Dual light pipe bracket in mobile communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9317243-B2
Application number	US-201213628987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2012
Priority date	Sep 27, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A handheld computing device includes a screen to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, a housing engaging a peripheral portion of the screen, a light source, at least one light guide to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate a portion of the screen, and a light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handheld computing device, comprising:
a screen to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, the screen comprising a display area with a plurality of imaging pixels and a configurable area that is substantially free of pixels to display content;
a housing engaging a peripheral portion of the screen;
a light source;
at least one optically transmissive light guide having a concave surface to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate only the configurable area of the screen, wherein the concave surface refracts the incident light along an optical axis of the light guide, wherein the screen area illuminated by the light guide is the configurable area, wherein a light emitting surface of the at least one light guide is substantially flat and optically coupled to only the configurable area of the screen, wherein the concave surface is substantially in an opposing relationship to the light emitting surface, and wherein the concave surface is positioned above the light source to receive light directly from the light source; and
a light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the screen comprises a first screen with a first display area and a first configurable area and a second screen with a second display area and a second configurable area.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light guide is substantially transparent to light and the light guide bracket is substantially opaque to light.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light receiving surface of the at least one light guide is parabolic-shaped to refract the incident light along the optical axis of the light guide, wherein the light source is positioned proximal to the concave surface, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the light receiving surface, in cross section, is defined by a parabola, wherein the light source is positioned proximal to the concave surface, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light guide is melt bonded to the light guide bracket, wherein a resin used for the bracket can include one or more of optical blockers, optical absorbers, and optical diffusers, wherein the light source is positioned proximal to the concave surface, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light guide and light guide bracket form an integral structure, wherein the light source is positioned proximal to the concave surface, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light guide is a light pipe, and wherein the screen further comprises a second display area and a second configurable area.

9. A handheld computing device, comprising:
a screen to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, wherein the screen comprises a display area and a configurable area, the display area comprising plural imaging pixels to render a selected image and the configurable area being free of pixels to display content;
a housing engaging a peripheral portion of the screen;
a light source;
at least one substantially transparent light guide having a concave surface to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate only the configurable area of the screen, wherein the concave surface refracts the incident light along an optical axis of the light guide, wherein a light emitting surface of the at least one light guide is substantially flat and optically coupled to only the configurable area of the screen, wherein the screen area illuminated by the light guide is the configurable area, and wherein the concave surface is substantially in an opposing relationship to the light emitting surface and positioned above the light source; and
a substantially opaque light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the light guide is optically transmissive to light, wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user, and wherein a resin used for the bracket can include one or more of optical blockers, optical absorbers, and optical diffusers.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the light receiving surface of the at least one light guide is parabolic-shaped to refract the incident light along the optical axis of the light guide, and wherein the screen comprises a first screen with a first display area and a first configurable area and a second screen with a second display area and a second configurable area.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the light receiving surface, in cross section, is defined by a parabola and wherein the light source is positioned proximal to the concave surface.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one light guide is melt bonded to the light guide bracket, wherein the concave surface is positioned to receive light directly from the light source, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one light guide and light guide bracket form an integral structure, wherein the concave surface is positioned to receive light directly from the light source, and wherein the configurable area is configured to receive a user input when touched by the user.

15. The device of claim 9 , wherein the light guide is a light pipe, and wherein the screen further comprises a second display area and a second configurable area.

16. A handheld computing device, comprising:
a screen to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, wherein the screen comprises a display area and a configurable area, the display area comprising plural imaging pixels to render a selected image and the configurable area being substantially free of pixels;
a housing engaging a peripheral portion of the screen;
a light source;
at least one substantially transparent light guide having a concave surface to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate only the configurable area of the screen, wherein the concave surface refracts the incident light along an optical axis of the light guide, wherein a light emitting surface of the at least one light guide is substantially flat and optically coupled to only the configurable area of the screen, and wherein the concave surface is substantially in an opposing relationship to the light emitting surface and positioned proximal to and above the light source to receive light directly from the light source; and
a substantially opaque light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the light guide is optically transmissive to light and wherein a resin used for the bracket can include one or more of optical blockers, optical absorbers, and opt

Assignees

• Z124

Inventors

• Becze Charles

Classifications

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04W72/563

  of the wireless resources · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title