Electronic device with light-generating sources to illuminate an indicium

• US 10,139,551 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohinni LLC
• Original Assignee: Rohinni LLC
• Inventors: Peterson, Cody, Huska, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Featherly, Hana
• Application Number:
  US14/941,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20160138790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 362 2307
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0063 for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/08 using both translucent and non-translucent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first display, an indicium, and a second display. The second display can include a light-generating source deposited on a substrate. The second display illuminates the indicium and the second display has a thickness of less than 0.25 millimeters. The apparatus also includes one or more controllers communicatively coupled to the first display and the second display and configured to control states of the first display and the second display.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having disposed therein;

a first display having a light diffusion direction,

an indicium oriented to be illuminated in a direction opposite the light diffusion direction of the first display,

an array of light-generating sources (LGSs) deposited on a circuit substrate and having a light emission direction, the light emission direction being opposite the light diffusion direction, and the array of LGSs and the substrate having a combined profile height of less than 0.25 millimeters, and

a controller that is configured to control actuation states of the LGSs so as to;

cause a first subset of the LGSs to illuminate the indicium in an active state, and

cause a second subset of the LGSs, including LGSs distinct from the first subset of the LGSs, to be in an inactive state so that the first display is not illuminated,

wherein the actuation states vary in accordance with a plurality of predetermined conditions.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the LGSs include unpackaged light-emitting diode die deposited on the substrate.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the unpackaged light-emitting diode die have a maximum length of at most 300 microns and a height between 50 and 80 microns.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indicium includes a transparent, semi-transparent, or light-diffusive material.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indicium is a logo.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the LGSs are disposed within the housing to illuminate the indicium and are spaced from the indicium such that a diffusing offset distance is at most 0.05 millimeters, the diffusing offset distance including a distance between an emission surface of the LGSs and a viewing surface of the indicium.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of light-generating sources (LGSs);

a first display configured to be illuminated by at least one LGS of the plurality of LGSs;

an indicium;

a second display, one or more of the plurality of LGSs configured to illuminate the indicium and the second display; and

one or more controllers communicatively coupled to the plurality of LGSs and configured to control illumination states of the first display, the second display, and the indicium, so as to;

cause the one or more of the plurality of LGSs to illuminate the indicium and the second display in an active state, and

cause the at least one LGS of the plurality of LGSs, which is distinct from the one or more of the plurality of LGSs that illuminates the indicium and the second display, to be in an inactive state so that the first display is not illuminated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one LGS of the plurality of LGSs is disposed to emit light in a direction transverse to a surface of the first display.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of LGSs include light-emitting diode die.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the light-emitting diode die configured to illuminate the indicium and the second display are disposed, at least in part, around a circumference of the indicium and illuminate towards an interior portion of the indicium.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the light-emitting diode die configured to illuminate the indicium and the second display are disposed, at least in part, along a continuous portion less than an entirety of the indicium and illuminate towards an interior portion of the indicium.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to cause the one or more of the plurality of LGSs to illuminate the indicium independently of a power state of the first display.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to cause the one or more of the plurality of LGSs to display images on the indicium.

14. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

an indicium;

a backlight including deposited light-emitting diodes (dLEDs) affixed to a substrate, the backlight having a thickness of less than 0.25 millimeters, and the backlight having a first diffusive side and a second diffusive side, the second diffusive side opposing the first diffusive side and directed towards the indicium; and

computer-readable media with modules stored thereon and executable by the one or more processors,

wherein;

the modules include a backlight control module configured to control illumination states of the dLEDs, and

the backlight control module is configured to control illumination states of the dLEDs so as to cause a first subset of the dLEDs to illuminate the second diffusive side in an active state while a second subset of the dLEDs, which includes dLEDs not included in the first subset of the dLEDs, are in an inactive state, the first subset of the dLEDs and the second subset of the dLEDs configured to illuminate the first diffusive side.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the backlight control module is further configured to cause the first subset of the dLEDs to display a notification while the second subset of the dLEDs are in the inactive state.