Method and apparatus for directing light to a display and other features in a device
View Patent ↗A lighting system for a portable electronic device or handheld computer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the lighting system includes a light source coupled to a light distributing element. The light distributing element is coupled to a phosphorescent material. The phosphorescent material is coupled to a display and/or input device. The light source pulses on and off to maintain light at a display and/or input device.
1. A lighting system for a portable device comprising:
a single LED;
a first fiber optic conduit coupled to the LED;
a second fiber optic conduit coupled to the LED;
a light guide of a display coupled to the first fiber optic conduit;
an input device coupled to the second fiber optic conduit; and
a phosphorescent material configured to absorb light energy from at least one of the light guide of the display and the input device.
2. The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent material comprises zinc sulfide.
3. The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the light guide uniformly distributes light across the display.
4. The lighting system of claim 3 , wherein the light guide is a film light guide.
5. The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the LED is cycled on and off using a duty cycle method.
6. The lighting system of claim 5 , wherein the duty cycle method used acts to improve power conservation.
7. A handheld computer comprising:
computing electronics;
a display;
a housing supporting the display;
a first input device;
a second input device;
a light source;
a power supply coupled to the light source;
a first light distributing element coupled to the light source and the first input device;
a second light distributing element coupled to the light source and the second input device; and
a third light distributing element coupled to the light source and configured to transmit light to the display,
wherein the third light distributing element is a fiber optic conduit.
8. The handheld computer of claim 7 , wherein the light source is an LED.
9. The handheld computer of claim 7 , wherein the first light distributing element and the second light distributing element are one of a fiber optic pipe and wave guide.
10. The handheld computer of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first phosphorescent material coupled to the first light distributing element of the first input device; and
a second phosphorescent material coupled to the second light distributing element of the second input device.
11. The handheld computer of claim 10 , wherein the first phosphorescent material and the second phosphorescent material comprise zinc sulfide.
12. The handheld computer of claim 10 , wherein the light source is pulsed using a duty cycle method.
13. The handheld computer of claim 12 , wherein the duty cycle method used acts to improve power conservation.
14. The handheld computer of claim 7 , wherein the first input device is a button.
15. The handheld computer of claim 14 , wherein the second input device is a button.