Abstract:
An electronic device is provided comprising a display module comprising a display area and a peripheral area abutting on a side of the display area, wherein the display module comprises a glass layer extending across the display area and the peripheral area, and wherein the glass layer comprises a first recess positioned over the peripheral area.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 12, 2013 and assigned Serial No. 10-2013-0026375 and a Korean patent application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Feb. 7, 2014 and assigned Serial No. 10-2014-0013901, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a display module. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Portable terminals may be used for multimedia playback, Internet access, gaming, and various other operations. Over the years, the primary function of portable terminals has shifted from conducting telephone calls to performing operations previously reserved for desktop and laptop computers. That shift has necessitated the use of fast processors and other high-capability hardware. The integration of this type of hardware, however, has caused the size of portable terminals to increase. This increase is in conflict with the general market preference for slim and lightweight devices. To address this conflict, a need exists for techniques for reducing the size of portable terminals without sacrificing performance. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided comprising a display module comprising a display area and a peripheral area abutting on a side of the display area; wherein the display module comprises a glass layer extending across the display area and the peripheral area, and wherein the glass layer comprises a first recess positioned over the peripheral area. 
     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for manufacturing an electronic device is provided, the method comprising: providing a display module comprising a display area, a peripheral area abutting on a side of the display area, and a glass layer extending across the display area and the peripheral area, and forming a recess in the glass layer over the peripheral area. 
     According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided comprising: a display module having a display area and a peripheral area extending along an edge of the display area; a glass layer disposed on the display module, the glass layer having a recess positioned over the peripheral area; and an electronic device component disposed in the recess. 
     According to yet aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided comprising: a display module comprising a display area, a peripheral area extending along a side of the display area, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Driver Integrated Circuit (IC) (LDI) disposed in a first portion the peripheral area; a glass layer disposed on the display module, the glass layer having a recess positioned over a second portion of the peripheral area that borders the first portion; and an antenna radiation pattern disposed in the recess. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain examples of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic device having a recess or an opening in a display module of the electronic device according to aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram providing a partial view of the inner construction of the electronic device according to aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is another diagram providing a partial view of the inner construction of the electronic device according to aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a process for forming a recess in a display module of the electronic device according to aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a reduction of size of the electronic device that can be achieved in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 6A ,  FIG. 6B ,  FIG. 6C ,  FIG. 7A ,  FIG. 7B  and  FIG. 7C  are diagrams illustrating a display module according to aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  are diagrams illustrating the embedding of various electronic device components into a display module recess according to aspects of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram providing a partial view of a display module according to aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 11B  are a partial plan view and a perspective view of an electronic device, illustrating a state where a camera module has been mounted on a recess of a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a crucial cross-sectional view of an electronic device, illustrating a state where a camera module has been mounted on a recess of a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the examples provided in the present disclosure. Various specific details are included in the disclosure to assist in that understanding, but these are to be regarded merely as examples. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the examples described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness. 
     The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description is provided for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     Although a mobile terminal having a display module is used as an example of an electronic device throughout the disclosure, the disclosure is not limited to mobile terminals only. For example, the present disclosure may be applicable to various electronic devices having a display module such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a netbook, a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), a tablet PC, a navigation device, an MP3 player, wearable electronic device, etc. 
     Also, in describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, a display module may be a general LCD module used as a data output means but is not limited thereto. For example, a touch sensor applied in a One Glass Solution (OGS) method and involving data input may be applied together. 
     Though a display module discloses and describes an Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) in describing various embodiments of the present invention, it is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to various display modules including a substrate formed of Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS). According to an embodiment, the display module may be applicable in an Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED). 
     According to various embodiments of the present invention, the display module may be a flexible display module formed in a film type. 
     In describing various embodiments of the present invention, the display module may be a concept including a touch sensor together. According to an embodiment, the display module may be contributed as a touchscreen including various display modules that use TFT substrate (Low Temperature Poly-Silicon (LTPS) substrate) such as an On-cell type OLED, an In-cell type OLED, etc., and a touch sensor that operates various methods, coupled thereto. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic device  100  according to aspects of the disclosure. As illustrated, a display module  10  is installed on the front side of an electronic device  100 , a speaker unit  102  for receiving a user&#39;s voice is installed in the upper portion of display module  10 , and a microphone unit  103  is installed in the lower portion of the display module  10 . In addition, a camera module  104 , a sensor module  105 , and a service LED  106  may be disposed near the speaker unit  102 . In some implementations, the sensor module  105  may be an illumination sensor or a proximity sensor, and/or any other suitable type of sensor. The sensor module  105  may be used to variably operate the electronic device  100  according to the device&#39;s ambient conditions The at least one LED indicator  106  may be disposed on one side of the speaker unit  102  to allow a user to recognize various status information of the electronic device. Although it is not shown in  FIG. 1 , besides these components, various mechanical structures may also be mounted in/on the electronic device  100   
     Generally, the components installed in the electronic device  100  are disposed such that they do not overlap with the display module  10  in order to permit the display module  10  to be visible. Placing the components on the same plane as the display module  10 , on the other hand, may reduce the thickness of the mobile terminal  10 , but it may also cause an increase in the non-active area of the mobile terminal area (i.e., the so-called ‘Black Mask (BM) region’). The non-active area may include portions (e.g., portions A, B, C, and D depicted in  FIG. 1 ) of the surface of the terminal that are not occupied by portions of the display that produce image, such as visible display pixels. Having a non-active area, in some instances, may be undesirable because it results in a larger terminal size relative to the visible display space on the terminal. 
     According to aspects of the disclosure, portable terminal components may be placed in the same plane as the portable terminal&#39;s display unit without increasing the inactive area of the terminal as much as otherwise. Through the techniques discussed herein, the size of at least some of regions A, B, C, and D may be reduced thereby permitting the device  100  to have a smaller, and perhaps rounder, shape. This in turn can increase the device&#39;s elegance and aesthetic appeal. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a diagram of the device  100  according to aspects of the disclosure. As illustrated, the display module  10  occupies most of the area of the electronic device  100 , and a speaker module  102 , the sensor module  105 , the camera module  104 , and the LED indicator  106  are disposed above the display module  10 . A recess  15  is formed in the display unit  10  as shown. In some implementations, the recess  15  may be (or include) an opening, a cavity, a cutting portion, or another similar structure. The camera module  104  may be disposed at least partially in the recess  15  of the display module  10 . Placing the camera module  104  may reduce the size of the inactive area of the device  100 . As noted above, reducing the inactive area of the device  100  may cause the device to be smaller, more rounded, and have a more elegant design. 
     The display module  10  may include a display area  11  and peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14  formed to have a predetermined width along the periphery of the display area  11 . The display area  11  may be one where images are output and when the terminal  100  is in operation, while the peripheral areas may be areas not used to produce images. Generally, manufactures are making an effort to make the width of the peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14 , small but an LDI region  141  of  FIG. 3  including a gate drive integrated circuit (IC) and a data drive IC for driving the display module  10  should be indispensably included in one of the peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14 . In this example, the LDI region  141  is located in the peripheral area  14  and this causes peripheral area to be larger in size than peripheral areas  11 ,  12  and  13 . This larger size makes it preferable to place the recess  15  in the peripheral area  14 . 
       FIG. 3  is a view partially illustrating a construction of a display module  10  of an electronic device  100  according to an embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the display module  10  includes the display area  11  and the peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14  formed along the periphery of the display area  11 . The peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14  include the upper peripheral area  12 , a lower peripheral area (not shown), the right peripheral area  12 , and the left peripheral area  13 . Also, since the upper peripheral area  14  includes in the LDI region  141 , the upper peripheral area  14  is formed to have a wider width. Therefore, one or more recesses  15  according to an embodiment of the present invention may be formed in the upper peripheral area  14 . 
     The recess  15  is cut as a sloped portion having a predetermined angle θ from a first horizontal portion  154  which is the outermost edge of the upper peripheral area  14 , and then passes through an inflection portion and includes a second horizontal portion  153  formed in parallel with the first horizontal portion  154 . However, the second horizontal portion  153  may be formed such that it is not in parallel with the first horizontal portion  154 . 
     The above-described sloped portion  151  may be formed such that it is inclined in a direction from the first horizontal portion  154  to the second horizontal portion  153 . An angle formed by the sloped portion  151  with respect to a direction perpendicular to the first horizontal portion  154  may be defined as a “slope angle θ”. The slope angle has been defined with respect to the first horizontal portion in  FIG. 3 , but the slope angle may be defined with respect to the perpendicular direction of a direction in which the one side  111  of the display extends according to another embodiment. 
     The slope angle θ, for example, may be one of about 0, about 1, about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, about 10, about 11, about 12, about 13, about 14, about 15, about 16, about 17, about 18, about 19, about 20, about 21, about 22, about 23, about 24, about 25, about 26, about 27, about 28, about 29, about 30, about 31, about 32, about 33, about 34, about 35, about 36, about 37, about 38, about 39, about 40, about 41, about 42, about 43, about 44, about 45, about 46, about 47, about 48, about 49, about 50, about 51, about 52, about 53, about 54, about 55, about 56, about 57, about 58, about 59, about 60, about 62, about 64, about 66, about 68, about 70, about 72, about 74, about 76, about 78, about 80, about 82, about 84, about 86, about 88 degree. According to an embodiment, for example, slope angle θ may be one of about 0, about 10, about 20, about 30, and about 45. 
     Also, the slope angle may be one number in the range where two arbitrary numbers among the above-listed numbers are a maximum value and a minimum value, respectively. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the slope angle θ may be formed to have a value in one range of 0° ˜45°, 0° ˜80°, 0°˜70°, 0° ˜60°, 0° ˜50°, 0° ˜40°, 0° ˜30°, 0° ˜20°, and 0° ˜10° with respect to the perpendicular direction. Also, the inflection portion  152  where the sloped portion  151  and the second horizontal portion  153  meet may be formed in a bent curved shape and the curvature radius R may be 0.3. However, the curvature radius R may be changed to have an optimal curvature radius depending on the slope angle of the sloped portion  151 . For example, this curvature radius may be one of about 0.1, about 0.2, about 0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5, about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9, and about 1. According to an embodiment, the curvature radius R may be one number in the range where two arbitrary numbers among the above-listed numbers are a maximum value and a minimum value, respectively. 
       FIG. 4  depicts an example of a process for forming the recess  15  in the display module  10  according to aspects of the disclosure. The display module  10  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is formed using a plurality of glass layers. The glass layers may include an upper glass substrate and a lower glass substrate that are stacked together. The lower glass substrate may be formed of a Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS). 
     In one example, the recess  15  is formed by drilling a plurality of holes h in the display module  10  along the shape of the recess  15 . When the holes h are formed, a cut piece  142  may be easily separated from the glass layer of the display module  10  by using a small amount of force. The holes h can be formed by using a laser drilling machine and/or any other suitable type of drill (e.g., a drill that uses solid bits). According to an embodiment, the recess  15  of the display module  10  formed by the cut piece  142  may be formed on only a lower glass substrate relatively formed wider than an upper glass substrate. According to an embodiment, the recess  15  of the display module  10  formed by the cut piece  142  may be provided on both the upper glass substrate and the lower glass substrate formed in the same or a similar size. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example of reductions in the footprint of electronic device  100  that can be realized through the use of recess  15 . In this example, the region marked by a dashed line represents the size the electronic device  100  would have had if the recess  15  were not utilized. As illustrated, the footprint of the device  100  can be successfully reduced when the recess  15  is formed in the display unit  100  and the camera  104  is placed in the recess. 
       FIGS. 6A to 7C -C provide examples of different configurations of the display unit  10  according to aspects of the disclosure.  FIG. 6A  illustrates a configuration where the recess  15  is formed in the right portion of the upper peripheral area  14 ,  FIG. 6B  illustrates a state where a recess  16  is formed in the left portion of the upper peripheral area  14 , and  FIG. 6C  illustrates a configuration where recesses  15  and  16  are formed together in the left and right portions of the upper peripheral area  14 , respectively. The locations in the display unit  10  where recesses  15  and  16  are formed may be determined based on desired positions of components of the electronic device  100 . 
     Also,  FIGS. 7A to 7C -C depict examples of different configurations of a display module  20  according to aspects of the disclosure. As illustrated, the display module  20  includes peripheral areas  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  27 , and an LDI region  241  that is located in the peripheral area  24 . More specifically,  FIG. 7A  illustrates a configuration where the recess  25  is formed in the right portion of the lower peripheral area  24 .  FIG. 7B  illustrates a configuration where a recess  26  is formed in the left portion of the lower peripheral area  24 . And  FIG. 7C  illustrates a state where recesses  25  and  26  are formed together, in the right and the left portions, respectively, of the lower peripheral area  24 . 
     It should be noted that features of the display unit configurations presented with respect to  FIGS. 6A-C  and  7 A-C may be further combined to arrive at additional display unit configurations. In that regard, any number of the recesses  15 ,  16 ,  25 ,  26  may be formed in one or more peripheral areas of a given display module. For example, the recess may be  15  formed in the right portion of an upper peripheral area of a display unit, and the recesses  25  and  26  may be formed in the lower peripheral area of the display unit. As another example, the recess  16  may be formed in the left portion of the upper peripheral area of a display unit and the recesses  25  and  26  may be formed in the lower peripheral area of the same display unit. As yet another example, the recesses  15  and  16  may be formed in the right and the left portions, respectively, of the upper peripheral area of a display unit and the recesses  25  and  26  may be formed in the lower peripheral area of the same display unit as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A to 7C . As yet another example, the recess  25  may be formed in the right portion of the lower peripheral area of a display unit and the recesses  15  and  16  may be formed in the upper peripheral area of the same display unit. As yet another example, the recess  26  may be formed in the left portion of the lower peripheral area of a display unit and the recesses  15  and  16  may be formed in the upper peripheral area of the same display unit, as illustrated in  FIGS. 6A to 6C . As yet another example, the recesses  25  and  26  may be formed in the right and left portions, respectively, of the lower peripheral area of a display unit and the recesses  15  and  16  may be formed in the upper peripheral area  14  of the same display unit. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  are schematic diagrams depicting further aspects of the integration of display module  20  into an electronic device, according to aspects of the disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the camera module  104  is disposed in the recess  26  formed in the left portion  17  of the lower peripheral area  24 . Because a portion of the camera module  104  is disposed in such a way that it is seated in the recess  26 , the entire size of the electronic device may be reduced by a depth at which the camera module  104  is seated in the recess  26 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , an antenna module  30  is disposed in the recesses  25  and  26 . The antenna module may include a substrate having radiation patterns  31 ,  32 ,  33  and a carrier (not shown). In some implementations, one or more of the radiation patterns  31 ,  32 , and  33  may be disposed in the recesses  25  and  26 , so that utilization of the radiation patterns may be increased. Although in the above examples, a camera and antenna module are at least partially disposed in the recesses  25  and  26 , in other examples any suitable type of electronic device component may be disposed in the recesses. 
       FIG. 10  depicts an example of a configuration of the display unit  10  in accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosure. In this example, the display module  10  includes a display area  11  and peripheral areas  12 ,  13 ,  14  formed along the edge of the display area  11 . The peripheral areas include an upper peripheral area  14 , a lower peripheral area (not shown), a right peripheral area  12 , and a left peripheral area  13 . Because the upper peripheral area  14  includes an LDI region  141 , it has a greater width than the rest of the peripheral areas  12  and  13 . Accordingly, one or more recesses  18  may be formed in the upper peripheral area  14 . 
     As illustrated, the recess  18  may include a sloped portion  155  formed at a predetermined curvature R. In one example, the curvature radius R of the sloped portion  155  may be  12 . However, in other examples, the sloped portion  155  may have any suitable curvature radius depending on the size of an LDI region, the entire size of the display module, and the kind and the shape of peripherals that are at least partially disposed in the recess  15 ′. In some implementations, the sloped portion  155  may be formed such that it is bent tin the direction of the display area  11 . In some implementations, the depth d of the sloped portion  155   11  may be 1.1 mm. In other implementations, however, the sloped portion  155  may have a different depth depending on the size of an LDI region, the size of the display module, and/or the kind and the shape of components disposed in the recess  15 ′. 
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  are a partial plan view and a perspective view of an electronic device, illustrating a state where a camera module has been mounted on a recess of a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11A and 11B , at least a portion of a camera module  104  may be installed in such a way that a portion of the display module  10  is received in the recess  18  formed in a curved shape as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     According to an embodiment, the position of the camera module  104  may be supported by a first case frame  1001  of the electronic device  100 . According to an embodiment, the camera module  104  may be installed in such a way that it is safely seated in the recess  18  formed in the curved shape in the right side of the LDI region  141  of the upper region  14  of the display module  10 . 
     Hereinafter, an installation of the display module  10  and the camera module  104  is described in more detail. 
       FIG. 12  is a crucial cross-sectional view of an electronic device, illustrating a state where a camera module has been mounted on a recess of a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the electronic device  100  is coupled to a first case frame  1001  and a second case frame  1002 , and the display module  10  may be received in a space formed by coupling of the first case frame  1001  and the second case frame  1002 . According to an embodiment, the first case frame  1001  may contribute as the front case frame of the electronic device  100 , and the second case frame  1002  may contribute as the rear case frame of the electronic device  100 . According to an embodiment, a battery cover  1003  may be further installed to the second case frame  1002 . 
     According to an embodiment, the camera module  104  may be fixed by a first case frame  1001  and a rigidity reinforcement bracket B. According to an embodiment, the display module  10  may be attached to one side of the bracket B by a double sided tape  1005 . According to an embodiment, after the display module  10  is fixed to the bracket B, a window  1004  may be further installed to the upper portion thereof. According to an embodiment, the window  1004  may be fixed to the first case frame  1001 . According to an embodiment, the window  1004  may be formed of glass or a film. 
     According to an embodiment, the display module  10  may include a first substrate  10 - 1  and a second substrate  10 - 2  stacked on the upper portion of the first substrate  10 - 1 . According to an embodiment, both the first and second substrates  10 - 1  and  10 - 2  may be formed of glass. However, it is not limited thereto, and may be formed of various materials forming other display modules. 
     According to an embodiment, in the case where the display module  10  is applied in an OLED type, the first substrate  10 - 1  may be a TFT glass substrate, and the second substrate  10 - 2  may be a cover glass of a polarizing function. According to an embodiment, an organic material may fill between the first substrate  10 - 1  and the second substrate  10 - 2  so that it is interrupted by a cell seal formed of a glass frit composite. 
     According to an embodiment, a touch sensor  10 - 3  may be further disposed on the upper portion of the second substrate  10 - 2  by an Optical Clear Adhesive (OCA) (not shown). However, it is not limited thereto, and the touch sensor  10 - 3  may be disposed on the lower portion of the first substrate  10 - 1 , and disposed on the backside of the window  1004 . According to an embodiment, the touch sensor  10 - 3  may be formed in such a way that electrodes (x, y electrodes) are deposited on the position of at least one of the window  1004  and the first and second substrates  10 - 1  and  10 - 2 . 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first substrate  10 - 1  may include the recess  18  (the dotted portion of  FIG. 12 ). By the recess  18  of the first substrate  10 - 1 , the camera module  104  disposed inside the electronic device  100  may be moved and disposed further to the shown arrow direction. According to an embodiment, a connector  1041  of the installed camera module  104  may be electrically connected to a substrate P installed on one side of the bracket B. According to an embodiment, when the first substrate  10 - 1  and the second substrate  10 - 2  are configured in the same size or a similar size, the recess  18  may be formed in the two substrates, simultaneously. 
     According to various embodiments of the present invention, though the display module  10  discloses and describes an Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED), it is not limited thereto. For example, the embodiments may be applied to various display modules including a substrate formed of Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS). According to an embodiment, various embodiments of the present invention may be applied to Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED) or Passive Matrix OLED (PMOLED) display modules. According to an embodiment, the display module may be an On Cell TSP AMOLED (OCTA). 
     Although the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to specific examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the above-described examples.