Space efficient electronic device component configurations

• US 9,652,082 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Anurupa, Lin, Jun, Saini, Amrinder Pal Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Watko, Julie Ann
• Application Number:
  US14/464,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 345175
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Some implementations include electronic devices having space efficient component configurations. In some instances, an electronic device may include an electronic display, a light source, and a lightguide having one or more reflective surfaces. This disclosure describes, in part, configurations of these and other components that create opportunities for efficiently using space associated with the electronic device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor;

a display having a front side and a back side that is opposite to the front side;

a mid-chassis, the mid-chassis disposed beneath the back surface of the display;

a light transmitter configured to emit infrared (IR) light, the light transmitter being disposed (i) beneath the mid-chassis and (ii) proximate to a first side of the display, wherein the IR light emitted by the light transmitter defines a ray that is non-parallel to a plane defined by the front side of the display;

a light receiver configured to detect the IR light emitted by the light transmitter, the light receiver being disposed (iii) beneath the mid-chassis and (iv) proximate to a second side of the display, the second side being opposite to the first side; and

a lightguide that includes a plurality of reflective surfaces, the plurality of reflective surfaces being configured to receive the IR light from the light transmitter and direct the IR light across the front side of the display and towards the light receiver to implement touch sensing in association with the display,

wherein the processor in conjunction with the display, the light transmitter, the lightguide, and the light receiver is configured to;

detect interference of the IR light on the front side of the display; and

determine location of a touch input on the front side of the display based on the interference.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the front side of the display defines a first plane, and the light transmitter is coupled to a substrate having a surface that defines a second plane, the second plane being non-parallel to the first plane.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the lightguide includes:

a first reflective surface disposed proximate to the first side of the display, wherein the light transmitter is configured to emit the IR light towards the first reflective surface, and wherein the first reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light towards a second reflective surface;

the second reflective surface disposed proximate to the first side of the display, wherein the second reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the first reflective surface such that the IR light travels across the front side of the display and towards a third reflective surface;

the third reflective surface disposed proximate to the second side of the display, wherein the third reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the second reflective surface towards a fourth reflective surface; and

the fourth reflective surface disposed proximate to the second side of the display, wherein the fourth reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the third reflective surface towards the light receiver.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the lightguide comprises a front cover component.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the lightguide includes:

a first reflective surface disposed proximate to the first side of the display and below the mid-chassis, wherein the light transmitter is configured to emit the IR light towards the first reflective surface, and the first reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light towards a second reflective surface;

the second reflective surface disposed proximate to the first side of the display and disposed above the mid-chassis, the second reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the first reflective surface such that the IR light travels across the front side of the display and towards a third reflective surface;

the third reflective surface disposed proximate to the second side of the display, the third reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the second reflective surface towards a fourth reflective surface; and

the fourth reflective surface disposed proximate to the second side of the display and disposed below the mid-chassis, wherein the fourth reflective surface is positioned to reflect the IR light received from the third reflective surface towards the light receiver.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the light transmitter is angled at a degree greater than zero relative to the mid-chassis.

7. A device comprising:

a display for displaying content to a user, the display having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface;

a mid-chassis, the mid-chassis disposed beneath the back surface of the display;

at least one light source operable to emit light, the at least one light source being disposed beneath the mid-chassis, wherein the light emitted by the at least one light source defines a ray that is non-parallel to a plane defined by the front surface of the display; and

at least one lightguide configured to direct the light from the at least one light source to the front surface of the display, and cause the light to travel across at least a portion of the front surface of the display.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one light source is operable to emit infrared (IR) light;

the device comprises at least one light sensor configured to detect the IR light; and

the at least one light guide directs the IR light to the at least one light sensor.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the front surface of the display defines a first plane;

the at least one light source is coupled to a substrate having a surface that defines a second plane, the second plane being non-parallel to the first plane; and

the substrate is coupled to the at least one lightguide.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one lightguide comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces, the plurality of reflective surfaces including:

a first reflective surface proximate to a first side of the display and disposed below the mid-chassis, the at least one light source being operable to emit the light towards the first reflective surface;

a second reflective surface proximate to the front surface of the display;

a third reflective surface proximate to the front surface of the display; and

a fourth reflective surface proximate to a second side of the display and disposed below the mid-chassis, the second side being opposite the first side, wherein the at least one light sensor is positioned to receive light reflected by the fourth reflective surface.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one lightguide comprises one or more surfaces that are at least partially coated with an IR reflective sub stance.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the front surface of the display defines a first plane; and

the at least one light source is coupled to a substrate having a surface that defines a second plane, the second plane being non-parallel to the first plane.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED); and

the substrate comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) that is coupled to the at least one lightguide.

14. The device of claim 7, the at least one light source being operable to emit IR light and the at least one lightguide comprising a plurality of reflective surfaces configured to cooperatively direct the IR light emitted by the at least one light source to at least one light sensor that is configured to detect the IR light, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces include:

a first reflective surface proximate to a first side of the display and disposed below the display, the at least one light source being operable to emit the IR light towards the first reflective surface;

a second reflective surface proximate to the front surface of the display;

a third reflective surface proximate to the front surface of the display; and

a fourth reflective surface proximate to a second side of the display and disposed below the display, the second side being opposite the first side, wherein the at least one light sensor is positioned to receive IR light reflected by the fourth reflective surface.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one source is angled at a degree greater than zero relative to the mid-chassis.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one lightguide comprises a front cover component.

17. A method comprising:

providing a display that includes a front surface and a back surface that is opposite to the front surface of the display, and a mid-chassis, the mid-chassis disposed beneath the display;

operating a light source to emit a ray of light that is non-parallel to a plane defined by the front surface of the display;

reflecting the ray of light to produce one or more first rays of reflected light that propagate from beneath the mid-chassis to above the front surface of the display; and

reflecting the one or more first rays of reflected light to produce one or more second rays of reflected light that propagate substantially parallel to at least a portion of the front surface of the display.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

reflecting the one or more second rays of reflected light to produce one or more third rays of reflected light that propagate from above the front surface of the display to beneath the back surface of the display; and

reflecting the one or more third rays of reflected light to produce one or more fourth rays of reflected light that propagate towards a light detector, wherein the light source is operable to emit infrared (IR) light and the light detector is configured to detect the IR light.

19. The method of claim 17, the light source being operable to emit IR light, wherein the reflecting the ray of light to produce one or more first rays of reflected light includes reflecting the ray of light off one or more surfaces that are at least partially coated with an IR reflective substance.

20. The method of claim of 17, wherein the light source is angled at a degree greaten than zero relative to the mid-chassis.