Method and apparatus for displaying multiple images on individual keys of a keyboard
A key for an information handling system, the key including a finger surface configured for interaction with a user's finger and an inverted lenticular lens positioned beneath the finger surface. The finger surface may be substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of visible light. The inverted lenticular lens may include a first image and a second image. Light incident on the lens at a first angle of incidence may project the first image from the lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key and light incident on the lens at a second angle of incidence may project the second image from the lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key.
1. A key for an information handling system, the key comprising:
a finger surface configured for interaction with a user's finger, the finger surface substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of visible light;
a lenticular lens positioned beneath the finger surface, the lenticular lens including a first image disposed on a first face of the lenticular lens and a second image disposed on a second face of the lenticular lens;
the finger surface substantially coextensive with a third face of the lenticular lens;
wherein light incident on the first face of the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence projects the first image, a keyboard character, from the first face of the lenticular lens through the third face of the lenticular lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key; and
wherein light incident on the second face of the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence projects the second image, different from the first image, from the second face of the lenticular lens through the third face of the lenticular lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key.
2. The key of claim 1 , wherein the first image and the second image are spatially coincident on the substantially transparent finger surface of the key when projected from the lens.
3. The key of claim 1 , wherein the first image on the lenticular lens corresponds to a standard keyboard character.
4. The key of claim 1 , wherein the lenticular lens includes a third image.
5. The key of claim 1 , wherein the first image on the lenticular lens corresponds to a character of a non-English language.
6. The key of claim 1 , wherein the first image on the lenticular lens corresponds to a command for use in software embodied in computer readable media.
7. A keyboard for an information handling system, the keyboard comprising: at least two keys, each key comprising:
a finger surface configured for interaction with a user's finger, the finger surface substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of visible light;
an lenticular lens positioned beneath the finger surface, the lenticular lens including a first image disposed on a first face of the lenticular lens and a second image disposed on a second face of the lenticular lens;
the finger surface substantially coextensive with a third face of the lenticular lens;
wherein light incident on the first face of the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence projects the first image, a keyboard character, from the lens from the first face of the lenticular lens through the third face of the lenticular lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key; and
wherein light incident on the second face of the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence projects the second image, different from the first image, from the second face of the lenticular lens through the third face of the lenticular lens onto the substantially transparent finger surface of the key.
8. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising a key including a finger surface substantially opaque to all wavelengths of visible light.
9. The keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the first image and the second image of each key are spatially coincident on the substantially transparent finger surface of the respective key.
10. The keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the first image of each key corresponds to a standard keyboard character.
11. The keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the lenticular lens of each key includes a third image.
12. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first light emitting diode configured to illuminate the lenticular lens from the first angle of incidence; and
a second light emitting diode configured to illuminate the inverted lenticular lens from the second angle of incidence.
13. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising:
an emitter;
a first fiber optic cable configured to transmit light from the emitter to the lenticular lens of one or more keys at the first angle of incidence; and
a second fiber optic cable configured to transmit light from the emitter to the lenticular lens of the one or more keys at the second angle of incidence.
14. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising:
an emitter; and
a mirror, the mirror rotatably mounted between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position reflects light from the emitter to the lenticular lens of one or more keys at the first angle of incidence and the second position reflects light from the emitter to the lenticular lens of the one or more keys at the second angle of incidence.
15. A method for displaying two or more spatially coincident images on a key associated with an information handling system, the key including a finger surface, the bottom surface of the key including a lenticular lens having an associated first image and an associated second image, and the finger surface of the key being substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of visible light, the method comprising:
illuminating the bottom surface of the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence such that the first image, a keyboard character, is projected from the bottom surface of the lenticular lens and displayed on the finger surface of the key; and
illuminating the bottom surface of the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence such that the second image, different from the first image, is projected from the bottom surface of the lenticular lens and displayed on the finger surface of the key.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein illuminating the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence includes using a light emitting diode.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
illuminating the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence includes using a first light emitting diode; and
illuminating the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence includes using a second light emitting diode.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
illuminating the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence includes transmitting light from an emitter through a fiber optic cable.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
illuminating the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence includes transmitting light from an emitter through a first fiber optic cable; and
illuminating the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence includes transmitting light from the emitter through a second fiber optic cable.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
illuminating the lenticular lens at a first angle of incidence includes reflecting light from an emitter using a mirror in a first position,
illuminating the lenticular lens at a second angle of incidence includes reflecting light from the emitter using a mirror in a second position; and
wherein the mirror is rotatably mounted between the first position and the second position, wherein the first position reflects light from the emitter to the inverted lenticular lens at the first angle of incidence and the second position reflects light from the emitter to the inverted lenticular lens at the second angle of incidence.