Electronic Device Display With Array of Discrete Light-Emitting Diodes

• US 20160041663A1
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Wei, Hotelling, Steven P., Zhong, John Z., Athas, William C., Yao, Wei H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,739,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/14 Detecting light within display terminals, e.g. using a single or a plurality of photosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/03 specially adapted for displays having non-planar surfaces, e.g. curved displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/30 using solid-state colour display devices

Abstract

An electronic device may include a display. The display may be formed by an array of light-emitting diodes mounted to the surface of a substrate. The substrate may be a silicon substrate. Circuitry may be located in spaces between the light-emitting diodes. Circuitry may also be located on the rear surface of the silicon substrate and may be coupled to the array of light-emitting diodes using through-silicon vias. The circuitry may include integrated circuits and other components that are attached to the substrate and may include transistors and other circuitry formed within the silicon substrate. Touch sensor electrodes, light sensors, and other components may be located in the spaces between the light-emitting diodes. The substrate may be formed from a transparent material that allows image light to reach a lens and image sensor mounted below the substrate.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

a display cover layer having a curved inner surface;

a flexible substrate mounted against the curved inner surface; and

an array of light-emitting diodes mounted on the flexible substrate.

2. The display defined in claim 1 further comprising display control circuits mounted to the flexible substrate in spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

3. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a clear flexible substrate, wherein the light-emitting diodes are mounted on a first surface of the clear flexible substrate, wherein the display cover layer is mounted on an opposing second surface of the clear flexible substrate, and wherein light from the light-emitting diodes passes through the clear flexible substrate and through the display cover layer.

4. The display defined in claim 3 further comprising pixel driver integrated circuits mounted to the clear flexible substrate between the light-emitting diodes.

5. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a flexible substrate, wherein the light-emitting diodes are mounted on a surface of the flexible substrate, wherein the display cover layer is mounted to the surface of the flexible substrate, wherein light from the light-emitting diodes passes through the display cover layer.

6. The display defined in claim 4 further comprising pixel driver integrated circuits mounted to the clear flexible substrate between the light-emitting diodes.

7. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the array of light-emitting diodes comprises an array of discrete crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes.

8. A display, comprising:

a substrate having opposing first and second surfaces;

an array of light-emitting diodes mounted on the first surface of the substrate; and

touch sensor electrodes on the first surface in spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

9. The display defined in claim 8 further comprising at least one integrated circuit mounted to the first surface in the spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

10. The display defined in claim 9 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a display driver integrated circuit.

11. The display defined in claim 9 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a touch sensor circuit.

12. The display defined in claim 8 further comprising a dielectric stack on the first surface, wherein the dielectric stack includes first and second metal layers that form the touch sensor electrodes and additional metal layers that form interconnect lines that carry image data signals.

13. The display defined in claim 12 further comprising a light detector in the spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

14. The display defined in claim 13 wherein the light detector is part of a light-based proximity sensor.

15. The display defined in claim 13 wherein the light detector is an ambient light sensor.

16. The display defined in claim 12 further comprising an array of light detectors in the spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

17. The display defined in claim 16 wherein the light detectors comprise discrete light detectors attached to the first surface.

18. The display defined in claim 16 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon substrate and wherein the light detectors are formed from circuitry in the silicon substrate at the first surface.

19. A display, comprising:

a silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces;

an array of light-emitting diodes mounted on the first surface of the silicon substrate; and

a touch sensor formed from capacitive touch sensor electrodes that are located in spaces between the light-emitting diodes.

20. The display defined in claim 19 further comprising through-silicon vias that pass through the silicon substrate.

21. The display defined in claim 20 further comprising display control circuitry on the second surface that controls the array of light-emitting diodes using signals that pass through the through-silicon vias.

22. Apparatus, comprising:

a transparent substrate having a surface;

an array of light-emitting diodes mounted on the surface of the transparent substrate; and

an image sensor that receives image light that has passed through the transparent substrate.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 further comprising:

a lens between the transparent substrate and the image sensor, wherein the image light received by the image sensor passes through the lens.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the array of light-emitting diodes forms an array of display pixels including red display pixels, green display pixels, and blue display pixels.