Button for an electric device

• US 20010026446A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 6,761,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

In a button for an electronic device, a red numeral pattern 21, a green kana pattern 31 and a black English character pattern 41 are printed on a key top 11 as plural kinds of patterns. By selectively causing a red LED 51 and a green LED 52 that function as a light source of a backlight to emit a light, red, green and orange lighting colors of the backlight are obtained. According to the color of the pattern used according to a mode, the lighting color of the backlight is switched.

Claims

1. A button for an electronic device, comprising:

a button where plural patterns are displayed on one key top; and

a unit for lightening said button;

wherein said plural patterns are colored with plural different colors, and said lighting unit includes a plurality of different lighting colors including the same colors as those of said plural patterns.

2. The button according to

claim 1

, further comprising a backlight color switch for switching a backlight color according to the lighting color of said button.

3. The button according to

claim 2

, wherein said backlight color switch switches the backlight color so that the lighting color of said button is complementary to the backlight color.

4. A method of controlling lighting of a button in an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

preparing a button in which plural patterns colored with plural different colors are displayed on one key top;

lightening said button with plural different lighting colors including the same colors as those of said plural patterns so that the lighting color is different from the color of the pattern utilized in a set mode.

5. The method according to

claim 4

, further comprising the step of switching a backlight color according to the lighting color of said button.

6. The button according to

claim 5

, wherein said backlight color switch switches the backlight color so that the backlight color is complementary to the lighting color of said button.