The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Nov. 26, 2024

Filed:

Mar. 18, 2022
Applicant:

Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);

Inventors:

Dana F Segler, Jr., Gilroy, CA (US);

Wei Chen, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);

Assignee:

Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H10K 59/40 (2023.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02B 30/27 (2020.01); G02F 1/1333 (2006.01); G02F 1/1335 (2006.01); G02F 1/13357 (2006.01); G06F 3/033 (2013.01); G06F 3/0354 (2013.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/03547 (2013.01); G02B 6/0043 (2013.01); G02B 30/27 (2020.01); G02F 1/13338 (2013.01); G02F 1/133512 (2013.01); G02F 1/133617 (2013.01); H10K 59/40 (2023.02);
Abstract

An electronic device may have a surface area that may or may not overlap a touch sensor and that may be illuminated. The surface area may have an appearance that matches adjacent housing surfaces when not illuminated from within the device. When it is desired to create notifications or reconfigurable touch controls, a pixel array under the surface area may be used to produce patterned illumination. A louver layer may be interposed between the pixel array and the surface area. The louver layer may have louvers that are tilted with respect to a surface normal associated with the surface area. The louver layer may have cores and claddings that are formed from materials that help impart a non-black appearance to the surface area when corresponding portions of the underlying pixel array are inactive and not emitting light.


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