Electronic device with wrap around display

• US 8,896,563 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myers, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, NICHOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/160,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/06 on insulating boards , e.g. wiring harnesses for printed circuits H05K1/18, H05K3/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.

Claims

1. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a transparent housing;

a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing, the flexible display assembly configured to present visual content through the transparent housing; and

a second flexible display assembly disposed within the flexible display assembly, wherein the flexible display assembly and the second flexible display assembly cooperatively present visual content.

2. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the flexible display assembly and configured to identify a portion of the housing through which a display panel of the flexible display assembly presents the visual content.

3. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer configured to determine a spatial orientation of the consumer electronic product.

4. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensor is an image senor configured to capture a facial image that is used to determine the portion of the housing through which the visual content is presented by the display panel.

5. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the transparent housing comprises a shape comprising an elliptical cross section.

6. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the transparent housing comprises a shape comprising a circular cross section.

7. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the transparent housing comprises a shape comprising a rectilinear cross section.

8. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing having an inside surface that defines a central volume; and

a flexible display assembly disposed within the central volume and comprising a display panel configured as a loop that engages the inside surface and is configured to present a visual content that is viewable through the housing.

9. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a shape comprising a rectangular cross section.

10. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a first lateral face comprising a first edge and a second lateral face opposite the first lateral face and comprising a second edge.

11. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 10, wherein the housing further comprises a third lateral face defined by the first edge and the second edge.

12. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of the first edge and the second edge is chamfered.

13. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing all of which is formed of a transparent material and having an inside surface that defines a central volume; and

a flexible display assembly disposed within the central volume and comprising a visual display panel configured as a loop comprising an overlapped portion comprising a first end that overlaps a second end, the visual display panel being configured to present visual content that transitions across the overlapped portion in a manner that appears continuous and that is viewable through the housing.

14. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 13, wherein corresponding portions of the visual content are viewable concurrently through a front surface of the housing and a rear surface of the housing.

15. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a lateral surface disposed between the front surface and the rear surface.

16. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 15 wherein the lateral surface comprises a control element.

17. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 16, wherein a portion of the housing corresponding to the control element comprises a touch sensitive surface configured to receive a tactile input.

18. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 17, wherein the control element is a graphical icon.

19. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 18, wherein the graphical icon is movable.

20. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 19, wherein the touch sensitive surface of the housing moves in accordance with the movable graphical icon.