Combination visible and infrared pipe
AssigneeMitel Knowledge Corporation
InventorsEdward Peter Gancarcik, Peter Mathieson Craig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Many device components included a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means along with a light pipe to conduct light from the light-generating means to a diffuser adjacent the surface of the components. The present invention offers an improvement whereby the light pipe can be utilized both for transmission of visible wavelengths and for transmission/reception of invisible (infrared) wavelengths. To accomplish this, a light pipe is constituted of two adjacent portions, and an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both portions.
Claims14
For use with a component defining a surface, the component including a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means, along with light-transporting means for conducting light from the light-generating means to a light diffuser adjacent the surface, the improvement wherein the light-transporting means is in the form of two juxtaposed light pipe portions, and wherein an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both of the light pipe portions adjacent the light-generating means, each light pipe portion transporting visible light to the diffuser and a first one of said light pipe portions transporting invisible infrared light from transceiver, a second one of said light pipe portions transporting invisible infrared light to said transceiver.
In a component defining a surface and including a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means, and further including light-transporting means for conducting light from the light-generating means to a light diffuser adjacent the surface, an improved method of operation wherein an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both of the light pipe portions adjacent the light-generating means, each light pipe portion transporting visible light to the diffuser and a first one of said light pipe portions transporting visible light to the diffuser and a first one of said light pipe portions transporting invisible infrared light from said transceiver while a second one of said light pipe portions transports invisible infrared light to said transceiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.