Multi-illuminating keyboard back light and method

An electroluminescent apparatus, comprising:

• a protection layer characterized by two or more non-overlapping regions;
• a back electrode layer, the back electrode layer including two or more back electrode regions, each of the two or more back electrode regions overlying a corresponding one of the two or more non-overlapping regions in the protection layer,
• a bottom insulation layer, the bottom insulation layer including two or more bottom insulation regions, each of the two or more bottom dielectric regions overlying a corresponding one of the back electrode regions;
• a phosphor layer, the phosphor layer including two or more of phosphor regions, each of the two or more phosphor regions overlying a corresponding one of the back electrode layers;
• a transparent electrode layer, the transparent electrode layer including two or more transparent electrode regions, each of the two or more transparent electrode region overlying a corresponding one of the phosphor regions;
• and
• two or more power supply devices, each of the two or more power supply devices being coupled to a corresponding one of the back electrode regions and a corresponding one of the transparent electrode regions for providing luminescence over a corresponding one of the non-overlapping regions.

A keyboard apparatus comprising:

• a housing including a plurality of key pads spatially disposed within the housing, each of the key pads being depressible upon touch by a user, the plurality of key pads being distributed in a plurality of non-overlapping keyboard regions, each of the non-overlapping regions including fewer than all of the plurality of keypads;
• an optically transparent circuit board coupled to a backside of each of the key pads;
• and
• a plurality of electroluminescent segments arranged in a non-planar configuration, each of the plurality of electroluminescent segments including one of a corresponding plurality of power supply devices, each of the plurality of electroluminescent segments providing electromagnetic radiation to a respective non-overlapping keyboard region for lighting key pads in the respective non-overlapping keyboard region, each of the non-overlapping regions including fewer than all of the plurality of keypads.

A keyboard apparatus comprising:

• a housing including a plurality of key pads spatially disposed within the housing, each of the key pads being depressible upon touch by a user, the plurality of key pads being distributed in a second plurality of non-overlapping keyboard regions, each of the non-overlapping regions including fewer than all of the plurality of keypads;
• an optically transparent circuit board coupled to a backside of each of the key pads;
• and
• a luminescent apparatus including a plurality of electroluminescent segments in a substantially non-planar configuration, each of the plurality of electroluminescent segments including one of a corresponding plurality of power supply devices, each of the plurality of electroluminescent segments providing electromagnetic radiation to a respective non-overlapping keyboard region for lighting key pads in the respective non-overlapping keyboard region, each of the non-overlapping regions including fewer than all of the plurality of keypads.

A method for manufacturing a luminescent device for a keyboard apparatus, the method comprising:

• providing a transparent protection layer characterized by two or more non-overlapping regions;
• printing a transparent electrode layer on the transparent protection layer, the transparent electrode layer including two or more transparent electrode regions, each of the two or more transparent electrode region coupled to a corresponding one of the two or more non-overlapping regions;
• printing two or more electroluminescent sections on the transparent electrode layer, each of the two or more electroluminescent sections coupled to a corresponding one of the two or more transparent electrode regions;
• printing a dielectric layer on the two or more electroluminescent sections, the dielectric layer including two or more dielectric regions, each of the two or more dielectric regions coupled to a corresponding one of the electroluminescent segments;
• printing a back electrode layer, the back electrode layer including two or more back electrode regions, each of the two or more back electrode regions coupled to a corresponding one of the two or more dielectric regions;
• and
• adding two or more power supply devices, each of the two or more power supply devices being coupled to a corresponding one of the back electrode regions and being coupled to a corresponding one of the transparent electrode regions for providing luminescence over a corresponding one of the non-overlapping regions.

A method for making a keyboard apparatus comprising:

• providing a housing including a plurality of key pads spatially disposed within the housing, each of the key pads being depressible upon touch by a user, the plurality of key pads being distributed in a plurality of non-overlapping keyboard regions;
• providing an optically transparent circuit board coupled to a backside of each of the key pads;
• and
• providing a luminescent apparatus including a plurality of electroluminescent segments in a substantially non-planar configuration, each of the second plurality of electroluminescent segments including one of a corresponding plurality of power supply devices, each of the plurality of electroluminescent segments providing electromagnetic radiation to a respective non-overlapping keyboard region for lighting key pads in the respective non-overlapping keyboard region.