Button for an electric device and method of controlling lighting of the button

• US 6,761,462 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US09/817,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 362/24, 362/109, 362/23, 362/85, 362/551, 362/559, 341/22, 341/23, 341/28, 345/170, 345/171, 404/44, 404/42
• 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. An electronic device, comprising:

a button having at least a first pattern and a second pattern; and

a lighting device that emits at least a first lighting color and a second lighting color to illuminate the button,

wherein the first pattern has a first pattern color and the second pattern has a second pattern color;

wherein said button comprises at least said first pattern having said first pattern color, said second pattern having said second pattern color, and a third pattern having a third pattern color.

2. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third pattern color is substantially different than a combination color,

wherein said combination color is a combination of said first lighting color and said second lighting color,

wherein said lighting device emits said combination color by simultaneously emitting both said first lighting color and said second lighting color, and

wherein said third pattern is easy for a user to see when said lighting device emits said combination color.

3. An electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third pattern is difficult for a user to see when said lighting device emits only one of said first lighting color and said second lighting color.

4. An electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third pattern color is a complement of said combination color.

5. An electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first pattern color is substantially different than said second lighting color,

wherein said second pattern color is substantially different than said first lighting color,

wherein said second pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said first lighting color, and

wherein said first pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said second lighting color.

6. An electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first pattern color is substantially the same as said first lighting color,

wherein said second pattern color is substantially the same as said second lighting color,

wherein said first pattern is difficult for said user to see when said lighting device emits said first lighting color, and

wherein said second pattern is difficult for said user to see when said lighting device emits said second lighting color.

7. An electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first pattern is more easily seen than said second pattern and said third pattern when said lighting device emits said second lighting color and does not emit said first lighting color,

wherein said second pattern is more easily seen than said first pattern and said third pattern when said lighting device emits said first lighting color and does not emit said second lighting color, and

wherein said third pattern is more easily seen than said first pattern and said second pattern when said lighting device emits said combination color.

8. An electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first pattern color is a complement of said second lighting color, and

wherein said second pattern color is a complement of said first lighting color, and

wherein said third pattern color is a complement of said combination color.

9. An electronic device, comprising;

a button comprising at least a first pattern having a first pattern color, a second pattern having a second pattern color, and a third pattern having a third pattern color; and

a lighting device that emits at least a first lighting color, a second lighting color, and a combination color to illuminate the button,

wherein the lighting device emits the combination color as a combination of said first lighting color and said second lighting color by simultaneously emitting both said first lighting color and said second lighting color,

wherein said first pattern color is substantially different than said second lighting color,

wherein said second pattern color is substantially different than said first lighting color, and

wherein said third pattern color is substantially different than said combination lighting color.

10. An electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said third pattern is easy for a user to see when said lighting device emits said combination color.

11. An electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said first lighting color, and

wherein said first pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said second lighting color.

12. An electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said first lighting color, and

wherein said first pattern is easy for said user to see when said lighting device emits said second lighting color.

13. A portable phone, comprising:

a button having at least a first pattern and a second pattern; and

a lighting device that emits at least a first lighting color and a second lighting color to illuminate the button,

wherein the lighting device illuminates the button with the first lighting color while a speaking mode is set, and

wherein the first lighting color is substantially different than a color of at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern.

14. An electronic device having an address register function in which a name and a telephone number are registered in pairs, the electronic device comprising:

a button having at least a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern including a numerical pattern, the second pattern including a letter pattern; and

a lighting device that emits at least a first lighting color and a second lighting color to illuminate the button,

wherein the lighting device illuminates the button with the first lighting color while a name input mode is set,

wherein the lighting device illuminates the button with the second lighting color while a telephone number input mode is set,

wherein the first lighting color is substantially different than a color of the second pattern, and

wherein the second lighting color is substantially different than a color of the first pattern.