External light illumination of display screens
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorPeter H. Mahowald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for harnessing external light to illuminate a display screen of an electronic device are provided. The display screen may be illuminated using a light harness, a reflector, a translucent surface, or any combination thereof. The light harness may be cylindrical or hexahedral. The light harness may be coupled to an external light input or a collector. The reflector may be repositioned toward or away from the display screen to reflect external light toward the display screen. The translucent surface may allow external light to pass through it to illuminate the display screen. The translucent surface may protect the rear face of the display screen, or the rear face of the display screen may itself be translucent.
Claims20
An electronic device comprising:
- a display screen;
- and
- a light harness, wherein:
- the light harness includes a first surface extending between a first end and a second end;
- the first end is configured to collect light external to the electronic device;
- and
- the first surface is configured to emit the collected light from the light harness for illuminating the display screen.
An electronic device comprising:
- a display screen;
- and
- a reflector having a first face operative to reflect light external to the electronic device toward the display screen for illuminating the display screen.
A method of illuminating a display screen of an electronic device with a light harness, the method comprising:
- positioning the light harness adjacent a first face of the display screen;
- collecting light external to the electronic device into the light harness;
- and
- emitting the collected light from the light harness toward the first face of the display screen.
A method of illuminating a display screen of an electronic device with a reflector having a first face, the method comprising:
- positioning the first face of the reflector opposite a first side of the display screen;
- and
- reflecting light external to the electronic device with the first face of the reflector toward the first side of the display screen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.