HIDDEN SENSORS IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100078562A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mullens, Chris, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Huppi, Brian, Tam, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,324,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/339.60
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electronic device having one or more sensors is provided. The sensors may include any suitable type of sensor, including for example a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, or any other suitable type of sensor that emits or receives radiation (e.g., light waves) from the environment. The electronic device may include openings through which radiation may reach the sensors while keeping the sensors hidden from view. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed underneath an opening used for an audio receiver such that radiation is piped to the sensors using a light path or a chamfered surface along the opening. In some embodiments, the sensors may be embedded in a screen such that the radiation emitted by the sensors exits the screen instead of being reflected on the screen (e.g., to provide content displays). In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed along the periphery of the display, such that access to the sensors is provided via discontinuities in a gasket used to couple the display to the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device having at least one sensor for detecting the environment of the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

an audio receiver;

an opening for emitting audio generated by the audio receiver through the opening;

an audio mesh covering the opening;

a first sensor operative to emit radiation, the first sensor positioned underneath the opening;

a second sensor operative to detect radiation, the second sensor positioned underneath the opening and adjacent to the first sensor; and

a divider positioned between the first and second sensors, the divider operative to prevent radiation emitted by the first sensor from being detected by the second sensor without the radiation first exiting the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a light pipe operative to propagate radiation from the opening to at least one of the first and second sensors.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises an infrared LED.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the second sensor comprises an infrared detector.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are positioned within the projection of periphery of the opening.

6. An electronic device having at least one sensor for detecting the environment of the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

an audio receiver;

an opening for emitting audio generated by the audio receiver through the opening, the opening comprising first and second portions with chamfered edges;

a first sensor operative to emit radiation, the first sensor positioned adjacent to the first portion with the chamfered edge;

a second sensor operative to detect radiation, the second sensor positioned adjacent to the second portion with the chamfered edge; and

infrared ink applied to the chamfered edges of the first and second portions.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a darkened mask placed around the opening, wherein the mask is in contact with the infrared ink at the first and second portions.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first and second sensors are positioned underneath the mask.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first and second portions of the opening are located on opposite ends of the opening.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the infrared ink is operative to direct radiation between the environment and the first and second sensors.

11. An electronic device having a at least one sensor for detecting the environment of the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display comprising a plurality of LEDs operative to illuminate to provide content to a user; and

at least one sensor embedded among the plurality of LEDs of the display.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a light pipe operative to provide a path between the sensor and the environment, the light pipe passing through the display.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a first sensor operative to emit radiation to the environment; and

a second sensor operative to detect radiation received from the environment, the first and second sensors positioned such that the second sensor does not detect radiation emitted by the first sensor from within the display.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising:

a first light pipe coupling the first sensor to the environment; and

a second light pipe coupling the second sensor to the environment.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first sensor comprises an infrared LED and the second sensor comprises an infrared detector.

16. An electronic device having at least one sensor, comprising:

a bezel;

a display coupled to the bezel, wherein

the bezel is positioned around the periphery of the display;

a gasket positioned between the bezel and the display;

at least one sensor placed underneath the display; and

at least one opening in the gasket between the bezel and the display, the opening providing access to the at least one sensor.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a light pipe between the opening in the gasket and the at least one sensor.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the dimensions of the light pipe are selected to enable the propagation of particular light frequencies from the environment to the at least one sensor.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising:

a first sensor operative to emit infrared light using an infrared LED;

a second sensor operative to detect infrared light using an infrared detector; and

first and second openings in the gasket,

the first opening providing access to the first sensor and the second opening providing access to the second sensor.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the gasket is retained between the bezel and the display using a press fit.