Patent Publication Number: US-2022225492-A1

Title: Electronic Devices With Folding Displays Having Textured Flexible Areas

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/136,955, filed Jan. 13, 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 displays. Portability may be a concern for some devices, which tends to limit available real estate for displays. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with a foldable housing that allows the device to fold and unfold about a bend axis. A flexible display may be mounted in the foldable housing. The flexible display may have an array of pixels forming a display panel. The display panel may be configured to bend along the bend axis as the device is folded. 
     The display panel may display images that are viewable through a transparent display cover layer that overlaps the display panel. The display cover layer may be formed from a layer of glass. An elongated groove or other recess may be formed in the layer of glass that runs parallel to the bend axis while overlapping the bend axis. The recess may form a flexible locally thinned portion in the glass layer. This thinned portion allows the display cover layer to bend as the foldable device is opened and closed. 
     Polymer may be placed in the recess to help planarize the inner side of the display cover layer adjacent to the display panel. To promote wetting and adhesion of the polymer in the recess and to help reduce reflections, the inner surface of thinned portion of the display cover may be provided with a rough texture. The thinned portion may have variable-thickness portions that transition in thickness between a minimum thinned portion thickness associated with the thinnest area of the thinned portion and a maximum display layer thickness associated with non-thinned portions of the display cover layer. 
    
    
     
       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 perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a cover layer with a locally thinned hinge region in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative locally thinned display cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are cross-sectional side views of portions of locally thinned display cover layers in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display cover layer having a locally thinned portion with a rough surface texture in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display cover layer with a textured surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display cover layer having a locally thinned bend axis region and chemical strengthened upper and lower surfaces in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with displays. Displays may be used for displaying images for users. Displays may be formed from arrays of light-emitting diode pixels or other pixels. For example, a device may have an organic light-emitting diode display or a display formed from an array of micro-light-emitting diodes (e.g., diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor dies). 
     A schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device having a display is shown in  FIG. 1 . Device  10  may be a cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, wristwatch 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. 
     Display  14  may have an array of pixels configured to display images for a user. The pixels may be formed as part of a display panel that is bendable. This allows device  10  to be folded and unfolded about a bend axis. For example, a flexible (bendable) display in device  10  may be folded so that device  10  may be placed in a compact shape for storage and may be unfolded when it is desired to view images on the display. 
     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, light-emitting diodes for status indicators, light sources such as light-emitting diodes that illuminate portions of a housing and/or display structure, 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. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of electronic device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which device  10  is a portable electronic device such as a cellular telephone or tablet computer. As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may have a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may cover some or all of the front face of device  10 . Touch sensor circuitry such as two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor circuitry may be incorporated into display  14 . 
     Display  14  may be mounted in housing  12 . Housing  12  may form front and rear housing walls, sidewall structures, and/or internal supporting structures (e.g., a frame, an optional midplate member, etc.) for device  10 . Glass structures, transparent polymer structures, and/or other transparent structures that cover display  14  and other portions of device  10  may provide structural support for device  10  and may sometimes be referred to as housing structures. For example, a transparent housing portion such as a glass or polymer housing structure that covers and protects a pixel array in display  14  may serve as a display cover layer for the pixel array while also serving as a housing wall on the front face of device  10 . In configurations in which a display cover layer is formed from glass, the display cover layer may sometime be referred to as a display cover glass or display cover glass layer. The portions of housing  12  on the sidewalls and rear wall of device  10  may be formed from glass or other transparent structures and/or opaque structures. Sidewalls and rear wall structures may be formed as extensions to the front portion of housing  12  (e.g., as integral portions of the display cover layer) and/or may include separate housing wall structures. 
     Housing  12  may have flexible structures (e.g., bendable housing wall structures) and/or hinge structures such as hinge  30 . Hinge  30  may have a hinge axis aligned with device bend axis  28 . Hinge  30  and/or flexible housing structures that overlap bend axis  28  may allow housing  12  to bend about bend axis  28 . For example, housing  12  may have a first portion on one side of bend axis  28  and a second portion on an opposing side of bend axis  28  and these two housing portions may be coupled by hinge  30  for rotational motion about axis  28 . 
     As housing  12  is bent about bend axis  28 , the flexibility of display  14  allows display  14  to bend about axis  28 . In an illustrative configuration, housing  12  and display  14  may bend by 180°. This allows display  14  to be folded back on itself (with first and second outwardly-facing portions of display  14  facing each other). The ability to place device  10  in a folded configuration in this way may help make device  10  compact so that device  10  can be stored efficiently. When it is desired to view images on display  14 , device  10  may be unfolded about axis  28  to place device  10  in the unfolded configuration of  FIG. 2 . This allows display  14  to lie flat and allows a user to view flat images on display  14 . The ability to fold display  14  onto itself allows device  10  to exhibit an inwardly folding behavior. Display  14  may be sufficiently flexible to allow device  10  to be folded outwardly and/or inwardly. 
     Device  10  of  FIG. 2  has a rectangular outline (rectangular periphery) with four corners. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a first pair of parallel edges (e.g., the left and right edges of device  10  in the example of  FIG. 2 ) may be longer than a second pair of parallel edges (e.g., the upper and lower edges of device  10  of  FIG. 2 ) that are oriented at right angles to the first pair of parallel edges. In this type of configuration, housing  12  is elongated along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to bend axis  28 . Housing  12  may have other shapes, if desired (e.g., shapes in which housing  12  has a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to bend axis  28 ). With an arrangement of the type shown in  FIG. 2 , the length of device  10  along its longitudinal axis may be reduced by folding device  10  about axis  28 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative foldable electronic device. Device  10  of  FIG. 3  may bend about bend axis  28 . Bend axis  28  may be aligned with display cover layer  14 CG or other structures in device  10 . For example, bend axis  28  may pass through a portion of display cover layer  14 CG or may be located above or below layer  14 CG. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  includes an array of pixels P forming display panel  14 P under an inwardly facing surface of display cover layer  14 CG. Display panel  14 P may be, for example, a flexible organic light-emitting diode display or a microLED display in which light-emitting pixels are formed on a flexible substrate layer (e.g., a flexible layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymer). Flexible support layer(s) for display  14  may also be formed from flexible glass, flexible metal, and/or other flexible structures. 
     Display cover layer  14 CG may be formed from polymer, glass, crystalline materials such as sapphire, other materials, and/or combinations of these materials. To enhance flexibility, a portion of layer  14 CG that overlaps bend axis  28  may be locally thinned (e.g., this portion may be thinned relative to portions of layer  14 CG that do not overlap bend axis  28 ). The thickness of layer  14 CG (e.g., the non-thinned portions of layer  14 CG) may be 50-200 microns, 70-150 microns, 100-200 microns, 100-600 microns, at least 100 microns, at least 200 microns, less than 600 microns, less than 400 microns, less than 250 microns, less than 150 microns, less than 100 microns, at least 50 microns, or other suitable thickness. 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , housing  12  has a portion on rear face R that forms a rear housing wall and has side portions forming sidewalls 12 W. The rear housing wall of housing  12  may form a support layer for components in device  10 . Housing  12  may also have one or more interior supporting layers (e.g., frame structures such as an optional midplate, etc.). These interior supporting layers and the rear housing wall may have first and second portions that are coupled to opposing sides of a hinge that is aligned with bend axis  28  (see, e.g., hinge  30  of  FIG. 2 ) or may be sufficiently flexible to bend around bend axis  28 . 
     Electrical components  32  may be mounted in the interior of device  10  (e.g., between display  14  and the rear of housing  12 . Components  32  may include circuitry of the type shown in  FIG. 1  (e.g., control circuitry  20 , communications circuitry  22 , input-output devices  24 , batteries, etc.). Display  14  may be mounted on front face F of device  10 . When device  10  is folded about axis  28 , display cover layer  14 CG, display panel  14 P, and the other structures of device  10  that overlap bend axis  28  may flex and bend to accommodate folding. 
     The outer and/or inner surfaces of display cover layer  14 GC may be provided with coatings. These coatings may include, for example, antireflection coatings, anti-scratch coatings, anti-smudge coatings, and/or other coating layers. Consider, as an example, the cross-sectional side view of display cover layer  14 CG of  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , display cover layer may have an outer surface (outwardly facing surface) such as surface  40  and an opposing inner surface (inwardly facing surface) such as surface  42 . A strip-shaped region of display cover layer  14 CG that overlaps and runs parallel to bend axis  28  may be locally thinned (e.g., a groove or other recess that runs parallel to bend axis  28  may be formed in layer  14 CG to form locally thinned portion  44  of layer  14 CG). Locally thinned portion  44  of layer  14 CG may be thinner than other portions of layer  14 CG such as non-thinned portions  46  (which may be, for example, planar glass layer portions of layer  14 CG). The presence of portion  44  in display cover layer  14 CG may facilitate bending of display cover layer  14 CG about bend axis  28 . 
     To help planarize inner surface  42  and thereby facilitate mounting of display panel  14 P against inner surface  42  (e.g., with a layer of adhesive), the elongated recess (groove) in the inner surface of layer  14 CG that forms thinned portion  44  may be filled with polymer 50. Polymer 50 may be sufficiently flexible to bend about bend axis  28  when device  10  is opened and closed. The refractive index of polymer 50 may be matched to that of display cover layer  14 CG to help minimize light reflections (e.g., by incorporating inorganic nanoparticles in polymer 50). For example, at a wavelength of 500 nm, the refractive index of polymer 50 may differ from that of layer  14 CG by less than 0.15, less than 0.1, or less than 0.05 (as examples). 
     Coating layers  52  may be formed on outer surface  40 . Coating layers  52  may include, for example, anti-scratch layers (sometimes referred to as hard coats), protective polymer layers, anti-smudge layers, anti-fog layers, antireflection layers, anti-static layers, adhesion layers, and/or other coatings. In some configurations, each of these functions may be implemented using a separate respective coating layer. In other configurations, a single layer may serve multiple functions. In general, coatings such as coatings  52  may be formed on outer surface  40  and/or inner surface  42 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 4 , coatings  52  are formed on outer surface  40 . 
     Coatings  52  may be provided in any suitable order. As one example, the lowermost coating of coatings  52  (e.g., a coating layer formed directly on surface  40  of  FIG. 4 ) may be a hard coat or other anti-scratch layer that helps prevent scratches that could damage layer  14 CG. An antireflection coating may be formed on top of the anti-scratch layer. The antireflection layer may be a thin-film interference filter antireflection coating containing a stack of thin-film layers such as dielectric sublayers of alternating refractive index. One of the thin-film layers may be a conductive layer such as a transparent semiconductor layer (e.g., an indium tin oxide layer) that serves as an antistatic layer. An anti-smudge coating or anti-fog coating may be formed on top of the antireflection layer. Anti-smudge coatings (e.g., hydrophobic polymer coatings) may help reduce fingerprints and other undesired marks on the surfaces of display  14 . An example of an anti-smudge coating is a fluoropolymer coating (e.g., a fluoropolymer formed from evaporated perfluoropolyether) that serves as an oleophobic layer. Fluoropolymers can be adhered to underlying coating layers using an intervening adhesion layer. 
     It may be desirable to configure the cross-sectional profile of inner surface  42  of display cover layer  12  to help avoid distortion of the image on display panel  14 P due to changes in the refraction of light from thickness variations. As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, it may be desirable to provide locally thinned region  44  with varying thickness portions  44 T. Portions  44 T may be tapered and characterized by smoothly and slowly varying thicknesses. Portions  44 T may be located at the outer edges of locally thinned region  44  and may provide layer  14 CG with a gradual transition between the thinnest part of portion  44  (e.g., thinned portion  44 M of portion  44  in  FIG. 5 ) and the thicker portions of layer  14 CG such as non-thinned portions  46 . By gradually changing the thickness of layer  14 CG, undesired visual artifacts and stress concentration features may be avoided. 
     In the example of  FIG. 5 , non-thinned portion  46  of display cover layer  14 CG have a thickness T 1 . Minimum thickness portion  44 M of locally thinned portion  44  of display cover layer  14 CG has a thickness T 2 . In an illustrative configuration, thickness T 1  is 50-200 microns, 70-150 microns, 100-200 microns, less than 250 microns, less than 150 microns, less than 100 microns, at least 50 microns, or other suitable thickness. Thickness T 2 , which is less than T 1 , is 30 microns, 10-50 microns, at least 7 microns, at least 15 microns, at least 25 microns, less than 100 microns, less than 75 microns, less than 50 microns, less than 40 microns, or other suitable thickness that is sufficiently thin to allow layer  14 CG to be bent about bend axis  28  satisfactorily. 
     Inner surface  42  of display cover layer  14 CG may have a curved or straight cross-sectional profile in portions  44 T. In the example of  FIG. 5 , at least some of portions  44 T have planar areas characterized by a relatively straight cross-sectional profile. As shown in  FIG. 5 , in portions  46 , surface  42  (and opposing planar surface  40 ) of layer  14 CG may be characterized by a vertical surface normal such as surface normal na, whereas in portions  44 T, surface  42  of layer  14 CG may be characterized by surface normal nb, which is angled away from na by angle A. To ensure that the transition between thickness T 1  and T 2  is sufficiently gradual, it may be desirable for the angle A between surface normals na and nb (which is equal to the angle of tilt between the planar horizontally extending inner surface of portions  46  and the planar inner surfaces of portions  44 T of  FIG. 5 ) to be relatively small. The value of angle A may be less than 45°, less than 30°, less than 20° less than 15°, less than 10°, less than 5°, 2-15° 3-10°, at least 1°, at least 4°, or other of suitable value. The width W 2  of portion  44 M may be at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.5 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 4 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 1.5 cm, less than 3 cm, less than 2 cm, less than 1 cm, less than 5 mm, less than 2 mm, or other suitable value. The width W 1  of the transitions formed by varying thickness portions  44 T may at least 1 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 4 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 1.5 cm, at least 3 cm, at least 8 cm, less than 12 cm, less than 5 cm, less than 3 cm, less than 2 cm, less than 1 cm, less than 5 mm, or other suitable value. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of display cover layer  14 CG in an illustrative configuration in which varying thickness portion  44 T has a planar inner surface (e.g., a tilted portion of surface  42 ). As shown in the example of  FIG. 7 , the regions of surface  42  where portion  44 M meets portions  44 T and the regions of surface  42  where portions  44 T meet portions  46  may have curved cross-sectional profiles (e.g., curved cross-sectional profiles characterized by respective radii of curvature R 2  and R 1 , respectively). The values of R 1  and R 2  may be, for example, at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.2 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 1 cm, less than 2 cm, less than 5 mm, less than 3 mm, or other suitable value. By using surfaces with curved cross-sectional profiles for the transition zones between varying thickness portions  44 T and adjacent portions of layer  14 CG, stresses and visual artifacts due to the shape of display cover layer  14 CG may be maintained at satisfactorily low levels. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , inner surface  42  of display cover layer  14 CG may be provided with a rough texture. The texture of surface  42  may have a random or pseudorandom pattern and be provided on portion  44  of display cover layer  14 CG and/or other portions of display cover layer  14 CG. Polymer 50 may be deposited as a liquid in the groove formed from thinned portion  44  (e.g., under a vacuum) and subsequently cured (e.g., by applying light such as ultraviolet light, by applying heat, by using catalyst, and/or by using other curing techniques). Polymer 50 may be formed from a flexible material such as silicone or urethane acrylate (as examples). The presence of the rough random texture in surface  42  may help adhere polymer 50 to display cover layer  14 CG. The texture may also help create a gradual change in effective refractive index as layer  14 CG transitions to polymer 50, thereby helping to index discontinuities that could lead to light reflections at the glass-polymer interface. The random pattern of the texture may also help reduce specular light reflections at the interface between layer  14 CG and polymer 50. 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of inner surface  42  having an illustrative rough texture. This texture may be formed, for example, by using a silicone mold or other structure to nano-imprint photoresist with desired surface relief features followed by plasma etching of surface  42  through the textured photoresist. If desired, thinned portion  44  and the texture of inner surface  42  in portion  44  may be formed using other techniques (e.g., machining, laser processing, wet etching in an etchant such as HF, plasma etching, and/or other glass thinning and texturing techniques). The use of plasma etching through a textured photoresist mask on inner surface  42  of portion  44  is illustrative. 
     The rough texture of surface  42  may be formed by randomly distributed protrusions (peaks). To help prevent light scattering from the features in the textured surface, the textured surface may be configured to exhibit small lateral roughness dimensions LF (e.g., peak-to-peak spacings and/or protrusion full-width-half-maximum values) of less than 1 micron. As an example, LF may be subwavelength in size (e.g., the mean value of the lateral surface roughness dimensions LF may be less than 400 nm, less than 300 nm, less than 200 nm, 50-300 nm, 30-400 nm, etc.). The mean height VF of the protrusions and/or other surface roughness features on surface  42  may be 200-400 nm, at least 50 nm, at least 100 nm, at least 300 nm, at least 500 nm, less than 1000 nm (1 micron), less than 700 nm, less than 500 nm, less than 350 nm, or less than 120 nm (as examples). 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the inner and/or outer surface of display cover layer  14 CG (in portions  44  and/or other portions of layer  14 CG) may be chemically strengthened to form strengthened surface layers  60 . As an example, layer  14 CG may be formed from a glass (e.g., aluminosilicate glass) that is chemically strengthened by performing an ion-exchange process on the glass. During the ion-exchange process, smaller ions in the glass are replaced with larger ions. For example, sodium in the glass at the surface of layer  14 CG may be replaced by potassium. This creates compressive stress in treated surface layers  60  that helps the glass resist damage from scratching and other wear. 
     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.