Apple Inc.

Thai Quoc La

Wing Kong Low

Craig C Leong

Bradford J Zercoe

Dinesh C Mathew

Robert Y Cao

Alex Joseph Lehmann

Li-Quan Tan

Duncan Robert Kerr

Keith J Hendren

Brian Quentin Huppi

John M Brock

Benjamin B Lyon

Matthew William Blum

Harold James Welch

Alejandro Lara Ascorra

Nicholas Isaac Reid

Qian Zhang

Walter Joseph Galbraith, Jr

Brian H Berkeley

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.

Keyboard backlighting with reduced driver circuitry

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and methods of forming the same. A keyboard assembly may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and a single membrane sheet adhered directly to the PCB. The single membrane sheet may substantially cover the PCB. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the single membrane sheet. Another keyboard assembly may include a group of conductive pads and a group of membrane pads. Each of the group of membrane pads may be adhered directly to a corresponding one of the group of conductive pads. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the membrane pads. Each of the group of dome switches may be coupled directly to a corresponding one of the group of membrane pads.

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thickness and method of forming keyboard assemblies

A venting system for a keyboard assembly is disclosed. A keyboard assembly including a printed circuit board defining a set of apertures, and a group of switch housings coupled to the printed circuit board. Each switch housing of the group of switch housings may define a switch opening positioned above one of the set of apertures of the printed circuit board. The keyboard assembly may also include a shield defining at least one channel of a venting system formed below the printed circuit board. The at least one channel may be in fluid communication with at least one aperture, and at least one of the switch openings positioned above the at least one aperture.

Venting system and shield for keyboard

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and method of forming keyboard assemblies

Multiple-pole single-throw dome switch assemblies for electronic devices and methods for creating the same are provided. For example, a switch assembly may include a deformable dome that may have a conductive inner surface. The switch assembly may also include three conductive pads, at least two of which may be positioned underneath the dome. When the dome is deformed, each one of the three conductive pads may be electrically coupled to the conductive inner surface of the dome. When the dome is not deformed, at least one of the three conductive pads may be electrically isolated from the conductive inner surface of the dome.

Multiple-pole single-throw dome switch assemblies

Methods and systems for providing stable and accurate low noise DC reference voltage are described. In the described embodiments, a feedback controlled DC reference voltage supply provides a stable and well controlled sense current. The sense current is in turn used to produce a stable and well controlled light output from a light emitting diode (LED).

Pulse width modulation (PWM) closed loop LED current driver in an embedded system

A keyboard and methods of making the same. The keyboard comprises of a bottom conducting base plate, an illumination layer, a transparent top conducting layer, a light transmissive keyboard membrane, and a plurality of input keys. The illumination layer is deposited on the bottom conducting base plate. The transparent top conducting layer is deposited on the illumination layer. The light transmissive keyboard membrane is disposed on the transparent top conducting layer. And, the plurality of input keys is disposed on the light transmissive keyboard membrane wherein each of the plurality of input keys has a keyswitch mechanism and a keycap including an upper strike surface attached to the keyswitch mechanism.

Keyboard having a lighting system

An illumination system for a computer system. In one exemplary embodiment, a light guide panel has a first end and a second end, wherein lights from a light source enter the light guide panel from the first end and exit through the second end. A light guide tube is coupled to the second end of the light guide panel. The light guide tube captures the lights that exit the second end and reflecting the lights downward illuminating at least a portion of a keyboard of the computer system. The chassis that houses the display assembly includes a plurality of holes created along the top edge of the chassis wherein the lights captured and reflected by the light guide tube exit through the plurality of holes.

Apparatuses and methods for illuminating a keyboard

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Thai Quoc La