Future Apple MacBooks could have screens backlit by the sun

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
First on AppleInsider: A new Apple patent application revealed this week describes technology that would allow an external light source, like the sun, to provide the backlight for a display, helping to conserve battery life.



The application revealed this week, entitled "External Light Illumination of Display Screens," notes that current LCD displays can be difficult to view when outdoors in direct sunlight. In addition, it said, it often takes high-powered components to properly light the display. The patent describes a way for a portable computer, like a MacBook, to collect external light to illuminate the computer screen.



One described method would employ a "light harness," which would serve as a collector of light that would then be displayed onto the screen. This could be done by having the harness reflect light toward the back of the display panel.



In addition to the sun, external light could come from a variety of sources, including an accessory light bulb that could be a part of the mobile computer. The application also mentions such a device could be used in a vehicle, with the screen illuminated by a light inside a car.



The system could also include internal LED light sources that could be used in conjunction with the external light source, if there is not enough light available to properly see the screen.



"The internal light sources may also increase the power consumption of the electronic device," the application reads. "Therefore, a manifold or other light harness may be used along one or more edges of the display screen in conjunction with or as an alternative to the internal light sources to provide illumination to the display screen by emitting light channeled from an external light source across the display screen."







One potential method would have the reflector behind the display screen, relaying light to the back of the panel to illuminate it for the user. Another method described in the application would allow the user to remove the reflector entirely, if the user were to position themselves and the back of the computer display towards the light source.







The technology would rely on a translucent surface, either removable or permanent, placed behind the computer display. The surface would either pass or harness external light, allowing the display to be illuminated. The surface could also be hardened to prevent damage to the display.







The patent application was filed with the U.S. Trademark & Patent Office on Sept. 19, 2008. The invention is credited to Peter H. Mahowald.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    ...Damn!
  • Reply 2 of 33
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    iLight.
  • Reply 3 of 33
    womble2k2womble2k2 Posts: 118member
    Colour accurary?? As any photographer knows, the white balance of the sun is very different to that of artificial light, so a clever system of balancing colours would be required.



    Hot spots? If the reflector is not set up correctly, it could produce hot spots which would ultimately damage the screen.



    How many keys on the keyboard!?!



    Phil
  • Reply 4 of 33
    mintmint Posts: 17member
    My Macbook already has this feature. But only in a small apple shaped spot in the middle
  • Reply 5 of 33
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    If it's a bright day and the sun is behind your MacBook, you can already see the sun shining through the Apple Logo on the screen. Not terribly useful, and very occasionally annoying.
  • Reply 6 of 33
    If I put my MacBook Air in the sunlight it already shines through my screen completely through the Apple logo. So... maybe I have a super secret model? :P
  • Reply 7 of 33
    It isn't clear to me how this could be accomplished without adding bulk to the notebook. Adding some type of outrigger to collect sunlight would make the notebook clumsy to move around.

    Even distribution of the light coming in would be an issue, as the source could come from above, below, sides, corners, or as a bright source directly behind. White balance would probably be controlled similar to a digital camera.



    Always nice to get another patent, though
  • Reply 8 of 33
    I remember seeing a demo of an IBM Thinkpad back in 1997 that used the sun to backlight the LCD screen of a laptop. A door the length of the screen opened up at the top, allowing light to bounce in. True, it didn't give a uniform look to the back-lighting, but it did definitely work. I think I was seeing a demo unit, but I don't know if it ever made it to production. (Also, the whole back part of the screen could pop off so you could use the machine on an Overhead Projector. Dunno how they got around the heat issue, but it worked too, though not as great as an actual projector)
  • Reply 9 of 33
    jetlawjetlaw Posts: 156member
    I am a pretty big support of Apple, but this filing sure looks like the guys in art department in Cupertino had some spare time on their hands!



    I have a hard time believing that the same guy who couldn't get far enough away from the bulk of a floppy drive would be interested in attaching an awning to his company's notebooks!
  • Reply 10 of 33
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    The design in the drawings isn't practical. Undoing an extra flap in the back? That's a pain in the ass.



    If they had a magnifying glass-type material around the edges of the lid, it would collect and refract the light into the screen.
  • Reply 11 of 33
    I would rather just use the sun on a solar charger.
  • Reply 12 of 33
    cvaldes1831cvaldes1831 Posts: 1,832member
    Apple patents far more of these oddball ideas than it actually takes to market.



    Not a big deal.
  • Reply 13 of 33
    desarcdesarc Posts: 642member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by womble2k2 View Post


    Colour accurary?? As any photographer knows, the white balance of the sun is very different to that of artificial light, so a clever system of balancing colours would be required.



    Hot spots? If the reflector is not set up correctly, it could produce hot spots which would ultimately damage the screen.



    How many keys on the keyboard!?!



    Phil



    honestly, if you're worried about color accuracy, you're NOT using a laptop outside in the sun.
  • Reply 14 of 33
    That Al Gore... needs to stay away from Ive's desk...
  • Reply 15 of 33
    remember commenters, companies try to patent every little thing they think of. i doubt this will see the light of day. (see what i did there?)



    i think with power management improvement, new screen technologies, more efficient LED backlights, and to a lesser extent new battery technology, this kind of system won't be necessary.



    and that's in addition to the fact that this kind of bulky, complicated setup is very un-apple.
  • Reply 16 of 33
    Interesting concept, but I always thought solar cells got extremely hot when using them to create energy.
  • Reply 17 of 33
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    A new Apple patent application. . . a "light harness,". . . an accessory light bulb. . . a light inside a car. . . a manifold. . . reflector behind the display screen. . . or remove the reflector entirely. . . would rely on a translucent surface. . . removable or permanent. . .



    This sounds like it should be sold via infomercial and bundled with the in-egg-scrambler.
  • Reply 18 of 33
    cvaldes1831cvaldes1831 Posts: 1,832member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Interesting concept, but I always thought solar cells got extremely hot when using them to create energy.



    Please reread the main article. It's not a solar cell.



    It's basically a reflector providing the backlight that would normally be provided by a white LED panel (or formerly a CCFL panel). The collected light would be funneled to a plastic part that acts as a emitter, like a fiber optic light, just big and rectangular.



    SGI's Corona LCD display panel (circa 1995?) had a removable backlight. You could then clip the display panel to an overhead projector (this was when LCD projectors were the size of suitcases). In this setup, the light from the overhead projector was shining directly on the LCD, but it wasn't much different.



    The main thing here is the collection of sunlight and transmitting it to a diffuse panel behind the LCD.
  • Reply 19 of 33
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member




    I've created a "light harness" which would serve as a collector of light that would then be displayed onto the screen of an "LCD Display"...



    I'm Dr. Evil and I approve this frick'n technology...
  • Reply 20 of 33
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,625member
    Not gonna frackin' happen... This is just patenting an idea for the sake of claiming it. It will NEVER be used by Apple.
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