PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9429997-B2
Application Number: US-201213494472-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with wrapped display

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a hollow display cover structure. The hollow display cover structure may be formed from a structure having an inner surface. The structure may be an elongated member having a longitudinal axis. A material such as sapphire, other crystalline materials, or other transparent materials may be used in forming the hollow display cover structure. A flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer or other flexible display structure may be wrapped around the longitudinal axis to cover the interior surface of the hollow display cover structure. The electronic device may have a touch sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and other sensors for gathering input such as user input. The electronic device may use one or more sensors to gather information on rotational motion of the device and can display content on the flexible display layer accordingly.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a hollow curved crystalline display cover structure having a curved interior surface that wraps continuously around a cavity, wherein the hollow curved crystalline display cover structure comprises a single-crystal inorganic material; and 
 a flexible display layer that conforms to the curved interior surface of the hollow curved crystalline display cover structure and that surrounds the cavity. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the single-crystal inorganic material comprises sapphire. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  further comprising end cap structures on opposing ends of the hollow curved crystalline display cover structure, wherein the end cap structures have a first diameter and wherein the hollow curved crystalline display cover structure has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the hollow curved crystalline display cover structure comprises a hollow cylinder. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a support structure, wherein the flexible display layer has opposing edges and wherein the flexible display layer is configured to wrap around the curved interior surface so that the edges protrude through an opening in the support structure along a seam. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the flexible display layer has opposing edges and wherein the flexible display layer is configured to wrap around the curved interior surface so that the opposing edges abut one another without overlapping. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a hollow transparent display cover structure having a longitudinal axis and an interior surface that surrounds the longitudinal axis; 
 a flexible display layer that is wrapped around the longitudinal axis to cover the interior surface of the hollow transparent display cover structure; 
 an opaque masking layer interposed between the hollow transparent display cover structure and the flexible display layer, wherein the opaque masking layer extends parallel to the longitudinal axis; 
 a sensor; and 
 control circuitry that is configured to display content on the flexible display layer based on data from the sensor. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer and wherein the control circuitry is configured to display the content on the flexible display layer based on data from the accelerometer. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the control circuitry is configured to scroll the content on the flexible display layer based on the data from the accelerometer. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the control circuitry is configured to flip pages of the content on the display based on the data from the accelerometer. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  further comprising end cap structures on opposing ends of the hollow transparent display cover structure, wherein the control circuitry is configured to continuously scroll content on the display around the longitudinal axis in response to detection with the sensor that the electronic device is resting on one of the end cap structures so that the longitudinal axis is vertical. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the hollow transparent display cover structure comprises a hollow sapphire structure. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the hollow transparent display cover structure has opposing ends and wherein the electronic device further comprises circumferential end bands of the opaque masking layer formed on inner surfaces of the hollow transparent display cover structure at each of the opposing ends. 
     
     
       14. A method of operating an electronic device having a hollow transparent display cover structure that is configured to be rotated about an axis by a user, having a flexible display layer that is wrapped around the axis to cover an interior surface of the hollow transparent display cover structure, and having control circuitry, the method comprising:
 with the control circuitry, gathering sensor data indicative of a rate of rotation of the electronic device about the axis; and 
 changing content that is displayed on the flexible display layer based on the rate of rotation of the electronic device about the axis. 
 
     
     
       15. The method defined in  claim 14  wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer and wherein gathering the sensor data comprises gathering tilt data indicative of a tilt angle for the electronic device. 
     
     
       16. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein changing the content comprises adjusting a scroll speed on the flexible display layer based on the tilt angle. 
     
     
       17. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein changing the content comprises flipping pages of text based on the tilt angle. 
     
     
       18. The method defined in  claim 14  wherein the sensor is configured to measure rotational motion of the electronic device and the flexible display layer about the axis and wherein changing the content comprises displaying some content at a stationary position with respect to the user while simultaneously displaying other content at a stationary position with respect to the flexible display layer. 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 14  wherein the sensor is configured to measure rotational motion of the electronic device and the flexible display layer about the axis and wherein changing the content comprises updating text on the display in response to rotation of the electronic device by the user. 
     
     
       20. The method defined in  claim 14  further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the electronic device has a front face and a rear face and wherein the control circuitry is configured to display content on the front face based on touch input gathered using the touch sensor on the rear face. 
     
     
       21. The method defined in  claim 14  wherein the hollow transparent display cover structure comprises sapphire and wherein the sensor is configured to display scrolling text on the flexible display layer in response to rotation of the hollow transparent display cover structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates to electronic devices, and more particularly, to electronic devices with displays. 
     Electronic devices such as computers, media players, and cellular telephones typically contain displays. For example, an electronic device may have a front surface on which a display is mounted. Conventional display configurations such as these may be satisfactory in certain situations, but can be unnecessarily limiting. 
     It would therefore be desirable to provide electronic devices with improved displays. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a hollow display cover structure. The hollow display cover structure may be formed from an elongated member having an inner surface. The hollow display cover structure may have the shape of a hollow cylinder, a hollow tube with an oval, triangular, or rectangular cross-sectional shape, or other hollow shapes. A material such as sapphire, other crystalline materials, or other transparent materials may be used in forming the hollow display cover structure. End caps may be attached to opposing ends of the hollow display cover structure. 
     The elongated display cover structure may have a longitudinal axis. A flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer or other flexible display structure may be wrapped around the longitudinal axis to cover the interior surface of the hollow display cover structure. The flexible display layer may have edges that abut without overlapping, may have overlapping edges, or may have edges that protrude through an opening in a support structure along a seam. 
     The electronic device may have a touch sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and other sensors for gathering input such as user input. The electronic device may, for example, use one or more sensors to gather information on rotational motion of the device about the longitudinal axis, tilt events, and other motion of the electronic device. In response to detection of these device motions, the electronic device can display content on the flexible display layer. 
     The device may display content that moves or that remains at a fixed location on the surface of the flexible display layer. For example, the electronic device may display pages of content on the display layer in response to tilt events or other motions of the device. The electronic device may also adjust scrolling activity and other on-screen content motions based on detected device rotation and other measured movement of the device. If desired, content can be displayed in synchronization with the rotation of the electronic device about the longitudinal axis so that the displayed content remains at a fixed location relative to a user. Content may be simultaneously displayed at a fixed location on the surface of the display. In response to detection of a vertical device orientation in which the longitudinal axis is vertical, the device may automatically scroll content on the display around the longitudinal axis. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a system including an electronic device with a continuously wrapped display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an electronic device of the type shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of illustrative software that may be implemented on control circuitry of the type shown in  FIG. 2  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a transparent housing structures being grown from a molten material by pulling a seed crystal vertically upwards in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an illustrative hollow transparent housing structure and a polishing tool of the type that may be used to polish an interior surface of the housing structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an illustrative hollow transparent housing structure and a belt-based polishing tool of the type that may be used to polish an interior surface of the housing structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a device with a continuous display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative device with a continuous display and two end cap structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative flexible display that includes an associated touch sensor array in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional end view of a flexible display of the type shown in  FIG. 9  showing how ends of the display may be oriented to abut one another in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of two opposing ends of a flexible display in a device with a continuously wrapped display showing how portions of the flexible display ends may overlap each other in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional end view of a flexible display that has been wrapped around and into a support structure along a seam in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional end view of a device with a continuously wrapped display showing how a seam region between opposing ends of the wrapped display may be covered using a strip of opaque masking material on an interior surface of an elongated hollow transparent housing member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an illustrative cylindrical transparent housing structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view the cylindrical transparent housing structure of  FIG. 14  that has been provided with a ring of opaque masking material around each end in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a rounded rectangular cross-section in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a triangular cross-section in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a rectangular cross-section in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a continuously wrapped display that is being rotated during use while measurements of device orientation and motion are being made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a continuously wrapped display that has been placed on one of its ends and that is displaying horizontally scrolled content automatically in response to detection of a vertical device orientation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device with a continuously wrapped display that is being rotated by a user while content such as static and moving content is displayed on the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 22  is a diagram showing content of the type that may be displayed on a continuously wrapped display such as scrolling game content in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 23  is a diagram showing content of the type that may be displayed on a continuously wrapped display such as scrolling text in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 24  is a side view of an illustrative electronic device with a continuously wrapped display that is being tilted forwards and back by a user to control display of content on the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 25  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in displaying content on an electronic device with a continuously wrapped display and controlling the display of the content using tilting operations or other user input in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 26  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in displaying content on an electronic device with a wrapped display based on device orientation or other input in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 27  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with display such as a wrapped display in which a user is supplying a touch command to a hidden portion of the display while the device is displaying corresponding content on a visible portion of the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 28  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in gathering sensor input and taking appropriate actions based on the sensor input in an electronic device with a wrapped display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An illustrative system that includes an electronic device with a wrapped display is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a display such as display  12  that is continuously wrapped around the body of device  10 . Displays such as display  12  may be formed using liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, a light-emitting display such as an organic light-emitting diode display, an electrophoretic display, an electrowetting display, a plasma display, or other suitable types of display technology. 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , the housing of device  10  has an elongated shape with an oval cross-sectional shape. This is merely illustrative. Other types of housings may be used for device  10  if desired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , electronic device  10  may be coupled to an accessory such as headset  14  by plugging plug  16  of accessory  14  into jack  18  of electronic device  10 . 
     Electronic device  10  may be a computer such as a desktop computer, tablet computer, or laptop computer. Device  10  may also be a handheld electronic device such as a cellular telephone or media player, a tablet device, other portable electronic devices, or other electronic equipment. Headset  14  may have speakers  20  and controller  22 . Controller  22  may have buttons and may therefore sometimes be referred to as a button controller or button controller assembly. Button controller  22  and speakers  20  may be coupled to device  10  using cable  24 . Cable  24  may contain multiple wires. Button controller  22  may, if desired, include a microphone. The microphone may be used by a user of device  10  and headset  12  during a telephone call (e.g., to pick up the user&#39;s voice). 
     Device  10  may have opposing end faces such as end faces  28 . End faces  28  may be associated with plastic cap structures or other types of housing structures. Device  10  may have input-output components such as buttons and switches  26  that are mounted to end face structures  28 . Components  26  may also include status indicator lights, microphone ports, speaker ports, connector ports in addition to audio jack port  18 , sensors such as an ambient light sensor and proximity sensor, and other electrical components. 
     A schematic diagram showing illustrative circuitry that may be included in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , electronic device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  29 . Storage and processing circuitry  29  may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, 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 storage and processing circuitry  29  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio codec chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Input-output devices  32  may include sensors such as sensors  34 . Sensors  34  may include sensors such as ambient light sensors, touch sensors, accelerometers, and proximity sensors, touch screen sensor arrays (e.g., capacitive touch sensors, touch sensors based on resistive touch sensor technology, acoustic touch technology, light-based touch technology, or other touch sensors), and other sensors. 
     Input-output devices may also include devices  36  such as audio input-output devices (e.g., microphones and speakers), device such as buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, tone generators, vibrators, cameras, status indicators such as light-emitting diodes, etc. Devices  36  may also include one or more displays such as display  12  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Communications circuitry  38  may include wired data port circuitry and wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Electronic device  10  may interact with external equipment. For example, electronic device  10  may send data to external equipment  44  and may receive data from external equipment  44 . External equipment  44  may include a wireless local area network that communicates wirelessly with device  10  using communications circuitry  38  in device  10 , may be wired network equipment to which device  10  is attached with a cable, may be a peer device that is coupled to device  10  through a wired or wireless connection, or may be other equipment that sends and/or receives signals from device  10 . 
     Electronic device  10  may also interact with equipment such as accessories  42  using a wired path and/or wireless path. For example, accessories  42  may include a headset with an audio plug that is configured to mate with an audio jack in device  10 . Accessories  42  may also include microphones, speakers, and other audio accessories, video accessories, televisions, computer monitors, charging stations, display equipment, embedded system equipment such as equipment in an automobile, and other external electronic equipment. Analog and/or digital communications may be used in communicating between device  10  and accessories  12 . 
     Device  10  may use software for implementing functions that display information on display  12  and other device functions. The software may be implemented on control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  29  of  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , software that may be implemented on device  10  may include operating system  46  and applications  48 . Applications  48  may include productivity applications  50  such as word processing applications, document management applications, applications for viewing and editing Portable Document Format files, applications for viewing presentations, and spreadsheet applications. Applications  48  may also include media playback applications such as video applications, electronic book readers, and applications for playing audio files (e.g., with the simultaneous display of cover art, lyrics, and other associated information). Applications  48  may include games  54 , video and photo editing applications  56 , and other applications  58 . Games  54  may include games with static image content such as word games and moving images (video) such as action games. Editing applications  56  may be used to edit videos, to edit digital photographs, and to edit other digital imaging data. Applications  58  may include applications for displaying stock prices and other financial data, applications for displaying reviews, applications for displaying travel information, applications for displaying weather information, and other applications. 
     When running application and operating system software such as applications  48  and operating system  46 , device  10  may gather user input from a touch screen, keyboard, touch pad, voice recognition function, or other user input resources and may provide a user of device  10  with audio output using speakers or other audio equipment. Visible output may be displayed for the user with display  12  using applications  48  and/or operating system  46 . The visible output that is displayed for the user may include static content and or moving content. Displayed content may include still and/or moving images such as digital image data, video, graphics, text, game output, etc. 
     In some applications, content may be displayed on display  12  in a wrapped fashion (i.e., using an approach that takes advantage of the wrapped display shape of display  12 ). For example, content may be displayed on display  12  that circulates around display  12  continuously, as with a scrolling stock ticker. As another example, game content may be displayed for a user that continually updates in response to rotational motion of device  10  as a user rotates display  12  (and device  10 ). 
     Display  12  may, if desired, have a display cover structure. The display cover structure may be formed from a transparent material with a hollow shape. As an example, the display cover structure may have the shape of an elongated hollow structure such as a hollow cylinder or a hollow tube with a non-circular cross-sectional shape. A flexible display layer may be mounted on the inner surface of the hollow display cover structure. For example, a flexible display layer may be attached to an inner surface of a hollow display cover structure using adhesive. 
     A display cover structure may be formed from a transparent material such as clear glass (e.g., borosilicate glass, fused silica, etc.), transparent plastic, clear ceramic (e.g., aluminum oxynitride), etc. With one illustrative arrangement, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, display cover structures may be formed from a transparent crystalline material such as sapphire (aluminum oxide), zirconium dioxide, or other materials that are clear and hard. An advantage of materials of this type is that they may exhibit elevated hardness values (e.g., values of 9 Mohs, 7 Mohs or above, 8 Mohs or above, or other values above 6 Mohs, which is typical for borosilicate glass). 
     Sapphire display cover structures may be grown as single crystals by pulling a boule of sapphire from a melt. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 4 . Crucible  72  may be filled with alumina powder, which is raised to a sufficient temperature to form a molten liquid (melt  62 ). Single-crystal seed  64  may then be pulled upwards in direction  68 . As seed crystal  64  moves upwards, the material in melt  62  cools and crystallizes, forming a growing sapphire boule such as boule  65 . Boule  65  may form display cover structures for display  12 . 
     The shape of the seed crystal that is used in growing sapphire structure  66  may influence the shape of sapphire structure  66 . For example, if the seed crystal has an opening, the resulting sapphire structure that is grown may be hollow. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 4 , seed  64  has the shape of a hollow circular ring having an opening such as opening  70 . In general, seed crystals such as seed crystal  64  may have any suitable shape (e.g., rings with one opening, rings with more than one opening, solid shapes with no openings, etc.). Moreover, other types of crystal growth techniques may be used for growing sapphire structures if desired. The illustrative seed crystal arrangement of  FIG. 4  is merely illustrative. 
     Following formation of a hollow sapphire structure such as structure  66  of  FIG. 4 , structures  66  may be divided into individual device-sized pieces. The interior surfaces of structures  66  may be sufficiently smooth for use without additional machining. If desired, additional machining operations may be used to smooth interior surfaces. As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, interior surface  78  of display cover structure  74  may be machined using rotating tool  76  (e.g., by inserting tool  76  within the hollow interior of structure  74  in direction  80  and moving tool  76  around the entire interior surface of structure  74 ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , a belt-based machining (grinding) tool such as tool  82  may be used to machine interior surface  78  of display cover structure  74  after being inserted into the hollow interior of structure  74  in direction  80 . 
     An exploded perspective view of an illustrative device with a wrapped display is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , device  10  may include hollow display cover structure  74 . Device  10  may also include a flexible display layer such as flexible display layer (flexible display)  86 . Flexible display layer  86  may be wrapped 360° around longitudinal axis  94  (i.e., display layer  86  may be wrapped around axis  94  sufficiently to surround axis  94 ). During assembly of layer  86  and display cover structure  74  to form display  12 , layer  86  may be attached to inner surface  78  of display cover structure  74  using optically clear adhesive or other fastening mechanisms. Opposing edges of flexible display layer  86  may be joined along seam  88 . 
     Circuitry for device  10  such as storage and processing circuitry  29  and circuitry associated with input-output devices  32  of  FIG. 2  may be implemented using components that are mounted within the interior of flexible display layer  86 . For example, circuitry for device  10  may be implemented using electrical components  92 . Electrical components  92  may include one or more integrated circuits, discrete components such as inductors, resistors, and capacitors, components such as switches, filters, power supply components, connectors, sensors, input-output devices, and other electronic devices. 
     Electrical components  92  may be mounted on a substrate such as substrate  90 . Substrate  90  may be a printed circuit or other dielectric support structure. For example, substrate  90  may be a flexible printed circuit (“flex circuit”) formed from a flexible sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer layer or may be formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy (e.g., FR4) or other rigid printed circuit material. If desired, substrate  90  may be formed from injection molded plastic, ceramic, or other dielectric structures. 
     Following assembly of display  12  by inserting flexible display layer  86  in display cover structures  74 , structures such as end cap structures  84  may be attached to display  12  to form a completed housing for device  10 . End cap structures  84  may be formed from plastic, glass, ceramic, crystalline materials such as sapphire, or other suitable materials. End caps  84  may be used in forming structures such as end faces  28  of  FIG. 1 . Structures such as audio jack port  18  and components  26  may be formed on end caps  84 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , end caps  84  may be configured to have a dimension D 2  (e.g., a diameter or other lateral dimension perpendicular to longitudinal axis  94 ) that is slightly larger than dimension D 1  (e.g., a diameter or other lateral dimension perpendicular to longitudinal axis  94 ). This type of arrangement may help protect the exterior surface of display  12  (i.e., the display cover structure from which display  12  is formed) from scratches. If desired, dimensions D 1  and D 2  may be equal or dimension D 2  may be less than dimension D 1 . The configuration of  FIG. 8  in which dimension D 2  is larger than dimension D 1  to create a gap between display  12  and a surface on which device  10  is resting (e.g., a gap of 0.05 to 2 mm or more than 0.2 mm) is merely illustrative. 
     Flexible display layer  86  may include multiple layers of material for forming structures such as a flexible display having an array of display pixels and optional touch sensor structures for forming a touch sensor array. An illustrative configuration for flexible display layer  86  is shown in  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , flexible display layer  86  may have a substrate such as substrate  96 . Substrate  96  may be formed from a flexible polymer (e.g., polyimide or other suitable material). Structures for emitting light such as display pixel structures  98  may be formed on substrate  96 . Display pixel structures  98  may include organic light-emitting diode pixels, pixels based on liquid crystal display structures, electrowetting display pixels, electrophoretic display pixels, or pixels formed using other suitable display technologies. A cover layer such as layer  100  may, if desired, be formed over display pixel layer  98 . For example, a clear protected polymer film may be formed over the upper surface of display pixel layer  98  (e.g., a layer of sealant, etc.). 
     If desired, touch sensor structures may be incorporated into flexible display layer  86 . A capacitive touch sensor may, as an example, be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes such as electrodes  104  and  108 . Electrodes  104  may include row-shaped strips of a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide that run parallel to the X axis in  FIG. 9 . Electrodes  108  may run perpendicular to electrodes  104 . For example, electrodes  108  may include column-shaped strips of transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide that run parallel to the Y axis in  FIG. 9 . Electrodes such as electrodes  104  and  108  may be formed using other electrode shapes, if desired. The use of strip-shaped electrodes in the example of  FIG. 9  is merely illustrative. 
     Electrodes  104  and  108  may be formed on the opposing lower and upper surfaces of substrate  106  or, if desired, may be formed on the same surface of substrate  106  or other substrates (e.g., a cover layer, other display layers, etc.). Substrate  106  may be formed from a material such as polyimide or other transparent flexible polymer. If desired, touch sensor arrays may be formed using other types of touch sensors. For example, touch sensor arrays for flexible display  86  may be formed from resistive touch sensor structures, force-based touch sensor structures, light-based touch sensor structures, or other touch technologies. The use of capacitive touch sensor structures to form a touch sensor array for flexible display layer  86  is merely illustrative. Touch sensor structures may be attached to display layers such as layers  96 ,  98 , and  100  using adhesive such as optically clear adhesive  102  or other suitable attachment mechanisms. 
     As shown in the end view of  FIG. 10 , flexible display layer  86  may be wrapped around longitudinal axis  94  to form a cylindrical shape suitable for covering a cylindrical inner surface of a hollow display cover structure. Flexible display layer  86  may, in general, be wrapped around axis  94  to form a shape with a circular cross section, an oval cross section, a triangular cross section, a rectangular cross section, a rectangular cross section or other cross section with one, two, three, four, or more than four rounded edges, other polygonal cross sections, or other suitable shapes. As shown in  FIG. 10 , opposing edges  86 A and  86 B of flexible display layer  86  may be configured to abut one another without overlapping along seam  88 . As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 11 , edges  86 A and  86 B may overlap along seam  88 , if desired. 
     As shown in the cross-sectional end view of flexible display layer  86  of  FIG. 12 , edges  86 A and  86 B of flexible display layer  86  may be flared outwardly so as not to overlap each other along seam  88 . This allows small inactive edge portions of display layer  86  to be hidden from view in the interior of device  10 , thereby minimizing or eliminating exposed inactive display areas on the exterior of display  12 . 
     Flexible display layer  86  may, if desired, be mounted on an internal support structure such as support structure  110  of  FIG. 12  (using a seam configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 10, 11 , or  12  or other suitable seam configuration). Support structure  110  may be formed from plastic or other suitable materials. Flexible display layer  86  may be attached to support structure  110  using adhesive or the interface between layer  86  and support structure  110  may be free of adhesive. A layer of foam or other biasing structure may be used to help push flexible display layer  86  outwards against inner surface  78  of display cover structure ( FIG. 7 ) and/or a layer of adhesive may be interposed between flexible display layer  86  and inner surface  78  to help attach flexible display layer  86  to display cover structure  74 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional end view of display  12  in an illustrative configuration in which flexible display layer  86  has been attached to inner surface  78  of display cover structure  74  using a layer of adhesive such as optically clear adhesive  112 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , flexible display layer  86  may have a seam such as seam  88  that is formed along the line where edges  86 A and  86 B of flexible display layer meet (in an overlapping or non-overlapping configuration). If desired, seam  88  may be hidden from view using an opaque structure such as opaque structure  114 . Opaque structure  114  may be formed from a strip of material such as metal, plastic, ceramic, ink, paint, or other opaque materials. As an example, structure  114  may be an opaque masking layer formed from a layer of black ink having a rectangular strip shape that extends along the length of seam  88 . 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of display cover structure  74  in a configuration in which inner surface  78  is devoid of opaque masking material  114 . As shown in the example of  FIG. 15 , circumferential end bands or other portions of inner surface  78  of display cover structure  74  may be covered with opaque masking material in the shape of opaque rings  116  at longitudinally opposing ends of display cover structure  74 . 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of illustrative structures for display  12  in which elongated transparent display cover structure  74  and flexible display layer  86  have been configured to form a display having an elongated shape with a rectangular cross section with rounded edges. 
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of illustrative structures for display  12  in which display cover structure  74  and flexible display layer  86  have been configured to form a display having an elongated shape with a triangular cross section. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 18 , display cover structure  74  and flexible display layer  86  have been configured to form a display having an elongated shape with a rectangular cross section with perpendicular side walls. 
       FIG. 19  is a perspective view of display  12  in the process of displaying content  118  for a user of device  10 . The user may be positioned, for example, at viewer location  120  and may view display  12  in direction  122 . As the user is using device  10 , the user may rotate device  10  about axis  94 . For example, while staying in a fixed viewing location such as position  120 , the user may rotate display  12  in counterclockwise direction  126  about axis  94 . At the same time as the user is rotating display  12  (and device  10 ) in a counterclockwise fashion, device  10  may rotate content  118  (or some of content  118 ) on the surface of display  12  in the opposite direction (i.e., in clockwise direction  124 ). An accelerometer, gyroscope, and/or other sensors in device  10  may be used in monitoring the rotation and orientation of device  10  and display  12  in real time. Content can be displayed in synchronization with the rotation of display  12 , if desired. 
     By rotating some of content  118  to counteract the rotation of display  12 , device  10  may maintain portions of content  118  stationary with respect to viewer position  120  while other portions of content  118  are allowed to rotate with the display. For example, a game or other software may be implemented on device  10  that contains a ball or other object such as object  118 B. Object  118 B may be moved relative to the surface of display  12  by tilting and rotating display  12 . Content  118 A may remain stationary on the surface of display  12  as the user manipulates display  12 . 
     As an example, content  118 A may represent the walls of a maze in a game and content  118 B may represent a ball that moves relative to the walls of the maze. As the user rotates display  12  in direction  126 , walls  118 A may rotate in the same direction as display  12 , as if walls  118 A were affixed to the surface of display  12 . While walls  118 A are being rotated in this way relative to viewer location  120 , ball  118 B may be displayed in a fixed location relative to viewer location  120  (i.e., the location of ball  118 B may be moved on display  12  in synchronization with the user&#39;s rotation of display  12  so that ball  118 B is maintained at a fixed location with respect to the user). 
     Ball  118 B may be located on an upper surface of display  12  in the orientation of  FIG. 19 . Movement of ball  118 B relative to maze walls  118 A (i.e., movement back and forth parallel to longitudinal axis  94  to traverse maze  118 A) may be made using an accelerometer or other sensor in device  10  to monitor tilting of device  10  relative to the surface of the Earth. Because display  12  is wrapped around device  10 , a user can rotate display  12  and device  10  indefinitely and device  10  can continually update the displayed content on display  12 . This allows the user to continue playing the game indefinitely without running out of display surface real estate. Any of applications  48  or operating system  46  of  FIG. 3  may display content  118  on display  12  in this way, if desired (e.g., map applications, navigation applications, music applications that display music scores and other information, video editing applications that display videos on a timeline, etc.). The use of a game application to illustrate the use of a wrapped display on device  10  is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , device  10  may, if desired be placed in an end-down position on a surface such as surface  128 . In this type of arrangement, the entire surface of display  12  may be exposed. Device  10  may display content such as content  118  in a static fashion (i.e., in a stationary position relative to the stationary surface of display  12 ) or may move content  118  on the surface of display  12 . For example, device  10  may automatically scroll content  118  around the surface of display  12  in direction  130  (e.g., in a “stock ticker” mode) in response to data from an accelerometer or other sensor that indicates that device  10  has been placed in an orientation in which longitudinal axis  94  is oriented vertically. Information that may be displayed in this way includes content associated with games, video, text (e.g., stock quotes, sports scores, news headlines, etc.). 
       FIG. 21  is a side view of device  10  showing how wrapped display  12  may be viewed in direction  122  by a user at viewer position  120  while rotating device  10  and display  12  in direction  126 . The surface of display  12  may be considered to be made up of four contiguous areas—a first area extending from A to B, a second area extending from B to C, a third area extending from C to D, and a forth area extending from D to A. Device  10  may use an accelerometer, gyroscope, or other sensors in determining the orientation of device  10  and display  12  relative to the Earth (surface  130 ). Using this information, device  10  can display information on display  14  in real time that is based on the user&#39;s positioning of device  10  relative to the Earth and/or other appropriate inputs (e.g., time, date, content, etc.). 
       FIG. 22  shows how a display such as display  12  of  FIG. 21  may display content  118  that includes static content  118 A (e.g., lines in a maze that are in a fixed position relative to the surface of display  12 ) and moving content  118 B (e.g., a moving ball or other moving content that may or may not be positioned so as to remain at a fixed location relative to a user). 
     As shown in  FIG. 23 , content  118  may include text  118 T and graphics  118 G. As a user rotates display  12 , content  118  may be updated. For example, device  10  may update the portion of display  12  that is not currently visible to the user with fresh content, so that the content on display  12  appears to be continuous (unending) and so that there are no visible artifacts associated with the updating process. This type of arrangement may be used to allow a user to read a book or other long document without turning pages. Media files and other information may also be displayed in this way. 
     As the user continuously rotates device  10  about axis  94  ( FIG. 21 ), content  118  can be updated in real time. Content  118  may be displayed at a fixed location on display  12 , so that content  118  moves as display  12  is rotated. If desired, content  118  may rotated about axis  94  in synchronization with the rotation of display  12 . For example, an object may be displayed at a position that moves along the surface of display  14  in synchronization with the rotation of display  12  about axis  94 . Content can be rotated about axis  94  at a speed that maintains the object at a fixed position relative to a user. 
       FIG. 24  is a side view of an illustrative configuration that may be used for device  10  in which display  12  has a rectangular cross-sectional shape with rounded edges. This type of configuration may be used, for example, to provide display  12  with front and rear surfaces (F and R in  FIG. 24 ) that are substantially planar. Surfaces F and R may be used, for example, to read text and view other content. An accelerometer or other sensor may be used by device  10  to monitor the orientation of device  10  relative to the Earth (surface  130 ). Initially, a user may be holding device  10  so that front surface F and rear surface R are horizontal and lie along axis  132  in the X-Y plane. The user may control the display of information on display  12  by tilting device  10  (e.g., by rotation from a nominal horizontal position), by using touch gestures, using buttons, using voice commands, or using other user input. 
     As an example, the user may tilt device  10  so that device  10  is aligned along axis  134  at an angle θ with respect to axis  132  and the X-Y plane. The tilt magnitude (i.e., the magnitude of angle θ) or other tilt (rotation) data such as angular motion data associated with placing device  10  at angle θ may be used in flipping pages of text on front face F, may be used in determining whether to display information on front F or rear R of display  12 , may be used in providing motion to content  118  on display  12  (see, e.g., ball  118 B of  FIG. 19 ), or may otherwise be used in controlling the display of information on display  12 . For example, a user may be reading a document with pages of content  118 . To move forward or backwards through content  118  (i.e., to turn pages), the user may flip (invert) device  10  so that front face F is oriented downwards and rear face R is faced upwards (i.e., to move device into a configuration in which the magnitude of angle θ is 180°). 
       FIG. 25  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in displaying content  118  on display  12  based on information such as orientation (faced up or down) or other tilt angle input. At step  136 , device  10  may display content  118  on display  12 . Device  10  may, for example, display content  118  on front face F and optionally on rear face R and the sidewall surfaces of wrapped display  12  of  FIG. 24  (or other suitable display with front and rear surfaces) 
     During the operations of step  136 , device  10  may use an accelerometer or other sensor to determine the orientation of device  10  relative to Earth  130  (e.g., to measure angle θ or to gather other tilt data). When the user makes a forward tilt motion (e.g., by exceeding a predetermined tilt angle or forward-tilting angular velocity), device  10  may detect a forward tilt event. When the user makes a backwards tilt motion (e.g., by exceeding a predetermined negative tilt angle or backwards-tilting angular velocity), device  10  may detect a backward tilt event. Device  10  may then display content  118  on display  12  based on the type of tilt event that is detected (step  138 ). For example, device  10  may scroll content  118  up or down depending on tilt direction, may flip through pages of content based on tilt direction, may control the movement of objects on display  12  based on tilt (rotational) data, or may make other suitable adjustments to content  118  on display  12  in real time. In response to detection of the cessation of tilting (i.e., in response to the return of device  10  to a tilt angle less than a predetermined tilt angle or the restoration of device  10  to a suitable angular velocity change), device  10  can halt the scrolling of content  118  on display  12 , may change the speed at which content  118  is scrolled on display  12 , or may otherwise adjust the way in which scrolled content  118  is displayed on display  12  (step  140 ). 
       FIG. 26  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in updating the display of pages (screens) of content on display  13  in response to tilt events (e.g., full device inversions or other tilting data). At step  142 , device  10  may display a new page of content on display  12 . For example, device  10  may display a page of text from a book, a screen filled with graphics or video, or other screen of content. During the operations of step  142 , device  10  may use an accelerometer, gyroscope, or other sensor to gather tilt data (angle, angular motion, etc.). As the user tilts device  10  by 180° (e.g., to invert device  10  so that front face F of display  12  faces downwards), device  10  can detect this event using the accelerometer, gyroscope, or other sensor (step  144 ) and can take suitable actions in response (e.g., by flipping to a new page, screen of graphics, or other content at step  142 ). The user may tilt device  10  so that device  10  rotates around axis  94  or may tile device  10  perpendicular to axis  94  or in other directions. 
       FIG. 27  is a perspective view of device  10  (e.g., a device such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  having features such as those of device  10  of  FIG. 21  and/or  FIG. 24  and the other FIGS.) in a configuration in which a user&#39;s finger  146  or other external object is being moved along rear surface R of display  12  while suitable actions are being taken in response by device  10 . A user may, for example, move finger  146  in direction  148  across lower surface R. Display  12  may include a touch sensor array that detects the movement of finger  146  (e.g., a single-finger or, if desired, multi-finger touch gesture). In response, device  10  may move content  118  on front surface F of display  12 . For example, device  10  may move object  150  in direction  152  (parallel to direction  148 ). Device  10  may also take other suitable actions such as moving forwards or backwards through content, flipping pages of content, advancing or moving backwards through content screens, scrolling through content, changing a content scrolling direction or speed, etc. 
       FIG. 28  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in displaying content  118  (moving and/or static) on wrapped display  12  in response to sensor input, time data, date data, other external data, user input, or other input. 
     At step  154 , a user may manipulate device  10 . For example, a user may tilt device  10 , may rotate device  10  to exceed a predetermined angular velocity or acceleration, may supply touch input (e.g., touch gestures), may press buttons to supply user input, may issue voice commands, or may otherwise take actions to supply input to device  10 . 
     During the operations of step  156 , device  10  may gather corresponding input data. Device  10  may, for example, use an accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, camera, microphone, touch sensor, clock or other input device to gather input as the user is supplying input by manipulating device  10 . 
     At step  158 , device  10  may display content  118  on display  12  based on the gathered input of step  156 . For example, device  10  may move an object on display  12 , may hold certain objects fixed (e.g., to allow the objects to rotate as display  12  is rotated), may flip pages or other screens of content, may scroll content or adjust scroll speed or page flip speed, may change the volume of media playback, may adjust screen colors, may take actions in a productivity application (e.g., by making an edit or taking other actions in a word processor, document editor, or other content editing program), may take actions in a game (e.g., to move graphic elements), may take actions in connection with operating system functions (e.g., to delete or move a file), or may take other suitable actions. Device  10  may, if desired, take certain actions automatically. For example, device  10  may automatically scroll content around display  12  as described in connection with  FIG. 20  in response to detection of a vertical device orientation of the type shown in  FIG. 20  (i.e., an orientation in which rotational axis  94  is vertical with respect to the ground). 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120612
Publication Date: 20160830
Grant Date: 20160830
Priority Date: 20120612
Inventors: MYERS SCOTT A.
WRIGHT DEREK
ROTHKOPF FLETCHER R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F3/147", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09G2380/02", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0487", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09G2380/02", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/147", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09G2380/02", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/147", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09F9/301", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48747709