Control method of alterable key and portable electronic device having alterable key

• US 8,339,290 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Inventors: Mao, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, JEROLD B
• Application Number:
  US12/038,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 341/23, 341/28, 178/17.C, 345168-173, 715/703, 400486-487, 348/734
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

A control method of an alterable key is applied in a portable electronic device including switch a plurality of function modes. The portable electronic device has an opaque key portion, a pattern template layer, and a plurality of light emitting portions. A pattern template layer has many groups of operating patterns. Light emitting portions are corresponding to the operating patterns and emit the specific light, and the operating patterns are corresponding to the function modes. The control method includes the following steps of receiving a first command to switch the corresponding function mode, brightening the light emitting portion corresponding to the function mode to show the corresponding operating patterns on the opaque key portion, receiving a second command to switch another corresponding function mode, and brightening the light emitting portion corresponding to another function mode to show another corresponding operating patterns on the opaque key portion.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device including a plurality of function modes, the portable device comprising:

an opaque key portion only allowing specific light to pass through;

a pattern template layer provided under the opaque key portion, wherein a plurality of openings are formed on the pattern template layer, and the openings form a plurality of groups of operating patterns corresponding to the function modes;

a plurality of light emitting portions provided under the pattern template layer and corresponding to each group of the operating patterns, respectively, wherein when the light emitting portion corresponding to the group of the operating patterns is brightened, the opaque key portion shows the group of operating patterns corresponding to the function mode;

a key matrix layer;

a circuit board, wherein the key matrix layer and the light emitting portions are disposed on a surface of the circuit board, and

a light-permeable pressing layer, wherein the light emitting portions are covered by the light-permeable pressing layer, and a space is formed between the light-permeable pressing layer and the light emitting portions.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the key matrix layer is provided under the pattern template layer.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is electrically connected to the key matrix layer.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the opaque key portion is pressed, and the key matrix layer is capable of outputting a signal to the circuit board.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the key matrix layer determines the position where is pressed according to a coordinate system to generate the corresponding signal.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 3 further comprises a display panel which is electrically connected to the circuit board.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the light-permeable pressing layer is provided between the pattern template layer and the key matrix layer and is a hollow body or a dome.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion is a light emitting diode (LED).