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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 24, 2014
Blackberry Limited, Waterloo, CA;
Christofer Bengt Thure Leyon, Malmo, SE;
Maria Christina Nathalie Freyhult, Malmo, SE;
BlackBerry Limited, Waterloo, Ontario, CA;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for dynamically varying backlighting for mechanical keys. By one approach at least some of the individual mechanical keys each includes a capacitively-sensitive keycap. A plurality of light emitters are disposed behind the physical keyboard and are configured to provide backlighting for the individual mechanical keys. A control circuit operably couples to the plurality of light emitters and controls the plurality of light emitters to selectively provide dynamically-varied backlighting for at least some of the individual mechanical keys. By one approach the dynamically-varied backlighting comprises, at least in part, instructions regarding available touch-based gestures (for example, gestures that the user can employ in conjunction with the capacitively-sensitive keycaps). Examples of touch-based gestures include, but are not limited to, swipe-based gestures and tap-based gestures. By one approach the aforementioned instructions include non-alphabetic visually-symbolic instructions.