Colored morphing apparatus for an electronic device

• US 9,122,092 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Emig, David M., Polak, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, ALLISON WALTHALL
• Application Number:
  US11/766,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,993 Days
• Field of Search: 349 96-108, 345 87- 88, 345/48, 345168-170, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133533 Colour selective polarisers G02F1/1347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133567 on the back side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133602 Direct backlight
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134327 Segmented, e.g. alpha numeric display
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13471 in which all the liquid crystal cells or layers remain transparent, e.g. FLC, ECB, DAP, HAN, TN, STN, SBE-LC cells G02F1/13475 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/44 Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/002 replaceable; adaptable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/054 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/058 Optical grid, collimator or microlouver
• 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 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A user interface (200) for a portable electronic device (100) is configured to transition from a first state to a second state to present a plurality of mode-based user actuation targets to a user. The user interface (200) includes a segmented electro-optical device (407) configured to open and close shutters, thereby revealing and hiding the user actuation targets. The user interface includes a first polarizer (401) disposed above the segmented electro-optical device (407) and a colored reflective polarizer (405) disposed beneath the segmented electro-optical device. The colored reflective polarizer (405), which may include a colored dichroic polarizer (601) and a reflective polarizer (602), causes the user interface (200) to exhibit a predetermined color.

Claims

1. An optical shutter assembly for a portable device configured to selectively present one of a plurality of keypad configurations to a user, the optical shutter assembly comprising:

a segmented electro-optical device configured to transmit light therethrough;

a first polarizer disposed on a first side of the segmented electro-optical device; and

a colored reflective polarizer disposed on a second side of the segmented electro-optical device;

wherein the colored reflective polarizer is configured to reflect a predetermined color of light polarized along a first axis by reflecting one of red light, blue light, or green light and absorbing two of the red light, the blue light, or the green light, and to transmit all colors of light polarized along a second axis by transmitting each of the red light, the blue light, or the green light,

wherein the segmented electro-optical device is configured to present a first one of the plurality of keypad configurations to a user when the red light, the blue light, or the green light is reflected by the colored reflective polarizer and to present a second one of a plurality of keypad configurations to the user when each of the red light, the green light, and the blue light are transmitted by the colored reflective polarizer.

2. The optical shutter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second polarizer disposed adjacent to the colored reflective polarizer and opposite the segmented electro-optical device, the second polarizer having a second polarizer transmission axis substantially aligned with a transmission axis of the first polarizer.

3. The optical shutter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a reflective light source disposed beneath the segmented electro-optical device, wherein the reflective light source is configured to project light through a segment of the segmented electro-optical device when the segment is in a translucent state.

4. The optical shutter assembly of claim 3, wherein reflective light source comprises an electroluminescent device and a reflector configured to reflect incident light.

5. The optical shutter assembly of claim 1, wherein the colored reflective polarizer comprises a colored dichroic polarizer configured to absorb light polarized along the first axis and to transmit light polarized along the second axis coupled to the segmented electro-optical device, and a reflective polarizer configured to reflect light polarized along the first axis and to transmit light polarized along the second axis coupled to the colored dichroic polarizer.

6. The optical shutter assembly of claim 1, wherein the segmented electro-optical device comprises a twisted nematic liquid crystal display configured to, in a first state, facilitate a reflection of the predetermined color from the colored reflective polarizer.

7. The optical shutter assembly of claim 1, wherein the segmented electro-optical device is configured to present the one of the plurality of keypad configurations by transitioning segments in a keypad region of the segmented electro-optical device from a state reflecting the predetermined color to a translucent state.

8. The optical shutter assembly of claim 7, further comprising a high-resolution display disposed beneath the optical shutter assembly in an area other than the keypad region.

9. The optical shutter assembly of claim 8, wherein the high-resolution display comprises a backlit liquid crystal display configured to project light having an axis of polarization substantially aligned with the second axis.

10. The optical shutter assembly of claim 7, wherein the segmented electro-optical device comprises translucent electrodes coupled thereto and configured as predetermined segments, wherein the predetermined segments geometrically comprise at least a twelve-character telephone keypad.

11. An optical shutter assembly for a portable device configured to selectively present one of a plurality of keypad configurations to a user, the optical shutter assembly comprising:

a segmented electro-optical device configured to transmit light therethrough;

a first polarizer disposed on a first side of the segmented electro-optical device; and

a colored reflective polarizer disposed on a second side of the segmented electro-optical device;

wherein the colored reflective polarizer is configured to reflect only one color of light polarized along a first axis, and to transmit at least three colors of light polarized along a second axis in multiple directions,

wherein the segmented electro-optical device is configured to present a first one of the plurality of keypad configurations to a user when one color of light is reflected by the colored reflective polarizer and to present a second one of a plurality of keypad configurations to the user when the at least three colors of light are transmitted by the colored reflective polarizer.

12. The optical shutter assembly of claim 11, further comprising a second polarizer disposed adjacent to the colored reflective polarizer and opposite the segmented electro-optical device, the second polarizer having a second polarizer transmission axis substantially aligned with a transmission axis of the first polarizer.

13. The optical shutter assembly of claim 11, further comprising a reflective light source disposed beneath the segmented electro-optical device, wherein the reflective light source is configured to project light through a segment of the segmented electro-optical device when the segment is in a translucent state.

14. The optical shutter assembly of claim 13, wherein reflective light source comprises an electroluminescent device and a reflector configured to reflect incident light.

15. The optical shutter assembly of claim 11, wherein the colored reflective polarizer comprises a colored dichroic polarizer configured to absorb light polarized along the first axis and to transmit light polarized along the second axis coupled to the segmented electro-optical device, and a reflective polarizer configured to reflect light polarized along the first axis and to transmit light polarized along the second axis coupled to the colored dichroic polarizer.

16. The optical shutter assembly of claim 11, wherein the segmented electro-optical device comprises a twisted nematic liquid crystal display configured to, in a first state, facilitate a reflection of the one color of light polarized along the first axis from the colored reflective polarizer.

17. The optical shutter assembly of claim 11, wherein the segmented electro-optical device is configured to present the one of the plurality of keypad configurations by transitioning segments in a keypad region of the segmented electro-optical device from a state reflecting the one color of light polarized along the first axis to a translucent state.

18. The optical shutter assembly of claim 17, further comprising a high-resolution display disposed beneath the optical shutter assembly in an area other than the keypad region.

19. The optical shutter assembly of claim 18, wherein the high-resolution display comprises a backlit liquid crystal display configured to project light having an axis of polarization substantially aligned with the second axis.

20. The optical shutter assembly of claim 17, wherein the segmented electro-optical device comprises translucent electrodes coupled thereto and configured as predetermined segments, wherein the predetermined segments geometrically comprise at least a twelve-character telephone keypad.