Wireless device lighting system

• US 7,193,620 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Castaneda, Julio C., Garcia, Humberto E., Rodriguez, Jose Felix, Walls, Erik J., Buczek, Jeffrey Michael, Nguyen, Bach L., Simpson, Brian Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick; Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US10/623,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 345/39, 345/40, 345/44, 345/46, 345/87, 345/864, 340/825.72, 349/65, 349/113, 362/26, 362/27, 362/31, 379/428
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/018 Electroluminescent panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/044 Edge lighting of layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

A wireless device lighting system provides backlighting of a display (104) and/or a user interface (1526) of a wireless device (100). A user interface (1526) includes a plurality of buttons (112) for entering information and at least one multicolor LED for emitting light. The at least one multicolor LED is located behind the plurality of buttons (112). The user interface (1526) further includes a connector for connecting the user interface (1526) to the wireless device (100) and a circuit board for mounting the at least one multicolor LED and the connector. The user interface (1526) further includes a light pipe for allowing light emitted from the at least one multicolor LED to be emitted from the buttons (112), the light pipe located between the at least one multicolor LED and the buttons (112). The user interface (1526) further includes a selector for allowing a user to define a color of light for emission by the at least one multicolor LED.

Claims

1. An interface for coupling to a wireless device, comprising:

a plurality of buttons for entering information;

a circuit board disposed behind the plurality of buttons;

at least one multicolor LED disposed on the circuit board;

a connector disposed on the circuit board for connecting the interface to the wireless device; and

a selector for allowing a user to define a color of light for emission by the at least one multicolor LED;

wherein the interface is detachably coupled to the wireless device.

2. The interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a light pipe for allowing light emitted from the at least one multicolor LED to be emitted from the plurality of buttons, the light pipe located between the at least one multicolor LED and the plurality of buttons.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of buttons comprises twelve buttons, the twelve buttons representing the twelve standard DTMF buttons.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one multicolor LED comprises a tricolor LED for emitting any one of red light, green light, and blue light.

5. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless device interface for communication with a wireless network;

a user interface for coupling user input to the wireless device, the user interface including;

a plurality of buttons for receiving user input from a user;

at least one multicolor LED, being located behind the plurality of buttons, for emitting light that is visible from in front of the plurality of buttons;

a connector for connecting the user interface to the wireless device;

a circuit board for mounting the at least one multicolor LED and the connector;

a light pipe for allowing light emitted from the at least one multicolor LED to be emitted from the plurality of buttons, the light pipe located between the at least one multicolor LED and the plurality of buttons; and

a selector for allowing a user to define a color of light for emission by the at least one multicolor LED;

wherein the interface is detachably coupled to the wireless device.