HANDHELD ELECTRONIC TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE

• US 20170168637A1
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Erik L., Andre, Bartley K., Coster, Daniel J., Howarth, Richard P., Ive, Jonathan P., Kerr, Duncan Robert, Rohrbach, Matthew Dean, Stringer, Christopher J., Jobs, Steven P., Seid, Calvin Q., Schlub, Robert W., Hobson, Phillip Michael, Mittleman, Adam D., Satzger, Douglas B., Jenks, Kenneth A., Hill, Robert J., de Iuliis, Daniele, Tan, Tang Yew, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Zrkendrfer, Rico L., Whang, Eugene Antony, Nishibori, Shin
• Application Number:
  US15/226,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. Circuitry configured to transmit and receive signals may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. The electronic device may have an integrated touch screen display in which a user can control the device by interacting directly with the display.

Claims

1. A device having a front surface, sides, and back, the device comprising:

a display, wherein the display includes at least one touch sensor integrated with the display, wherein the display is configured to accept input through contact with the touch sensor, wherein the display converts the contact into commands for the device, and wherein the display includes a glass element having an exposed surface that is planar with the front surface of the device; and

a button integrated into the exposed surface of the glass element of the display, wherein the button is configured to accept input commands for the device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker configured to create sound.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone configured to receive voice commands.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a metal element that defines at least a portion of the sides of the device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the display is secured relative to the metal element.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the metal element surrounds a periphery of the wireless communications device.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the metal element is formed from aluminum.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the display covers most of the available surface area on the front surface of the device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the button is round.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the display include a liquid crystal display.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the display includes an organic light emitting diode display.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the button includes an electrical assembly.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the electrical assembly includes a switch and a flex circuit.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover at the back of the device, wherein the cover is formed from a dielectric material.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material is plastic.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the display includes an outermost layer and wherein the outermost layer of the display is the glass layer.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an ambient light sensor mounted behind the glass element of the display.

18. A method of using a device having a front surface, sides, and back, the method comprising:

accepting input through contact with a touch sensor integrated with a display of the device, wherein the display includes a glass element having an exposed surface that is planar with the front surface of the device;

converting the contact with the touch sensor into commands for the device; and

accepting input commands for the device from a button integrated into the exposed surface of the glass element of the display.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

creating sound through a speaker integrated in the device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving voice commands through a microphone integrated in the device.