PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8716932-B2
Application Number: US-201113036944-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Displays with minimized borders

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with bent edges. The flexible substrate may have a planar active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes with associated control lines. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may be formed from portions of the flexible substrate in the inactive regions. Traces for distributing control signals to the control lines in the active region may be formed in the inactive regions. Corner openings may be formed at the corners of the flexible substrate to accommodate bending of the flexible substrate in the inactive regions. A jumper or a portion of the flexible substrate that lies outside of a corner opening may be used to convey signals between traces on adjoining inactive regions.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display, comprising:
 a layer with an active area that contains an array of light-emitting elements and an inactive area that includes bent edge portions of the layer, wherein the layer comprises at least one corner region having an opening, wherein the corner region is formed from the bent edge portions of the layer, and wherein the opening is completely surrounded by portions of the layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The display defined in  claim 1  wherein the layer comprises at least one sheet of polymer. 
     
     
       3. The display defined in  claim 2  wherein the layer has a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
       4. The display defined in  claim 2  wherein the opening is interposed between the active area and part of the inactive area, the display further comprising traces on the part of the inactive area. 
     
     
       5. The display defined in  claim 1  wherein the layer comprises a polymer layer and wherein the light-emitting elements comprise organic light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       6. The display defined in  claim 1  wherein the bent edge portions include four bent edges of the layer. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; and 
 a display mounted in the housing, wherein the display includes a flexible substrate layer having a rectangular active region with an array of light-emitting elements that lies in a plane, wherein the flexible substrate includes inactive edge regions that are bent out of the plane, wherein the inactive edge regions are bent out of the plane about a bend axis, and wherein the flexible substrate further comprises a bead of adhesive formed along the flexible substrate region adjacent to the bend axis. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the flexible substrate layer comprises at least two openings at two respective corners of the flexible substrate layer. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the openings comprise notches at the corners of the flexible substrate layer. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the openings comprise holes at the corners of the flexible substrate layer. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the housing comprises metal, wherein the electronic device further comprises a cover glass layer mounted in the housing over the display, and wherein the display includes capacitive touch sensor electrodes. 
     
     
       12. A display, comprising:
 a flexible layer having an active region with four corners, wherein the active region lies in a plane, wherein the flexible layer has openings at two or more of the corners, and wherein the flexible layer has at least two inactive edges that are bent out of the plane; and 
 conductive traces on the flexible layer, wherein the flexible layer has an outermost edge and wherein at least some of the conductive traces are interposed between one of the openings and the outermost edge of the flexible layer. 
 
     
     
       13. The display defined in  claim 12  wherein the flexible layer comprises a sheet of polymer, wherein the inactive edges are each bent out of the plane along a respective bend axis that runs parallel to an edge of the active region. 
     
     
       14. The display defined in  claim 12  wherein the active region includes an array of organic light-emitting diodes and control lines. 
     
     
       15. The display defined in  claim 14  wherein at least some of the control lines are formed on at least one of the inactive edges. 
     
     
       16. The display defined in  claim 15  wherein the openings comprise holes that are each completely surrounded by portions of the inactive edges. 
     
     
       17. The display defined in  claim 15  wherein the inactive edges are bent out of the plane along bend axes and wherein the control lines have enlarged widths where the control lines overlap the bend axes.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, to displays for electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices often include displays. Displays such as organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays contain pixels that produce illumination without using a separate backlight unit. In a typical organic light-emitting display, an array of active image pixels is controlled using a pattern of orthogonal control lines. 
     The active image pixels form a rectangular active area in the center of the display. The active region in the center of the display is surrounded by an inactive border region. The inactive border region includes space for fanning out the control lines from a centralized location at which a signal cable for the driver circuitry is attached. Ensuring that there is sufficient area to reliably attach the signal cable and to fan out the control lines along the edges of the active area may require a significant amount of inactive border area. It is not uncommon for the width of the inactive border to be up to a centimeter wide or more. This type of wide inactive region tends to make displays bulky and requires the use of electronic device housings with wide bezels. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to minimize the width of the inactive region in a display to satisfy consumer demand for small and aesthetically pleasing electronic devices and displays. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided that has a display formed from a flexible light-emitting diode layer with bent edges. The flexible light-emitting diode layer may include a carrier formed from a flexible sheet of polymer or other flexible substrate. An array of light-emitting diodes such as organic light-emitting diodes may form a planar active region on the flexible substrate. 
     Signal traces and other circuits that do not emit light may be located in inactive edge portions of the flexible substrate. 
     The flexible substrate may have openings at its corners to accommodate bending of its edges. The openings may be notches or may be holes that are surrounded by portions of the flexible substrate to accommodate control line traces. 
     The inactive edge portions of the flexible substrate may be bent away from the plane of the active region about a bend axis. Portions of the traces in the inactive region may be enlarged where they overlap the bend axis to ensure that the integrity of the traces is maintained during bending. Adhesive may be used to form a bend axis strain relief structure that runs around the periphery of the display. 
     A display configuration with vias may be used to interconnect frontside and backside control lines without bending the inactive edges of the flexible substrate. 
     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 perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of a portion of a pixel array on a display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a conventional organic light-emitting diode display. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an illustrative display formed from a rectangular substrate with openings such as corner notches to accommodate bending in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the illustrative display of  FIG. 6  after its edges have been bent in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a portion of a display showing how control lines may be provided with enlarged regions in the vicinity of a bend line on the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the portion of the display shown in  FIG. 8  following bending of the edge of the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of a display showing how holes may be formed at the corners of the display to accommodate bending of the edges of the display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a corner of the display of  FIG. 10  following bending of the display edges in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a corner portion of a display with folded edges showing how a jumper cable formed from a flex circuit or other cable structure may be used to bridge a gap between respective bent display edges in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative organic light-emitting diode display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device showing how a display with bent edges may be mounted within an electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a display having vias to allow backside contacts to be formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may include displays. Displays may be used to display visual information such as text and images to users. 
     Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with displays are shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 .  FIG. 1  shows how electronic device  10  may have the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 .  FIG. 2  shows how electronic device  10  may be a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device.  FIG. 3  shows how electronic device  10  may be a tablet computer. These are merely illustrative examples. Electronic devices such as illustrative electronic device  10  of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  may be laptop computers, computer monitors with embedded computers, tablet computers, cellular telephones, media players, other handheld and portable electronic devices, smaller devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, headphone and earpiece devices, other wearable and miniature devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other composites, metal, other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     Device  10  may have one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display or other suitable display. Display  14  may, if desired, include capacitive touch sensor electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor array or other touch sensor structures (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen). Touch sensor electrodes may be provided on a touch panel layer that is interposed between an organic light-emitting diode display layer and a transparent cover layer (e.g., a cover glass layer), may be formed on the underside of a cover layer, or may otherwise be incorporated into display  14 . 
     The organic light-emitting diode layer (sometimes referred to as the diode layer, the display layer, the display, or the image pixel layer) may have a planar rectangular active region in its center. The rectangular active region includes an array of light-emitting diode pixels. The edges of the organic light-emitting diode layer surround the active center region and form a rectangular peripheral ring. This border region contains circuitry that does not emit light and is therefore referred to as the inactive portion of the display. The inactive portion of the display is shown as inactive border region  20  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 . 
     To enhance device aesthetics, the width of inactive border region  20  that is visible from the front of the display may be minimized by bending portions of the organic light-emitting diode layer downwards along the boundary between the active region and the inactive region. For example, the edges of the organic light-emitting diode array may be folded so that they lie perpendicular to the plane of the active region. When this type of arrangement is used, the width of inactive border regions  20  of devices  10  of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  that is visible from the front of display  14  is minimized. The minimal edge portion of display  14  that remains visible may be covered with a bezel or a portion of a display cover layer that is coated on its underside with an opaque masking layer such as black ink (as examples). A bezel may be formed, for example, from a stand-alone bezel structure that is mounted to housing  12 , from a portion of housing  12  (e.g., a portion of the sidewalls of housing  12 ), or using other suitable structures. 
     A portion of the active region in display  14  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the active region may include an array of light-emitting display pixels  24  such as array  22 . Pixels  24  may be arranged in rows and columns in array  24  and may be controlled using a pattern of orthogonal control lines. The control lines in pixel array  22  may include gate lines  28  and data lines  26 . There may be, for example, a pair of gate lines  28  interposed between each row of pixels  24  and a data line interposed between each column of image pixels. Each pixel may include a light-emitting element such as organic light-emitting diode  32  and associated control circuitry  30 . Control circuitry  30  may be coupled to the data lines and gate lines so that control signals may be received from driver circuitry. The driver circuitry may include on-display driver circuits such as gate line drivers implemented using low-temperature polysilicon transistors formed in the inactive portion of the display. The driver circuitry may also include a driver integrated circuit (e.g., a driver integrated circuit mounted in the inactive region or a driver integrated circuit mounted on an external printed circuit and coupled to pads in the inactive region using a cable such as a cable based on a flex circuit). 
     A top view of a conventional organic light-emitting diode integrated circuit is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , display  48  may include a substrate such as substrate  34  that includes an array of organic light-emitting diodes and control circuits within rectangular active region  36 . The portion of substrate  34  that lies outside of active region  36  forms an inactive border region. Gate lines  38  and data lines  42  may be used to distribute control signals to the display pixels. Gate line driver circuits  40  may be formed on display  48  in the inactive region. Driver integrated circuit  53  may supply control signals to display  48  using flex circuit cable  46 . Flex circuit cable  46  is attached to substrate  34  using conductive pads in region  44 . In lower edge region  50 , the control lines are organized in a pattern that fans out from region  44 . 
     To accommodate the conductive pads for attaching flex circuit cable  46  and to accommodate the fan out pattern for the control lines along edge  50 , the width W of edge  50  (i.e., the lower portion of the inactive region in  FIG. 5 ) may need to be about 5-15 mm. The left, right, and upper inactive region may also need to be at least several millimeters to a centimeter wide. To hide the inactive border region from view by a user, the inactive boarder region of conventional displays is typically covered by a trim piece such as a plastic bezel or a border of opaque ink printed on the underside of a display cover glass layer. Large border widths tend to make the devices that include conventional displays more bulky than desired and may not be aesthetically appealing. 
     To minimize the width of the bezel, opaque ink border, or other such inactive border structures in display  14  of device  10 , display  14  may be formed from an organic light-emitting diode layer that has bent inactive region edges. By bending the inactive edge portions of the display out of the plane of the active region, the amount by which the inactive edge portions extend laterally past the boundary of the active region may be minimized (e.g., to 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, etc.). 
     A perspective view of an organic light-emitting diode layer for display  14  before bending the inactive regions is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , light-emitting layer  52  may be formed from substrate  60 . Substrate  60 , which may sometimes be referred to as a carrier, may be formed from one or more layers of flexible material such as sheets of polymer (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, or other materials that are capable of being provided in thin flexible sheets). A flexible polarizer layer may be formed on the top of substrate  60  if desired. An array of organic light-emitting diode pixels  24  such as array  44  of  FIG. 4  may be formed on the surface of substrate  60 . 
     The boundary of the active area of substrate  60  is shown by line  54  in the  FIG. 6  example. The portion of substrate  60  that lies within the rectangle bounded by line  54  forms the active area of display  14 . The portion of substrate  60  outside of the rectangle bounded by line  54  forms the inactive area of display  14 . 
     Conductive traces for control lines such as control lines  62  may be formed on the surface of substrate  60 . Portions of control lines  62  form the gate lines and data lines of the pixel array in active area  54 . Other portions of control lines  62  lie in the inactive area of substrate  60  (outside of active area  54 ). For example, parts of control lines  62  are used in connecting contacts  64  to the gate lines and data lines in array  22 . Contacts  64  may be arranged in an array pattern in region  66 . A flex circuit cable may be attached to the contacts in region  66  (e.g., using anisotropic conductive film, other conductive adhesive, solder, etc.). The flex circuit may be connected to a driver integrated circuit that supplies signals to array  22  during operation (e.g., a driver integrated circuit such as driver integrated circuit  53  of  FIG. 5 ). If desired, a driver integrated circuit may be mounted to substrate  60  in region  66 . Driver circuits (e.g., gate line drivers formed from low-temperature polysilicon transistors on substrate  60  or other suitable driver circuits) may also be formed on substrate  60  in the inactive region. 
     Substrate  60  may have a rectangular shape with openings at its corners. The openings may be notches, slits, holes, etc. In the illustrative example of  FIG. 6 , rectangular cutouts  68  (notches) have be formed at each of the four corners of substrate  60 . The removal of portions of substrate  60  at each of the corners of substrate  60  allows the four edges of substrate  60  in organic light-emitting diode layer  52  to be bent out of the plane of active area  54 . For example, each of edges  58  of substrate  60  may be folded or otherwise bent downwards in direction  70  along bend lines (fold lines)  56  without creating folds of excess material at the corners. 
     The lateral separation GP between the perimeter of active area  54  and the location of bend line (axis)  56  may be significantly smaller than the conventional width of the inactive area in conventional displays of the type shown in  FIG. 5 . For example, distance GP may be about 0.2 to 2 mm (as an example). 
     Following bending of the inactive areas (i.e., edges  58 ) of substrate  60 , organic light-emitting diode layer  52  may have a shape of the type shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , edges  58  may, for example, be bent downwards to lie in planes that are perpendicular to the plane of active area  54 . If desired, other shapes may be formed for layer  52  (e.g., by bending edges  58  of substrate  69  more or less than shown in  FIG. 7 ). An advantage of bending edges  58  by at least 80 or 90 degrees as shown in  FIG. 7  is that this helps minimize the lateral dimensions X and Y of the display. 
     If desired, traces  62  may be enlarged (e.g., widened and/or thickened) in the vicinity of bend axis  56 . For example, a trace may be enlarged in a dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trace as the trace overlaps bend axis  56 . This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 8 . In the example of  FIG. 8 , each trace (control line)  62  has a nominal width WD that is used in forming lines in the control line fan out region on edge  58  and has an enlarged width WD′ in the portion of the line that crosses bend axis (fold line)  56 . Traces  62  may be configured so that there is a width K of about 0.2 mm to 3 m between traces  62  and the perimeter of active area  54  to ensure sufficient room for bending edges  58  of substrate  60 . 
     When edge  58  is bent away from the plane of active area  54 , substrate  60  of  FIG. 8  may have the shape shown in  FIG. 9 . The enlarged dimensions of traces  62  in the segment of traces  62  that overlaps bend axis  56  may help ensure that traces  62  are not cracked or otherwise damaged when inactive edge  58  of substrate  60  is bent downward away from active region  54 . 
     If desired, openings  68  at the corners of substrate  60  may be formed from holes at the corners of substrate  60 . The holes are completely surrounded by portions of substrate  60 . In the illustrative example of  FIG. 10 , substrate  60  has been provided with substantially rectangular holes  68  at each of its four corners. Openings  68  may be formed using holes of other suitable shapes (e.g., ovals, circles, triangles, shapes with combinations of curved and straight sides, or other suitable shapes). The use of rectangular holes in the example of  FIG. 10  is merely illustrative. 
     A perspective view of a corner portion of organic light-emitting diode layer  52  following folding of a substrate with holes such as holes  68  of  FIG. 10  is shown in  FIG. 11 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the use of holes  68  provides additional real estate along the outer edges of the holes for accommodating traces  62 . In particular, material  58 ′ may be used to accommodate traces  62 ′ that might otherwise not be able to fit through the area between active area  54  and hole  68  (shown as area  70  in  FIG. 11 ). Traces such as traces  62 ′ may be used to connect an area such as area  66  ( FIG. 6 ) to driver circuitry  520  (e.g., low temperature polysilicon transistors used to implement gate line driver circuits that drive signals onto the gate lines of the pixel array). 
     In arrangements such as the arrangement of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , openings  68  may be formed in the shape of notches, so there is no portion of substrate  60  available outboard of opening  68  on which to route lines  62 ′. As a result, it may be preferable in arrangements of the type shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  to route lines  62 ′ in the area between the periphery of active area  54  and the innermost edge of opening  68  (e.g., by ensuring that opening  68  is not too close to the periphery of active area  54 ). 
     Another illustrative technique for routing lines  62  in the corner of the display is shown in  FIG. 12 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , a signal path may be formed by bus structure  76 . Structure  76  may include signal traces such as signal traces  74  for mating with corresponding portions of control line traces  62 A and  62 B on edges  58 A and  58 B of substrate  60 . Structure  76  may serve as a jumper that electrically connects traces on edge  58 A such as trace  62 A to corresponding traces such as trace  62 B on edge  58 B. A jumper arrangement of this type may be used to bridge any surface irregularities or gaps in substrate  60  at corner  680  of the folded substrate. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative arrangement that may be used in forming organic light emitting diode layer  52  is shown in  FIG. 13 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , layer  52  may include a carrier layer such as carrier (substrate  60 ). Substrate  60  may be formed from one or more flexible polymer sheets or other bendable layers of material. For example, substrate layer  60  may include a layer of polyimide and/or a layer of polyethylene terephthalate, and/or other polymer layers with a total thickness of about 0.08 to 0.16 mm (as an example). Organic light-emitting elements and circuits  78  (which may be about 0.01 mm thick) may include traces such as control line traces  62 , driver circuits (in inactive display areas), control circuits  30  ( FIG. 4 ), organic light-emitting diodes  32 , and other structures. Circular polarizer  80 , which may have a thickness of about 0.13 to 0.21 mm, may be used to suppress reflections from traces  62 . Polarizer  80  may be formed over all of layer  52  or may, as shown in  FIG. 13 , overlap only active area  54 . Other types of light-emitting layers may be used in display  14  if desired. The example of  FIG. 13  is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  showing how display  14  may be mounted within device housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , display  14  may have a cover glass layer or other suitable cover layer such as cover layer  84 . If desired, display  14  may be provided with a touch sensor such as touch sensor  86 . Touch sensor  86  may include capacitive touch sensor electrodes such as electrodes  90  (e.g., indium tin oxide electrodes or other suitable transparent electrodes) or may be formed using other touch technologies (e.g., resistive touch technologies, acoustic touch technologies, touch sensor arrangements using light sensors, force sensors, etc.). In the  FIG. 14  example, touch sensor  86  has been implemented as a separate touch panel. This is merely illustrative. Touch sensor electrodes  90  may, if desired, be formed on the underside (inner side) of cover glass layer  84 , may be formed on organic light-emitting diode layer  52 , or may be formed on other suitable display structures. 
     The layers of display  14  may, if desired, be laminated together using adhesive (e.g., optically clear adhesive  92 ). In active region  54 , organic light-emitting diode layer  52  may be flat and may form a rectangular planar structure. Inactive portion  58  of layer  52  (see, e.g., edges  58  of substrate  60  in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  10 , and  11 ), may be bent out of the plane of active region  54  about bend axis  56 . After bending, edge  58  may have a flat shape, a curved shape, or other suitable shape that ensures that edge  58  does not protrude excessively past the edge of active area  54  in lateral dimensions X and Y (see, e.g.,  FIG. 7 ). To ensure that layer  52  is not damaged during the bending process, bending operations may be performed that limit bending to an acceptable bend radius R. The value of R may be, for example, about 3 to 5 times the thickness of the bent material (e.g., bend radius R may be about 0.2 to 0.5 mm). 
     Adhesive  88  may serve as a strain relief feature for layer  52  and may be formed in a bead that runs around the perimeter of display  14  adjacent to bend axis  56 . In configurations in which polarizer layer  80  does not extend significantly into the inactive region of the display, adhesive  88  may cover edge  81  of polarizer layer  80 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . Examples of materials that may be used in forming strain relief adhesive  88  include clear ultraviolet light cured adhesive and silicone (as examples). 
     If desired, vias may be provided in organic light-emitting diode layer  52 . This type of configuration is shown in  FIG. 15 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , layer  52  may include vias such as via  94 . Vias  94  may interconnect control line traces  62  on the front side of layer  52  to additional traces such as trace  62 ′ on the rear side of layer  52 . Traces  62 ′ may be used to distribute control signals from a driver circuit on layer  52  and/or control signals from a flex circuit or other communications path structure that is connected to driver circuitry. Conductive material  96  (e.g., solder, conductive adhesive, etc.) may be used to connect traces  62 ′ to traces  98  on printed circuit board  100 . Adhesive  102  may be using in mounting layer  52  to board  100  or other suitable support structure. By using this type of layout, the distance GP′ between the edge of active area  54  and the edge of the inactive portion of the display may be minimized without bending layer  52 . 
     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: 20110228
Publication Date: 20140506
Grant Date: 20140506
Priority Date: 20110228
Inventors: RAPPOPORT BENJAMIN M.
FRANKLIN JEREMY C.
CHEN CHENG
MYERS SCOTT A.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H10K59/131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/179", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02E10/549", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L23/49551", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L21/02118", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02E10/549", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/179", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/179", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K50/84", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02E10/549", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 45689058