Electronic device with wrap around display

• US 9,983,630 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• 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
• Application Number:
  US15/151,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20160252933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising a transparent housing component having a curved exterior surface formed of a single layer of transparent material, the curved exterior surface comprising a central portion surrounded on at least two sides by peripheral portions, each peripheral portion having a curvature that is greater than a curvature of the central portion;

a flexible display assembly carried by the transparent housing component and arranged to display visual content through the transparent housing component, the housing being configured to prevent deformation of the flexible display assembly; and

a processor configured to direct the flexible display assembly to present i) a first user interface through the central portion of the transparent housing component and ii) a second user interface comprising a control input through at least one of the peripheral portions of the transparent housing component.

2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the central portion comprises a region where the curvature is zero.

3. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the peripheral portions are arranged at first and second edges of the housing.

4. The electronic device as recited in claim 3, wherein each curvature of the peripheral portions is approximately equal.

5. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first user interface and the second user interface cooperate to present a single seamless user interface.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first user interface comprises a plurality of application icons.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the control input comprises a slider control.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transparent housing component provides structural support for the electronic device.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the housing, wherein the flexible display assembly is positioned between the transparent housing component and the PCB.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second user interfaces are touch sensitive user interfaces.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an orientation sensor, wherein a position of the first user interface and second user interface shift in accordance with device orientation data provided to the processor by the orientation sensor of the electronic device.

12. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing that includes a metallic portion and a transparent material that combines with the metallic portion to define an internal volume;

a storage system disposed in the internal volume, the storage system capable of storing facial recognition software;

a processor disposed in the internal volume, the processor configured to execute instructions of the facial recognition software;

cameras carried by the housing and capable of capturing an image external to the housing, the image used by the facial recognition software; and

a flexible display assembly secured to an interior surface of the transparent material, the flexible display assembly being positioned within the housing and presenting a user interface through a central portion of the transparent material and a peripheral portion of the transparent material, the peripheral portion having a greater curvature then the central portion,

wherein the transparent material provides a support structure that prevents deformation of the flexible display assembly.

13. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises an opaque portion.

14. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a second user interface, wherein the user interface defines a first user interface is offset less than or equal to 90 degrees from the second user interface.

15. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the central portion comprises a region having a zero curvature.

16. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the first user interface and second user interface are touch sensitive.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing that includes a transparent wall formed of a single layer material and having a first portion surrounded by a second portion, the second portion having curvature different than the curvature of the first portion;

a flexible display assembly coupled with the transparent wall such that the transparent wall prevents deformation of the flexible display assembly;

cameras that capture an image of a user and track a current location of the user;

an orientation sensor; and

a processor configured to send visual content to the flexible display assembly that directs the flexible display assembly to present a user interface through the both the first portion and second portion, wherein the visual content is adjusted in accordance i) an orientation of the housing as detected by the orientation sensor and ii) the current location of the user based on image obtained by the cameras, such that the visual content is within a field of view of the user.

18. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a first and second user interface and wherein the first user interface is display through the first portion and the second user interface is displayed through the second portion.

19. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 17, wherein the transparent wall wraps around the housing and wherein the processor determines whether the user interface is displayed on a first portion of the transparent wall or a second portion of the transparent wall.

20. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 19, wherein the second portion of the transparent wall comprises a first region and a second region, the first region arranged opposite the second region of the transparent wall.