DISPLAY MODULE AND SYSTEM APPLICATIONS

• US 20150169011A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: LuxVue Techonology Corporation (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Bibl, Andreas, Sakariya, Kapil V., Pavate, Vikram
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/10 by controlling light sources, e.g. electroluminescent diodes G04G9/0058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3171 the coating being directly applied to the semiconductor body, e.g. passivation layer H01L23/3178 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5384 Conductive vias through the substrate with or without pins, e.g. buried coaxial conductors H01L23/5383, H01L23/5385 take precedence; pins attached to insulating substrates H01L23/49811
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5386 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/167 comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0216 Coatings H01L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/16 the semiconductor device sensitive to radiation being controlled by the light source or sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 : Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/115 : Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections H05K1/112 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 : at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 : Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 : Display

Abstract

A display module and system applications including a display module are described. The display module may include a display substrate including a front surface, a back surface, and a display area on the front surface. A plurality of interconnects extend through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface. An array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are in the display area and electrically connected with the plurality of interconnects, and one or more driver circuits are on the back surface of the display substrate. Exemplary system applications include wearable, rollable, and foldable displays.

Claims

1. A display module comprising:

a display substrate including a front surface, a back surface, and a display area on the front surface;

a plurality of interconnects extending through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface;

an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the display area and electrically connected with the plurality of interconnects; and

one or more driver circuits on the front surface or the back surface of the display substrate.

2. The display module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnects extend through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface directly behind the display area, and the one or more driver circuits are on the back surface of the display substrate.

3. The display module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnects are through vias extending through the display substrate from the front surface to the back surface.

4. The display module of claim 1, further comprising a battery on the back surface of the display substrate.

5. The display module of claim 2, wherein a flexible printed circuit does not connect the one or more driver circuits to the display substrate.

6. The display module of claim 1, further comprising a ground via through the display substrate.

7. The display module of claim 2, further comprising an array of micro chips on the front surface of the display substrate and within the display area.

8. The display module of claim 7, wherein the array of micro chips are electrically connected with the plurality of interconnects and the array of LEDs.

9. The display module of claim 8, wherein the array of micro chips overlaps the plurality of interconnects.

10. The display module of claim 8, wherein the array of micro chips does not overlap the plurality of interconnects.

11. The display module of claim 8, wherein the array of micro chips includes an array of ambient light sensors.

12. The display module of claim 8, further comprising a uniform distribution of ambient light sensors in the array of micro chips.

13. The display module of claim 2, wherein the display module is incorporated into a wearable electronic devices.

14. The display module of claim 13, wherein the wearable electronic device is a smartwatch

15. The display module of claim 14, wherein the display area of the display substrate spans a watch face and band of the smartwatch.

16. The display module of claim 2, wherein the display substrate is secured to a spool.

17. The display module of claim 16, wherein the spool comprises one or more driver circuits in electrical contact with the plurality of interconnects.

18. The display module of claim 17, wherein the display module is incorporated into a television.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations to adjust display data for a display area of a wearable electronic device, the operations comprising:

receiving input from a control device, the input including data for the display area of the wearable electronic device;

parsing the input to derive the data for display; and

displaying the derived data on the display area, wherein the display area is on a flexible display substrate spanning a face and band of the wearable electronic device.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the wearable electronic device is a smartwatch.

21. The medium of claim 20 further comprising instructions to perform additional operations including:

receiving a configuration of the display area of the watch face and band;

receiving a design from the derived data, the design including a watch face and a watch band; and

updating the display area with the received design.

22. A display module for a wearable electronic device comprising:

a flexible display substrate spanning a face and a band of the wearable electronic device;

an accessory manager coupled to the display substrate, to receive input from a control device communicatively coupled to the display module; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) manager, to control information displayed on the display substrate, wherein the display substrate includes a first display area associated with a face of the wearable electronic device and a second display area associated with a band of the wearable electronic device.

23. The display module of claim 22, wherein the GUI manager is further to provide a watch face design to the first display area and a watch band design to the second display area.

24. The display module of claim 23, wherein the accessory manager is further to receive input data from a control device via a communication module, the input data including configuration data for the GUI manager.