KEYBOARD BACKLIGHTING WITH DEPOSITED LIGHT-GENERATING SOURCES

1 . A backlighting apparatus comprising:

a lightplate comprised of a thin film;

a plurality of light-generating sources deposited on the lightplate at a position that is substantially underneath an at least partially translucent key legend of a key of an assembled keyboard, the plurality of light-generating sources being configured to consistently illuminate the key legend of the key from underneath a keytop of the key.

2 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a conductive trace deposited on the lightplate; and

a power source,

the conductive trace electrically linking the plurality of light-generating sources to the power source.

3 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the key legend includes a multi-letter word.

4 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the key legend has multiple symbols and the illumination of each symbol of the key legend by the plurality of light-generating sources is consistent in relationship with the illumination of the other symbols of the key legend.

5 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the key includes multiple translucent key legends, and wherein the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited on the lightplate in multiple groups that are substantially underneath the multiple translucent key legends of the key, the plurality of light-generating sources being configured to consistently illuminate the multiple translucent key legends of the key from underneath the keytop.

6 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a single group of the multiple groups of light-generating sources is separately addressable and separately controlled to illuminate a single translucent key legend of the multiple translucent key legends separately and individually.

7 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the single group of light-generating sources is separately controlled based on a keypress of one or more predetermined keys or key combinations.

8 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a light barrier surrounding a group of light-generating sources, the light barrier arranged to limit light from the group to illuminating a desired key legend of a desired key and to inhibit the light from leaking to other key legends or to other keys.

9 . The backlighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light generating sources includes light-emitting semiconductors that includes light-emitting semiconductors that each has a cross-section with a maximum length of 15 to 20 microns.

10 . A method comprising:

depositing a plurality of light-generating sources on a lightplate within a keyboard assembly, the keyboard assembly including a key;

positioning the lightplate underneath a keytop of the key, the plurality of light-generating sources disposed substantially underneath an at least partially translucent key legend of the key; and

linking the plurality of light-generating sources via an electrically conductive trace to a power source, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources illuminate the key legend of the key from underneath the keytop when the power supply supplies power to the electrically conductive trace. to the electrically conductive trace.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising spraying and/or printing a liquid or gel onto the lightplate, the liquid or gel having the plurality of light-generating sources suspended therein.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning the lightplate so that the lightplate makes contact with an underside surface of the keytop.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning the lightplate so that the key legend is illuminated by a first group of light-generating sources and the periphery of the key is illuminated by a second group of light-generating sources, either separately or simultaneously; and

controlling the illumination of the first group and the second group independently.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising confining illumination of the plurality of light-generating sources to the key legend of the key and shielding the illumination of the plurality of light-generating sources from illuminating other legends and/or other keys.

15 . A keyboard assembly comprising:

a key layer including a key having a keytop;

a lightplate located within the keyboard assembly, the lightplate positioned underneath the keytop and above a backplate of the keyboard assembly;

a plurality of light-generating sources deposited on the lightplate at a position that is substantially underneath the keytop, the plurality of light-generating sources configured to consistently illuminate the key and/or the key legend from underneath the keytop; and

one or more conductive traces disposed on the lightplate and electrically linking the plurality of light-generating sources to a power source.

16 . The keyboard assembly of claim 15 , wherein the lightplate includes a light flap positioned on, within, or underneath the keytop, the light flap having at least a portion of the plurality of light-generating sources thereon and a hinge physically connecting the light flap to the lightplate, the hinge extending one or more of the conductive traces of the lightplate to the plurality of light-generating sources of the flap so as to electrically couple the plurality of light-generating sources to a power source.

17 . The keyboard assembly of claim 15 , wherein the key includes multiple translucent key legends, and wherein the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited on the lightplate in multiple groups that are substantially underneath the multiple translucent key legends of the key, the multiple groups of light-generating sources being separately addressable and separately controlled to illuminate each of the translucent key legends of the multiple translucent key legends separately and individually based on a keypress of one or more predetermined keys or key combinations.

18 . The keyboard assembly of claim 15 , wherein the key layer includes a plurality of keys with translucent key legends, at least a portion of the keys having multiple translucent key legends, and wherein the light-generating sources are arranged to illuminate each of the plurality of keys and each of the translucent key legends, and are separately addressable and separately controlled to illuminate a single key and/or a single key legend.

19 . The keyboard assembly of claim 18 , wherein the separately addressable and separately controlled light-generating sources illuminate at least a portion of the plurality of keys and/or at least a portion of the translucent key legends according to a predetermined pattern, based on one or more preset triggers.

20 . The keyboard assembly of claim 19 , wherein the one or more triggers, with respect to a device including the keyboard assembly, includes: powering up the device, opening the device, receiving notification of a status of an application of the device, receiving a message or mail at the device, and having a limited selection of keystrokes available at the device.

21 . The keyboard assembly of claim 19 , wherein the predetermined pattern includes: randomly illuminating or flashing a sequence of keys and/or key legends, rolling illumination of a sequence of adjacent keys and/or key legends, flashing a set of keys and/or key legends, dynamically illuminating or flashing a set or a sequence of keys and/or key legends according to audible tones, or temporarily illuminating one or more individual keys and/or key legends.

22 . The keyboard assembly of claim 18 , wherein the separately addressable and separately controlled light-generating sources illuminate a portion of the keys and/or the key legends when the portion represents a limited selection of acceptable keystrokes available to a user.