Invisible, light-transmissive display system

• US 10,034,349 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Andre, Bartley K., Coster, Daniel, Howarth, Richard, de Iuliis, Daniele, Ive, Jonathan P., Kerr, Duncan, Khosla, Jivan Kumar, Nishibori, Shin, Rohrbach, Matthew, Satzger, Doug B., Seid, Calvin, Stringer, Christopher, Whang, Eugene, Zorkendorfer, Rico
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn, Seung C
• Application Number:
  US15/181,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20160290626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 25022726, 345173, 345204, 428690, 40580
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/10 for personal use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/06 using individual cut-out symbols or cut-out silhouettes, e.g. perforated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/08 using both translucent and non-translucent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

An invisible, light-transmissive display system with a light resistant material is provided. Substantially invisible holes penetrate through at least a portion of the light resistant material in a predetermined light-transmissive display pattern.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device housing having openings, wherein each of the openings has a width that is less than 100 microns;

light sources mounted within the electronic device housing; and

control circuitry that is configured to control the light sources to selectively transmit light through a subset of the openings.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the light sources to adjust the subset of the openings through which the light is transmitted.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2, wherein subset of the openings forms an illuminated pattern at a surface of the electronic device housing.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3, wherein the illuminated pattern comprises a control indication pattern.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3, wherein the illuminated pattern comprises a status indication pattern.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the subset of the openings forms a circular pattern at a surface of the electronic device housing.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the subset of the openings forms a rectangular pattern at a surface of the electronic device housing.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the electronic device housing comprises a metal electronic device housing wall that defines the openings.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein each of light sources transmits the light through a different respective one of the openings.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9, wherein the light sources comprise first and second light sources, the openings comprise first and second openings, the first light source is configured to emit light of a first color that is transmitted through the first opening, and the second light source is configured to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color and that is transmitted through the second opening.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the openings comprise first and second openings, the electronic device further comprising:

a first filler material in the first opening that transmits light of a first color; and

a second filler material in the second opening that transmits light of a second color that is different from the first color.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a structure having a surface, wherein the structure defines an opening having a lateral dimension at the surface that is less than 100 microns;

a light detector that detects light received through the opening; and

control circuitry that receives a control input that is generated based on the light detected by the light detector.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12, wherein the structure comprises an electronic device housing in which the light detector and the control circuitry are mounted.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device housing comprises a metal housing wall and the surface comprises an exterior surface of the metal housing wall.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a light source that transmits light through the opening.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 12, wherein the structure further defines an additional opening having a lateral dimension at the surface that is less than 100 microns, the electronic device further comprising:

a light source that transmits light through the additional opening.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16, wherein the opening is configured to transmit light of a first color and the additional opening is configured to transmit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 12, wherein the structure further defines an additional opening having a lateral dimension at the surface that is less than 100 microns, the electronic device further comprising:

an additional light detector that detects light received through the additional opening.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18, wherein the opening is configured to transmit light of a first color and the additional opening is configured to transmit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

20. An electronic device having opposing first and second sides, the electronic device comprising:

a metal housing, wherein the first side of the electronic device has a surface that is defined at least partially by the metal housing;

an opaque layer on the second side of the electronic device, wherein the opaque layer defines an opening that is less than 100 microns across; and

a light detector mounted within the metal housing that detects light transmitted through the opening.

21. The electronic device defined in claim 20, wherein the opening comprises one of a plurality of openings that are defined by the opaque layer and that are each less than 100 microns across, wherein the light detector comprises one of a plurality of light detectors, and wherein each light detector of the plurality of light detectors detects light transmitted through a different respective opening of the plurality of openings.