Optics: image projectors – Composite projected image – Multicolor picture
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-17
2004-08-17
Niebling, John F. (Department: 2812)
Optics: image projectors
Composite projected image
Multicolor picture
C349S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06776491
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus which is represented by a liquid crystal display apparatus, and electronic equipment equipped with an image display apparatus, and in particular, to a computer system.
2. Background Art
The diffusion of personal computers (hereafter, PC) is remarkable, and the activities in the office, which are performed without using PCs, now are no longer considered. In addition, there is also a case that both a desktop PC, installed in an office, and a notebook PC, excellent in portability, are used as PCs.
Since being excellent in portability, a notebook PC is frequently used in places other than an office. Since illumination is fully provided when the notebook PC is used in an office, it is possible to secure sufficient luminosity on a keyboard that is the input means of the notebook PC. However, sufficient luminosity may be unable to be secured when used in places other than an office. For example, it is the case that a notebook PC is used in an airplane. In the airplane that is performing a night flight, when people around are sleeping and an overhead lamp provided in the airplane is used, a trouble may happen for the people around. Therefore, assuming such a situation, it is desirable to equip the notebook PC with an illumination light that can illuminate a keyboard.
A computer that can meet this request is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Nos. 6-83479 and 8-76882.
A portable computer
100
disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 6-83479 is shown in FIG.
12
. This portable computer
100
comprises a keyboard unit
101
equipped with keys
102
in a top face, a display unit
104
equipped with a display screen
103
in a top face side, and support means
105
supporting the display unit
104
over the keyboard unit
101
. The display unit
104
is arranged so that it can be seen from a top against the keyboard unit
101
with the support means
105
configured by a linkage or a support. A lamp
106
illuminating the keys
102
on the keyboard unit
101
is provided in an undersurface side of the display unit
104
.
A portable computer
200
disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 8-76882 is shown in FIG.
13
. The portable computer
200
consists of an operation unit
201
equipped with a keyboard
202
, and a display
203
equipped with a liquid crystal panel
204
. A backlight unit consisting of a fluorescent lamp
205
, a light guide plate
206
, and a passive reflector
207
is provided in a back surface of the liquid crystal panel
204
. In addition, a passive reflector
208
and a condenser lens
209
condensing light reflected from the passive reflector
208
on a keyboard
202
are provided near the fluorescent lamp
205
.
Since a keyboard can be illuminated effectively even if the portable computer
100
disclosed in the above described Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 6-83479 or the portable computer
200
disclosed in the above described Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 8-76882 is used in the darkness of an airplane, there is hardly a possibility of troubling people around.
A portable computer such as a notebook PC receives the supply of power from external commercial AC power or a built-in battery. In a place, which has a commercial AC power, like an office, the portable computer receives the supply of power from the commercial AC power through an adapter. In a place without the commercial AC power, the portable computer receives the supply of power from the built-in battery. At the time of riding on a conveyance such as an airplane and using a portable computer, the portable computer will receive the supply of power from the built-in battery. However, with a present built-in battery, a portable computer cannot be used over a long time. For example, the power of a built-in battery will be consumed by the use in about 2 to 3 hours.
When a lamp
106
for illuminating the keys
102
is newly provided like the portable computer
100
disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 6-83479, the power for turning on a lamp
106
is needed. In case the lamp
106
is turned on in an airplane, a built-in battery will be asked for the power. Therefore, the consumption of the built-in battery will become quick.
In the case of the portable computer
200
in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 8-76882, a fluorescent lamp
205
that is a light source of a liquid crystal panel is asked for light illuminating the keyboard
202
. That is, since the light source for illuminating the keys
102
is not newly provided like Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 6-83479, the problem that power dissipation increases does not arise. However, since the portable computer
200
disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 8-76882 radiates light to the keyboard
202
, additional elements, which are originally unnecessary for the liquid crystal panel
204
, such as two passive reflectors
207
and
208
, and a condenser lens
209
are needed. An additional element raises cost while complicating structure. In addition, since it is obliged to secure a space for arranging the additional element, it will be contrary to a common requirement, that is, miniaturization.
In view of the above situation, a subject of the present invention is to provide an image display apparatus that can illuminate input means such as a keyboard without adding a new element and moreover increasing power dissipation. Moreover, another subject of the present invention is to provide electronic equipment and a computer system each of which is equipped with such an image display apparatus.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
A feature of the present invention relates to a display apparatus characterized in having a display panel for displaying an image, a light source for supplying light to the display panel, and a flat-surface lighting surface member which has a lighting surface emitting light, radiated from the light source, as flat-surface light while being arranged with the display panel. A housing contains the display panel, the light source, and the flat-surface lighting surface member. The housing further includes a window through light passes the flat-surface lighting surface member and leaks to the outside.
Another feature of the present invention provides a liquid crystal display apparatus that includes a liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image, a light source for emitting light for image display, and a light guide plate that has a front surface and a back surface. The liquid crystal display panel is arranged so that it is on the front surface side of the light guide and is used for leading light, emitted from the light source, to the liquid crystal display panel. A frame that holds the liquid crystal display panel, the light source, and the light guide plate has an optically transparent area that transmits light emitted from a back surface of the light guide plate.
Still yet another feature of the present invention provides an electronic equipment comprising an input operation unit, where operation keys are provided, and a display unit. The display unit comprises a display panel displaying an image by receiving the radiation of light, a light source for supplying the light, and an irradiating plate for radiating the light that is being emitted from the light source to the display panel, and illuminating the input operation unit by a part of the light radiated from the irradiating plate.
Furthermore, another feature of the present invention provides a computer system having an operation unit equipped with a keyboard as input means, a liquid crystal panel displaying an image, a backlight unit supplying light to the liquid crystal panel, and a frame that holds the liquid crystal panel in a front surface side and the backlight unit in a back surface side. The backlight unit includes a light source, a light guide plate that receives
Horiuchi Mitsuo
Kiyotani Yoshimasa
Nakamura Fusanobu
Tamura Fumio
Dougherty Anne V.
Jennings Derek S.
Niebling John F.
Stevenson Andre′ C.
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