Displays with polarizer windows and opaque masking layers for electronic devices

• US 8,467,177 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mathew, Dinesh C., Hendren, Keith J., Qi, Jun, Yin, Victor H., Wilson, Thomas W. Jr., Garelli, Adam T.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/916,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120106063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/62, 362/97.3, 362/206, 362/235, 362/157, 361/679.22, 361/679.44, 361/679.41, 361/679.08, 361/679.58, 361/679.27, 361/679.21, 361/679.29, 455/557, 455/415, 455/420, 455/566
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133538 with spatial distribution of the polarisation direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

An electronic device may have a display. Inactive portions of the display such as peripheral portions of the display may be masked using an opaque masking layer. An opening may be provided in the opaque masking layer to allow light to pass. For example, a logo may be viewed through an opening in the opaque masking layer and a camera may receive light through an opening in the opaque masking layer. The display may include upper and lower polarizers, a color filter layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. The opaque masking layer may be formed on the upper polarizer, may be interposed between the upper polarizer and the color filter layer, or may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer. The upper polarizer may have unpolarized windows for cameras, logos, or other internal structures.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display having an active region and an inactive region;

a polarizer in the display, wherein the polarizer overlaps the active region and the inactive region; and

an unpolarized window in the polarizer within the inactive region, wherein the unpolarized window contains material from the polarizer.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the polarizer comprises a layer of polarizing material and wherein the unpolarized window comprises a bleached portion of the layer of polarizing material.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the polarizer comprises a layer of polarizing material and wherein the unpolarized window comprises an ultraviolet-light-bleached portion of the layer of polarizing material.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the polarizer comprises iodine and wherein the layer of polarizing material comprises a layer of polyvinyl alcohol.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the polarizer comprises a layer of polarizing material and wherein the unpolarized window comprises a chemically bleached portion of the layer of polarizing material.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the polarizer comprises iodine and wherein the layer of polarizing material comprises a layer of polyvinyl alcohol.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising an electronic component mounted in alignment with the unpolarized window.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a camera that receives light through the unpolarized window.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 further comprising a logo that receives light through the unpolarized window.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the display comprises a color filter layer and wherein the logo comprises material on the color filter layer.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising an opaque masking layer that covers the logo.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 further comprising a thin-film transistor layer in the display, wherein the opaque masking layer and the logo are interposed between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer.

13. Apparatus, comprising:

a color filter layer;

a thin-film transistor layer;

an opaque ink layer that is interposed between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer; and

first and second polarizers, wherein the first polarizer comprises an unpolarized window and wherein the opaque ink layer has an opening that is aligned with the unpolarized window.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13

wherein the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer are interposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, wherein the color filter layer has an outer surface and an inner surface and wherein at least some of the ink layer is formed on the inner surface.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 further comprising a camera that receives light through the unpolarized window and the opening.

16. Apparatus, comprising:

a color filter layer;

a thin-film transistor layer;

an opaque ink layer that is interposed between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer; and

first and second polarizers, wherein the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer are interposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, wherein the color filter layer has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein at least some of the ink layer is formed on the inner surface, wherein the first polarizer comprises an unpolarized window and wherein the apparatus further comprises a logo that is visible through the unpolarized window.

17. Apparatus, comprising:

a color filter layer;

a thin-film transistor layer;

first and second polarizers, wherein the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer are interposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer and wherein the color filter layer is interposed between the first polarizer and the thin-film transistor layer; and

an opaque masking layer that is interposed between the first polarizer and the color filter layer.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein the color filter layer comprises portions defining a recess and wherein the opaque masking layer is formed on the color filter layer in the recess.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein the opaque masking layer comprises ink.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein the first polarizer comprises an unpolarized window and wherein the opaque masking layer has an opening that is aligned with the unpolarized window.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 20 further comprising a camera that receives light through the unpolarized window and the opening.

22. The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein the first polarizer comprises an unpolarized window and wherein the apparatus further comprises a logo that is visible through the unpolarized window.

23. Apparatus, comprising:

a color filter layer;

a thin-film transistor layer;

first and second polarizers, wherein the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer are interposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer and wherein the color filter layer is interposed between the first polarizer and the thin-film transistor layer;

an opaque masking layer on the first polarizer; and

a cover film, wherein the cover film comprises a coating selected from the group consisting of;

an antireflection coating and an antiglare coating.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the opaque masking layer is interposed between the cover film and the first polarizer.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the first polarizer comprises first and second triacetate cellulose layers and a polyvinyl alcohol film interposed between the first and second triacetate cellulose layers and wherein the opaque masking layer is formed on the first triacetate cellulose layer.

26. The apparatus defined in claim 25 wherein the coating is the antireflection coating.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 25 wherein the coating is the antiglare coating.

28. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the opaque masking layer comprises ink.

29. Apparatus, comprising:

a color filter layer;

a thin-film transistor layer;

first and second polarizers, wherein the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer are interposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer and wherein the color filter layer is interposed between the first polarizer and the thin-film transistor layer; and

an opaque masking layer on the first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer comprises an unpolarized window.

30. The apparatus defined in claim 29 further comprising a camera that receives light through the unpolarized window.

31. The apparatus defined in claim 29 wherein the apparatus further comprises a logo that is visible through the unpolarized window.

32. The apparatus defined in claim 29 wherein the opaque masking layer has an opening that is aligned with the unpolarized window.

33. The apparatus defined in claim 32 further comprising a camera, wherein the camera receives light through the unpolarized window and through the opening.