PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11287697-B2
Application Number: US-201916513270-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices having peripheral display regions

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display may be mounted in a housing. Electronic components may be mounted in an interior region of the device. The display may have an array of pixels configured to display an image. A border region such as a ring-shaped border may run along the outermost peripheral edge of the array of pixels. The display may be covered by a transparent display cover layer. The transparent display cover layer may have opposing inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface may face the interior region of the device. A laser-marked light-scattering structure may be embedded within an interior portion of the display cover layer between the inner and outer surfaces. The light-scattering structure may be located in the border region and may be illuminated by a light-emitting device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 an array of pixels having an outermost edge surrounded by a border region; 
 a display cover layer having a first portion that overlaps the array of pixels and a second portion that overlaps the border region, wherein the display cover layer includes a light-scattering structure that is embedded within the second portion of the display cover layer; and 
 a light-emitting device that is adjacent to the array of pixels and that is configured to produce light that illuminates the light-scattering structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the display cover layer has opposing inner and outer surfaces, the electronic device further comprising an opaque coating on the inner surface of the second portion of the display cover layer. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the opaque coating has an opening and wherein the light that illuminates the light-scattering structure passes through the opening. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-scattering structure is configured to form a visual element selected from the group consisting of: an alphanumeric character and an icon. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-scattering structure is configured to form an abstract pattern. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to display content on the array of pixels in coordination with controlling the light-emitting device. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to turn on the light-emitting device to produce a visual notification. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a housing wall coupled to the display cover layer; 
 a wristband coupled to the housing wall; and 
 wireless transceiver circuitry configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the array of pixels forms a rectangular active area configured to display an image and wherein the border region forms a rectangular ring surrounding the array of pixels that does not contain any of the pixels. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode, wherein the border region has four segments running along four respective peripheral edges of the rectangular active area, and wherein the light-scattering structure includes portions in each of the four segments. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the array of pixels comprises an array of thin-film organic light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the light-emitting device comprises a crystalline semiconductor die. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting device selected from the group consisting of: a light-emitting diode and a laser diode. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting device comprises a crystalline semiconductor die. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14  wherein the pixels comprise organic light-emitting diode display pixels in a display layer and wherein the crystalline semiconductor die is mounted on the display layer. 
     
     
       16. A wristwatch, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a wristband coupled to the housing; 
 organic light-emitting diode pixels configured to display an image in an active area; 
 a display cover layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover overlaps the pixels, wherein the display cover layer has opposing inner and outer surfaces, and wherein a light-scattering structure is embedded within the display cover layer between the inner and outer surfaces; and 
 a light-emitting device configured to illuminate the light-scattering structure. 
 
     
     
       17. The wristwatch defined in  claim 16  wherein the light-scattering structure comprises a laser-marked interior portion of the display cover layer and wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode configured to emit light that is scattered by the laser-marked interior portion. 
     
     
       18. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display cover layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover layer comprises an embedded laser-marked light-scattering structure; 
 an array of pixels configured to display an image, wherein the display cover layer has a first portion that overlaps the array of pixels and a second portion that forms a ring-shaped border region that surrounds an outermost peripheral edge of the array of pixels and wherein the embedded laser-marked light-scattering structure is in the ring-shaped border region; and 
 a light-emitting device configured to produce light that illuminates the laser-marked light-scattering structure. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 18  wherein the laser-marked light-scattering structure is configured to form a visual element selected from the group consisting of: alphanumeric text and an icon. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 18  wherein the light-emitting device is one of the pixels in the array of pixels.

Description:
FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, and other electronic equipment may include displays for presenting images to a user. 
     If care is not taken, electronic devices with displays may not have a desired appearance or may be difficult to use satisfactorily. For example, it may be difficult to efficiently use displays to present certain visual information to a user. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display may be mounted in a housing. Electronic components may be mounted in an interior region of the device. The display may have an array of pixels configured to display an image. A border region such as a ring-shaped border may run along the outermost peripheral edge of the array of pixels and may be free of image-producing pixels. 
     In order to provide a user with supplemental visual information in the border region, illuminated visual elements may be provided in the border. These visual elements can be controlled separately from the image displayed using the array of pixels. 
     The display may be covered by a transparent display cover layer. The transparent display cover layer may have opposing inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface may face the interior region of the device. A laser-marked light-scattering structure associated with a visual element such as an icon or other visual element may be embedded within an interior portion of the display cover layer between the inner and outer surfaces. The central portion of the display cover layer may overlap the pixel array, so that the image on the pixels array may be viewed through the display cover layer. The light-scattering structure may be located in the border region and may be illuminated by a light-emitting device separate from the array of pixels. In some configurations, an opaque coating layer may be located beneath the light-scattering structure to help hide the light-scattering structure from view in the absence of light from the light-emitting device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of portion of a display and internal components in an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are cross-sectional side views of illustrative edge portions of a display layer for an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 6, 7, and 8  are plan views of portions of illustrative electronic devices in accordance with embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display may have an array of pixels that forms an active area of the display in which an image is displayed. A transparent display cover layer may overlap the array of pixels to protect the pixels from damage. Laser marking techniques or other processing techniques may be used to create light-scattering structures within the display cover layer. For example, a hazy area may be formed along a border region of the display cover layer that runs along the outer peripheral edge of the active area. During operation, the pixels display an image on the display in the active area. When desired to produce visual output using the border region, a light-emitting device may illuminate the light-scattering structures in the border region. The light-emitting device can be operated independently from the pixels in the active area that are displaying the image. 
     The light-scattering structures in the border region may be patterned to form text (e.g. alphanumeric characters such as number and/or letters), symbols, graphics (e.g., an icon), abstract elements, or any other suitable visual elements. By placing the light-scattering structures in the border region, the visual elements associated with the light-scattering structures do not overlap the pixels in the active area. This allows the visual elements to be displayed at the same time as an image in the active area or to be displayed separately (e.g., when the image is not present because the pixels in the active area are all off). 
     A top view of an illustrative electronic device with a display is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a display such as display  14  mounted in housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, gold, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). Display  14  may have a rectangular outline (e.g., a square outline with rounded corners as shown in  FIG. 1 ), may have a circular outline, or may have other suitable shapes. 
     If desired, a band (strap) such as band  30  or other external structures may be coupled to housing  12  (e.g., using spring bars, magnets, threaded fasteners, clips, or other coupling structures). Band  30  may be a wristband with a clasp such as clasp  32  that is configured to allow device  10  to be worn by a user. Band  30  may be formed from metal, fabric, natural materials such as leather, polymer, or other materials. Clasp  32  may be a magnetic clasp, a mechanical clasp, or other suitable clasp. Device  10  may be a wristwatch that is worn on a user&#39;s wrist or other wearable device. If desired, device  10  may be a cellular telephone, tablet computer, desktop computer, display device, or other suitable equipment including a display. The use of display  14  in a wearable portable device such as a wristwatch device is sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode display having an array of thin-film organic light-emitting diode pixels on a flexible substrate, or a display based on other display technologies (e.g., an electrophoretic display, a display having an array of crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes on a flexible substrate, etc.). Display  14  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Touch sensor structures such as capacitive touch sensor electrodes may be formed as part of a thin-film organic light-emitting diode display panel or other pixel array for display  14  or may be formed using a separate touch sensor panel that overlap a display panel. 
     Display  14  may include one or more layers of transparent protective material. For example, the outermost layer of display  14 , which may sometimes be referred to as a display cover layer, may be formed from a hard transparent material such as glass, rigid polymer, sapphire or other crystalline material, or other clear material to help protect display  14  from damage. 
     A schematic diagram of electronic device  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . 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. 
     To support communications between device  10  and external equipment, control circuitry  20  may communicate using communications circuitry  22 . Circuitry  22  may include antennas, wireless transceiver circuitry such as radio-frequency 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 transceiver circuitry such as cellular telephone transceiver circuitry configured to support voice and/or data 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 millimeter wave link, a cellular telephone link handling voice and/or data, 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. During operation, control circuitry  20  may use sensors and other input devices in devices  24  to gather input and can control output devices in devices  24  to provide desired output. 
     Devices  24  may include one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may have an array of pixels configured to display images for a user. The display pixels may be formed on a substrate. The substrate may be a flexible substrate (e.g., display  14  may be formed from a flexible display panel) or a rigid substrate. Conductive electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor in display  14  and/or an array of indium tin oxide electrodes or other transparent conductive electrodes overlapping display  14  may be used to form a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor for display  14  (e.g., display  14  may be a touch sensitive display). If desired, capacitive touch sensor electrodes may be formed from thin-film circuitry on the same substrate as the display pixels. In some configurations, a separate two-dimensional touch sensor layer (e.g., a polymer film or other layer with an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes) may overlap the array of pixels. 
     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), 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 (e.g., 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 devices such as light-emitting diodes or lasers (e.g., thin-film organic light-emitting diodes, crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes, semiconductor lasers such as vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes, other laser diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor dies, etc.), other optical output devices, and/or other circuitry for gathering input and/or providing output. If desired, light-emitting devices may be used that illuminate translucent (hazy) portions of a display cover layer that are configured to form visual elements such as icons, text, abstract patterns, or other structures. 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. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an illustrative display and associated internal components in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , device  10  may have housing walls that separate an interior region such as interior  60  from the exterior region surrounding device  10 . Device  10  may include electrical components  50  mounted on one or more printed circuits such as printed circuit  48 . Components  50  may include integrated circuits and other devices. Components  50  may form control circuitry  20 , communications circuitry  22 , input-output devices  24  such as sensors  16  and devices  18  (e.g., light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes and lasers), and other circuitry. Components  50  may, if desired, include light-emitting components such as light-emitting device  50 ′ on printed circuit  48 . 
     As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 3 , display  14  may be formed on front face FR of device  10 . Display  14  may include a display layer such as display layer  42 . Display layer  42 , which may sometimes be referred to as a pixel array or display panel, may have an array of pixels P. Pixels P may be formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes, thin-film organic light-emitting diodes, and/or other pixel structures (e.g., liquid crystal display structures). In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 3 , pixels P are thin-film organic light-emitting diode pixels that are formed from thin-film circuitry on substrate  44 . Substrate  44  may be a flexible substrate (e.g., a flexible polyimide substrate or other flexible polymer layer) or may be a rigid substrate. One or more optical films such as optical layer  46  may be included in display  14 . Layer  46  may be, for example, a circular polarizer  46  for suppressing ambient light reflections. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 3 , display  14  includes an optional two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor layer  62 . If desired, optically clear adhesive layer  64  may be interposed between layer  62  and display cover layer  40  and optically clear adhesive layer  66  may be interposed between layer  62  and display layer  42 . 
     The housing for device  10  may include rear housing wall structures such as a portion of housing  12  forming a rear housing wall on rear face RR of device  10 . The housing for device  10  may also include side housing wall structures such as a portion of housing  12  on side E of device  10  and may include structures that form display cover layers such as display cover layer  40  on front face FR of device  10 . Portions of display cover layer  40  may, if desired, extend over part or all of edge E and/or may wrap to the rear of device  10  (as examples). Display cover layer  40  (which may sometimes be referred to as a transparent housing wall or transparent housing structure) overlaps an array of pixels P forming an active area AA for display  14 . When it is desired to provide a user such as viewer  68  who is viewing device  10  in direction  70  with visual content, control circuitry  20  may display an image in active area AA of display  14  using pixels P. 
     An inactive display area is formed along the peripheral border of active area AA. This border region may contain display driver circuitry and encapsulation structures, but does not contain pixels P for displaying the active area image. The image displayed in active area AA therefore does not extend into the border region that runs along the outermost edge of active area AA. 
     Supplemental visual information may be provided to viewer  68  using illuminated visual elements in the display border region. These visual elements may be formed by one or more light-scattering structures in display cover layer  40 . Display cover layer may have an exterior surface that faces the exterior of device  10  and an opposing inner surface that faces interior  60 . The light-scattering structures may be formed in an interior portion of display cover layer  40  (e.g., a region that is between the outwardly facing and inwardly facing surfaces of display cover layer  40 ). 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , display cover layer  40  has illustrative light-scattering structures  72  and light-scattering structures  74  embedded in display cover layer  40 . These light-scattering structures may be formed by laser marking techniques (sometimes referred to as laser internal engraving) or other fabrication techniques. With an illustrative arrangement, picosecond pulses of ultraviolet laser light are focused within the interior of display cover layer  40 , thereby locally damaging the glass or other material forming display cover layer  40  and creating light-scattering structures that scatter light that is incident on these structures. The laser may be scanned and/or the focus of the laser can be adjusted during laser marking operations, so that desired visual elements can be created from the light-scattering structures in the interior of display cover layer  40 . The outer and inner surfaces of display cover layer  40  can remain undamaged and smooth. 
     When illuminated, the light-scattering structures in an interior portion of the display cover layer scatter light and thereby light up for viewing by the user. As a result, the visual elements formed from the light-scattering structures become visible to the user in the border region. In the absence of the light-scattering structures, illumination would pass through this interior portion of the display cover layer without being scattered and no visual elements would be visible. 
     Examples of visual elements that can be created include text (e.g., a person&#39;s name, a descriptive label, a trade name, instructions, numbers, alphanumeric strings of letters and/or numbers, text symbols, and/or other alphanumeric character strings), graphics (e.g., icons such as trademarks, descriptive icons that serve as status indicator icons such as a battery charge state icon, a power on/off icon, a silent-mode icon, a mute icon, a wireless signal strength icon, etc., and/or other graphical elements), and abstract elements such as continuous and discontinuous lines, line segments, rectangular blocks, and/or other abstract shapes. 
     Portions of display cover layer  40  and/or other structures in device  10  can be provided with opaque masking materials. The opaque masking materials may include black polymer (e.g., polymer containing black pigment and/or dye) and/or other opaque polymer. In an illustrative configuration, a layer of opaque material such as black ink or other opaque coating  78  may be formed on a portion of inner surface  79  of display cover layer  40  in the border region of display  14 . This opaque material may help hide internal components in interior  60  from view by viewer  68 . In scenarios in which light-scattering structures such as illustrative structures  72  and/or  74  visually overlap opaque coating  78 , the presence of opaque border structures such as coating  78  may make it difficult or impossible to view structures  72  and/or  74  in the absence of illumination from a light-emitting device. This makes the visual elements associated with structures  72  and/or  74  invisible to the naked eye when light-emitting devices are not producing illumination for structures  72  and/or  74 . Accordingly, control circuitry  20  can make visual elements associated with light-scatting structures such as structures  72  and/or  74  in the display border either visible or invisible by turning on or off corresponding light-emitting devices. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, light-emitting device  84  may produce light  80  to illuminate light-scattering structure  72  and/or light-emitting device  50 ′ may produce light  82  to illuminate light-scattering structure  74 . Light-emitting devices such as light-emitting device  84  and/or light-emitting device  50 ′ may produce white light or light with a non-neutral color (e.g., red light, blue light, green light, etc.). The light produced may be steady (e.g., a fixed intensity) and/or variable (e.g., pulsed or otherwise changing in intensity). If desired, light-emitting device  84  may be adjustable and may emit light of different intensities and/or colors under control of control signals from control circuitry  20 . Light-emitting device  84  may be formed on the same substrate as pixels P or on a different substrate. When one or more light-emitting devices such as light-emitting device  84  are formed on a common substrate with pixels P such as substrate  44 , signal lines formed from thin-film metal traces in the thin-film circuitry on substrate  44  may be used in providing control signals to light-emitting device  84 . Light-emitting device  50 ′ may be mounted on printed circuit  48  and may be provided with control signals using metal traces on printed circuit  48 . 
     When it is desired to view a visual element associated with a light-scattering structure embedded in layer  40  in the border region of display  14 , the corresponding light-emitting device in device  10  may be used to generate illumination for that light-scattering structure. In the example of  FIG. 3 , light  82  passes through opening  76  in coating  78 . Light  80  may pass through an opening in coating  78  or may, as shown in  FIG. 3 , pass to light-scatting structure  74  along the inner edge of coating  78 . If desired, structures in display layer  42  may help direct light  80  away from active area AA, so that light  80  does not visually encroach on the image displayed in active area AA. 
     When it is desired to illuminate light-scattering structures  72  and thereby make a visual element associated with light-scattering structures  72  visible to viewer  68 , control circuitry  20  can turn on light-emitting device  84  (e.g., a light-emitting diode or laser) to produce light  80 . Light  80  may illuminate light-scattering structure  72  so that viewer  68  may view the visual element formed from light-scatting structure  72 . When it is desired to hide this light-scatting element from view, light-emitting device  84  may be turned off. Because coating  78  is located behind light-scattering structure  72  when light-scattering structure is being viewed in direction  70  by viewer  68 , the visual element formed from light-scattering structure  72  may be invisible to viewer  68  in the absence of light  80 . When it is desired to illuminate light-scattering structures  74 , device  50 ′ may be turned on to produce light  82 . Light-scattering structures  74  may be hidden from view by turning off device  50 ′. 
     Any suitable mounting arrangement may be used for the light-emitting devices that produce illumination for light-scattering structures in display cover layer  40 . In the example of  FIG. 3 , light-emitting device  50 ′ is mounted on printed circuit  48  and is located in the border region of display  14  (e.g., light-emitting device  50 ′ is not overlapped by active area AA). If desired, light-emitting device  50 ′ may be formed under active area AA (e.g., behind active area AA when viewed in direction  70 ). In this type of arrangement, light-emitting device  50 ′ may be located near to the edge of device  10  so that light  82  from light-emitting device  50 ′ passes through opening  76  in coating  78  and illuminates light-scattering structure  74 . 
     If desired, a light-emitting device may be mounted on top of a display layer. As shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, display layer  42  may include an array of pixels P configured to display an image. No pixels P for displaying the image are present in inactive border region  92 . Pixels P may be thin-film organic light-emitting diode pixels or other pixels. If desired, light-emitting device  90  (e.g., a light-emitting diode die, a laser diode die, or other light-emitting component) may be mounted (e.g., using solder, conductive adhesive, etc.) to layer  42  (e.g., to metal traces or other conductive signal paths in layer  42 ). With this type of arrangement, thin-film circuitry (e.g., interconnect paths formed form metal traces in border region  92  of display layer  42 ) may be used to help route signals to light-emitting device  90 . During operation, light-emitting device  90  may provide light that illuminates a light-scattering structure in display cover layer  40  (e.g., through an opaque coating opening such as opening  76  of  FIG. 3 ). 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of display layer  42  in an illustrative configuration in which light-emitting device  84  is formed from a portion of display layer  42 . For example, pixels P of display layer  42  of  FIG. 5  may be light-emitting diode pixels such as thin-film organic light-emitting diode pixels or pixels with light-emitting diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor dies. Light-emitting device  84  may be formed from a light-emitting structure of the same type as pixels P, but may be located in border region  92 . For example, if pixels P are formed from organic light-emitting diodes, light-emitting device  84  may be formed from an organic light-emitting diode and may be controlled using thin-film circuitry on display layer  42 . If pixels P are formed from crystalline semiconductor dies, light-emitting device  84  may also be formed from a crystalline semiconductor die (as an example). As shown in  FIG. 5 , device  84  may be separated from the outermost edge of pixels P in active area AA by a gap (e.g., a gap of at least two or more pixels in width or other suitable width). 
     Light-scattering structures may be illuminated along some or all of border  92 . Border  92  may extend along one or more edges of display  14 . Border  92  may, for example, have four segments running along four respective peripheral edges of device  10  (e.g., border  92  may form a rectangular ring about active area AA). In the example of  FIG. 6 , light-scattering structure  96  is formed in a middle portion of a segment of border  92  that runs along one of the edges of device  10  (e.g., the right-hand edge, lower edge, etc.). Light-scattering structure  62  may form text, graphics (e.g., status indicator icons, logos, trademarks, tradenames, symbols, etc.), abstract patterns (e.g., squares, circles, lines, wavy lines, and/or other abstract shapes), and/or other suitable visible elements. In the example of  FIG. 7 , light-scattering structures  98  run along multiple edges (or the entire periphery of device  10 ) and are separated by respective areas  100  that are free of light-scattering structures  98 . Each of light-scattering structures  98  may, if desired, be illuminated by a separate individually controlled light-emitting device (e.g., to implement chasing light effects, flashing lights, etc.). Light-scattering structures  98  may be abstract shapes, text, graphics, or other suitable content. 
       FIG. 8  shows how a light-scattering structure (structure  102 ) may, if desired, run along the entire periphery of device  10  (e.g., border  92  may form a ring around active area AA). Light-scattering structure  102  may be illuminated by one or more light-emitting devices. 
     In some configurations, light-scattering structures form visual elements that are illuminated to provide labeling (e.g., text labeling, trademark labeling, brand name labeling, etc.). In other configurations, visual elements formed from light-scattering structures may form an abstract shape and can be illuminated to serve as a visual notification (e.g., by flashing or illuminating with a particular color) and/or decorative trim. 
     Visual elements may be illuminated in coordination with content in active area AA. As an example, an image in active area AA may contain a visual item that moves from the center of active area AA to a location where the visual item contacts the outer edge of active area AA. When the visual item contacts this edge, a ring-shaped border surrounding active area AA may be illuminated to serve as visual feedback (e.g., a light-scattering structure such as structure  102  of  FIG. 8  may be illuminated whenever a moving visual item touches the outer edge of active area AA). 
     Visual elements formed from light-scattering structures may be illuminated in response to changes in device operating conditions. For example, the illumination for a light-scattering structure may be adjusted in response to expiration of a timer, determination that a sensor reading has exceeded a predetermined threshold, receipt of user input, receipt of a wireless message or incoming telephone call, determination that a particular geographic location has been reached by device  10 , and/or in response to satisfaction of criteria associated with one or more other operating conditions. Criteria for illuminating visual elements may be provided to device  10  during manufacturing and/or may be user-defined settings. In some arrangements, visual elements may be illuminated to provide a user with assistance in using device  10 . For example, if device  10  is waiting for a user to supply input with a button, a visual element such as text stating “press the button to start” or a flashing green icon may be displayed by using a light-emitting device to supply illumination to a light-scattering structure. In general, visual elements in border  92  may be used for any suitable function (e.g., to supply visual feedback, decoration, a notification, instructions, labeling, etc.). 
     Device  10  may be operated in a system that uses personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. 
     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.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20190716
Publication Date: 20220329
Grant Date: 20220329
Priority Date: 20190716
Inventors: BUSHNELL, TYLER S.
DAVIS, RICHARD A.
WERNER, CHRISTOPHER M.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F1/1641", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133615", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133331", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133388", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133504", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133615", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1641", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133388", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 74343671