Communications: electrical – Visual indication
Reexamination Certificate
2006-08-29
2006-08-29
Pham, Toan N. (Department: 2612)
Communications: electrical
Visual indication
C340S691100, C340S691600, C340S815450
Reexamination Certificate
active
07098801
ABSTRACT:
Method and apparatus for providing a visual indication of operational activity of a device, such as a selected data transfer state. A pattern generator provides one or more bitmasks, each comprising a selected multi-bit sequence of logical values. A switching circuit selectively activates a visual indicator, such as a light emitting diode (LED), to provide a different visual indication in relation to each bitmask. Preferably, a time-varying rate at which the visual indicator is activated in response to each bitmask is selected to be different from a rate, as perceived by a human observer, of activation of the indicator. The pattern generator is preferably implemented as a programming module in a memory space and executed by a processor. Alternatively, the pattern generator is implemented in hardware preferably through the use of an index table and shift register circuitry.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4330870 (1982-05-01), Arends
patent: 4803657 (1989-02-01), Giebel et al.
patent: 4999767 (1991-03-01), Durkin
patent: 5214762 (1993-05-01), Bush et al.
patent: 5412221 (1995-05-01), Curtis et al.
patent: 5495346 (1996-02-01), Choi et al.
patent: 5552800 (1996-09-01), Uchikoga et al.
patent: 5623691 (1997-04-01), Clohset et al.
patent: 5657455 (1997-08-01), Gates et al.
patent: 5761527 (1998-06-01), Clohset et al.
patent: 5777590 (1998-07-01), Saxena et al.
patent: 5996079 (1999-11-01), Klein
patent: 6040812 (2000-03-01), Lewis
patent: 6184854 (2001-02-01), Hotto et al.
patent: 6288698 (2001-09-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 6417864 (2002-07-01), Jones et al.
patent: 6462728 (2002-10-01), Janssen et al.
patent: 6658577 (2003-12-01), Huppi et al.
patent: 6714206 (2004-03-01), Martin et al.
patent: 6756995 (2004-06-01), Thebault et al.
patent: 6864870 (2005-03-01), Kim et al.
patent: 6919816 (2005-07-01), Dearborn et al.
patent: 2004/0056983 (2004-03-01), Dean
patent: 2005/0146491 (2005-07-01), Su et al.
patent: 0 656 616 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 55115028 (1980-09-01), None
patent: 59230114 (1984-12-01), None
patent: 04051287 (1992-02-01), None
patent: 2001134260 (2001-05-01), None
patent: 2003223146 (2003-08-01), None
patent: 1039182 (2001-05-01), None
Fellers , Snider, et al.
Pham Toan N.
Seagate Technology LLC
LandOfFree
Using bitmasks to provide visual indication of operational... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Using bitmasks to provide visual indication of operational..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Using bitmasks to provide visual indication of operational... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3683458