Electronic device with wrap around display

• US 10,345,860 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myers, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Nicholas J
• Application Number:
  US15/954,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20180329456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/06 on insulating boards , e.g. wiring harnesses for printed circuits H05K1/18, H05K3/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device having front and rear surfaces, comprising:

a transparent enclosure that forms at least part of the front and rear surfaces;

a circuit board; and

a display assembly configured to provide visual content, wherein the display assembly is positioned in the transparent enclosure and extends around the circuit board, wherein the display assembly has first and second ends, wherein the second end is coupled to the first end at a joint, and wherein the visual content extends continuously across the joint.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transparent enclosure defines an interior surface, and wherein the display assembly is capable of presenting the visual content at any location along the interior surface.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transparent enclosure comprises a rectangular cross section.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transparent enclosure lacks a seam.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the joint comprises a lap joint.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the first end is at least partially covered by the second end to define the lap joint.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transparent enclosure comprises:

a first region that defines a first surface, the first region having a first curvature; and

a second region that defines a second surface, the second region having a second curvature greater than the first curvature,

wherein the display assembly presents icons representing software applications at a first location corresponding to the first region, and

wherein the display assembly further presents icons a control input at a second location corresponding to the second region.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first support column; and

a second support column, wherein the circuit board is connected to the first support column and the second support column.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a second display assembly, wherein:

the display assembly defines a first display assembly,

the second display assembly overlaps the first display assembly, and

the first display assembly and the second display assembly combine to present 3D visual content.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a transparent housing that defines an internal volume; and

a display assembly positioned in the internal volume, the display assembly having a first end and a second end joined with the first end to form a continuous loop such that the display assembly is capable of presenting visual content at any location along the transparent housing.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of a user; and

facial tracking software that uses the image to determine an orientation of the user relative to a portion of the display assembly.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the transparent housing comprises a rectangular housing comprising a first surface and a second surface smaller than the first surface, and wherein the display assembly presents a control input at a location corresponding to the second surface.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the display assembly presents software applications at a location corresponding to the first surface.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the transparent housing comprises an interior surface, and

the display assembly is attached to the transparent housing at the interior surface.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first end overlaps the second end to define a joint.

16. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a front portion and a back portion integrally formed with the front portion, wherein the front portion and the back portion are formed from a transparent material that defines an internal volume;

a circuit board positioned within the internal volume;

a processor positioned within the internal volume and electrically coupled to the circuit board;

a battery positioned within the internal volume and electrically coupled to the circuit board; and

a display assembly positioned in the internal volume, the display assembly having a first section positioned between the front portion and the processor and a second section positioned between the battery and the back portion.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the display assembly wraps around the circuit board and the battery.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the front portion and the back portion form a rectangular cross section.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the display assembly forms a continuous loop such that the display assembly is capable of presenting visual content at any location along the housing.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the display assembly is configured to present visual content,

the display assembly comprises a first end and a second end coupled to the first end at a joint, and

the visual content extends continuously across the joint.