PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10877570-B1
Application Number: US-201916717798-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Electronic devices having keys with coherent fiber bundles

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a reconfigurable keyboard. The keyboard may be formed from an array of keys coupled to a housing. Each key may have a movable key member and an associated key display. Control circuitry in the keyboard may direct the key displays to display dynamically adjustable key labels for the keys. Each key movable key member may be formed from a fiber optic plate. The fiber optic plate may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle with opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface may be adjacent to the key display and may receive key label images from the key display. The second surface may face outwardly towards a user and may receive key press input from the fingers of a user while presenting key label images for viewing.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a printed circuit; and 
 an input device coupled to the housing, wherein the input device comprises:
 a support structure; 
 a display that is formed on the support structure; 
 a coherent fiber bundle, wherein the display is interposed between the support structure and the coherent fiber bundle; and 
 a mechanical switch that is mounted to the printed circuit and that is configured to detect input on the coherent fiber bundle, wherein the coherent fiber bundle, display, and support structure are configured to move towards the mechanical switch in response to input on the coherent fiber bundle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the coherent fiber bundle has a plurality of optical fibers that have portions extending parallel to a surface normal of the display. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2 , wherein the coherent fiber bundle has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface is adjacent to the display, and wherein the display is configured to display content that appears on the second surface. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the second surface of the coherent fiber bundle has curvature about both a first axis and a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the coherent fiber bundle is tapered and demagnifies the content on the display. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the coherent fiber bundle is tapered and magnifies the content on the display. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the coherent fiber bundle has chamfered edges. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the input device further includes biasing structures that are coupled between the support structure and the printed circuit. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical switch is a dome switch. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the display is interposed between the coherent fiber bundle and the mechanical switch. 
     
     
       11. An input device, comprising:
 a coherent fiber bundle having opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the coherent fiber bundle comprises optical fibers that extend between the first surface and the second surface; 
 a display coupled to the first surface that is configured to display a reconfigurable image viewable at the second surface, wherein the second surface of the coherent fiber bundle has curvature about both a first axis and a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis; and 
 a mechanical switch that is configured to detect movement of the coherent fiber bundle in response to a press input on the coherent fiber bundle. 
 
     
     
       12. The input device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the display comprises an electrophoretic display. 
     
     
       13. The input device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the display comprises an organic light-emitting diode display. 
     
     
       14. The input device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the first surface is planar and wherein the display is interposed between the mechanical switch and the coherent fiber bundle. 
     
     
       15. The input device defined in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a support structure that is interposed between the mechanical switch and the display; and 
 biasing structures that are coupled to the support structure. 
 
     
     
       16. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing; and 
 an input device that is coupled to the housing and that includes:
 a touch-sensitive component; 
 a display; and 
 a coherent fiber bundle that overlaps the display, that has first and second opposing surfaces, and that comprises optical fibers that extend between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the display is configured to display a reconfigurable image viewable at the second surface, wherein the second surface of the coherent fiber bundle has curvature about both a first axis and a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and wherein the touch-sensitive component is configured to detect a press input on the second surface. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16 , wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises a mechanical switch and wherein the coherent fiber bundle and display are configured to move towards the mechanical switch in response to the press input. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 16 , wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises a touch sensor selected from the group consisting of: a resistive touch sensor and a capacitive touch sensor. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 16 , wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises a light-based sensor. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 16 , wherein the input device further comprises:
 a support structure that is interposed between the touch-sensitive component and the display; and 
 biasing structures that are coupled to the support structure.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/832,196, filed Dec. 5, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/546,424, filed Aug. 16, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with keys. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices often include keys. For example, a laptop computer may have a keyboard with a set of keys or a stand-alone keyboard may have a set of keys. Keyboard keys are sometimes provided with dynamic labels. The dynamic labels are covered with clear plastic to allow the labels to be viewed by a user. Due to the thickness of the clear plastic covering the dynamic labels on the keys, the dynamic labels are not visually present at the uppermost surface of the keys and can be difficult to view. The appearance of the keys may also vary in different lighting conditions and may vary undesirably as a function of angle of view. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a reconfigurable keyboard. The keyboard may be formed from an array of keys that are received within an array of openings in a housing. Each key may have a movable key member and an associated key display. 
     Control circuitry in the keyboard may direct the key displays to display dynamically adjustable key labels for the keys. The control circuitry can reconfigure the key labels to support different languages, to support use of the keyboard in a gaming application, or to otherwise customize the appearance of the keys for a user. 
     Each key member may be formed from a fiber optic plate. The fiber optic plate may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle with opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface may be adjacent to an array of pixels in a key display and may receive key label images from the key display. The second surface may face outwardly towards a user and may receive key press input from the fingers of a user. When pressed by a user, the key member may move towards a component that monitors movement of the key member such as a dome switch or other sensor. 
     Optical fibers in the coherent fiber bundle may extend between the first and second surfaces in a direction that is parallel to the surface normal of the key display. When a key label image is supplied by the key display of a key, the coherent fiber bundle of that key may present the image for viewing at the second surface. The coherent fiber bundle may have surfaces with non-planar features such as curved surfaces (e.g., surfaces exhibiting compound curvature), surfaces with chamfered edges, and other surfaces. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative keyboard of the type that may be used to interact with a computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an illustrative key having a key member formed from a coherent fiber bundle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an illustrative key having a coherent fiber bundle with a surface of compound curvature in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in a key with a curved surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in a key with chamfered edges in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in a key that is configured to demagnify a dynamic key label in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in a key that is configured to magnify a dynamic key label in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle in a key with a static key label formed from patterned dark and light materials in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative key with a dynamic key label and a coherent fiber bundle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of an illustrative key label illuminated using optical fibers and an edge-mounted key display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of an illustrative key label illuminated using optical fibers and an edge-mounted key display in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may have input-output devices such as keys. For example, a laptop computer may have a keyboard for gathering input from a user. Stand-alone keyboards may also be used with equipment such as tablet computers and desk-top computers. 
     To help a user identify keys in a keyboard, keyboard keys are often provided with labels. The labels (which may sometimes be referred to as glyphs, symbols, key symbols, key labels, etc.), may be used to help a user identify keys. As an example, letter keys can be labeled with letters, number keys can be labeled with numbers, and function keys can be labeled with symbols representing mathematical operations or other functions. 
     It may be desirable to reconfigure keyboards dynamically to accommodate input for different languages, to temporarily convert a standard keyboard into a gaming keyboard in which keys correspond to particular in-game actions, or to otherwise modify the behavior associated with pressing the keys in the keyboard. In this type of situation, it may also be desirable to provide a user with visual feedback indicating the current status of each key (e.g., whether the key corresponds to an alphanumeric character or to a gaming function, etc.). This can be accomplished by providing keys in a keyboard with dynamic labels. The dynamic labels may be generated using dynamically reconfigurable label displaying components such as organic light-emitting diode displays with arrays of pixels, electrophoretic displays with arrays of pixels, or other pixel arrays (as examples). Configurations in which dynamic labels are presented using lower-resolution configurable output devices may also be used. 
     With one illustrative configuration, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, each key may be provide with a corresponding dynamically adjustable key display (sometimes referred to as a dynamic key label or dynamic key label device). The key displays may be formed from organic light-emitting diode displays, electrophoretic displays (“e-ink”) or other suitable display devices with pixel arrays (e.g., liquid crystal displays, light-emitting diode displays formed from crystalline semiconductor die light-emitting diodes, microelectromechanical systems displays, electrowetting displays, etc.). In some arrangements, key displays may be backlit (e.g., using backlight illumination from a light-emitting diode). In other arrangements, key displays may not be backlit. 
     The key displays can be configured dynamically based on user input or other input. For example, a user may provide an electronic device with key press input or other user input that directs control circuitry in the electronic device to reconfigure each of the key labels. The user may, for example, desire to switch a keyboard between a first format (e.g., an English-language format) and a second format (e.g., a Greek-language format). In response to user input to switch the keyboard, control circuitry in an electronic device can adjust the key labels being displayed by the key displays from English letters to Greek letters, thereby switching the keyboard from the first format to the second format. 
     An illustrative electronic device that has a keyboard with reconfigurable keys is shown in  FIG. 1 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  is a laptop computer. Other types of electronic device may be provide with reconfigurable keys, if desired. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may be formed from plastic, metal (e.g., aluminum), fiber composites such as carbon fiber, glass, ceramic, other materials, and combinations of these materials. Housing  12  or parts of housing  12  may be formed using a unibody construction in which housing structures are formed from an integrated piece of material. Multipart housing constructions may also be used in which housing  12  or parts of housing  12  are formed from frame structures, housing walls, and other components that are attached to each other using fasteners, adhesive, and other attachment mechanisms. 
     Device  10  of  FIG. 1  has a two-part housing formed from an upper housing portion such as upper housing  12 A and lower housing portion such as lower housing  12 B. Upper housing  12 A may include a display such as display  14  and may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid. Lower housing  12 B may sometimes be referred to as a base housing or main housing. 
     Housings  12 A and  12 B may be rotatably coupled to each other using one or more hinges  26  along the upper edge of lower housing  12 B and the lower edge of upper housing  12 A. Hinges  26  may be located at opposing left and right sides of housing  12  along hinge axis  22 . Hinges  26  may allow upper housing  12 A to rotate about axis  22  in directions  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. The plane of lid (upper housing)  12 A and the plane of lower housing  12 B may be separated by an angle that varies between 0° when the lid is closed to 90°-140°, or more when the lid is fully opened. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have input-output devices such as track pad  18  and keyboard  16 . Track pad  18  may be formed from a touch sensor that gathers touch input (and, if desired, force input) from a user&#39;s fingers. Keyboard  16  may have an array of keys  16 K. In some arrangements, keys  16 K may protrude through openings in the upper wall of housing  12 B. Some or all of keys  16 K may be reconfigurable and may have key displays that display reconfigurable key labels. 
     Display  14  may serve as a primary display for device  10  and may sometimes be referred to as a main display. Device  10  may also have one or more additional displays such as ancillary display  20 . Ancillary display  20  may be touch sensitive and may serve to display interactive reconfigurable visual elements (icons such as function-key buttons, image thumbnails, etc.). Because ancillary display  20  can be used to display content such as dynamically adjustable function keys, ancillary display  20  may sometimes be referred to as a dynamic function row or dynamic function row display. If desired, a row of reconfigurable keys  16 K may be used to display dynamic function row content (e.g., in an arrangement in which ancillary display  20  is omitted) and/or some or all of display  20  may include keys  16 K with dynamically adjustable key displays (e.g., a row of dynamically reconfigurable keys  16 K may be used to implement the functions associated with a dynamic function row). In either arrangement, dynamically reconfigurable keys  16 K may be considered to form part of a keyboard  16  of device  10 . 
     Keys  16 K may gather key press input by allowing moving key members in the key to compress dome switches or other switches (mechanical sensors) in response to key press input (e.g., downward force from fingers of a user). In some configurations, keys  16 K may include other input components such as touch sensors and/or force sensors for gathering key press input. Key press sensors for use with keys  16 K may be resistive touch sensors or resistive force sensors, capacitive touch or capacitive force sensors, acoustic sensors, light-based sensors, or touch and/or force sensors implemented using other technologies. Illustrative arrangements in which keys  16 K are pressed to actuate associated switches may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     If desired, device  10  may have components such as a camera, microphones, speakers, buttons, status indicator lights, light sensors, temperature sensors, motion sensors, and other input-output devices. These devices may be used to gather input for device  10  and may be used to supply a user of device  10  with output. Ports in device  10  may receive mating connectors (e.g., an audio plug, a connector associated with a data cable such as a Universal Serial Bus cable, a data cable that handles video and audio data such as a cable that connects device  10  to a computer display, television, or other monitor, etc.). 
     If desired, electronic device  10  may be a keyboard accessory device. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  of  FIG. 2  has a keyboard  16  with reconfigurable keys  16 K. Device  10 , which may be referred to as a keyboard, stand-alone keyboard, or accessory keyboard, keyboard device, etc., may communicate with external electronic equipment such as computer  10 ′ (e.g., a tablet computer, desktop computer, television, set-top box, and/or other electronic device). Wired and/or wireless communications may be used between device  10  and  10 ′. 
     Device  10  may, in general, be any suitable type of device. For example, device  10  may be a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a display, a computer display that contains an embedded computer, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, or other electronic equipment. The laptop computer of  FIG. 1  and the keyboard of  FIG. 2  are merely illustrative. 
     A schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , device  10  may include control circuitry  40 . Control circuitry  40  may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in circuitry  40  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Circuitry  40  may be used to run software on device  10 , such as software that gathers user input (e.g., key press input and/or other input) and takes corresponding action in controlling the components of device  10  (e.g., displaying information on display  14 , etc.). To support interactions with external equipment, circuitry  40  and the software running on circuitry  40  may be used in implementing communications protocols. The software (code) for implementing these functions may be stored in a non-transistory storage medium (e.g., non-volatile memory, etc.). 
     Electronic device  10  may include input-output devices  42 . Input-output devices  42  may be used by a user to supply data to device  10  and/or may be used to gather data from the environment surrounding device  10 . Input-output devices  42  may also be used to provide data from device  10  to external devices and/or to supply output to a user. Input-output devices  42  may include keyboard keys  16 K, displays such as main display  14  and ancillary touch screen display  20 , and other components  44 . Keys  16 K may each include a key display  16 D that can be used to display a selectable key label (e.g., an icon, alphanumeric character, or other symbol). Components  44  may, if desired, include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, components  44  may include touch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, light sensors, light-emitting diodes, motion sensors (accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to the display), wireless circuitry, etc. 
     Keyboard keys  16 K may each have a movable key member (sometimes referred to as a key cap or key body) that can be pressed by a finger of a user when the user desires to supply keyboard  16  with key press input. The key member may be formed from materials such as glass, ceramic, polymer, crystalline material such as sapphire, metal structures, and/or other materials. With one illustrative configuration, which is described herein as an example, some or all of the upper surface of each key  16 K (e.g., a key member portion in each key  16 K) may include a coherent fiber bundle that overlaps a key display in that key and that allows a viewer to clearly view a key label that is being displayed on that key display. 
     A top view of an illustrative coherent fiber bundle that is being used to form part of a key member is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , key member  52  may include a coherent fiber bundle having an array of fibers  70 . Fibers  70 , which may sometimes be referred to as optical fibers, optical waveguides, or fiber waveguides, may each have a core such as core  72  of a first refractive index and a surrounding cladding layer such as cladding  74  of a second refractive index. The value of the second refractive index may be lower than the value of the first refractive index to support light guiding within fibers  70  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. Fibers  70  may be formed from glass, polymer, and/or other transparent material. Cores  72  may have outer diameters that are 60-70%, at least 50%, less than 80%, or other suitable fraction of the outer diameters of claddings  74 . If desired, binder material such as binder  76  may be used to hold fibers  70  together in a bundle. Binder  76  may, if desired, be a polymer and may have a refractive index matched to the second refractive index or different than the second refractive index. In some configurations, claddings  74  may be omitted and binder  76  may be used to form the cladding for cores  72 . The configuration of  FIG. 4  is merely illustrative. 
     Surface normal n of key member  52  of  FIG. 4  extends parallel to the Z axis (out of the page in the orientation of  FIG. 4 ). In keys  16 K, key member  52  may overlap key displays and the surface normal of each key display may be parallel to surface normal n. 
     The coherent fiber bundle of  FIG. 4  may be sliced into thin layers (e.g., layers that are parallel to the X-Y plane of  FIG. 4  and that are 0.1 to 5 mm thick along the Z axis, at least 0.3 mm thick, at least 0.7 mm thick, less than 4 mm thick, etc.), thereby forming a fiber-optic plate for key member  52 . The fiber-optic plate is a planar member that lies in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 4 . Fibers  70  run perpendicular to the surface normal of the fiber-optic plate (e.g., into and out of the page along the Z axis in  FIG. 4 ). The fiber-optic plate may have planar surfaces, curved surfaces (e.g., one or more surfaces of compound curvature or other curved surfaces), and/or surfaces of other shapes. When viewed from above (e.g., the view of  FIG. 4 ), the fiber-optic plate may have a rectangular outline, an oval shape, a circular shape, a rectangular shape with rounded corners, or other suitable key member shape. 
     A perspective view of an illustrative keyboard key in keyboard  16  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , keyboard key  16 K may have a key member (sometimes referred to as a key cap) such as key member  52  that is formed from a coherent fiber bundle (e.g., a fiber-optic plate in which fibers  70  extend vertically parallel to the Z axis). Coherent fiber bundle key member  52  may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. The upper (outwardly facing) surface of key member  52  may be pressed downward (in the −Z direction) by a user&#39;s finger when the user desires to provide device  10  with key press input. 
     Key display  16 D may be formed on the lower (inwardly facing) surface of key member  52 . This surface may be planar. During operation, control circuitry  40  ( FIG. 1 ) may use key display  16 D to display a desired key label. Due to the presence of the coherent fiber bundle (fiber-optic plate) of member  52 , the key label image that is displayed on key display  16 D is presented for the viewer on the opposing upper surface of key member  52 . In effect, the viewer will view the displayed key label as if the key display  16 D were formed on the upper surface of key member  52 , even though key display  16 D is, in fact, located at the lower surface of key member  52  and is protected from damage by the thickness of key member  52 . This enhances the appearance of the key label and key  16 K while allowing the key display to be located in a protected position within key  16 K. If key member  52  were formed form a clear layer of material without embedded optical waveguides such as fibers  70 , images formed on key display  16 D would not appear to be displayed on the upper surface of key member  52 , but rather would appear on the bottom surface of key member  52  and would be distorted when viewed at off-axis angles due to refraction from the clear layer of material. 
     In the example of  FIG. 5 , key label  52 G is being presented on the upper face of key member  52 . Key label  52 G (e.g., an alphanumeric character or other keyboard key symbol) may serve as a label for key  16 K and may be an alphanumeric character, icon, or other symbol. Key label  52 G may be white and key label background  52 B may be black or vice versa. Configurations in which key labels presented on key display  16 D have non-neutral color content (e.g., red, green, blue, etc.) may also be used. In some configurations, key labels  16 D may be animated. Trim patterns (e.g., peripheral ring-shaped trim, etc.) may be incorporated into the key labels, if desired. 
     Keyboard key  16 K may, if desired, be backlit. For example, a light source such as light-emitting diode  58  (e.g., a white light-emitting diode or other backlight illumination source) may emit light  60  that is blocked by opaque portions of key display  16 D and that is permitted to pass by transparent portions of key display  16 D (e.g., neutrally colored and/or non-neutrally colored transparent portions). Light transmitted through key label  52 G (e.g., transmitted light  62 ) may be viewed by a user such as user  54  who is viewing keyboard key  16 K in direction  56 . In some arrangements, backlight light sources such as light-emitting diode  58  may be omitted. In non-backlit key arrangements, and/or configurations in which ambient lighting conditions are bright, viewer  54  will view ambient light that has passed through key member  52  to key display  16 D and has then reflected back in the outward direction through key member  52 . In this type of situation, viewer  54  will view reflected ambient light (e.g., ambient light  66  from ambient light source  64  that has reflected off of key label  52 G as reflected ambient light  68 ). 
     If desired, key member  52  may have one or more curved surfaces. In the example of  FIG. 6 , key member  52  has a planar lower surface that overlaps key display  16 D and has an opposing upper surface  72  with compound curvature (e.g., curvature about both the X and Y axes of  FIG. 6 ). The compound curvature of the upper (key press) surface of key member  52  may help accommodate a rounded human fingertip as a user supplies key press input to key member  52 . At the same time, the planar lower surface of key member  52  may facilitate attachment of key display  16 D without creating wrinkles or other damage in key display  16 D. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of key member  54  showing how upper surface  72  of key member  52  may have a curved cross-sectional profile while opposing lower surface  74  of key member  54  may have a planar surface against which key display  16 D is mounted. In the example of  FIG. 8 , key member  52  has a flat central surface  72 NC (which may optionally have compound curvature) and has chamfered edge surfaces  72 C (e.g., a peripheral chamfered edge that runs around the periphery of key member  52 ). Key display  16 D may include an array of pixels  16 DP for displaying key labels (e.g., a two-dimensional pixel array that extends across the lower surface of member  52 ). 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration for key member  52  in which fibers  70  are tapered inwardly as height (in vertical direction Z) increases above key display  16 D. This arrangement tends to increase the resolution of key label images displayed on upper surface  72 , because the pixel density of  16 D is effectively increased as pixel light is redirected to the smaller effective area on surface  72  by the narrowing of inwardly tapered fibers  70 . Because the image displayed on the tapered upper surface of key member  52  is smaller than the image created at the output of display  16 D, the effect of the coherent fiber bundle of key member  52  of  FIG. 9  is to demagnify the key label displayed on the key display. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration for key member  52  in which fibers  70  are tapered outwardly to magnify the key label displayed on the key display. If desired, the peripheral edges of key member  52  may be flared (e.g., to enhance the appearance of key  16 K, to enhance visibility of a trim pattern along the edge of key member  52 , etc.). 
     If desired, key display  16 D may be omitted and ink patterns or patterns of other material may be used in forming key labels for keys  16 K. In the example of  FIG. 11 , dark material such as black ink  78  (e.g., polymer with dark dye and/or pigment) and light material such as white ink  80  (e.g., polymer with bright dye and/or pigment) have been patterned onto lower surface  74  of key member  50 . Due to the presence of optical fibers  70  in key member  52 , the key label that is formed on lower surface  74  will appear to a user as being present on upper surface  72 , thereby enhancing the appearance of key  16 K. 
     An illustrative keyboard with a reconfigurable key  16 K is shown in  FIG. 12 . Key member  52  of  FIG. 12  is formed from a fiber-optic plate (e.g., a coherent fiber bundle formed from fibers  70 ). Key member  52  may be moved downward (in the −Z direction) when pressed inwardly (downwardly) by a user&#39;s finger. When pressed downward (inwardly into keyboard  16 ), key member  52  may compress dome switch  86  and may compress spring members or other key member biasing structures such as illustrative key member biasing structures  90 . Switch  86  or other movement sensing component in keyboard  16  may be used to monitor movement of key member  52 . Control circuitry  40  ( FIG. 1 ) is coupled to dome switch  86  using signal paths in printed circuit  84  and can detect when dome switch  86  has been compressed, thereby gathering key press input from key  16 K. When key member  52  is released, dome switch  86  and biasing structures  90  presses key member  52  outwardly (upwards in the +Z direction). 
     Key member  52  may be mounted in an opening in keyboard housing member  82 . Housing member  82  may be an upper layer of housing  12 B of  FIG. 1  or other suitable housing wall structure. A two-dimensional array of openings may receive key members  52  for keys  16 K (see, e.g., the openings of housing  12 B of  FIG. 1 ) or other suitable opening patterns may be used. 
     Key display  16 D may be coupled to the lower surface of key member  52  (e.g., using clear adhesive, etc.). If desired, a supporting member such as support structure  88  (e.g., a metal or plastic plate, etc.) may be formed between key display  16 D and dome switch  86 . Biasing structures  90  may be coupled between printed circuit board  84  and support structure  88 . Key display  16 D may have a tail portion such as portion  16 D′ that has signal paths that couple display  16 D to signal paths in printed circuit  84 , thereby coupling each key display  16 D in keyboard  16  to control circuitry  40 . If desired, key displays  16 D may be formed from tongues protruding from a common flexible substrate. 
     Key display  16 D may be a display that emits light (e.g., an organic light-emitting diode display or other light-emitting diode display) or may be a liquid crystal display or electrophoretic display, or other display with adjustable light reflection and/or light transmission properties. Transparent displays without light-emitting diode pixels such as transparent electrophoretic displays can be backlit using one or more optional backlighting light-emitting diodes  58 . Each light-emitting diode  58  may emit backlight illumination  60  that can pass through clear portions of display  16 D. Support structure  88  may, if desired, be transparent (with or without haze to help diffuse light) to allow backlight illumination to illuminate key label images on display  16 D. 
     In the example of  FIGS. 13 and 14 , key member  52 ′ includes a set of horizontally extending optical fibers  100  (e.g., fibers with cores and cladding and optionally bound together using polymer binder) or other horizontal optical waveguides. As shown in  FIG. 13 , key display  16 D may include pixels  102  that can be dynamically adjusted when displaying key label images such as key label  52 G on key member  52 ′. If desired, there may be only a single light-emitting diode in key  16 K or a relatively small number of light-emitting diodes (e.g., 2-10, at least 3, etc.) instead of using a pixelated display such as display  16 D. The use of display  16 D in the example of  FIG. 13  is illustrative. 
     Fibers  100  have light-reflecting structures at ends  92  (or other portions along the lengths of fibers  100 ) that direct light upwards in direction +Z towards a viewer. Ends  92  may be arranged in any suitable pattern over the surface of key member  52 ′ (e.g., in a plurality of predetermined patterns corresponding to one or more different key labels, uniformly in a grid, etc.). Key symbol  52 G may be fixed or the light-emitting diodes of key  16 K (e.g., light-emitting diodes in pixels  102  of key display  16 D) may be selectively activated to control the pattern of light emitted from ends  92 . The cross-sectional side view of key member  52 ′ in  FIG. 14  shows how the ends of the horizontally extending fibers in key member  52 ′ may have reflective structures. For example, fiber  100 ′ may have a beveled end  92 ′ that reflects light  62 ′ upwards in direction +Z and fiber  100 ″ may have a beveled end  92 ′ that is covered with reflective layer  104  (e.g., a layer of metal) to reflect light  62 ″ upward. 
     If desired, stand-alone buttons (keys) may use coherent fiber bundles of the type shown in key members  52 . The use of keys  16 K to form keyboard  16  is merely illustrative. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20191217
Publication Date: 20201229
Grant Date: 20201229
Priority Date: 20170816
Inventors: WILSON, JAMES R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F3/0216", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0202", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/048", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/037", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/0621", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0202", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/01", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0216", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0219", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/0621", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/046", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H13/83", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/014", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0219", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/039", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H13/83", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H13/83", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0216", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2219/0621", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0219", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0202", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 69645616