Illuminated device enclosure with dynamic trackpad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019073003-A1
Application number	US-201815965840-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to an electronic device having an illuminated body that defines a virtual or dynamic trackpad. The electronic device includes a translucent layer defining a keyboard region and a dynamic input region along an external surface. A keyboard may be. positioned within the keyboard region and including a key surface and a switch element (e.g., to detect a keypress). A light control layer positioned below the translucent layer and within the dynamic input region may have a group of illuminable features. The electronic device may also include a group of light-emitting elements positioned below the optical diffuser. One or more of the light control layer or the group of light-emitting elements may be configured to illuminate the dynamic input region to display a visible boundary of an active input area. At least one of a size or a position of the visible boundary may be dynamically variable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
an upper portion, comprising:
an upper enclosure defining an opening; and
a display positioned at least partially within the opening and configured to depict a graphical output; and
a lower portion pivotally coupled with the upper portion, the lower portion comprising:
a lower enclosure having a translucent layer that defines an active input area and light-extraction features positioned within the active input area;
a keyboard positioned along an upper surface of the lower enclosure and configured to receive a keypress;
a light-emitting element positioned along a side of the translucent layer and configured to propagate light through the translucent layer to the light-extraction features to illuminate the active input area; and
a processing unit configured to modify the graphical output in response to the keypress and modify the graphical output in response to an input received along the active input area when the active input area is illuminated.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the translucent layer comprises an internal reflection region; the internal reflection region channels light from the light-emitting element to the light-extraction features; the light-extraction features are configured to extract light from the translucent layer, thereby illuminating the active input area; and the active input area defines a trackpad of the electronic device positioned along a side of the keyboard.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein an exterior surface of the translucent layer is substantially unilluminated along the internal reflection region.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises a group of light-emitting elements arranged below the translucent layer; and the group of light-emitting elements are configured to depict a visual output on the translucent layer.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the visual output comprises a visual indication of at least one of a position or a magnitude of the input received within the active input area.

6 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the visual output corresponds to at least one of:
a location of an internal charging assembly; a power button; a wireless signal; or a battery depletion level.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the translucent layer is a first translucent layer; the light-emitting element is a first light-emitting element; the first translucent layer is configured to channel light from the first light-emitting element toward a first portion of the active input area; the electronic device further comprises:
a second light-emitting element; and
a second translucent layer vertically stacked below the first light-emitting element and optically coupled with the second light-emitting element; and
the second translucent layer is configured to channel light from the second light-emitting element toward a second portion of the active input area.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein:
the first and second portions of the active input area at least partially overlap one another; the first and second light-emitting elements are selectively illuminable; and the first portion of the active input area is illuminated differently than the second portion of the active input area based on the selective illumination of the first and second portions.

9 . An electronic device, comprising:
a translucent layer defining a dynamic input region along an external surface of the electronic device; a keyboard positioned adjacent to the dynamic input region and comprising a key surface and a switch element configured to detect a keypress; a light control layer positioned below the translucent layer within the dynamic input region and having a group of illuminable features; an optical diffuser positioned below the light control layer; and a group of light-emitting elements positioned below the optical diffuser and configured to propagate light through the optical diffuser, the light control layer, and the translucent layer, wherein: one or more of the light control layer or the group of light-emitting elements are configured to illuminate the dynamic input region to display a visible boundary of an active input area; and at least one of a size or a position of the visible boundary is dynamically variable.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the light control layer comprises a polarizing layer; and the group of illuminable features are configured to change polarity to selectively pass light from the group of light-emitting elements to display the visible boundary of the active input area.

11 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the group of illuminable features comprises a group of microperforations; and the group of microperforations are configured to be visually imperceptible when not illuminated by the group of light-emitting elements.

12 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
when illuminated by the group of light-emitting elements:
a first subset of the group of illuminable features defines a first visible boundary of the active input area; and
a second subset of the group of illuminable features defines a second visible boundary of the active input area.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises a sensing element positioned within an interior of the electronic device; the sensing element is configured to detect:
a first input within the first visible boundary when the first subset of the group of illuminable features is illuminated; and
a second input within the second visible boundary when the second subset of the group of illuminable features is illuminated.

14 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises a display configured to depict a graphical output of the electronic device; the graphical output of the display is manipulated in a first manner in response to an input received within the visible boundary; and the graphical output is manipulated in a second manner in response to an auxiliary input outside of the visible boundary.

15 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises an enclosure having an upper portion pivotally coupled with a lower portion; and a visual output of the dynamic input region is visually perceptible when the upper and lower portions are arranged in a closed position.

16 . An electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure; a display positioned at least partially within the enclosure; a keyboard positioned along an upper surface of the enclosure; a translucent layer defining a dynamic input region along a side of the keyboard, the dynamic input region having an active input area that is designated by a visible boundary; a group of light-emitting elements optically coupled with the translucent layer and configured to depict a visual output within the dynamic input region; and a sensing element positioned within an interior of the enclosure and configured to detect an input along the active input area when the visible boundary is illuminated.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein:
the visual output is displayed in response to the detected input and corresponds to an illumination of at least one of: a region of the detected input within the active input area; a boundary of the detected input; or an entire active input area.

18 . The

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Xu Qiliang
• Mathew Dinesh C
• Garelli Adam T
• Huizar Richard G
• Kim Genie
• Lockwood Robert J
• Cao Robert Y

Classifications

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title

• G06F3/03547 Primary

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title