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US 7,663,612 B2Granted
Metal display panel having one or more translucent regions
AssigneeBang & Olufsen A/S
InventorHenrik Henriksen Bladt
Life of this patent
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AssigneeBang & Olufsen A/S
InventorHenrik Henriksen Bladt
Estimating the term…
A metal structure (1) has a display region being a second region and being integrate with another region being a first region which is a display region. The metal structure may constitute a monolithic structure of an information display unit, for example, a front panel of an electronic device. The display region is formed by providing a cluster of small non-through-going cavities (5) in the metal structure, leaving a very small thickness of material, the thickness being translucent (6). In addition to being a display unit when arranging a light source behind the translucent region (6), touch sensitive or non-touch sensitive input devices, optionally connected to acoustical input and registration devices, may also be provided. These input devices may advantageously be arranged in, or adjacent, the cavities in the metal structure, whereby when the front of the metal structure is viewed an indication of display or input options is visible.
An information display and input unit comprising a metal structure (1) with one or more translucent display regions (6) integrated with a non display region, wherein the metal structure has a front side (3) suitable for interaction with a user, wherein said front side (3) is visually homogeneous, and a back side (4) opposite the front side (3), wherein said one or more translucent display regions (6) is/are formed by providing non-through going cavities (5) extending from the back side partially through the metal structure (1), leaving a very small thickness of material, said small thickness of material being translucent, and that further comprising means for arranging a light source in the cavities (5) or in the vicinity of the cavities (5), and means (50,54) for detecting input is provided in the cavities (5) or in the vicinity of the cavities (5).
An information display and input unit comprising a metal structure with one or more translucent regions, wherein the metal structure has a front side and a back side opposite the front side, wherein the front side is suitable for interaction with a user, wherein said front side is visually homogeneous, wherein said one or more translucent regions are created by providing cavities from the back side of the metal structure terminating short of the front side, such that a material thickness in the ends of the cavities is translucent through the metal structure that remains at the ends of the cavities, light sources in the cavities or in the vicinity of the cavities, and input detectors provided in the cavities or in the vicinity of the cavities for detecting inputs from, on or near the ends of the cavities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.