公开(公告)号：US11662869B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-30

申请号：US17973658

申请日：2022-10-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Scott A. Myers ,  Stephen Brian Lynch ,  Anthony S. Montevirgen

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  H04M1/02 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/04817 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/04886 ,  H04M1/23

CPC classification number: G06F3/0446 ,  G06F1/1652 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/0412 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  G06F3/04817 ,  G06F3/04886 ,  H04M1/0268 ,  G06F2203/04102 ,  G06F2203/04112 ,  H04M1/0283 ,  H04M1/236 ,  H04M2250/16 ,  H04M2250/22

Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided that contain flexible displays that are bent to form displays on multiple surfaces of the devices. Bent flexible displays may be bent to form front side displays and edge displays. Edge displays may be separated from front side displays or from other edge displays using patterned housing members, printed or painted masks, or by selectively activating and inactivating display pixels associated with the flexible display. Edge displays may alternately function as virtual buttons, virtual switches, or informational displays that are supplemental to front side displays. Virtual buttons may include transparent button members, lenses, haptic feedback components, audio feedback components, or other components for providing feedback to a user when virtual buttons are activated.

公开(公告)号：US20220404663A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-22

申请号：US17894022

申请日：2022-08-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Michael W. Firka ,  Ashley E. Fletcher ,  Benjamin J. Pope ,  Lee E. Hooton ,  Scott A. Myers ,  Benjamin Shane Bustle ,  Garam Young ,  Blake M. Coughenour

IPC: G02F1/137 ,  G02F1/133 ,  G02B26/00

Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.

公开(公告)号：US20220253105A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-11

申请号：US17733576

申请日：2022-04-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John Raff ,  Scott A. Myers ,  Christopher Stringer

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  G06F1/00 ,  H04L1/00 ,  H01L51/00

Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.

公开(公告)号：US11371953B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-28

申请号：US17190294

申请日：2021-03-02

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Ihtesham H. Chowdhury ,  Eric N. Nyland ,  Scott A. Myers ,  Christopher T. Mullens ,  Bingrui Yang

IPC: G01N27/22 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F1/16 ,  H04N5/232 ,  G03B17/08 ,  G06F1/3206 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G01N27/04

Abstract: This application relates to an electronic device that includes a processor and a display assembly overlaid by a protective cover. The display assembly can include a touch detection system capable of detecting a touch event at the protective cover. The touch detection system can include a capacitance detector capable of detecting a change in capacitance and a location corresponding to the change in capacitance, and an applied force detector capable of detecting an amount and a location of a force applied to the protective cover that is associated with the touch event. The electronic device can include a moisture detector capable of detecting an amount of moisture present at the protective cover, where when the amount of moisture is greater than a threshold amount, the processor determines a position of the touch event based on detection signals provided by the capacitance detector and the applied force detector.

公开(公告)号：US11320865B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-03

申请号：US16909864

申请日：2020-06-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John Raff ,  Scott A. Myers ,  Christopher Stringer

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  H05K5/00 ,  H05K7/00 ,  G06F1/00 ,  H04L1/00 ,  H01L51/00

Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.

公开(公告)号：US20210344784A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-04

申请号：US17378695

申请日：2021-07-17

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Matthew D. Hill ,  Derek C. Krass ,  Benjamin Shane Bustle ,  Lucy Elizabeth Browning ,  Michael Benjamin Wittenberg ,  James B. Smith ,  Ashutosh Y. Shukla ,  Scott A. Myers

IPC: H04M1/02

Abstract: An enclosure and a method for forming an enclosure are disclosed. The enclosure may be formed from metal, such as aluminum, and further include a non-metal portion allowing for transmission and receipt of electromagnetic waves. The non-metal portion may be interlocked to the enclosure and in particular, to a region within the enclosure including a first material having a relatively high strength and stiffness compared to the non-metal portion. Interlocking means may include forming dovetail cuts into the enclosure to receive the non-metal portion, a hole or cavity drilled into the enclosure which includes internal threads, and a rod inserted into the first material to provide a tension to the non-metal portion. Methods of assembling internal components using anodization are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US10976278B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-13

申请号：US16054811

申请日：2018-08-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Ihtesham H. Chowdhury ,  Eric N. Nyland ,  Scott A. Myers ,  Christopher T. Mullens ,  Bingrui Yang

IPC: G01N27/22 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F1/16 ,  H04N5/232 ,  G03B17/08 ,  G06F1/3206 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G01N27/04

Abstract: This application relates to an electronic device that includes a processor and a display assembly overlaid by a protective cover. The display assembly can include a touch detection system capable of detecting a touch event at the protective cover. The touch detection system can include a capacitance detector capable of detecting a change in capacitance and a location corresponding to the change in capacitance, and an applied force detector capable of detecting an amount and a location of a force applied to the protective cover that is associated with the touch event. The electronic device can include a moisture detector capable of detecting an amount of moisture present at the protective cover, where when the amount of moisture is greater than a threshold amount, the processor determines a position of the touch event based on detection signals provided by the capacitance detector and the applied force detector.

公开(公告)号：US10931802B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-23

申请号：US15863729

申请日：2018-01-05

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Scott A. Myers ,  Benjamin M. Rappoport ,  Stephen Brian Lynch

IPC: G09G5/00 ,  H04M1/02 ,  G06F1/16

Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided with concave displays that reduce the risk of damage in the event of a drop while maximizing the internal volume of the device. Concave displays may be formed from one or more flexible layers including a flexible display layer. The flexible display layer may be mounted to a rigid support structure or a rigid cover layer. Flexible display layers that conform to the curved shape of a rigid cover structure provide additional internal volume in which internal components of the device may be positioned.

公开(公告)号：US20200320926A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-08

申请号：US16909519

申请日：2020-06-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Stephen Brian Lynch ,  Paul Stephen Drzaic ,  Benjamin Mark Rappoport ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf ,  John Patrick Ternus ,  Scott A. Myers

IPC: G09G3/3208 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/042

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided in which photodetectors disposed throughout a display are used to control the display brightness. The photodetectors are to be used for ambient light sensing, proximity sensing, or to compensate for aging OLEDs. In some embodiments, photodiodes are fabricated with OLEDs during the TFT fabrication process. In some embodiments, the photodetectors may be disposed throughout the display in zones containing OLEDs. The photodetectors are used to control the display brightness and color for the OLEDs in areas around each photodetector based on ambient light, aging, and/or nearby objects. A controller makes driving strength adjustments to the OLEDs in each zone independent of other zones. Photodetectors disposed throughout the display may improve proximity sensing and provide additional functionality to the device.

公开(公告)号：US20200249724A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-06

申请号：US16854795

申请日：2020-04-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Scott A. Myers ,  Mattia Pascolini ,  Richard Hung Minh Dinh ,  Trent Weber ,  Robert Schlub ,  Josh Nickel ,  Robert Hill ,  Nanbo Jin ,  Tang Yew Tan

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  H05K5/02 ,  H01Q1/42 ,  H04M1/02 ,  H01Q1/24 ,  H01Q1/22 ,  H05K5/03

Abstract: This is directed to connecting two or more elements using an intermediate element constructed from a material that changes between states. An electronic device can include one or more components constructed by connecting several elements. To provide a connection having a reduced or small size or cross-section and construct a component having high tolerances, a material can be provided in a first state in which it flows between the elements before changing to a second state in which it adheres to the elements and provides a structurally sound connection. For example, a plastic can be molded between the elements. As another example, a composite material can be brazed between the elements. In some cases, internal surfaces of the elements can include one or more features for enhancing a bond between the elements and the material providing the interface between the elements.