Illuminated time-passage indicator
OwnerDaniel Grupp, Kristi Yuthasinventors
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Abstract
A time-passage indicator device can comprise a housing, a plurality of light elements coupled to the housing, a window comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, and a processor that controls the plurality of light elements. The window can be attached to the housing and diffuse or scatter light emitted from the plurality of light elements. The light elements can emit the light through the window to form an illuminated region. The processor can control the light elements such that the illuminated region changes to indicate the passage of time. The illuminated region can have a minimum viewing angle from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, where the minimum viewing angle of 0 degrees is measured from a plane of the base surface.
Claims21
A time-passage indicator, comprising:
- a housing comprising a base surface on one side and a second surface on an opposite side;
- a plurality of light elements coupled to the housing;
- a window comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the window is attached to the second surface of the housing and is configured to diffuse or scatter light emitted from the plurality of light elements;
- and
- a processor configured to control the plurality of light elements;
- wherein:
- the plurality of light elements is configured to emit the light through the window to form an illuminated region;
- the processor is configured to control the plurality of light elements such that the illuminated region changes to indicate a passage of time;
- a minimum viewing angle of the illuminated region is from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, where the minimum viewing angle of 0 degrees is measured from a plane of the base surface;
- and
- the processor is configured to control the plurality of light elements according to a timing mode that is selectable to be a fixed timing mode or a variable timing mode.
A network of time-passage indicators, comprising two or more time-passage indicators, wherein:
- a first time-passage indicator in the network of time-passage indicators comprises:
- a housing comprising a base surface on one side and a second surface on an opposite side;
- a plurality of light elements coupled to the housing;
- a window comprising an inner and an outer surface, wherein the window is attached to the second surface of the housing and is configured to diffuse or scatter light from the plurality of light elements;
- a processor that is configured to control the plurality of light elements;
- and
- wired or wireless communication electronics;
- wherein:
- the plurality of light elements is configured to emit light through the window to form an illuminated region;
- the processor is configured to control the plurality of light elements such that the illuminated region changes to indicate a passage of time;
- a minimum viewing angle of the illuminated region is from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, where the minimum viewing angle of 0 degrees is measured from a plane of the base surface;
- the processor is configured to control the plurality of light elements according to a timing mode that is selectable to be a fixed timing mode or a variable timing mode;
- the processor of the first time-passage indicator is configured to communicate with a second time-passage indicator in the network of time-passage indicators using the wired or wireless communication electronics;
- and
- the first time-passage indicator is configured to receive a user input that causes a first timer parameter to be set in the first time-passage indicator and a second timer parameter to be set in the second time-passage indicator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.