{
  "patent_number": "US 11188196",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Using a Phone Display as a Visual Beacon Based on Activity",
  "original_title": "Handheld devices as visual indicators",
  "summary": "Apple's patent describes a device that changes its screen lighting behavior, such as pulsing or strobing, based on a user's heart rate or body temperature.",
  "what_it_does": "The device uses internal sensors to track physiological data like heart rate or temperature. When these metrics cross a specific threshold, the processor triggers a beacon light effect on the display, such as blinking, pulsating, or strobing. When the user is at rest, the display reverts to standard illumination for the graphical user interface. The system also integrates with media playback, allowing the screen's light patterns to sync with music or user-selected playlists.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover standard screen brightness adjustments based solely on ambient light.",
    "Does not cover using external LED lights or flash units for signaling; it is specific to the display screen itself.",
    "Does not cover health monitoring that lacks the specific trigger of changing the display's light mode based on a threshold.",
    "Does not cover non-visual feedback mechanisms like haptic vibrations or audio alerts."
  ],
  "filed": "2020-04-08",
  "granted": "2021-11-30",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Apple Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/apple-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Eugene Antony Whang",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/eugene-antony-whang"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "ai_ml"
  ],
  "abstract": "A computing device is configured with a multifunctional backlit display. The backlighting can be operated in at least a first mode and a second mode. In a first mode, the backlighting provides luminance to the display so that images on the display can be easily seen. In a second mode, the backlighting provides visual stimulus for relaying information to a user or a user's surroundings.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11188196/app-library",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11188196/app-library/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US11188196",
  "relatedPatents": []
}