SMUDGE REMOVAL FROM ELECTRONIC DEVICE DISPLAYS
First Claim
1. An electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
a display device positioned within the housing and comprising;
a transparent cover having a surface viewable outside of the housing and susceptible to receiving a smudge; and
a vibration device coupled to the transparent cover to provide motion in a direction parallel to the surface; and
electronic circuitry to present information through the transparent cover.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for removing smudges (506, 706, 806, 906) including oils and dust from portable electronic displays. The apparatus comprises a display device (110, 150, 500, 700, 800, 900, 1000) positioned within a housing (102, 104, 808), comprising a transparent cover (302, 502, 702, 802, 902, 1002) having a surface (508, 908) viewable through an opening in the housing (102, 104, 808) and a susceptibility to receiving contaminants (506, 706, 806, 906). A vibration device (504, 704, 804, 904, 1004) is positioned against the transparent cover (302, 502, 702, 802, 902, 1002) to provide motion (510) in a direction parallel to the surface, thereby causing the contaminants to move (708) across the surface (508, 908). The contaminants (506, 706, 806, 906) may then be hidden by the housing (102, 104, 808) or ejected by a motion (912) perpendicular to the surface by another vibrating device (911). Electronic circuitry (505) is provided for activating the vibration device (504, 704, 804, 904, 1004) either during normal operation of the electronic device or as selected by the user.
19 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic device comprising:
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a housing; a display device positioned within the housing and comprising; a transparent cover having a surface viewable outside of the housing and susceptible to receiving a smudge; and a vibration device coupled to the transparent cover to provide motion in a direction parallel to the surface; and electronic circuitry to present information through the transparent cover. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electronic device comprising:
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a housing defining an opening; and a display device positioned within the housing, comprising; a transparent cover having a surface viewable through the opening and susceptible to receiving contaminants; a vibration device positioned against the transparent cover to provide motion in a direction parallel to the surface, thereby causing the contaminants to move across the surface; and electronic circuitry for activating the vibration device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. A method of removing contaminants from the transparent surface of an electronic device display, comprising vibrating the surface in a direction parallel to the surface, wherein the contaminants migrate to a periphery of the surface.
Specification