Electronic devices with light sensors

• US 9,664,555 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shiu, Boon W., Lee, David Lin, DiVincent, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chavez, Renee
• Application Number:
  US13/718,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20140166867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 250214 B, 385 14
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0425 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0444 using means for replacing an element by another, e.g. for replacing a filter or grating
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with light sensors. Light sensors may be proximity sensors or ambient light sensors. Proximity sensors may include a light-emitting component and a light-sensitive component. The electronic device may include an enclosure formed from housing structures and some or all of a display for the device. The enclosure may include openings such as openings formed from clusters of smaller openings. Each light sensor may receive light through one of the clusters of openings. The light sensor may receive the light directly through the openings or may receive light that passes through the openings and is guided to the light sensor by light guiding structures. The light guiding structures may include fiber optic structures or light-reflecting structures. Fiber optic structures may fill or partially fill the openings. Light reflecting structures may be machined cavities in an internal support structure.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure having first and second openings;

an internal support structure mounted within the enclosure such that the enclosure surrounds the internal support structure, wherein the internal support structure includes first and second light-reflecting cavities adjacent to the first and second openings; and

first and second light sensors mounted in the first and second light-reflecting cavities, wherein the first light-reflecting cavity reflects light that enters the enclosure through the first opening in a first direction and onto the first light sensor and the second light-reflecting cavity reflects light that enters the enclosure through the second opening in a second direction and onto the second light sensor.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second light sensors comprises an ambient light sensor.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one of the first and second light sensors comprises a proximity sensor.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the proximity sensor comprises a light-emitting component and a light-sensitive component.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a housing sidewall member and wherein the first and second openings comprise openings in the housing sidewall member.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the housing sidewall member comprises aluminum.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second openings comprise first and second respective patterned clusters of openings.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein at least one of the first and second patterned clusters of openings comprises a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings that surround the central opening.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9, further comprising transparent material in each of the patterned cluster of openings.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the transparent material comprises fiber optic structures in the openings.

7. The electronic device defined in 1 wherein the internal support structure comprises aluminum.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first and second light-reflecting cavities comprise machined cavities in the internal support structure.

13. An electronic device having first and second opposing surfaces and a peripheral edge surface, the electronic device comprising:

a display;

a housing;

a printed circuit board having first and second opposing surfaces in the housing, the first and second opposing surfaces of the printed circuit board extending parallel to the first and second opposing surfaces of the electronic device;

a first plurality of light sensors mounted on the first surface of the printed circuit board that receive light through openings in at least one of the first and second opposing surfaces of the electronic device; and

a second plurality of light sensors mounted on the second surface of the printed circuit board that receive light through openings in the peripheral edge surface of the electronic device.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the display comprises a cover layer having a plurality of openings and wherein each of the first plurality of light sensors is mounted adjacent to at least one of the plurality of openings in the cover layer.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the cover layer comprises glass.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein each of the second plurality of light sensors receives light through at least one of the openings in the peripheral edge surface of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16, further comprising:

an internal support structure having a plurality of cavities, wherein each of the plurality of cavities is adjacent to at least one of the openings in the peripheral edge surface of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein each of the second plurality of light sensors is mounted within a corresponding one of the plurality of cavities.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure having a front surface, a rear surface, a sidewall surface, and clusters of openings in each of the front surface, the rear surface, and the sidewall surface, wherein each of the clusters of openings comprises a plurality of openings; and

a plurality of light sensors, wherein each light sensor receives light through the plurality of openings of a corresponding one of the clusters of openings in the enclosure, wherein at least one of the clusters of openings comprises a central opening surrounded by peripheral openings, and wherein one of the plurality of light sensors emits and receives light through the central opening.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 wherein the central opening has a diameter, wherein the plurality of peripheral openings each have a common diameter, and wherein the diameter of the central opening is larger than the common diameter of the peripheral openings.

21. The electronic device defined in claim 19, further comprising a display having a rigid cover layer, wherein the front surface of the enclosure is formed from the rigid cover layer.

22. The electronic device defined in claim 21, further comprising a peripheral housing member, wherein the sidewall surface of the enclosure is formed from the peripheral housing member.