Apparatus and method for illuminating a portable electronic or computing device

An apparatus and method for illuminating a display screen located in a top portion of a handheld portable video game device having a port in electrical connection with a power source. The apparatus includes a plug for plugging the apparatus into the port, a body connected to the plug, the body adapted to be detachably mounted to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device, and a light emitting diode ("LED") attached to the body and to be electrically connected to the utility port through the plug and the body. The LED is powered by the power source so as to illuminate the display screen of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port. The method includes the steps of providing the disclosed apparatus, plugging the plug into the port, mounting the body to the top portion of the device, and illuminating the device.

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What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for illuminating a display screen located in a top portion of a handheld portable video game device having a port in electrical connection with a power source,comprising: a plug for plugging the apparatus into the port; a body coupled to the plug, the body is detachably mounted to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device; and a light emitting diode ("LED") carried by the body and to beelectrically connected to the port via at least the plug, the LED powered by the power source so as to illuminate the display screen of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld portable video game device has a top face, a left side face, and a right side face; and the body is adapted to mount to the top face, the left side face, and the right side face of the topportion of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body includes a bendable wire therein to allow the body to better conform to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld portable video game device has a generally rectangular top face and the top portion has a generally rectangular cross section; and the body includes a generally rectangular recess adapted toreceive the generally rectangular top face and generally rectangular top portion when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld portable video game device is adapted to receive video game cartridges in the top portion of the handheld portable video game device; and the body includes an opening sized to accommodate avideo game cartridge in the top portion of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of LEDs are attached to the body.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the body includes multiple appendages with respective distal ends, and the plurality of LEDs are located at the respective distal ends of the multiple appendages.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LED is a white light diode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LED is a wide-angle LED.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LED is a 70 degree LED.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body includes a neck and a head, and the LED is located in the head.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein both the head and neck are bendable for adjusting the LED relative to the screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a brightness control mechanism to control the brightness of the LED.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a resistor to control the brightness of the LED at a generally fixed brightness level.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a regulator to deliver a generally fixed amount of power to the LED.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a diffuser to diffuse the light from the LED.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a member from the group consisting of a mirror or a magnifier to concentrate light from the LED onto the screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug includes a second port to receive a second plug that is in electrical communication with the port when the second plug is plugged into the second port and the plug is plugged into the port.

19. A method of illuminating a display screen of a top portion of a handheld portable video game device having a port in electrical connection with a power source, comprising: providing an apparatus including a plug for plugging the apparatusinto the port, a body coupled to the plug, the body adapted to be detachably mounted to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device, and a light emitting diode ("LED") carried by the body and to be electrically connected to the port via atleast the plug; coupling the plug of the apparatus with the port of the handheld portable video game device so as to power the LED; mounting the body to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device; illuminating the display screen of thehandheld portable video game device with the LED.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the handheld portable video game device has a top face, a left side face, and a right side face; and mounting the body to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device includes mounting the bodyto the top face,.the left side face, and the right side face of the top portion of the handheld portable video game device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the body includes a bendable wire therein to allow the body to better conform to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device, and mounting the body to the top portion of the handheld portablevideo game device includes bending the body with the bendable wire to conform the body to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the handheld portable video game device has a generally rectangular top face and the top portion has a generally rectangular cross section, the body includes a generally rectangular recess adapted to receivethe generally rectangular top face and the generally rectangular top portion, and mounting the body to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device includes positioning the generally rectangular top face of the top portion of the handheldportable video game device within the generally rectangular recess of the body.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the body includes an opening sized to accommodate the insertion or removal of a video game cartridge in the top portion of the handheld portable video game device, and the method further includes inserting orremoving a video game cartridge in the top portion of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port and mounted to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein a plurality of LEDs are attached to the body, and illuminating the display screen includes illuminating the display screen with the plurality of LEDs.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the body includes multiple appendages with respective distal ends, and the plurality of LEDs are located at the respective distal ends of the multiple appendages.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the LED is a white light diode.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the LED is a wide-angle LED.

28. The method of claim 19, Wherein the LED is a 70 degree LED.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the body includes a neck and a head with a bendable wire, the LED is located in the head, and the method further includes bending the neck and head to a desired position for lighting the screen.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a brightness control mechanism to control the brightness of the LED, and the method further includes adjusting the brightness of the LED.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a resistor to control the brightness of the LED at a generally fixed brightness level.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a regulator to deliver a generally fixed amount of power to the LED.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a resistor to control the brightness of the LED at a generally fixed brightness level.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a diffuser to diffuse the light from the LED.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a member from the group consisting of a mirror or a magnifier to concentrate the light from the LED onto the screen.

36. The method of claim 19, wherein the plug includes a second port to receive a second plug that is in electrical communication with the port when the second plug is plugged into the second port and the plug is plugged into the port, the methodfurther including plugging a second plug into the second port for powering or communicating a separate accessory with the handheld portable video game device.

37. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a reflector to reflect light from the LED onto the display screen.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the reflector is adapted to concentrate light toward the display screen.

39. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the head is bendable for moving the LED relative to the display screen.

40. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the neck is bendable for moving the LED relative to the display screen.

41. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a reflector to reflect light from the LED onto the display screen.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the reflector is adapted to concentrate light toward the display screen.

43. An apparatus for illuminating a display screen of a handheld portable video game device having a top portion and a port in electrical connection with a power source, comprising: a plug for plugging the apparatus into the port; a bodycoupled to the plug, the body is detachably mounted to the top portion of the handheld portable video game device; and an illumination device carried by the body and to be electrically connected to the port via at least the plug, the illumination devicepowered by the power source so as to illuminate the display screen of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the illumination device is a LED.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the top portion of the handheld portable video game device has opposite corners, and the body is adapted to be detachably mounted to a corner of the top portion of the handheld portable video game device.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the body includes a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall adapted to be to be detachably mounted to a corner of the top portion of the handheld portable video game device.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the apparatus includes a second port to receive a second plug that is in electrical communication with the port when the second plug is plugged into the second port and the plug is plugged into the port.

48. An apparatus for illuminating a display screen of a handheld portable video game device having a top portion with opposite corners and a port in electrical connection with a power source, comprising: a plug for plugging the apparatus intothe port; a body coupled to the plug, the body including a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall wherein the body is detachably mounted to a corner of the top portion of the handheld portable video game device; and an illuminationdevice carried by the body and to be electrically connected to the port via at least the plug, the illumination device powered by the power source so as to illuminate the display screen of the handheld portable video game when the apparatus is pluggedinto the port.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the illumination device is a LED.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the apparatus includes a second port to receive a second plug that is in electrical communication with the port when the second plug is plugged into the second port and the plug is plugged into the port.

51. An apparatus for illuminating a display screen of a handheld portable video game device, the handheld portable video game device having multiple faces and a port extending from one of the multiple faces, the port in electrical connectionwith a power source, comprising: a plug for plugging the apparatus into the port, a flat wall extending laterally from the plug and adapted to be generally parallel with the face of the handheld portable video game device that the port extends from whenthe plug is plugged into the port; a body coupled to the plug; and an illumination device carried by the body and to be electrically connected to the port via at least the plug, the illumination device powered by the power source so as to illuminatethe display screen of the handheld portable video game device when the apparatus is plugged into the port.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the illumination device is a LED.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the apparatus includes a second port to receive a second plug that is in electrical communication with the port when the second plug is plugged into the second port and the plug is plugged into theport.