiving the data from a server which stores the state of the sign; or c. receiving the data from a user input converted data.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein the device comprising the sign is an electrical emanation device.

12. A computer program code, the computer program code when executed by a computer causing the computer to perform the steps of the process of claim 10.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a panel 2 according to the invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the cut A-A from the panel 2 from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a panel 2, represented only by a segment 2, for an electronic device, the view is from the front side 13. The panel 2 comprises a sign 3, which can be viewed from the panel's front side, at least in the on state. The sign 3 has an annular shape, which is the area between the concentric circles 7 and 8, of different radius. The sign has 3 indicia means 4,5,6, each being an annular segment of the annular shape, each with an angular length (B), and each two adjacent indicia means 4,5,6 are spaced by an angular gap alpha. Preferably the angle is 0<=alpha is <=20, preferably 2<=alpha<=15, further preferably 5<=alpha<=15. Thus, all 3 indicia means 4, 5,6, are distributed along a ring (annular shape), each of the indicia means being a segment of the ring with an equal angular length B, wherein two adjacent indicia means are separated by a separation arc alpha. The common center of the 2 concentric circles is the center for measuring the angles. It is implicit throughout the invention that 3*alpha+3*=360. The angles are within the conventional tolerances, which are accepted as long as they do not significantly disturb the angular symmetry.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment in which the center of the sign has button with a standard stand-by symbol, the symbol being comprised by the circle 9 and the line segment 10. The line segment 10 is collinear with gap alpha bisecting line. The bisecting line is the center line crossing the common center of all circles, bisecting the lowest gap alpha by two equal angles alpha/2. It is preferred, especially in this embodiment, that the interruption of the symbols circle 9, where the line segment 10 protrudes out is opposed to the gap alpha to which the line segment is collinear to the bisecting line. Small tolerances are allowed as long as the symbol keeps its symmetrical appearance. For the case with the standard power button which does not have the interruption in the circle, it is preferred that the line segment of the symbol is collinear with the bisecting line of gap alpha, analog as just described for the stand-by button. With this arrangement of symbol and indicia and gap, the user has a reference given especially by the combination of the line segment and the gap, dividing the symbol into a right and left side. The right side has the indicia 6, the left side has the indicia 5. There is clearly an upper side, namely the indicia 4. A lower side can be formed by simultaneously activating (emitting light with same characteristics) of indicia 5 and 6. Thus, with this arrangement a complete set of information for 4 directions can be displayed by the sign although only 3 indicia are used.

[0042] It is preferred that the sign comprises light sources 14, 15, 16 respectively associated to the indicia means 4, 5, 6. Preferably each light source 14, 15, 16 comprises at least one bicolor or tricolor LED. SMD LEDs are preferred, thus flat panels can be produced which are not deep saving therefore space in the device.

[0043] In one embodiment of the invention, each light source 14, 15, 16 comprises a transparent component with refraction index greater than the refraction index of the air, wherein the transparent component is configured so that the emitted light from the associated LED(s) creates a homogenous image of the annular segment when the LED is emitting light. This transparent component works as a light guide. Preferably, the scattering of the light out of the intended indicia front side is kept to a minimum, for efficiency purposes and to avoid cross talking of light between two adjacent indicia.

[0044] As shown in detail in FIG. 2, it is preferred that each annular segment (4 and 5 are partially shown) is flush with the panel front side's surface (13). One way of providing this is keeping the panel's board 12 filling the gap between the indicia.