Keyboard backlighting with reduced driver circuitry
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAlejandro Lara Ascorra, Qian Zhang, Thai Q. La
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Abstract
Systems and methods for selective keyboard backlighting with reduced driver circuitry are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes, inter alia, simultaneously controlling, with a control signal, an output of a first light emitting element that illuminates only one key of a plurality of keys of a keyboard and an output of a second light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys, and maintaining, with a current mirror circuit, uniformity between the output of the first light emitting element and the output of the second light emitting element.
Claims20
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a plurality of keys;
- a plurality of light emitting elements comprising at least a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element;
- a light driver that drives a control signal on a driver channel;
- and
- a control sharing circuit that enables the control signal from the driver channel to simultaneously control an output of the first light emitting element and an output of the second light emitting element, wherein:
- the first light emitting element is positioned with respect to the plurality of keys such that the output of the first light emitting element illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys;
- and
- the second light emitting element is positioned with respect to the plurality of keys such that the output of the second light emitting element illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a plurality of keys;
- a first light emitting element;
- a second light emitting element;
- a light driver that drives a control signal on a driver channel;
- and
- a current mirror circuit, wherein:
- the second light emitting element is coupled to the driver channel and the first light emitting element via the current mirror circuit;
- and
- the control signal from the driver channel simultaneously controls:
- an output of the first light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys;
- and
- an output of the second light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys.
A method for illuminating a keyboard of a keyboard assembly that comprises a plurality of keys, a first light emitting element, a second light emitting element, a light driver that drives a control signal on a driver channel, and a current mirror circuit, the method comprising:
- simultaneously controlling, with the control signal, an output of the first light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys and an output of the second light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys;
- and
- maintaining, with the current mirror circuit, uniformity between the output of the first light emitting element and the output of the second light emitting element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.