Abstract:
An illuminated mouse pad having a light guide having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter side, a light source for directing emitted light through a first portion of the perimeter of the light guide, and an array of light diffusers located on the bottom side of the light guide, said light diffusers capable of diffusing or spreading out or scattering light emitted by the light source to give a soft back light to the top side.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to illuminated computer mouse pads. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to illuminated computer mouse pads, and particularly to the method and device for illumination in said computer mouse pads. 
     It is well known that available illuminated mouse pads suffer from various technical difficulties limiting their effectiveness and desirability. Some illuminated mouse pads, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 20020131270, contain no local light source and instead are illuminated by external light sources. Mouse pads that do contain local light sources, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,310, U.S. Pat. No. 20040224107 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,336, are illuminated unevenly, having specific light patterns depending on the number, placement and type of light source design, or require alternating current power. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 20040224107 uses fiber optic cables to channel light in illuminated designs. In order to display different designs the fiber optic cables must be placed on the pad in different ways causing great expense and limiting the design options available. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,310 describes an illuminated mouse pad that is illuminated from within by a perimeter of light sources. Such a device suffers from great variation in illumination as areas closer to the light sources are illuminated more brightly than areas further away. Additionally, this device requires a significant number of light sources. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,336 is illuminated by an electroluminescent laminate. Such a device is incredibly costly to manufacture and requires a large power draw to operate brightly. In addition, electroluminescent laminate require alternating current, necessitating a transformer of significant size if the device is to draw power from a Universal Serial Bus (USB), which is only capable of providing direct current. Considering that USB ports are the primary method of attaching powered peripherals such as mouse pads, this limitation is significant. 
     The present invention provides a solution for the above problems by using an internal light source and an array of light diffusers that evenly redistribute emitted light without resorting to adding additional or external light sources. Such a light can be combined with a variety of designs without significant alteration and supplies uniform illumination, representing a substantial advancement over previous illuminated mouse pads. Additionally, such a light can be powered by direct current from a computer&#39;s Universal Serial Bus (USB), eliminating the need for a costly and large transformer. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a mouse pad that is illuminated from within by a series of diffusers. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an illuminated mouse pad comprising a light guide having a top side, a back side and a perimeter side, a light source for directing emitted light through a first portion of the perimeter of the light guide, and an array of light diffusers located on the back side of the light guide, said light diffusers capable of diffusing or spreading out or scattering light emitted by the light source to give a soft back light to the top side. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an illuminated mouse pad comprising a light guide having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter side, a light source for directing emitted light through a first portion of the perimeter of the light guide, and an array of light diffusers located on the bottom side of the light guide, said light diffusers capable of diffusing or spreading out or scattering light emitted by the light source to give a soft back light to the top side. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide the illuminated mouse pad as above, wherein the array of light diffusers is a random array or an ordered array. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide the illuminated mouse pad as above, wherein the array of light diffusers comprises individual light diffusers that increase in size as they are further away from the light source. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide the illuminated mouse pad as above, wherein the array of light diffusers comprises individual light diffusers that increase in size as they are further away from the light source for the first 40 millimeters and are constant in size after a distance of 40 millimeters. 
     It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide the illuminated mouse pad as above, wherein the array of light diffusers comprises individual light diffusers that vary in size from 0.1 millimeters to 3 millimeters. 
     It is still yet another further object of the present invention to provide the illuminated mouse pad as above, wherein the mouse pad contains a power/information port, such as, but not limited to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port or similar connective port, to connect peripheral devices to a connected computer. 
     The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its structure and its operation together with the additional object and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art or arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words “function” or “means” in the Description of Preferred Embodiments is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provision of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the invention(s), the claims will specifically state the phrases “means for” or “step for” and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a “means for” or “step for” performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the illuminated mouse pad device in use. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of the device featuring the light source and light source controller placed alongside the perimeter of the light guide. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom side of a light guide where the light diffusers are arranged in a pattern such that the smallest light diffusers are closest to the light source and subsequently further individual light diffusers are larger, this pattern repeating itself for the first 40 millimeters, and subsequently further individual light diffusers then have a constant size. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the top side of a light guide. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the normal reflection of light that occurs without diffusers. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the diffusion caused by the diffusion areas. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a light guide featuring two channels. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a light guide featuring a recessed area located along a perimeter edge. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an illuminated mouse pad featuring a connected computer, a power/information port, and a power switch. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the drawings, the present invention is a backlit illuminated computer mouse pad  10 , especially useful for displaying sports affiliation and the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the mouse pad  10 , according to the present invention, comprises a light guide  12  having a light source  20  located at or near at least a first portion  16 , of the perimeter of the light guide  12 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the light guide  12  comprises a top side  13 , a bottom side  14 , and a perimeter side  15 . On the bottom side  15 , there is an array of light diffusers  50 . 
     In a preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the light source  20  is at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED), or similar light source, arranged in an array of one or more along at least the first portion  16  of the perimeter side  15 . This arrangement allows light emitted from the light source  20  to be directed into and through the light guide  12 . Located on a second portion  17  of the perimeter side  15  opposite of the first portion  16  is a reflective/diffusive surface  22  facing the first portion  16  of the perimeter side  15 . 
     In this preferred embodiment, the light source is powered via a power/information cable  26  such as, but not limited to, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. 
     In this preferred embodiment there is bottom layer  30  adhered to the bottom side  14  of the light guide  12 . 
     Further, in this preferred embodiment, there is a design layer  40  attached to the top side  13  of the light guide  12 . The design layer  40  includes at least one opaque, semitransparent and/or transparent area. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , it is critical to the present invention that the bottom side  14  of the light guide  12  has the recited array of light diffusers  50 . The light diffusers  50  are designed to frustrate total internal reflection (TIR) and to distribute light emitted from the light source  20  uniformly across the top side  13  of the light guide  12 . 
     In a more preferred embodiment, the light diffusers  50  are arranged in a manner so that individual diffusers  55  further from the light source  20  are larger than those that are closer to the light source  20 , and that the distribution of the individual diffusers  55  is organized in order to maximize the uniform illumination of the design layer. 
     In one embodiment of the array of diffusers  50 , the individual light diffusers are arranged in a uniform pattern. 
     In another embodiment of the array of diffusers  50 , the individual light diffusers  55  are arranged in a random pattern. 
     In yet another embodiment of the array of diffusers  50 , the individual light diffusers  55  are arranged in a pattern such that those individual light diffusers  55  closest to the light source  20  are smaller than those that are further from the light source  12 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates still yet another embodiment of the array of diffusers  50 , the individual light diffusers  55  are arranged where the smallest light diffusers  55  are closest to the light source  20  subsequently further individual light diffusers  55  are larger, this pattern repeating itself for the first 40 millimeters, and subsequently further individual light diffusers  55  then have a constant size. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the top side  13  of the light guide  12  is textured in a way to maximize the transmittance of light as according to Snell&#39;s Law. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the light guide  12 , of the mouse pad  10 , further comprises at least one, preferably two, incised channels  60 . At least one incised channel  60  is adapted to receive the light source  20 . The second incised channel  60  is adapted to receive the reflective/diffusive surface  22 . These incised channels  60  are important when one desires that the perimeter side  15  of the light guide  12  have a clean and unencumbered design since locating the light source  20  within the light guide  12  the light source, and reflective/diffusive surface  22 , may be hidden from view, by the design layer, while still allowing emitted light to travel through the light guide  12 . In such an embodiment a transparent layer  65  is placed over the channels  60  securing and protecting components contained within. 
     In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the light guide  12  of the mouse pad  10  further comprises at least one recessed or removed area  70  from the perimeter of the light guard  12 . This recessed or removed area  70  is adapted to receive the light source  20 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the mouse pad  10  includes a sensor or sensors such as, but not limited to, a thermal sensor or motion sensor, for detecting the presence of a user. If no user is present the device turns off the illumination. 
     As illustrating in  FIG. 9 , in still yet another embodiment of the present invention the mouse pad  10  includes one or more information/power ports  66  such as, but not limited to, a USB port, to attach peripheral devices to the connected computer  68 . The mouse pad  10  can transmit information and power between the connected computer  68  and attached peripheral devices. 
     In still yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the mouse pad includes a power switch  64  allowing a user to power off the mouse pad illumination. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention is described above in the Drawings and Description of Preferred Embodiments. While these descriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations that fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included therein as well. Unless specifically noted, it is the intention of the inventor that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meanings to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art(s). The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment and best mode of the invention known to the applicant at the time of filing the application has been presented and is intended for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in the light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.