Keypad lighting using polymer light emitting devices

• US 20040176048A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar, Larsson, Mats
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/037 using organic materials, e.g. organic LED
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

At least one key of a keypad of an electronic device, such as a wireless terminal, includes a polymer light emitting device, also referred to as a polymer LED, thereon. A polymer LED may be on the inner and/or outer surface of the face of the key and may be unpatterned and/or patterned to form a symbol.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of electronic components in the housing that are configured to transmit and/or receive wireless communications;

a keypad at least partially in the housing, comprising at least one key; and

a polymer light emitting device on the at least one key.

2. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the inner surface, opposite the outer surface.

3. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the outer surface, opposite the inner surface.

4. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the polymer light emitting device is an unpatterned polymer light emitting device.

5. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the polymer light emitting device is patterned to form a symbol.

6. A wireless terminal according to claim 4 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface is patterned to form a symbol.

7. A wireless terminal according to claim 6 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes an opening therein which forms the symbol.

8. A wireless terminal according to claim 4 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes a patterned layer thereon which forms the symbol.

9. A wireless terminal according to claim 3 further comprising a coating on the polymer light emitting device opposite the outer surface.

10. A wireless terminal according to claim 2 wherein the at least one key includes at least one wall that extends from the inner surface to within the housing and wherein the wireless terminal further comprises first and second electrodes that are electrically connected to the polymer light emitting device and extend along the at least one wall.

11. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the at least one key includes a nonplanar face and wherein the polymer light emitting device is conformal to the nonplanar face.

12. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the at least one key comprises a first key and a second key, wherein the polymer light emitting device on the first key is configured to emit light of a first color and wherein the polymer light emitting device on the second key is configured to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

13. A wireless terminal according to claim 1 wherein the at least one key is movable toward and away from the housing.

62. A user input device according to claim 1 wherein the user input device comprises a jog dial, jog ball, joystick or coin key.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of electronic components in the housing;

a keypad at least partially in the housing, comprising at least one key; and

a polymer light emitting device on the at least one key.

15. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the inner surface, opposite the outer surface.

16. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the outer surface, opposite the inner surface.

17. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the polymer light emitting device is an unpatterned polymer light emitting device.

18. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the polymer light emitting device is patterned to form a symbol.

19. An electronic device according to claim 17 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface is patterned to form a symbol.

20. An electronic device according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes an opening therein which forms the symbol.

21. An electronic device according to claim 17 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes a patterned layer thereon which forms the symbol.

22. An electronic device according to claim 16 further comprising a coating on the polymer light emitting device opposite the outer surface.

23. An electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the at least one key includes at least one wall that extends from the inner surface to within the housing and wherein the wireless terminal further comprises first and second electrodes that are electrically connected to the polymer light emitting device and extend along the at least one wall.

24. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the at least one key includes a nonplanar face and wherein the polymer light emitting device is conformal to the nonplanar face.

25. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the at least one key comprises a first key and a second key, wherein the polymer light emitting device on the first key is configured to emit light of a first color and wherein the polymer light emitting device on the second key is configured to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

26. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the at least one key is movable toward and away from the housing.

27. A keypad for an electronic device comprising:

at least one key; and

a polymer light emitting device on the at least one key.

28. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the inner surface, opposite the outer surface.

29. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the outer surface, opposite the inner surface.

30. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the polymer light emitting device is an unpatterned polymer light emitting device.

31. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the polymer light emitting device is patterned to form a symbol.

32. A keypad according to claim 30 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface is patterned to form a symbol.

33. A keypad according to claim 32 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes an opening therein which forms the symbol.

34. A keypad according to claim 30 wherein the at least one key comprises:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;

wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes a patterned layer thereon which forms the symbol.

35. A keypad according to claim 29 further comprising a coating on the polymer light emitting device opposite the outer surface.

36. A keypad according to claim 28 wherein the at least one key includes at least one wall that extends from the inner surface and wherein the wireless terminal further comprises first and second electrodes that are electrically connected to the polymer light emitting device and extend along the at least one wall.

37. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the at least one key includes a nonplanar face and wherein the polymer light emitting device is conformal to the nonplanar face.

38. A keypad according to claim 27 wherein the at least one key comprises a first key and a second key, wherein the polymer light emitting device on the first key is configured to emit light of a first color and wherein the polymer light emitting device on the second key is configured to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

39. A key for an electronic device comprising:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; and

a polymer light emitting device on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

40. A key according to claim 39:

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the inner surface, opposite the outer surface.

41. A key according to claim 39:

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the outer surface, opposite the inner surface.

42. A key according to claim 39 wherein the polymer light emitting device is an unpatterned polymer light emitting device.

43. A key according to claim 39 wherein the polymer light emitting device is patterned to form a symbol.

44. A key according to claim 42 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface is patterned to form a symbol.

45. A key according to claim 44 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes an opening therein which forms the symbol.

46. A key according to claim 42 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes a patterned layer thereon which forms the symbol.

47. A key according to claim 41 further comprising a coating on the polymer light emitting device opposite the outer surface.

48. A key according to claim 39 further comprising:

at least one wall that extends from the inner surface; and

first and second electrodes that are electrically connected to the polymer light emitting device and extend along the at least one wall.

49. A key according to claim 39 wherein the face is a nonplanar face and wherein the polymer light emitting device is conformal to the nonplanar face.

50. A key according to claim 39 wherein the polymer light emitting device is configured to emit light of a first color and to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color.

51. A user input device for an electronic device comprising:

a face including an outer surface that is configured for user activation and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; and

a polymer light emitting device on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

52. A user input device according to claim 51:

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the inner surface, opposite the outer surface.

53. A user input device according to claim 51:

wherein the polymer light emitting device is on the outer surface, opposite the inner surface.

54. A user input device according to claim 51 wherein the polymer light emitting device is an unpatterned polymer light emitting device.

55. A user input device according to claim 51 wherein the polymer light emitting device is patterned to form a symbol.

56. A user input device according to claim 54 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface is patterned to form a symbol.

57. A user input device according to claim 56 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes an opening therein which forms the symbol.

58. A user input device according to claim 54 wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface includes a patterned layer thereon which forms the symbol.

59. A user input device according to claim 53 further comprising a coating on the polymer light emitting device opposite the outer surface.

60. A user input device according to claim 51 wherein the face is a nonplanar face and wherein the polymer light emitting device is conformal to the nonplanar face.

61. A user input device according to claim 51 wherein the polymer light emitting device is configured to emit light of a first color and to emit light of a second color that is different from the first color.