Wireless mobile communication terminals and methods for forming the same

• US 8,982,055 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Strong, Clinton Riley IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US12/014,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,618 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178, 379365-369, 455/557, 45557501-57506
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/03 in transparent keyboard
• 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: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An electronic device includes a user input assembly. The user input assembly includes a capacitive touch sensor unit having a front side, a light guide overlying the front side, an opaque coating on the light guide, and a light source. The opaque coating is configured to represent indicia and/or ornamentation. The light source is operative to generate light that is transmitted through the light guide to illuminate the user input assembly.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a user input assembly, the user input assembly including:

a capacitive touch sensor unit having a front side;

a light guide overlying the front side;

an opaque coating formed of a light blocking material on the light guide, wherein the opaque coating is configured to represent indicia and/or ornamentation; and

a light source to generate light that is transmitted through the light guide to illuminate the user input assembly.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the opaque coating is disposed on a side of the light guide opposite the capacitive touch sensor unit and is backlit by the light from the light source.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the LED is oriented to project light sidewardly with respect to a front surface of the capacitive touch sensor unit and into the light guide.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the light guide is disposed directly on and in contact with a front surface of the capacitive touch sensor unit.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the light guide is adhered directly on and in contact with the front surface of the capacitive touch sensor unit.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the light guide has a thickness in the range of from about 0.3 to 0.5 mm.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the light guide is formed of at least one of acrylic, polycarbonate, and silicone rubber.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the opaque coating has a thickness in the range of from about 0.001 to 0.01 mm.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the opaque coating is formed of at least one of polyurethane, aluminum, and stainless steel.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor unit includes a printed circuit board (PCB) or a printed wiring board (PWB), the PCB or PWB including a rigid substrate and an electrical circuit trace on the substrate.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor unit includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC), the FPC including a flexible substrate and an electrical circuit trace on the substrate.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is a wireless communication terminal.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the device is a handheld mobile wireless communication terminal.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the device is a cellular telephone.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the opaque coating is configured to represent indicia.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein:

the indicia includes keypad indicia visually representing a keypad; and

the capacitive touch sensor unit is configured to receive keypad input from an operator in correspondence with the keypad indicia.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein:

the indicia includes navigation key indicia visually representing at least one navigation input device; and

the capacitive touch sensor unit is configured to receive navigation input from an operator in correspondence with the navigation key indicia.

19. A method for forming an electronic device, the method comprising assembling a user input assembly, including:

mounting a light guide over a front side of a capacitive touch sensor unit;

selectively applying an opaque coating formed of a light blocking material onto the light guide such that the opaque coating is configured to represent indicia and/or ornamentation; and

providing a light source to generate light that is transmitted through the light guide to illuminate the user input assembly.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of selectively applying the opaque coating onto the light guide includes painting the opaque coating onto the light guide.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of selectively applying the opaque coating onto the light guide includes printing the opaque coating onto the light guide.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of selectively applying the opaque coating onto the light guide includes vacuum coating the opaque coating onto the light guide.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the opaque coating is configured to represent indicia.

24. An electronic device comprising a user input assembly, the user input assembly including:

a capacitive touch sensor unit having a front side;

a light guide overlying the front side;

an opaque coating formed of a light blocking material on the light guide, wherein the opaque coating is selectively patterned to present prescribed visual indicia and/or ornamentation; and

a light source to generate light that is transmitted through the light guide to illuminate the user input assembly.