Mobile terminal with back-lighted directional keys

• US 7,982,718 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choo, Zhi-Min, Lee, Hyung-Woon, Ko, Dong-Seuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, AFROZA Y
• Application Number:
  US11/618,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20070105604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/156, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a first body structured to slideably engage a second body to permit opening and closing of the mobile terminal by relative sliding motion between the first body and the second body. The first body includes a plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions. A display is positioned relative to the first body at one of the distinct optically transmissive regions, and a keypad is positioned relative to the second body. The mobile terminal also includes a selection key for operatively coupling to an underlying touch pad, such that the selection key is identified by one of the distinct optically transmissive regions of the first body. The mobile terminal further includes back-lighted directional keys for operatively coupling to the underlying touch pad. Each of the directional keys is individually identified by one of the distinct optically transmissive regions of the first body, such that the directional keys are positioned at various locations relative to an outer perimeter of the selection key.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a first body structured to slideably engage a second body to permit opening and closing of said mobile terminal by relative sliding motion between said first body and said second body, wherein said first body comprises an optically opaque region and a plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions which are defined by said optically opaque region;

a display on said first body at one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions;

a keypad on said second body;

a selection key operatively coupled to an underlying touch pad, wherein said selection key is defined by one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of said first body;

a plurality of directional keys operatively coupled to said underlying touch pad, wherein each of said plurality of directional keys is individually defined by one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of said first body, and wherein said plurality of directional keys are positioned at various locations relative to an outer perimeter of said selection key; and

a plurality of light guides formed in said touch pad, each of said plurality of light guides being individually associated with one of said selection key and said plurality of directional keys,

wherein the optically opaque region and the plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions are all coplanar.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one light source positioned relative to a bottom side of said touch pad, said at least one light source being a structure that is separate from said plurality of directional keys and being positioned to provide light to one or more of said plurality of touch keys.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 2, further comprising:

an optical waveguide positioned relative to a bottom side of said touch pad, said optical waveguide structured to transmit said light.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

a reflection element operatively associated with a bottom side of said optical waveguide and structured to reflect said light.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

a separate recess associated with each of said at least one light source, said recess formed in a top surface of said optical waveguide and sized to receive at least a portion of an associated one of said at least one light source.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

a separate light disturbing element associated with each of said plurality of light guides and which are formed in said optical waveguide.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said selection key is a back-lighted selection key.

15. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of directional keys are structured to be illuminated by a lighting device that is separate from the directional keys, and wherein the directional keys are positioned to receive light from the lighting device but do not themselves generate light.

8. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a first body structured to slideably engage a second body to permit opening and closing of said mobile terminal by relative sliding motion between said first body and said second body;

a cover defined by an upper portion of said first body, wherein said cover comprises an optically opaque region and a plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions which are defined by the optically opaque region;

a display located at said cover at one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions;

a keypad located at said second body;

a selection key operatively connected with an underlying touch pad, wherein said selection key is defined by one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of said cover;

a plurality of directional keys operatively connected with said underlying touch pad, wherein each of said plurality of directional keys is individually defined by one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of said cover, and wherein said plurality of directional keys are positioned at various locations relative to an outer perimeter of said selection key; and

a plurality of light guides formed in said touch pad, each of said plurality of light guides being individually associated with one of said selection key and said plurality of directional keys,

wherein the optically opaque region and the plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions are all coplanar.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, further comprising:

at least one light source positioned relative to a bottom side of said touch pad, said at least one light source structured to provide light to said selection key and said plurality of directional keys.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, further comprising:

an optical waveguide positioned relative to a bottom side of said touch pad, said optical waveguide structured to transmit said light.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, further comprising:

a reflection element operatively associated with a bottom side of said optical waveguide and structured to reflect said light.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, further comprising:

a separate recess associated with each of said at least one light source, said recess formed in a top surface of said optical waveguide and sized to receive at least a portion of an associated one of said at least one light source.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, further comprising:

a separate light disturbing element associated with each of said plurality of light guides and which are formed in said optical waveguide.

14. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a body comprising an optically opaque region and a plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions which are defined by said optically opaque region;

a display at the body at one of the plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions;

a selection key operatively connected an underlying touch pad, wherein said selection key is defined by one of said plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of the body; and

a plurality of directional keys operatively connected to said underlying touch pad, wherein each of said plurality of directional keys is individually defined by one of the plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions of the body, and wherein the plurality of directional keys are positioned at various locations relative to an outer perimeter of the selection key,

wherein the optically opaque region and the plurality of distinct optically transmissive regions are all coplanar,

wherein one or more of the plurality of directional keys are structured to be illuminated by a lighting device that is separate from the directional keys, and wherein the directional keys are positioned to receive light from the lighting device but not themselves generate light.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 14, wherein the body is structured to define a bar-type terminal body.