PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10595618-B2
Application Number: US-201815944577-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with input-output devices

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a layer of material with transparent portions. The layer of material may be fabric layer, a layer of leather, or other layer of material. The transparent portions may be formed from openings in the layer of material. The transparent portions may overlap electrical components. The electrical components may include a sensor, light-emitting components, and haptic output components. The light-emitting components may include light-emitting diodes, edge-lit light guides, displays having arrays of pixels, or other light-emitting devices. The openings in the layer of material may be patterned to form icon shapes and other shapes. The layer of material may be used in forming a strap for a wristwatch, a case for a cellular telephone or other portable device, or other electronic device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A removable case configured to receive a portable electronic device having a display with edges, comprising:
 a battery configured to supply power to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is received in the case; 
 a housing having an outer layer of material with a transparent portion formed from perforations in the outer layer of material; and 
 a light-emitting component that is overlapped by the outer layer of material and that is configured to emit light through the transparent portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the portable electronic device comprises a cellular telephone having a cellular telephone connector and wherein the removable case comprises a case connector configured to mate with the cellular telephone connector, wherein the outer layer of material comprises a fabric layer in which the perforations are formed, wherein the light-emitting component includes an edge-lit light guide, and wherein the perforations are configured to form an icon pattern. 
     
     
       3. The removable case defined in  claim 2  wherein the perforations are configured to form a battery charge status icon. 
     
     
       4. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting component includes a light guide layer having an edge and includes a light-emitting diode configured to emit light into the edge. 
     
     
       5. The removable case defined in  claim 4  further comprising a touch sensor that is interposed between the light guide layer and the perforations. 
     
     
       6. The removable case defined in  claim 5  further comprising a haptic output device, wherein the light guide layer is interposed between the touch sensor and the haptic output device. 
     
     
       7. The removable case defined in  claim 6  wherein the outer layer of material comprises an outer layer of material selected from the group consisting of: an outer leather layer and an outer fabric layer. 
     
     
       8. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting component comprises a display having an array of pixels. 
     
     
       9. The removable case defined in  claim 8  further comprising:
 a two-dimensional touch sensor interposed between the array of pixels and the perforations. 
 
     
     
       10. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting component comprises a light-emitting diode and wherein the perforations are patterned to form an icon. 
     
     
       11. The removable case defined in  claim 10  further comprising:
 a sensor interposed between the light-emitting diode and the perforations; and 
 a haptic output device, wherein the light-emitting diode is interposed between the sensor and the haptic output device. 
 
     
     
       12. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting component includes multiple light guide layer portions each having a respective edge and each having a respective light-emitting diode configured to emit light into the edge and wherein the light-emitting diodes are individually adjustable. 
     
     
       13. The removable case defined in  claim 1  wherein the outer layer of material comprises a polymer layer. 
     
     
       14. The removable case defined in  claim 13  wherein the outer layer of material comprises a layer selected from the group consisting of: a silicone layer containing colorant and painted silicone. 
     
     
       15. A wristwatch strap comprising:
 a flexible outer layer that has first and second perforations that respectively form first and second transparent regions; 
 first and second light-emitting components under the first and second respective transparent regions of the flexible outer layer, wherein the first and second light-emitting components include first and second respective light guide layers that each receive light from a respective light-emitting diode through a respective edge that is perpendicular to the flexible outer layer; 
 an orientation sensor configured to gather orientation information indicative of an orientation of the flexible outer layer; and 
 control circuitry configured to output light with a selected one of the first and second light-emitting components based on the orientation information. 
 
     
     
       16. The wristwatch strap defined in  claim 15  wherein the flexible outer layer comprises fabric. 
     
     
       17. The wristwatch strap defined in  claim 15  wherein the flexible outer layer comprises leather. 
     
     
       18. The wristwatch strap defined in  claim 15  wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer. 
     
     
       19. The wristwatch strap defined in  claim 15  wherein the orientation sensor comprises a compass. 
     
     
       20. The wristwatch strap defined in  claim 15  wherein the first light-emitting component includes an optical fiber. 
     
     
       21. A device, comprising:
 a flexible layer having perforations patterned to form a transparent region having an icon shape; 
 a light-emitting component configured to supply illumination to the transparent region; 
 a sensor interposed between the transparent region and the light-emitting component; and 
 a haptic output device overlapped by the light-emitting component. 
 
     
     
       22. The device defined in  claim 21  wherein the light-emitting component comprises a light-emitting diode and a light guide layer having an edge configured to receive light from the light-emitting diode and wherein the flexible layer comprises a flexible layer selected from the group consisting of: a fabric layer and a leather layer. 
     
     
       23. The device defined in  claim 22  wherein the flexible layer is configured to form a strap for a wristwatch that has a wristwatch unit with a display, the device further comprising communications circuitry configured to communicate with the wristwatch unit. 
     
     
       24. The device defined in  claim 23  further comprising:
 an orientation sensor; and 
 control circuitry that gathers orientation information from the orientation sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the light-emitting component based on the orientation information. 
 
     
     
       25. The device defined in  claim 21  wherein the light-emitting component comprises a light-emitting diode and wherein the perforations have diameters of less than 100 microns. 
     
     
       26. The device defined in  claim 21 , wherein the sensor comprises a transparent capacitive touch sensor formed from an array of electrodes.

Description:
This patent application claims the benefit of provisional No. 62/522,973, filed on Jun. 21, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to input-output devices for electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It may be desirable to form straps for wristwatches, cases for electronic devices, and other electronic devices from attractive materials such as leather or fabric. In configurations such as these, it may be difficult or impossible to incorporate desired functionality into an electronic device. If care is not taken, device structures that have been selected to implement desired features may make the device unattractive, difficult to use, bulky, or overly complex. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a layer of material with transparent portions. The layer of material may be fabric layer, a layer of leather, a polymer layer such as a silicone layer or other elastomeric polymer layer, or other layer of material. The transparent portions may be formed from openings in the layer of material. The transparent portions may overlap electrical components. 
     The electrical components that are overlapped by the transparent portions of the layer of material may include sensors, light-emitting components, and haptic output components. The light-emitting components may include light-emitting diodes, edge-lit light guides that receive light from light-emitting diodes, displays having arrays of pixels, or other light-emitting devices. The openings in the layer of material may be patterned to form icon shapes and other shapes. Light from the light-emitting components may illuminate the transparent portions. In some configurations, the illuminated transparent portions may serve as status indicators. For example, an illuminated battery charge state icon can serve as an indicator of battery charge status. 
     Selectable buttons can be formed using illuminated regions that overlap sensors. When a user presses a finger against an illuminated region that overlaps a sensor, control circuitry in the device can use the sensor to detect the presence of the finger. The control circuitry can then take suitable action. The control circuitry can also use a haptic output device to provide the user&#39;s finger with tactile feedback to confirm that the finger press has been detected. 
     The layer of material may be used in forming a strap for a wristwatch, a case for a cellular telephone or other portable device, or other electronic device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an illustrative electronic device showing how electrical components may operate through an outer layer of the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an illustrative electronic device such as a case that is being used in cooperation with another electronic device such as a portable electronic device mounted in the case in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative wristwatch in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an illustrative portable device and associated case in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of material for an electronic device in which the layer of material has openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of material for an electronic device in which the layer of material has been coated with a patterned coating in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of an illustrative region of an electronic device that is displaying illuminated text through the outermost layer of the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of an illustrative region of an electronic device that is displaying an illuminated battery charge state icon through the outermost layer of the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram of an illustrative wristwatch having a strap that is displaying an illuminated trim pattern and additional illuminated content in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative wristwatch having a strap coupled to a wristwatch unit with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative wristwatch with an integrated strap covered with a flexible layer through which illuminated content is displayed in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative structures for displaying illuminated content in an electronic device such as an interactive icon using an edge-lit light guide layer that overlaps a sensor and that overlaps a haptic output device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative pixel array covered by a layer of material in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device having components such as light-emitting diodes overlapped by a layer of material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device having a light-emitting component overlapping a switch such as a dome switch in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 17 and 18  are side views of illustrative electronic devices in two illustrative orientations relative to the Earth in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Items such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be used to provide a user with visual output. The visual output may, for example, include alerts, icons that convey status information (e.g., battery charge state status, power on/off status, sleep/wake status, volume mute status, etc.), information such as information on the number of unread messages in an inbox, other notification information, information on the current time and date, activity level information, health information, decorative patterns, and/or other visual output. This information may be supplied in the form of text, graphics, still images, video, and/or other content. 
     Electronic device  10  may be a stand-alone electronic device or may be an accessory that is used with ancillary electronic equipment. For example, device  10  may be an electronic device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, a remote control, an embedded system such as a system in which device  10  is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, other electronic equipment, or equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices. If desired, device  10  may be a removable external case for electronic equipment, may be a strap, may be a wrist band or head band, may be a removable cover for a device, may be a case or bag that has straps or that has other structures to receive and carry electronic equipment and other items, may be a necklace or arm band, may be a wallet, sleeve, pocket, or other structure into which electronic equipment or other items may be inserted, may be part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures), may be part of an item of clothing or other wearable item (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, sock, glove, shirt, pants, etc.), or may be any other suitable item. 
     Device  10  may have structures such as outer layers (e.g., the outermost layer in a housing), inner layers (e.g., layers that are overlapped by the outermost layer in device  10 ), and internal support structures that are formed from glass, metal, polymer, ceramic, wood, fabric, natural materials such as leather, and/or other materials. These layers of material may include rigid portions and flexible portions. In some configurations, the outermost layers of device  10  that form external surfaces for device  10  may be formed from flexible material. Flexible outer layers for device  10  may, for example, be formed from flexible material such as fabric, flexible polymer (e.g., elastomeric material such as silicone, which may be bare silicone, silicone colored with a colorant such as dye and/or pigment, and/or painted silicone such as silicone covered with a thin polymer coating containing black particles, white particles, non-neutral-color particles, dyes, or other colorant), flexible materials such as leather and other natural materials, and/or other flexible layers. 
     Fabric in device  10  may woven fabric, knit fabric, braided fabric, or fabric formed using strands of material formed using other strand intertwining techniques. By selecting materials such as fabric, leather, and/or other materials for the housing of device  10 , device  10  may configured to be soft (e.g., device  10  may have a fabric surface that yields to a light touch), may be configured to have a rigid feel (e.g., the surface of device  10  may be formed from a stiff fabric or hard polymer or other material), may be coarse, may be smooth, may have ribs or other patterned textures, and/or may have other configurations. 
     Device  10  may have control circuitry  12 . Control circuitry  12  may be formed from one or more integrated circuits such as microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, and/or other circuits and may be used to control the operation of electronic device  10  by controlling electrically controllable (electrically adjustable) components in device  10 . Control circuitry  12  may use communications circuitry  28  to support communications with one or more devices such as electronic device  30  (e.g., a wristwatch main unit, a cellular telephone or other portable device, wireless earbuds or other audio accessories, etc.). Device  30  may be attached to electronic device  10  (e.g., when device  10  is a strap for a wristwatch and device  30  is the main unit of the wristwatch) or electronic device  10  and electronic device  30  may be separate items that are configured to operate with each other (e.g., when one device is a case and the other is a device that fits within the case, etc.). Circuitry  28  may include antennas and other structures for supporting wireless communications with device  30  over communications link  32 . Link  32  may be a wired communications link or may be a wireless communications link. 
     Device  30  may be an electronic device such as a cellular telephone, computer, or other portable electronic device and device  10  may form a cover, case, bag, or other structure that receives the electronic device in a pocket, an interior cavity, or other portion of device  10 . In other situations, device  30  may be a wristwatch device or other electronic device and device  10  may be a strap or other fabric-based item that is attached to device  30  (e.g., device  10  and device  30  may be used together to form a device such as a wristwatch with a strap). In still other situations, device  10  may be an electronic device (e.g., a wearable device such as a wrist device, clothing, etc.) and additional devices such as device  30  may include accessories or other devices that interact with device  10  such as wireless speakers, wireless ear buds, etc. Signal paths formed from conductive yarns and monofilaments (e.g., insulated and bare wires), metal traces on printed circuits, and/or other conductive paths may be used to route signals in device  10  and/or device(s)  30 . 
     Device  10  may include input-output devices  16 . Input-output devices  16  may be used to gather input from a user and to make measurements on the operating environment for device  10 . Input-output devices  16  may also be used in providing output. The output that is provided may be visual output, audio output, wirelessly transmitted output, and/or other output. 
     Input-output devices  16  may include buttons  18  (push buttons, rotary buttons, slider buttons, etc.). Touch sensors such as touch sensor  20  may be used to gather touch input (e.g., position information associated with a user touch input, touch gestures, etc.). Touch sensor  20  may be an optical touch sensor, an acoustic touch sensor, a capacitive touch sensor, or other suitable touch sensor. 
     Force sensors  22  may be used to gather force input from a user. Force sensors  22  may be based on piezoelectric sensors, strain gauges, resistive force sensors, capacitive force sensors and/or other force sensors. Touch sensors such as touch sensor  20  and/or force sensors such as force sensors  22  may, if desired, be implemented using conductive strands in fabric (e.g., conductive strands forming capacitive sensor electrodes in a capacitive touch and/or force sensor). 
     Other sensors  24  may also be included in input-output device  16  such as gas pressure sensors, particulate sensors, ambient light sensors, optical proximity sensors, optical sensors such as cameras for gathering three-dimensional gesture input, infrared cameras and light sources (e.g., for iris scanning), temperature sensors, sensors for measuring position and/or orientation such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors (compasses) and/or inertial measurement units that contain multiple orientation sensors and/or position sensors. 
     Displays  14  may be used for displaying images (e.g., images with text, photographs, graphics, movies, etc.). Displays  14  may be organic light-emitting diode displays, displays having pixel arrays formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, electrophoretic displays, and other displays. 
     Light-emitting diodes  26  and/or other light-emitting devices that have lower resolution than displays  14  may also be used in creating visual output. For example, light-emitting diodes  26  may directly supply illumination to an icon-shaped pattern of openings in a layer of material in device  10  or may supply illumination to a light guide layer that provides the illumination to an icon-shaped pattern of openings in a layer of material in device  10 . 
     Battery  34  may supply device  10  (and, if desired, devices such as device  30 ) with battery power. 
     Audio components  36  may include devices for gathering audio input such as one or more microphones and devices for providing audio output (e.g., speakers, tone generators, etc.). 
     Haptic output devices  38  may include piezoelectric haptic actuators, haptic actuators based on electroactive polymer devices, electromechanical actuators, and/or other haptic output devices that provide a user with tactile output (vibrations, impulses, etc.). 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device such as device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may include structures that form the outermost layers of device  10  such as layer  40  and  42 . These layers, which may sometimes be referred to as housing walls or housing structures, may each include one or more layers of material such as fabric, leather or other natural materials, polymer, metal, glass, ceramic, carbon fiber composites and other fiber composites, other materials, and/or combinations of these materials. In the example of  FIG. 3 , layer  40  is shown as forming an upper outermost layer for device  10  and layer  42  is shown as forming an opposing lower outermost layer for device  10 . 
     The space between layers  40  and  42 , which may sometimes be referred to as the interior of device  10 , may include electrical components  44  such as the components of circuitry  12  and input-output devices  16  of  FIG. 1 . Components  44  may gather input from a user and/or may supply output to a user. As an example, components  44  may form a touch sensor (e.g., a capacitive button, a capacitive sensor that gathers two-dimensional touch input, etc.), a force sensor, an optical sensor (e.g., an optical touch sensor or optical proximity sensor), a camera, a microphone, or other component for gathering user input. Touch or force input may, for example, be received when an external object such as user&#39;s finger  52  presses on layer  40 . The portion of layer  40  that is pressed on in this way may include light-emitting structures (e.g. to illuminate an icon associated with a button, etc.). 
     In some configurations, haptic output may be provided by a haptic output device in device  10 . For example, components  44  may include one or more haptic output devices that supply a haptic output to user&#39;s finger  52  in response to detection of a touch input or force input with finger  52  (e.g., in a portion of layer  40  that contains an illuminated icon and that overlaps a sensor that detects the presence of finger  52 ). 
     Visual output may be provided by light-generating components in components  44 . Components  44  may, for example, produce light  46  that is visible to a user such as viewer  48  who is viewing layer  40  and device  10  in direction  50 . Layer  40  may have one or more transparent regions (e.g., regions that allow at least some of the emitted light from components  44  to pass). These transparent regions allow light  46  to reach viewer  48 . Light  46  may be produced by light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes that are supplying light  46  directly or through waveguides, may be produced by a display (e.g., a pixel array containing an array of light-emitting diodes or other suitable pixel array), or may be produced by other light-producing components. 
     In some arrangements, device  30  and device  10  may be used together. For example, device  10  of  FIG. 2  may be a wristwatch strap that is coupled to a wristwatch unit with a rigid metal housing or other rigid housing (e.g., device  30  of  FIG. 1 ). As another example, device  10  may be a battery case for a cellular telephone or other portable electronic device (e.g., device  30  of  FIG. 1 ).  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of electronic device  10  in this type of configuration. As shown in  FIG. 3 , device  30  may have a housing such as housing  58 . Housing  58  may be a rigid housing formed from metal, ceramic, glass, rigid polymer, and/or other materials. A light-emitting component such as a display may be mounted in housing  58 . The display may include an array of pixels  56  covered by a protective layer such as display cover layer  54 . During operation, the display formed by pixels  56  or other light-based component in device  30  may emit light  46  that passes through transparent portions of layer  40 . In some configurations, device  10  may also have components such as components  44  of  FIG. 3  (touch and/or force sensors, other sensors, haptic output devices, etc.) that are interposed between device  30  and the outer surface of outermost layer  40 . Touch sensor circuitry formed in the display of device  30  may also gather touch input from a user. For example, device  30  may have a capacitive touch sensor that overlaps pixels  56  and this capacitive touch sensor may gather touch input from an external object such as finger  52  through layer  40 . If desired, haptic output may also be provided from a haptic output device in device  30 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which device  10  forms a strap for a wristwatch. As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  10  may be coupled to device  30  (e.g., a touch-enabled wristwatch unit having a touch screen, one or more buttons, wireless circuitry for transmitting and receiving wireless information, and/or other components). As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  10  may include a clasp such as clasp  60 . Clasp  60  may include magnets, interlocking mechanical features, and/or other clasp structures for securing the ends of the strap together. During operation, components  44  ( FIG. 2 ) may gather input through surfaces such as surfaces  62  of device  10  and/or may supply visible output (light  46 ), haptic output, and other output through surfaces  62  of device  10 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which device  10  forms a case for device  30  (e.g., a cellular telephone, tablet computer, etc.). As shown in  FIG. 5 , device  10  may have surfaces  76  (e.g., sidewall surfaces and front and rear surfaces) that may overlap components  44 . During operation, components  44  may gather touch input through layer  40  in these areas and/or may gather other input through layer  40  in these areas. Components  44  may also supply a user with visual output and/or other output (e.g., haptic output) in these areas. Device  30  may be received within opening  64  of device  10  when it is desired to use device  10  with device  30  (e.g., when using device  10  to protect device  30  and/or to provide supplemental battery power to device  10  from a battery within device  10 ). 
     The input that is gathered by sensors through layer  40  may include input to a touch sensor, force sensor, gas sensor, proximity sensor, particulate sensor; temperature sensor, moisture sensor, humidity sensor, optical sensor, capacitive sensor, resistive sensor, ambient light sensor, microphone, camera, or other sensor. The output that is supplied through layer  40  by output devices in components  44  may be visual output (light), audio output (sound), haptic output (vibrations), or other suitable output. Openings, windows, thinned areas, and/or other structures may be formed in layer  40  to facilitate the gathering of input and to facilitate the supply of output through layer  40 . 
     Device  30  may have a display such as display  74  mounted in a housing such as housing  75 . Housing  75  may be formed from metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, and/or other materials. In the example of  FIG. 5 , housing  75  has a rectangular footprint (outline when viewed from above), but other housing shapes may be used for housing  75  of device  30 , if desired. Display  74  may be mounted in housing  75  and may present a user with images. Device  30  may have a menu button or other button such as button  70  (e.g., a mechanical button or a virtual button on display  74 ). Openings may be formed in display  74  to form speaker port  72  for a speaker in device  30  and, if desired, button  70 . Openings may also be formed in device  30  to accommodate ports such as illustrative port  66 . A connector in port  66  may include data lines that receive signals from external equipment, may include power lines that receive power from device  10 , and may couple to a mating connector with signal and/or power lines such as connector  68  in device  30 . During operation, connectors in ports  68  and/or  70  may be used to route power from a battery in device  10  to device  30  (or vice versa) and/or may allow data to be exchanged between device  30  and device  10 . 
     In configurations of the type shown in  FIG. 5 , regions  76  of device  10  may have a layer such as layer  40  that overlaps components  44  (e.g., light-emitting components, etc.). This allows one or more of regions  76  to gather input such as user input and/or environmental measurements and/or to provide haptic output, visual output, and/or other output to a user. In other configurations, layer  40  in one or more regions  76  may overlap components in device  30  so that light  46  or other output that is generated by device  30  can pass through layer  40  to a user and/or so that input supplied by the finger of a user or other object may pass through layer  40  to components in device  30 . As an example, if the sidewalls of device  30  contain a portion of a touch screen display (e.g., if display  74  on the front face of device  30  extends partly or fully down the sidewalls on the left and/or right edges of device  30 ), this touch sensitive display surface may be used to gather touch input through an overlapping layer  40  of device  10  and/or may be used to supply light  46  that passes through an overlapping layer  40  of device  10 . 
     During operation of device  10 , exposed regions of device  10  (e.g., exposed regions of layer  40  such as regions  62  of  FIG. 5  and regions  76  of device  10  of  FIG. 5 ) may be used to display information that is generated by device  30  (e.g., alerts such as information on incoming messages received by device  30 , information on the battery charge state for the battery of device  30 , etc.), information related to the operation of device  10  (e.g., information on the battery charge state of the battery in device  10 ), information such as icons for labeling a button function (e.g., a button implemented with a sensor and haptic output device in device  10 ), and/or other information. In general, any suitable information may be displayed (e.g., information related to operating system functions, information related to received messages or other status information, message content, time and date information, information on the location of device  10 , information on media playback tracks, volume level, information on accessories that are wirelessly coupled to device  10  and/or device  30  such as wireless ear buds, calendar information, emojis associated with messages or other activities handled by device  10 , dots or bars that represent activity levels (calories burned, workout progress, etc.), missed call notifications, incoming call notifications, alarm notifications, information on health information gathered with sensors in device  10  and/or device  30 , and/or other information. 
     To allow light  46  to pass through layer  40 , layer  40  may be provided with structures that locally and/or globally enhance light transparency. As an example, layer  40  may be provided with openings that allow light  46  to pass through layer  40 . These openings in layer  40  may include openings that pass partway through layer  40  such as openings  78  and openings that pass entirely through layer  40  such as through-hole openings  80 . For visual consistency, layer  40  may also include partial openings such as openings  82  that create a uniform visual appearance to layer  40  when viewed from the exterior of layer  40 , but may not be sufficiently deep to facilitate passage of light  46  through layer  40 . The openings in layer  40  may be filled with air, polymer (e.g., translucent polymer or other transparent polymer), or other transparent material to help prevent dust and moisture from entering the openings. If desired, this material may be colored, textured, etc. to help match the visual appearance of the openings to the other portions of layer  40 . The openings in layer  40  may be 40-60 microns in diameter, at least 20 microns in diameter, less than 100 microns in diameter, or other suitable size. Openings such as these may be invisible to the naked eye, so that the openings will not be noticeable on casual inspection of the surface of layer  40 . Openings may be spaced apart by 200-300 microns (e.g., in leather), by 100-120 microns (e.g., in fabric), may have other suitable spacing values (e.g., at least 20 microns, at least 80 microns, at least 400 microns, less than 500 microns, less than 250 microns, etc.). 
       FIG. 7  shows how layer  40  may be provided with a patterned coating layer such as coating  40 ′. Coating  40 ′ may be formed from an opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink (e.g., polymer containing black dye or pigment), may be formed from a polymer layer containing dyes and/or pigments of other colors, may be formed from a metal layer, and/or may be formed from other coating materials. In some configurations, coating  40 ′ may be sufficiently opaque to block light  46 . To create transparent regions in layer  40 , coating layer  40 ′ may have one or more openings such as opening  40 ″ (e.g., solid openings shaped to form icons, arrays of openings that collectively form icons, etc.). 
     The openings of layer  40  (e.g., perforations or other openings in layer  40  and/or coating layer openings) may be patterned to form any suitable type of visual image when illumination passes through the openings. In some configurations, the openings in layer  40  may include a general-purpose array of perforations (e.g., a rectangular array having rows and columns of through-hole openings or other transparent openings). In other configurations, some of the openings may be shallow openings such as openings  82  of  FIG. 6  and/or openings that have been at least partly filled or covered by opaque masking material and other openings may be transparent. The transparent openings may be patterned to form a symbol (glyph) such as the illustrative alphanumeric character (character  40 G) in layer  40  of  FIG. 8 . Arrangements in which only openings  80  are present and are patterned in a desired pattern such as a character  40 G of  FIG. 8  may also be used. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the transparent regions of layer  40  (e.g., the openings in layer  40 ) may be patterned to form icons such as icons  40 I. Icons  40 I may include, for example, battery charge state indicator icons, icons associated with a selectable button (e.g., a button formed from a touch sensor, light-emitting device, and haptic output device that overlap the icon) such as an icon that serves as a control button label for a button that is used in answering phone calls, icons associated with button functions such as muting and unmuting audio, symbols associated with buttons controlling media playback functions, or other suitable icons. The cross-sectional side view of the portion of device  10  that is shown on the right of  FIG. 9  shows optional locations L in opening  64  and on top, side, end, and bottom surfaces  76  where icons  40 I may be located. 
     In some configurations, icons may supply status information and may not be selectable (e.g., a battery charge state icon may supply information on battery charge state). In other configurations, icons may be selectable. For example, a mute icon may be overlapped by a sensor such as a capacitive touch sensor. When a user desires to mute audio, the user may press on the mute icon. The capacitive touch sensor may detect when the mute icon has been selected in this way. If desired, a haptic output device may be overlapped by the mute icon or other selectable icon to provide a user with tactile feedback confirming when the icon has been selected. Mute functions, audio track playback functions, and/or other functions associated with selectable icons on device  10  may be used in controlling media playback on device  10 , a paired set of earbuds, a paired set of wireless speakers, and/or other device  30 . 
     Colored light-emitting diodes or other light-emitting components may be used to provide illumination. In some arrangements, the light-emitting components form a display that can display images. In other arrangements, the light-emitting components include a relatively small number of light-emitting diodes that are used in forming illumination for patterned openings such as alphanumeric character  40 G of  FIG. 8 , icons  40 I of  FIG. 9 , and/or other patterned transparent areas. Light-emitting diodes can have different colors. Different light-emitting diodes may also be used to provide illumination  46  to different portions of the openings in layer  40 . For example, a first portion of an icon such as icon portion  40 I 1  can be illuminated with light  46  from a first light-emitting diode an a second portion of this icon such as portion  40 I 2  can be illuminate with light  46  from a second light-emitting diode. With this type of arrangement, the entire icon can be illuminated in one mode of operation (e.g., when the battery is full), half of the icon can be illuminated in another mode (e.g., when the battery is partially depleted), and light  46  to the icon can be turned off in a mode of operation in which the battery is fully depleted (as an example). 
       FIG. 10  shows how device  10  may have transparent regions in layer  40  such as regions  40 T that serve as decorative trim and/or that convey information to a user. Regions  40 T may be illuminated at all times, may normally be off, may be flashed on and off to convey information to a user, may be illuminated upon receipt of a message or upon occurrence of other events, may change color for aesthetic reasons and/or to convey information, and/or may otherwise be adjusted by control circuitry  12  during operation of device  10 . Regions  40 R may contain displays (e.g., one or more displays with pixel arrays for displaying images), may contain transparent areas patterned to form trim, symbols, characters, and/or other content. Two-dimensional touch sensors such as transparent capacitive touch sensors or other sensors may be overlapped by regions  40 R (e.g., regions  40 R may serve as touch sensitive display regions). 
     In general, alphanumeric characters (text), icons, Icons in regions such as regions  62  and  76  can be used to display any suitable type of information (battery status for device  10  and/or battery status for device  30 , still and/or moving image with text, graphics, photographs, video, etc.). 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of device  10  and device  30  in an illustrative configuration in which device  30  is a wristwatch device and device  10  is a strap that is coupled to device  30 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , device  30  may include a housing such as housing  58  in which a display formed from an array of pixels  56  and a transparent display cover layer have been formed. Electrical components  90  (e.g., control circuitry, input-output devices, a battery, etc.) may be coupled to printed circuits and other substrates such as substrate  92  in the interior of housing  58 . Communications circuitry  86  in device  30  may be used to communicate with corresponding communications circuitry  84  in device  10  over a wired or wireless link such as link  88 . Device  10  may include openings such as openings  80  or other structures that create transparent regions in layer  40 . Components  44  may be formed in the interior of device  10  between outermost layers  40  and  42 . Components  44  may be overlapped by layer  40  so that components  44  may gather input through layer  40  (e.g., environmental measurements, user input such as touch and/or force input, etc.) and/or may supply illumination  46  and other output such as audio output, haptic output, etc. through layer  40 . Openings such as openings  80  and/or other openings in device  10  may be used to allow gas (e.g., ambient air) and light (e.g., ambient light) to pass to sensors in components  44  (e.g., to allow monitoring of gas concentrations, particulate counts, temperature, humidity, and/or other environmental parameters). 
     In the illustrative arrangement of  FIG. 12 , layer  40  covers a portion of device  10  that forms a strap (device  10 ) and portion  10 W (e.g., to form a watch face). In the strap portion of device  10 , components  44  may display icons, text, etc. through openings  80  or other transparent regions in layer  40 . In watch unit portion  10 W, component  44  (e.g., a display) may be used to display watch hands, digital time and/or date digits, and/or other information. The arrangement of  FIG. 12  presents a uniform outward appearance to the user of device  10  because layer  40  covers both the central watch unit portion of the device and the flexible strap portions of the device. The watch unit portion ( 10 W) of device  10  may be rigid (e.g., using internal supports that are rigid) or may be flexible (e.g., when device  10  is a flexible band). 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , openings or other transparent areas in layer  40  may be illuminated using edge-lit light guide structures such as light-guide layer  102  (e.g., a clear polymer layer). One or more light-emitting diodes  96  of one or more different colors may emit light  98  into edge  100  of light guide layer  102 . This light is distributed laterally (in the XY plane of  FIG. 13 ) due to the principal of total internal reflection. Light scattering features such as recesses and protrusions may be used to scatter light  98  upwards as illumination  46 . Reflector  104  (e.g., a layer of white plastic, a thin-film mirror, or other reflective material) may be used to reflect light that has scattered out of light guide layer  102  in the downwards (−Z) direction back in the upwards (+Z) direction. Transparent components such as component  94  may be interposed between light guide layer  102  and layer  40 . Component  94  may be, for example, a transparent capacitive touch sensor formed from an array of indium tin oxide electrodes or other transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes on a layer of transparent polymer or other clear dielectric, a transparent force sensor, etc. Haptic output devices or other components  106  may be overlapped by light guide layer  102  (e.g., to provide haptic output through layer  40  when a touch input from a user is detected by a touch sensor or when other user input is detected with component  94 ). 
     If desired, a segmented light guide (e.g., a light guide layer formed from multiple independent smaller light guide layers  102  each with a set of one or more independently adjustable light-emitting diodes) may be used to illuminate one or more openings (e.g., a light-emitting component for device  10  may have multiple light guide layer portions arranged to form a bar-type indicator in which the number of bars indicated represents a battery level or other information). For example, multiple light guide layers  102  may be formed in a one-dimensional strip or a two-dimensional array of light guide layers  102  may be formed (e.g., to form a two-dimensional matrix of backlit light guide layers  102  with individually adjustable intensities). 
     In addition to or instead of forming optical waveguides form planar layers of material, optical waveguides such as light guide layers  102  may be formed from bundles of one or more optical fiber waveguides or optical waveguides in other potentially non-planar shapes (e.g., the waveguide of layer  102  may be formed from a cylindrical transparent structure such as an optical fiber). Optical fibers and/or other waveguides may be used to route light to overlapping openings  80  (e.g., one or more optical fibers that receive light from one or more corresponding light-emitting diodes  96  can be mounted within device  10  to overlap one or more openings  80  and can be globally controlled to provide the same illumination to multiple openings  80  and/or individually controlled to provide individually adjustable amounts of illumination to each of multiple openings  80 ). 
     In the example of  FIG. 14 , a display has been formed under layer  40 . The display has a substrate such as substrate  112  and pixel structures on substrate  112  that form pixel array  110 . Pixel array  110  may include pixels  108  such as organic light-emitting diode pixels, pixels formed from crystalline semiconductor dies forming light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal display pixels (e.g., backlit display pixels), electrophoretic display pixels, or other pixels. Liquid crystal components that exhibit electrically controllable reflectivity and/or other electrically controllable devices that exhibit adjustable color, light transmission, reflectivity, and/or other optical properties may, if desired, used in addition to or instead of using components such as pixel array  110  of  FIG. 14 . As described in connection with the example of  FIG. 13 , a sensor such as a transparent capacitive touch sensor or other sensor may, if desired, be interposed between pixel array  110  and layer  40  (e.g., between the perforations or other transparent regions in layer  40  and pixel array  110 ) and a haptic output device can be overlapped by pixel array  110  and substrate  112 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , components  116  mounted on substrate  114  may be placed under layer  40 . Components  116  may be light-emitting diodes that emit light upwards to illuminate transparent regions in layer  40  (e.g., openings in layer  40 ). Components  116  and/or components such as light-emitting diode  96  of  FIG. 13  may be individually controlled to turn on and off icons and/or other patterned transparent regions in layer  40 , to change the color and/or light intensity of patterned transparent regions in layer  40 , and/or to otherwise change the appearance of device  10 . As described in connection with the example of  FIG. 13 , a sensor such as a transparent capacitive touch sensor or other sensor may, if desired, be interposed between components  116  and layer  40  (e.g., between the perforations or other transparent regions in layer  40  and components  116 ) and a haptic output device can be overlapped by components  116  and substrate  114 . 
     If desired, transparent regions of layer  40  (e.g., regions with openings) may overlap mechanical components such as dome switch  118  of  FIG. 16 . Switches such as switch  118  may be mounted to substrates such as printed circuit  120 . Light-emitting diodes, displays, or other light-emitting components may overlap switches such as switch  118 . In the example of  FIG. 16 , light guide  102  and reflector  104  overlap dome switch  118 . Light-emitting diodes such as light-emitting diode  96  may provide light to light guide layer  102  that is scattered upwardly through openings in layer  40  (e.g., to illuminate an icon or other patterned transparent region in layer  40 ). 
     Inertial measurement units (e.g., accelerometers, compasses, and/or gyroscopes and/or other orientation sensors) can be used in determining the orientation of device  10  (e.g., the orientation of device  10  relative to the Earth). Orientation information and/or other sensor information or information received by control circuitry  12  wirelessly or from other sources may be used in controlling visible output in device  10 . As an example, orientation information may be use in selecting which region or regions of layer  40  in device  10  should be used in displaying illuminated content to a user (e.g., an incoming message notification, a notification related to an incoming telephone call or other event, calendar information, time and date information, alarm information, reminders, etc.). 
     Consider, as an example, the scenario of  FIGS. 17 and 18 . In the arrangement of  FIG. 17 , a wristwatch is oriented upwards (e.g., main unit  30  is facing upwards). In this orientation, device  10 , which is a strap for unit  30 , is oriented so that region  10 T is more visible to a user than region  10 B. In this mode of operation, control circuitry  12  can use information on the orientation of device  10  to display content (icons, text, moving and still images, notifications, etc.) in region  10 T but not in region  10 B. In response to measuring a change in orientation of device  10  and device  30  to a tilted orientation of the type shown in  FIG. 18  in which user  48  can view region  10 B more easily than region  10 T, control circuitry  12  can display the same content or other content in region  10 B instead of region  10 T. In this way, illuminated icons and other information can be displayed for a user in portions of device  10  that are most visible to the user. 
     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: 20180403
Publication Date: 20200324
Grant Date: 20200324
Priority Date: 20170621
Inventors: WANG, PAUL X.
Lebedeff, Christopher T.
SILZ, Kenneth M.
Assignee: APPLE INC
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Family ID: 64691616