Apple patent involves Mac keyboards with keycaps that could change based on content

Apple has filed for a patent (number 20220399172) that would allow Mac keyboards to be customized. Specifically, they could be customized with an array of LEDs under a keycap that could change based on content.

About the patent filing

The patent filing generally involves keyboards and key mechanisms for electronic device. More particularly it relates to keycaps having illuminable glyphs that are selectively visible to the human eye.

In the patent filing, Apple notes that keyboards for computing devices have many purposes and are used in a wide range of places and times. 

Keyboard keys often include legends or glyphs used to identify the functions of each key. Also, to improve ease of use of a keyboard in low light conditions, many keyboards provide backlighting that illuminates the keys or glyphs. 

Apple wants to make its keyboards even more useful by equipping them with keycaps that can change based on content.

Summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “Keyboards and other electronic input devices have a key or keys with glyphs that are invisible to an unaided human eye in a first condition, such as when an underlying display attached to the key is not emitting light. The glyphs are

visible through the key or keys when the display emits light. A one-way visibility laver or structure obscures the visibility of the display when viewed from above, but when the display emits light, the light penetrates through the one-way visibility layer, such as by passing through an array of microperforations in them and is visible to an onlooker.”