Keyboard illumination via reflection of LCD light

• US 6,191,939 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burnett, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US09/220,116
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679-686
• US Class Current: 361/679.1
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard

Abstract

An information handling system capable of being utilized in an environment having a low level of ambient light is disclosed. The information handling system includes a housing having upper and lower sections, a display disposed on the upper section of the housing for displaying information, and a reflective material disposed on the upper section of the housing for reflecting light emanating from the display onto the lower section of the housing. The reflected light illuminates the lower section of the housing. The reflective material may include a reflective material such as a mirror, paint, or tape and may be disposed on a position proximal to the display for optimally redirecting light emanating from the display onto a portion of the housing requiring illumination such as a keyboard or a pointing device.

Claims

1. An information handing system capable of being utilized in an environment having a low level of ambient light, comprising:

a housing having upper and lower sections;

a display disposed on the upper section of the housing for displaying information; and

a reflective material disposed adjacent to said display on the upper section of said housing for reflecting light emanating from said display onto the lower section of said housing such that the lower section of said housing is illuminated by light emanating from said display and reflected off said reflective material.

2. An information handing system as claimed in claim 1, the lower section of said housing having an information input device disposed thereon such that the information input device is illuminated by light emanating from said display reflected off of said reflective material.

3. An information handling system as claimed in claim 2, the information input device being a keyboard.

4. An information handling system as claimed in claim 2, the information input device being a pointing device.

5. An information handing system as claimed in claim 1, the upper section of said housing having a bezel proximal to said display, said reflective material being disposed on the bezel such that light emanating from said display reflected by said reflective material is directed to the lower section of said housing.

6. An information handing system as claimed in claim 1, the upper section of said housing having an extension, said reflective material being disposed on the extension such that light emanating from said display is reflected off of said reflective material disposed in said extension and is directed to the lower section of said housing.

7. An information handling system as claimed in claim 1, said reflective material being reflective tape.

8. An information handling system as claimed in claim 1, said reflective material being reflective paint.

9. A method for utilizing an information handling system in an environment having a low level of ambient light, comprising:

operating a display of the information handling system whereby light is emanated from the display;

impinging a portion of the light emanated from the display upon a reflective material disposed on the information handling system; and

redirecting the light impinging upon the reflective material to a portion of the information handling system for which illumination is desired such that the portion of the information handing system is illuminated.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said redirecting step includes illuminating a keyboard of the information handling system.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said redirecting step includes illuminating a pointing device of the information handling system.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising positioning the reflective material to a position at which the illuminated portion of the information handling system is optimally illuminated.