Patent Publication Number: US-2022236507-A1

Title: Electronic Devices With Optical Fiber Ribbons

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/141,792, filed Jan. 26, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices often have optical components. In some devices, space is at a premium, which poses challenges in conveying light for optical components between different areas in the electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a light guide such as a fiber ribbon. The fiber ribbon may be formed from fibers joined by binder such as extruded binder. The fiber ribbon may have bends. 
     A light source may provide light to an input of the fiber ribbon. The fiber ribbon may guide the light from the light source from the input to a corresponding output. The output may be located in an interior portion of an electronic device or may be positioned within the electronic device so that light from the output exits the electronic device and illuminates external objects. 
     The light source may have light-emitting devices on a substrate. The light-emitting devices may be lasers such as vertical cavity surface-emitting laser diodes or other laser diodes or may be light-emitting diodes. Light-emitting devices in the light source may be arranged in clusters corresponding to the locations of fiber cores in the fiber ribbon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative fiber ribbon in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an illustrative light source and associated fiber ribbon in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an illustrative fiber ribbon with bends in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative fiber with a core and cladding in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an illustrative tool for forming fiber ribbons using optical fibers such as the optical fiber of  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative fiber with a core, cladding, and binder layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are diagrams of illustrative equipment for forming fiber ribbons using optical fibers such as the optical fiber of  FIG. 7  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of an illustrative fiber extrusion tool for forming an optical fiber ribbon embedded in a fiber having a removable polymer coating in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative extruded optical fiber ribbon embedded in a removable polymer coating in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional end view of the extruded optical fiber ribbon of  FIG. 11  following removal of the removable polymer coating in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fiber ribbon being molded into a desired shape within a mold in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device with a fiber ribbon structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  are top views of illustrative sets of fiber ribbons arranged to surround a central area in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with optical components. The optical components may include components that emit light and/or components that receive light. To help convey light for optical components in an electronic device, it may be desirable to provide the electronic device with light guide structures. The light guide structures may be formed from bundles of optical fibers. In some configurations, the optical fiber bundles may have elongated strip shapes such as strips with rectangular cross-sections. Such optical fiber bundles, which may sometimes be referred to as optical fiber ribbons, may be used to convey light from a light source to a desired destination and/or may be used to convey received light from a given location to a light detector (as examples). 
     Optical fiber bundles may be rigid, may be flexible, or may be partly rigid and partly flexible. For example, an optical fiber bundle may have rigid end segments joined by an interposed flexible middle segment. Optical fiber bundles may be formed from polymer optical fibers or other suitable fibers and/or may have straight portions and/or portions with bends. Illustrative configurations in which an electronic device is provided with polymer optical fiber ribbons having bends may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     A schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device having an optical fiber ribbon is shown in  FIG. 1 . Device  10  may be a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wristwatch device, head-mounted device, or other wearable device, a television, a stand-alone computer display or other monitor, a computer display with an embedded computer (e.g., a desktop computer), a system embedded in a vehicle, kiosk, or other embedded electronic device, a media player, or other electronic equipment. Configurations in which device  10  is a cellular telephone, tablet computer, or other portable electronic device may sometimes be described herein as an example. This is illustrative. Device  10  may, in general, be any suitable electronic device with a display. 
     Device  10  may include control circuitry  20 . Control circuitry  20  may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  20  may be used to gather input from sensors and other input devices and may be used to control output devices. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communications circuits, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. During operation, control circuitry  20  may use a display and other output devices in providing a user with visual output and other output. 
     To support communications between device  10  and external equipment, control circuitry  20  may communicate using communications circuitry  22 . Circuitry  22  may include antennas, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry (wireless transceiver circuitry), and other wireless communications circuitry and/or wired communications circuitry. Circuitry  22 , which may sometimes be referred to as control circuitry and/or control and communications circuitry, may support bidirectional wireless communications between device  10  and external equipment over a wireless link (e.g., circuitry  22  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry such as wireless local area network transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a wireless local area network link, near-field communications transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a near-field communications link, cellular telephone transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a cellular telephone link, or transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over any other suitable wired or wireless communications link). Wireless communications may, for example, be supported over a Bluetooth® link, a WiFi® link, a wireless link operating at a frequency between 6 GHz and 300 GHz, a 60 GHz link, or other millimeter wave link, cellular telephone link, wireless local area network link, personal area network communications link, or other wireless communications link. Device  10  may, if desired, include power circuits for transmitting and/or receiving wired and/or wireless power and may include batteries or other energy storage devices. For example, device  10  may include a coil and rectifier to receive wireless power that is provided to circuitry in device  10 . 
     Device  10  may include input-output devices such as devices  24 . Input-output devices  24  may be used in gathering user input, in gathering information on the environment surrounding the user, and/or in providing a user with output. Devices  24  may include one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may be an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, an electrophoretic display, an electrowetting display, a plasma display, a microelectromechanical systems display, a display having a pixel array formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies (sometimes referred to as microLEDs), and/or other display. Configurations in which display  14  is an organic light-emitting diode display or microLED display are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Sensors  16  in input-output devices  24  may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive force sensors, etc.), audio sensors such as microphones, touch and/or proximity sensors such as capacitive sensors (e.g., a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor integrated into display  14 , a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor overlapping display  14 , and/or a touch sensor that forms a button, trackpad, or other input device not associated with a display), and other sensors. If desired, sensors  16  may include optical sensors such as optical sensors that emit and detect light, ultrasonic sensors, optical touch sensors, optical proximity sensors, and/or other touch sensors and/or proximity sensors, monochromatic and color ambient light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional non-contact gestures (“air gestures”), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, and/or inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these sensors), health sensors, radio-frequency sensors, depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and/or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices that capture three-dimensional images), optical sensors such as self-mixing sensors and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors that gather time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors, gaze tracking sensors, and/or other sensors. In some arrangements, device  10  may use sensors  16  and/or other input-output devices to gather user input. For example, buttons may be used to gather button press input, touch sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering user touch screen input, touch pads may be used in gathering touch input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input, accelerometers may be used in monitoring when a finger contacts an input surface and may therefore be used to gather finger press input, etc. 
     If desired, electronic device  10  may include additional components (see, e.g., other devices  18  in input-output devices  24 ). The additional components may include haptic output devices, audio output devices such as speakers, laser diodes and/or light-emitting diodes for status indicators, light sources such as laser diodes and/or light-emitting diodes configured to provide light that is used to illuminate portions of device  10  and/or external objects, light sources associated with other optical output devices, and/or other circuitry for gathering input and/or providing output. Device  10  may also include a battery or other energy storage device, connector ports for supporting wired communication with ancillary equipment and for receiving wired power, and other circuitry. 
     The components of device  10  may be mounted in a housing. The housing may have any suitable shape (e.g., a shape configured to be worn on a user&#39;s body, a shape configured to be held in a user&#39;s hand, a shape configured to rest on a table top or other surface, etc.). As an example, the housing of device  10  may form front and rear housing walls, sidewall structures, and/or internal supporting structures (e.g., a frame, an optional midplate member, etc.). Housing structures may be formed from glass, polymer, metal, ceramic, and/or other materials. 
     During operation of device  10 , it may be desirable to convey light between a first location and a second location. The first location and/or the second location may be an interior location within the housing walls that form device  10  and/or may be a location on the surface of device  10  and/or an exterior location surrounding device  10 . An optical fiber ribbon may be used to form a light guiding path that conveys light along at least part of the distance between the first and second locations. As an example, an optical fiber ribbon may convey light from a light source to a location where light is emitted outwardly from device  10 . As another example, an optical fiber ribbon may convey light to a light detecting component. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative optical fiber ribbon. As shown in  FIG. 2 , optical fiber ribbon  30  may contain multiple optical fibers  32 . Fibers  32  may be packed into ribbon  30  using a hexagonal packing scheme as shown in  FIG. 2  or using other packing arrangements. Fibers  32  may have cores  34  surrounded by claddings  36 . In an illustrative configuration, the refractive index of claddings  36  is lower than the refractive index of cores  34  to promote light guiding within cores  34  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. Optional binder  38  may surround and bind together fibers  32  to form ribbon  30 . 
     Binder  38 , cladding  36 , and cores  34  may be formed from glass, polymer, and/or other materials. Illustrative configurations in which the structures of ribbon  30  are formed from polymer may sometimes be described herein as an example. Illustrative polymers for forming cores  34  include polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), and cyclic olefin polymer (COP). Examples of polymer cladding materials for fibers  32  include polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride, terpolymers of ethylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and hexafluoropropylene, and terpolymers of tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene and vinylidene fluoride. These materials and/or other polymers (e.g., amorphous polymers and/or other polymers) may be used for core material, cladding, binder, other coating layers, and/or other polymers involved in the fabrication of ribbon  30 . In some configurations, it may be desirable for binder  38  to soften and/or flow at a temperature at below the temperatures at which cores  34  and claddings  36  soften and/or flow, so that the binder can be molded around the cores and claddings without distorting the cores and claddings. 
     The diameters of fibers  32  may be 60-100 microns, at least 20 microns, at least 40 microns, at least 50 microns, less than 300 microns, less than 200 microns, less than 120 microns, and/or other suitable diameter. The thickness of cladding  36  may be 1-3 microns, at least 0.3 microns, at least 0.9 microns, less than 9 microns, less than 6 microns, less than 4 microns, or other suitable thickness. 
     Ribbon  30  may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape or other suitable shape. In the example of  FIG. 2 , ribbon  30  contains multiple layers (sometimes referred to as sheets) of fibers  32  each of which contains multiple fibers, so that ribbon  30  has an N×M array of fibers  32 . There may be any suitable number of fibers in ribbon  30  (e.g., 50-100, 84, 30-150, at least 10, at least 20, at least 35, at least 45, fewer than 400, fewer than 300, fewer than 150, fewer than 110, etc.). The value of N and the value of M may be at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 10, less than 50, less than 30, less than 20, less than 10, less than 5, etc. As an example, N may be 2-10, 3-8, or other suitable number and M may be 5-20, 8-18, 9-16, or other suitable number. In arrangements in which M is less than N, ribbon  30  may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
     As shown in the side view of  FIG. 3 , light source  40  may emit light  46 . Ribbon  30  may be used in device  10  to convey light  46  between a first location (an input of ribbon  30 ) to a second location (an output of ribbon  30 ). In the example of  FIG. 3 , light source  40  includes a printed circuit substrate or other substrate (substrate  42 ) with light-emitting devices  44 . Devices  44  may be light-emitting diodes (e.g., organic light-emitting diodes, light-emitting diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor die, resonant cavity diodes, etc.), may be lasers (e.g., vertical cavity surface emitting lasers or other laser diodes), and/or other light-emitting components. There may be any suitable number of light-emitting devices  44  in light source  40  (e.g., at least 1, at least 2, at least 4, at least 8, at least 12, at least 25, at least 100, fewer than 1000, fewer than 300, fewer than 100, fewer than 50, fewer than 25, fewer than 10, 10-100, 20-300, 2-25, etc.). 
     Devices  44  may be arranged in a uniform array on substrate  42  or may be arranged in a non-uniform pattern (e.g., there may be a separate cluster of devices  44  associated with each fiber input, and these clusters may be separated from each other by gaps that are larger than the fiber-center-to-fiber-center spacing within each cluster). When clustered, the cluster adjacent to each fiber entrance may have any suitable number of devices  44 , which are used to provide light to the entrance of that fiber  32  (e.g., at least 1, at least 3, at least 5, 5-10, fewer than 20, fewer than 10, fewer than 8, etc.). Fibers  32  and ribbon  30  may be transparent to any suitable wavelengths of light  46  (e.g., infrared light, ultraviolet light, and/or visible light). As an example, light source  40  may emit visible and/or infrared light and this visible and/or infrared light may by conveyed though the optical fibers in ribbon  30  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , optical fiber ribbon  30  is characterized by an input of area A 1  and an output of area A 2 . The values of A 1  and A 2  may be the same, A 1  may be larger than A 2  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), or A 2  may be larger than A 1 . The cross-sectional shapes of ribbon  30  at the input and output of ribbon  30  may be rectangular, oval, circular, and/or other suitable shapes. The input and output shapes of ribbon  30  may be the same or may be different. The value of A 1  and A 2  may be at least 0.01 mm 2 , at least 0.1 mm 2 , at least 1 mm 2 , less than 5 mm 2 , less than 0.5 mm 2 , or less than 0.05 mm 2  (as examples). The length of ribbon  30  may be 9-19 mm, 5-30 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 3 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 8 m, less than 100 mm, less than 40 mm, less than 20 mm, and/or other suitable length. The aspect ratio of the side profile of ribbon  30  (length divided by minimum lateral dimension across the ribbon  30 ) may be at least 10, at least 100, at least 1000, less than 2000, less than 200, or less than 20 (as examples). The aspect ratio of the end view of ribbon  30  (M divided by N) may be at least 2, at least 4, at least 8, at least 20, less than 50, less than 25, less than 12, less than 6, less than 3, or other suitable value. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , there may be one or more bends along the length of ribbon  30 . Ribbon  30  may have any suitable number of bends (e.g., no bends, at least 1 bend, at least 2 bends, at least 3 bends, 3-10 bends, fewer than 10 bends, fewer than 5 bends, fewer than 4 bends, fewer than 3 bends, etc.). Ribbon  30  may lie exclusively within one plane (e.g., a bent ribbon may lie in the X-Z pane of  FIG. 4 ) or may bend in multiple directions to form a desired three-dimensional (non-planar) light pipe. For example, ribbon  30  may have a first bend about the Y axis, a second bend about the X axis, and a third bend about the Z axis (as an example). 
     In an illustrative configuration, optical fibers  32  are extruded fibers having cores  34  surrounded by claddings  36  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Following extrusion from a fiber extrusion tool to form fibers such as fiber  32  of  FIG. 2 , multiple fibers  32  of the type shown in  FIG. 5  may be provided from fiber spools  50  to a liquid binder dispenser such as dispenser  52  of  FIG. 6 . Dispenser  52  may dispense liquid polymer such as light-curable polymer (e.g., ultraviolet-light-curable polymer serving as binder  38 ) onto the set of fibers  32  from spools  50  to form a sheet of fibers such as fiber sheet  54 . Sheet  54  may be wound in one or more layers onto sheet take-up spool  56  until a desired thickness of optical fibers  32  has been formed (e.g., a thickness of N sheets of fibers  32 ). The same quantity and/or type of polymer binder may be dispensed along the entire length of fibers  32  by dispenser  52  or the quantity and/or type of binder that is dispensed may be varied along the length of fibers  32  (e.g., to vary the rigidity and/or other properties of the fiber ribbon being formed along the length of the ribbon). Following application of ultraviolet light to cure the binder, ribbons  30  may be formed by cutting out desired lengths of ribbon from the sheets of fibers wound onto spool  56 . 
     Another illustrative technique for forming ribbon  30  is shown in  FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a fiber extrusion tool may be used to extrude fibers  32  that each have a core (core  32 ), cladding  34 , and binder  38 . These binder-coated fibers  32  can then be wound as a sheet (sheet  60 ) from spools  64  onto fiber sheet take-up spool  62 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . Guide  65  of  FIG. 8  may help combine fibers  32  into sheet  60  and may, if desired, apply heat to help soften binder  38 . Binder  38  can also be softened during fiber fusion operations in which sheets of fibers are pressed together to form ribbon  30 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , for example, after a desired number of sheets have been wound on top of each other in spool  62 , heat and/or pressure may be applied by mold members  66  (e.g., a mold formed by the sides of spool  62  and an external member and/or other mold structures). The heat and/or pressure causes binder  38  to soften and flow and thereby bind together fibers  32  to form ribbon  30 . 
     If desired, ribbon  30  may be extruded within a removable polymer coating. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , extrusion tool  70  may have sources  72 . Sources  72  may, respectively, contain polymer material for cores  34 , cladding  36 , binder  38 , and a removable polymer coating layer. During extrusion, fiber ribbon  30  (e.g., multiple fibers  32  joined by binder  38 ) may be extruded within a removable polymer coating. As shown in  FIG. 10 , for example, extrusion die  74  may receive each of the polymers from sources  72  and may extrude these polymers into extruded fiber  76 . As shown in the cross-sectional side view of extruded fiber  76  of  FIG. 11 , fiber  76  may have a circular cross-sectional shape formed from removable polymer  78 . Fiber ribbon  30  may be formed from a set of fibers  32  embedded in the center of removable polymer  78 . Fibers  32  may include extruded cores  34  coated with extruded cladding  36  and bound together using extruded binder  38 . During extrusion, surface tension causes fiber  76  to assume its circular cross-sectional shape. Removable polymer coating  76  may be sufficiently thick to help preserve an extruded rectangular shape (or other desired cross-sectional shape) for ribbon  30  (e.g., by preventing the surface tension of fiber  76  from distorting the rectangular shape of ribbon  30 ). The diameter of fiber  76  divided by the minimum lateral dimension of ribbon  30  may be, as an example, at least 1, at least 2, at least 4, at least 8, less than 30, less than 10, less than 3, or other suitable value. 
     After the soft extruded materials of fiber  76  have solidified, removable polymer  78  (e.g., a water soluble polymer) can be dissolved and thereby removed from the exterior of ribbon  30  (formed, e.g., from polymers that are not water soluble), leaving a length of ribbon material of the type shown by ribbon  30  of  FIG. 12 . Ribbon  30  may then be molded under heat (e.g., a temperature of 80-120° C. or other suitable elevated temperature) and/or pressure in a mold such as mold  79  of  FIG. 13  to form a desired final shape for ribbon  30  (e.g., a shape with one or more optional bends, a three-dimensional shape, an S-shape, and/or other suitable shape). Ribbon  30  may then be assembled with optical component(s) and/or other structures (see, e.g., input-output devices  24  of  FIG. 1 ) into device  10 . 
     One or more fiber bundles such as ribbon  30  may be used to convey light between any suitable locations in device  10 . In the example of  FIG. 14 , device  10  has structures  80  such as housing structures. Light is provided to one or more optical fiber ribbons from light source  40  (e.g., a light source in the interior of device  10 ). In the illustrative arrangement of  FIG. 14 , a first ribbon (ribbon  30 - 1 ) and a second ribbon (ribbon  30 - 2 ) receive light from light source  40  and emit this light at ribbon exits (outputs)  82 . This emitted light may optionally pass through a transparent housing wall or other structure  80  to the exterior of device  10 . The ribbon(s) of device  10  may be configured to route light past internal components and/or other structures (see, e.g., structure  84 , which may be a bracket or other support structure, an electrical component such as one of sensors  16 , one of components  18 , and/or any other input-output device  24  or component in device  10 ). Light source  40  may be formed from light-emitting devices  44 . Devices  44  may be mounted on substrate  42  and/or a larger substate such as printed circuit  80  that also receives additional components  88  (e.g., integrated circuits, control circuitry  20  and/or communications circuitry  22 , sensors  16 , and/or other input-output devices  24 , etc.). 
     As this example demonstrates, light from light source  40  may be emitted from the output(s) of ribbon(s) in various different shapes. In the example of  FIG. 15 , four ribbons  30 A,  30 B,  30 C, and  30 D have inputs that receive light from light source  40  and four corresponding outputs (shown in  FIG. 15 ) that emit this light after the light has traveled through the four ribbons. As shown in  FIG. 15 , ribbons  30 A,  30 B,  30 C, and  30 D may have curved output shapes that form, for example, four respective curved segments of a ring (e.g., a ring that surrounds a circular area that can optionally receive structure  84  of  FIG. 14 ). The ring of  FIG. 15  is circular, but other light output shapes may be formed from one or more ribbons (see, e.g., the rectangular ring in the example of  FIG. 16 , which surrounds a rectangular area). 
     Using ribbon fabrication techniques of the type shown in  FIGS. 10, 11, and 12  and/or the other ribbon fabrication techniques described herein, a desired fiber placement accuracy within ribbon  30  may be achieved, thereby helping to enhance the ability for the ribbon to receive light from light source  40  and guide this light to the ribbon output. For example, fiber centers may be placed close to their desired locations so that the amount of fiber-center-to-fiber-center spacing (pitch) variation within ribbon  30  is small. As an example, within one standard deviation in pitch value from the mean pitch value of fibers  32  in ribbon  30 , the pitch value of fibers  32  may vary from the mean pitch value by less than 5%, less than 3%, less than 1.5%, or less than 1% (as examples). 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of information such as information from input-output devices. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, data may be gathered that includes personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, username, password, biometric information, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to deliver targeted content that is of greater interest to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables users to calculated control of the delivered content. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the United States, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide certain types of user data. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time user-specific data is maintained. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an application (“app”) that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of information that may include personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.