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Apple Patent Application Addresses Use of Ambient Light Sources for Notebook Backlighting

Not sure how these patents work, because my Citroen C4 (5 years old) uses this exact technology to light the instrument panel. It uses sunlight during the day to light the LCD screen and lights at night. The dashboard act as a reflector.

So not much of a new invention to me.
 
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/5.0.17405/1092; U; en) Presto/2.4.15)

To have it equally backlight every pixel is near impossible.
 
It may not make it to market in this exact form but little by little the information and knowledge gained by these patents often end up becoming important.
 
sishaw said:
The trick in a patent application is to reveal enough to get the patent, but not too much. There's no way the reflector is going to bulk outwards like that. A thin, reflective layer behind the screen like a cat's eye (the user won't even know it's there) --sure, that makes sense.
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Actually, the inventors are required to reveal what they consider to be the best mode of practicing the invention. They can't play the "trick" to which you refer.
 
cmaier said:
Actually, the inventors are required to reveal what they consider to be the best mode of practicing the invention. They can't play the "trick" to which you refer.
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I'm wrong on this one, and I appreciate the correction. I still find it hard to believe Apple would actually put out something this bulky, unless it is some sort of attachment that can be removed when not in use. Even then, very un-Apple.
 
sishaw said:
I'm wrong on this one, and I appreciate the correction. I still find it hard to believe Apple would actually put out something this bulky, unless it is some sort of attachment that can be removed when not in use. Even then, very un-Apple.
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Just because they are patenting it doesn't mean they intend to do it :)
 
Sunlight = Heat.

I thought computers didn't work well in heat?

Maybe it uses ambient light from office lights?

s.
 
mr.steevo said:
Sunlight = Heat.

I thought computers didn't work well in heat?

Maybe it uses ambient light from office lights?

s.
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Computers doesn't work well in excessive heat. How much is excessive? It depends; please consult the tech specs of the device in question, usually in a section called Environmental Requirements.

The quantity of sunlight might not be enough to heat up the item in question or the surrounding environment, but might adequate for illumination.

Ever walk outside on a sunny winter day? Is it bright enough to read outdoors? Perhaps. Is it bright enough to warm up you and the air so you can talk off most of your clothes? Maybe, maybe not.

Ever get sunburned on a sunny winter day? An overcast summer day? ;)
 
Should have patented it when I came up with this concept 15 years ago!

They laughed at me then for being a dreamer...they'll regret that when I'm King. :D
 
Antares said:
This is the future of display technology. We are seeing a glimpse into the future. Right here, right now. Think of all the energy this will save by not having to use a backlight.
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Right. Now instead of a low wattage backlight, you just have to turn on high wattage ambient lighting ... oh, wait...
 
What if in the future you'll have super-cheap disposable computers, and this could be a cheap way to produce a decent image... I can't imagine this on a "normal" computer, but rather on something like that OLPC kind of thing. What if this would allow a very long battery life on a cheap computer? If the bulky reflector is foldable, the computer stays as portable as it would normally be if you close it. It could also be useful for the military, when they need to use computers with the longest possible battery life if they're somewhere where they can't access electricity. Just ideas, I'm sure there would be a non-consumer domain where this would fit in.
 
Does anybody know what shape the mirror needs to do this job well? How bulky would this have to be?

Another big question - what relationship between the sun's position and the reflector would make this work? On really bright days, I wouldn't want to have the sun behind the screen, as it gets too bright to look into the sun (and polarized sunglasses get all funky w/ computer screens). Face the other way, and you'd have shadows from the screen to contend with. Perpendicular, and you'd have a lot of trouble capturing the light.

Hmm.
 
Uhhh...
http://www.ecogeek.org/efficiency/2403

LG said:
The LCD panel uses "backlight data signal switching technology," which means the backlight panels can be switched between reflective mode in sunlight to transmissive mode indoors, by hitting a button. When the outdoor mode is in use, energy consumption falls by 75% compared to the indoor mode, significantly extending the life of a computer battery.
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Granted it's not a mirror sticking out of the back of a laptop.. but seems similar..
 
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