PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10701250-B2
Application Number: US-201916661771-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Portable electronic device

Abstract:
Portable electronic devices having I/O assemblies that can include optical and audio components are described. An exemplary I/O assembly can include a first camera module and a second camera module that can be carried within a camera module housing. A flex connector can carry a strobe that can be positioned between the first camera module and the second camera module. A trim can enclose the first camera, the second camera and the strobe and optically isolates the optical components. An exemplary portable electronic device can include a side wall retainer that defines its perimeter, a front cover glass and a rear cover glass that cooperate to form an enclosure. The I/O assembly can be secured to the enclosure both from inside and outside of the rear cover glass. I/O assembly can also include an audio transducer that can record sound when the camera module are recording videos.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a back cover affixed to the frame, the back cover at least partially defining an internal volume, the back cover comprising:
 a first portion defining a first exterior surface of the electronic device; 
 a second portion surrounded by the first portion, the second portion defining a second exterior surface of the electronic device, the second exterior surface offset from the first exterior surface; and 
 the first portion and the second portion comprising a same material; 
 
 a trim disposed at the second portion and within the internal volume; 
 a camera module disposed at the trim, a first transparent component overlying the camera module; 
 a strobe module disposed at the trim, a second transparent component overlying the strobe module; and 
 the camera module and the strobe module being optically isolated from one another within the internal volume by the trim, and the first transparent component vertically offset from the second transparent component. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the trim separates the camera module from the strobe module. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the back cover comprises a transparent material. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises a lip. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises a smooth transition region from the second exterior surface to the first exterior surface. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a brace piece secured to and extending from the frame, the brace piece comprising:
 a frame portion coupled with the frame; and 
 a module portion supporting the camera module and the strobe module. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a flex connector electrically coupled to the strobe module. 
     
     
       8. An electronic device, comprising:
 an enclosure defining an internal volume and comprising a back cover, the back cover comprising a planar portion surrounding a raised portion; 
 the raised portion surrounding a camera module and a strobe module, the camera module and the strobe module optically isolated within the internal volume; 
 a brace secured to the enclosure, the brace having a first portion coupled to the enclosure, the brace having a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion, the second portion supporting the camera module and strobe module; 
 a first transparent component overlying the camera module and a second transparent component overlying the strobe module, the first transparent component proud of the second transparent component. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the raised portion defines an opening, the electronic device further comprising an audio transducer disposed in the internal volume at the opening. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the back cover is dyed or coated with an opaque material. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the raised portion comprises a same color as the planar portion. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a band affixed to the back cover. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the band comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
       14. An electronic device, comprising:
 an enclosure defining an internal volume, the enclosure comprising;
 a side wall; 
 a front cover; and 
 a back cover defining an exterior surface of the electronic device, the back cover comprising a first portion and a second portion surrounded by and offset from a planar portion, the second portion defining a first opening and a second opening, and the first portion and the second portion comprising a same material; 
 
 a camera module disposed in the first opening, and a strobe module disposed in the second opening, the camera module and the strobe module optically isolated from one another within the internal volume; 
 a brace coupled to the back cover, the brace supporting the camera module and strobe module; and 
 a first transparent component overlying the camera module and a second transparent component overlying the strobe module. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the strobe module comprises a light emitting diode (LED). 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the second portion defines a third opening; and 
 the camera module is a first camera module; 
 the electronic device further comprising a second camera module disposed in the third opening, the second camera module optically isolated from the first camera module and the strobe module. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first camera module comprises a first range of focal lengths; and 
 the second camera module comprises a second range of focal lengths different than the first range. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the second portion is opaque. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the second portion is a same color as the first portion. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the back cover comprises glass.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/532,237, entitled “PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” filed Aug. 5, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/826,400, entitled “PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” filed Nov. 29, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,425,561, issued Sep. 24, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/556,190, entitled “PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” filed Sep. 8, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Described embodiments can relate to portable electronic devices. More specifically, described embodiments can relate to a portable electronic device having an input/output (I/O) assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As portable electronic devices continue to include increasingly greater numbers of features, integration of those features into a single device becomes increasingly complex. One particular feature that has become ubiquitous in popular portable electronic devices is imaging operations enabled by camera modules. Because camera modules can include fragile components such as lens and electronics, proper mounting of a camera module is important to protect the components from damage. Furthermore, improper alignment of the camera module with a portable electronic device can result in unexpected or even degraded imaging performance. 
     SUMMARY 
     This paper describes various exemplary input/output assemblies for portable electronic devices and methods of manufacturing and assembling portable electronic devices. 
     According to one embodiment, a portable electronic device is described. The portable electronic device can include an enclosure having a back wall. The portable electronic device can also include an input/output (I/O) assembly carried by the back wall. The I/O assembly can include a first camera module, a second camera module, a strobe module positioned between the first camera module and the second camera module. The I/O assembly can also include an audio transducer positioned adjacent to the strobe module. The audio transducer can detect audible signals. 
     According to another embodiment, a portable electronic device is described. The portable electronic device can include a display assembly that can present visual content. The portable electronic device can also include a front cover glass overlying the display assembly and a rear cover glass having an opening. The portable electronic device can also include a side wall retainer that can carry the front and rear cover glass and an I/O assembly positioned at the opening. The I/O assembly can include a first camera module, a second camera module, and a strobe module positioned between the first camera module and the second camera module. The I/O assembly can be secured to the rear cover glass and the side wall retainer. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a method for mounting an I/O assembly to a rear cover glass of a portable electronic device is described. The rear cover glass can have an opening and can be secured to a side wall retainer of the portable electronic device. The method can include securing the I/O assembly to a brace piece. The method can also include inserting the I/O assembly through the opening such that a portion of the I/O assembly protrudes from an exterior surface of the rear cover glass and the brace piece is positioned interior to the rear cover glass. The method can further include securing the brace piece to the side wall retainer. The method can further include connecting the portion of the I/O assembly and the exterior surface together by a turret that surrounds the portion of the I/O assembly. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the described embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of a portable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 1B  is a rear perspective view of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a portion of a portable electronic device and an I/O assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a see-through view of a portion of a portable electronic device and an I/O assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a camera cover glass in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view of the camera cover glass shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5A  is a first perspective view of a trim in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 5B  is a second perspective view of the trim that is inverted compared to  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of the trim shown in  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6A  is a plan view of a portion of a portable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 6A . 
         FIG. 7  is an internal plan view of a portion of a portable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate a flex connector in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an I/O assembly carrying an audio transducer in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart depicting a method for assembling an I/O assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart depicting a method for securing an I/O assembly to an enclosure of a portable electronic device. 
         FIG. 12  is a block diagram of a portable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that, according to common practice, various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that dimensions of various features and elements of the drawings can be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting. 
     In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. 
     Embodiments described herein relate to input/output (I/O) assemblies and related structural components of portable electronic devices. As camera modules of portable electronic devices become increasingly sophisticated, the camera modules are often paired with strobe modules to improve the image quality. Embodiments described herein provide exemplary architecture that can provide compact and efficient ways to combine camera modules, strobe modules, and potentially other input/output components such as microphones in a single I/O assembly. Exemplary architecture also improves image quality of the camera modules by optically isolating light emitted from a strobe module from leaking into the camera modules. 
     In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary input/output (I/O) assembly can include optical components and audio components. For example, the I/O assembly can include an audio transducer that can detect and respond to sound (e.g., a microphone) and/or that can convert electrical signals to sound (e.g. a speaker). The I/O assembly can also include a first camera module and a second camera module. In one case, the two camera modules can both be positioned with a single housing and controlled by a circuit board carried within the camera module housing. The circuit board can include light sensors, analog-to-digital convertors, and processor integrated circuits that can control the camera modules and process the images and videos captured by the camera modules. The two camera modules can each include lens, shutters, apertures, and other components of a camera. The two camera modules can have different optical properties such as different ranges of focal length to compensate each other. A strobe module that can be carried by a flex connector (i.e. a flexible circuit connector) that can be positioned on a top surface of the camera module housing at a location that is between the first and second camera modules. The audio transducer can be positioned adjacent to the strobe module. The same flex connector can be electrically coupled to the strobe module and the audio transducer. 
     The I/O assembly can include an opaque structural element that can serve as an enclosure to enclose and optically isolate the camera modules and the strobe module. In one case, the enclosure can be referred to as a trim. Light emitted from the strobe module could potential leak to the camera modules or the light sensor on the circuit board from inside of the I/O assembly or from outside of the I/O assembly, for example, by reflection. The trim can serve to block both internal and external leakages. From inside of the I/O assembly, the trim can include internal walls that can define one or more chambers at which the camera modules and the strobe module can be positioned. The internal walls can block light from reaching the camera modules or the light sensors. A boot member, which can be formed from a compression-molded material, can fill the space between the strobe module and the top surface of the camera module housing so that the strobe can be completely optically isolated from the camera modules internally. From outside of the I/O assembly, the cover glass for the camera modules and the strobe window can be two separate pieces. The cover glass for the camera modules can include a physical opening for the strobe window to be positioned therein. The trim can include a lip that can engage with the internal edge of the opening of the cover glass. By separating the camera cover glass and the strobe window, the lip can serve as a wall that optically block the strobe&#39;s light from entering the camera cover glass and being reflected to the camera modules. 
     Also, architecture for securing an I/O assembly to the enclosure of a portable electronic device is described. The enclosure of an exemplary portable electronic device can include a side wall retainer that defines the perimeter of the portable electronic device, a front wall, and a back wall. The side wall retainer and the walls can cooperate to define the enclosure and the cavity within the enclosure. In some cases, one or both of the protective layers can take the form of sapphire cover glasses. To provide a secured and also aesthetically pleasing way to couple the I/O assembly to the enclosure, the I/O assembly can slightly protrude from a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device so that the I/O assembly can be proud of both the exterior and interior surface of the back wall. In addition, the I/O assembly can be secured to the enclosure both from outside of the back wall and from inside of the back wall. From outside of the back wall, the proud portion of the I/O assembly can be surrounded by and adhered to a turret. The turret can be secured to the exterior surface of the back wall. The turret can provide a smooth transition from the back wall to the proud I/O assembly, thereby serving both structural and cosmetic purposes. 
     From inside of the back wall, the camera module housing can be mounted on a cowling, which in turn can be secured to a structural element of the portable electronic device such as an extension or a portion of the enclosure of the portable electronic device. The trim, which may surround the camera module, can be secured to a brace piece. The brace piece, which can be a structural element that can be formed from a high strength material such as a metal, can be secured to the side wall retainer of the enclosure of the portable electronic device. By attaching the I/O assembly to different parts of the enclosure of the portable electronic device from different locations, the I/O assembly can be securely mounted on and be protected by the enclosure. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1A-12 ; however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of an exemplary portable electronic device  100  in accordance with some embodiments are respectively illustrated. Portable electronic device  100  can be a mobile communication device such as a smartphone and/or a tablet device. Portable electronic device  100  may vary in size and shape. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , portable electronic device  100  can take the form of a smartphone. 
     Portable electronic device  100  can include a side wall retainer  102  that can define the perimeter of portable electronic device  100 . Side wall retainer  102  can provide structural support and protection to portable electronic device  100 . Side wall retainer  102  can sometimes also be referred to as a frame or a band piece. Side wall retainer  102  can be formed from a high strength material such as stainless steel, aluminum, and/or an alloy that includes aluminum. However, other materials are also possible, such as a high strength plastic or ceramic. Portable electronic device  100  can also include, on a front surface, a display assembly  104  designed to present visual content. Display assembly  104  can be mounted on side wall retainer  102 . In some embodiments, display assembly  104  can includes a touch sensitive layer designed to receive touch inputs from users and generate commands, in accordance with the touch inputs, to a processor circuit (not shown) of portable electronic device  100 . A front wall  106  can overlie and cover display assembly  104 . In some cases, front wall  106  can cover the entire front surface of portable electronic device  100  and can cooperate with side wall retainer  102  to form a part of an enclosure of portable electronic device  100 . Front wall  106  can be formed from a transparent material, such as glass or sapphire including sapphire glass, so that the visual content of display assembly  104  is visible through front wall  106 . Hence, front wall  106  can sometimes also be referred to as front cover glass  106 , even though front cover glass  106  can be formed from other transparent material. In some embodiments, portable electronic device  100  can also include a force detection sensor (not shown) designed to detect an amount of force applied to display assembly  104  and/or front cover glass  106 . The amount of force detected may be received by a processor circuit of portable electronic device  100 , in order to generate a command or input based on the amount of force. 
     On its rear surface as shown in  FIG. 1B , portable electronic device  100  can include a back wall  108  that can engage with side wall retainer  102  of portable electronic device  100 . In other words, back wall  108  can define the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 . Back wall  108  can be formed from any high strength materials including a material that is the same as the material of side wall retainer  102  or a different material. In some embodiments, back wall  108  can be formed from light passing materials such as glass or sapphire. Hence, back wall  108  can sometimes be referred to as rear cover glass  108 . In some cases, rear cover glass  108  may be dyed or coated with the same color of side wall retainer  102  to give a coherent and aesthetic appearance to portable electronic device  100 . Also, rear cover glass  108  may be dyed or coated with opaque materials so that rear cover glass  108  is no longer transparent. Material such as sapphire can be used as the rear cover glass  108  to enable wireless charging such as through the wireless charging standard Qi. Side wall retainer  102 , front cover glass  106  and rear cover glass  108  can cooperatively form the enclosure that defines a cavity of portable electronic device  100  in which internal components and circuitry (not shown) are carried. 
     On its rear surface, portable electronic device  100  can also include an input/output (I/O) assembly  110 , which can be proud of the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 . In one case, I/O assembly can perform various imaging and/or audio operations such as taking photos and recording videos and sound clips for portable electronic device  100 . In some embodiments, I/O assembly  110  can include a single camera module. In other embodiments, I/O assembly  110  can include multiple optical and audio components. For example, in the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B , I/O assembly  110  can be a dual-camera assembly that can include a first camera module  112 , a second camera module  114 , and a strobe module  116  that can provide flash light for the camera modules or for other purposes such as being used as a torch. First and second camera modules  112  and  114  can also sometimes be referred to as rear cameras or rear camera modules because the modules can be located on the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 . Strobe module  116  can be positioned collinear with the first camera module  112  and the second camera module  114  and also between the first camera module  112  and the second camera module  114 . In some embodiments, I/O assembly  110  can also include an opening  118  for access of an audio transducer such as a microphone (not shown in  FIG. 1B ) carried in I/O assembly  110 . 
     Portable electronic device  100  can include additional input/output interfaces, sensors, switches, terminals, and/or ports. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , portable electronic device  100  can include interface panel  120  can that include one or more input/output interfaces, sensors, switches, terminals, and/or ports. Interface panel  120  can include components such as infrared facial recognition emitters and sensors, proximity sensors, loudspeakers, microphones, front camera modules, wireless charging interfaces and/or other suitable components. It should be noted that those components could also be located separately in other suitable locations of portable electronic device  100 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate detailed structure and components of I/O assembly  110  in accordance with some embodiments.  FIG. 2  illustrates, from the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 , an exploded view of I/O assembly  110  and nearby structural and/or cosmetic elements.  FIG. 3  illustrates a see-through view of I/O assembly  110  from the rear surface of portable electronic device  100  when I/O assembly  110  is assembled. It should be noted that front cover glass  106 , display assembly  104  and other internal components such as main logic board of portable electronic device  100  are not shown in  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 . 
     With reference to both  FIGS. 2 and 3 , portable electronic device  100  can include side wall retainer  102  which can be a ring shaped structure that can define the perimeter of portable electronic device  100 . In the partial view of  FIG. 2 , a L-shaped portion of side wall retainer  102  is shown. In some cases, side wall retainer  102  can be formed from a metal such as an aluminum alloy or stainless steel. Side wall retainer  102  can be a unitary piece or can be formed with multiple parts secured together. In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , side wall retainer  102  can include a first part  202 , a second part  204 , and a split  206  that can be formed from an electrical insulator such as an injection-molded polymer. Split  206  can electrically isolate first part  202  and second part  204  so that first part  202  and second part  204  can serve different purposes in addition to their structural function. For example, first part  202  and second part  204  can serve as or be connected to different antennas for portable electronic device  100  to receive wireless signals in different frequency ranges. 
     Side wall retainer  102  can be characterized as having an exterior surface  208  that can serve as part of the exterior surface of portable electronic device  100  and having an interior surface  210  that can partially define the internal cavity  212  of portable electronic device  100 . In  FIG. 2 , part of the interior surface  210  that is behind exterior surface  208  is illustrated in dashed lines. Interior surface  210  can be the mounting surface of side wall retainer  102  on which various structural components and other components are mounted. Side wall retainer  102  can also include one or more ledges  214  that can serve as structural elements for supporting and connecting one or more components. Ledges  214  can be extended from interior surface  210  of side wall retainer  102  internally towards internal cavity  212 . In some cases, ledges  214  can be integrally formed with side wall retainer  102 . In other cases, ledges  214  can be separate structural elements that are secured to side wall retainer  102 . For example, in one case, a ledge  214  can be a L-shaped support plate that is mounted on interior surface  210  by one or more fastening mechanism such as screws, welding, and/or adhesives. 
     Above side wall retainer  102  (from the perspective of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), portable electronic device  100  can include a piece of rear cover glass  108  that can define the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 . While in  FIGS. 2 and 3  rear cover glass  108  is shown as transparent, in some embodiments rear cover glass  108  is dyed or coated with colored materials so that rear cover glass  108  can be opaque. Rear cover glass  108  can include an exterior surface  216  that can serve as the rear surface of portable electronic device  100  and an interior surface  218  that can partially define cavity  212  of portable electronic device  100 . Near one of its corner, rear cover glass  108  can include an opening  220  at which I/O assembly  110  can be positioned. Rear cover glass  108  can be secured to side wall retainer  102  and be supported by one or more ledges  214 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     I/O assembly  110  can include camera modules that are carried by a camera module housing  222 . I/O assembly  110  can also include a flex connector  224  that can carry a strobe module  116  and an audio transducer  226 . I/O assembly  110  can further include a strobe window  228 , a trim  230 , a camera cover glass  232 , and other components that will be discussed in further detail. In one case, audio transducer  226  can be a microphone that can detect and convert audible signals into electrical signals. In other cases, audio transducer  226  can be a loudspeaker or any other suitable acoustic devices that can transmit or receive audible signals. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a single camera module housing  222  can carry both a first camera module  112  and a second camera module  114 . However, it should be understood that the two camera modules could also be carried by separate housings. Camera module housing  222  can carry a circuit board (not shown) that can include light sensors, analog-to-digital convertors, and processor integrated circuits that can control first camera module  112  and second camera module  114 . Alternatively, each camera module can also include its own circuit board. First camera module  112  and second camera module  114  can respectively include lens, shutters, apertures, and other components of a camera and portion of the modules can extend out of camera module housing  222 . In some cases, both camera modules  112  and  114  can be identical and be used to compensate each other. In other cases, the camera modules can have different optical properties. For example, first camera module  112  can have a first range of length and second camera module  114  can have a second range of focal length that is different than the first range of focal length. For example, first camera module  112  can be a wide-angle camera with a relatively short focal length while second camera module  114  can be a telephoto camera that provides a long range optical zoom. In order to reduce the thickness of portable electronic device  100  (i.e. the height of side wall retainer  102 ), camera module housing  222  can be thin but have a relatively large surface area  234 . 
     Because camera module housing  222  can have a relatively large surface area  234 , first camera module  112  and second camera module  114  can be spaced apart by a relatively large distance. The separation can provide sufficient space for strobe module  116  to fit between first camera module  112  and second camera module  114 . In one case, strobe module  116  can also be collinear with first camera module  112  and second camera module  114 . Flex connector  224  can carry strobe module  116  and be connected either or both to a main logic board (not shown) of portable electronic device and to the circuit board of the camera modules so that the circuit board can directly control strobe module  116 . The relatively large surface area  234  can also allow audio transducer  226  to be positioned thereon. In one embodiment, audio transducer  226  can also be carried by flex connector  224 . Since audio transducer  226  can be positioned near the rear surface of portable electronic device  100 , audio transducer  226  can mainly serve to record sound for camera module housing  222  when one of the camera modules is recording a video. Flex connector  224 , carrying both strobe module  116  and audio transducer  226 , can be positioned on top of the top surface of camera module housing  222 . Flex connector  224  can be folded in a manner that will be discussed in further detail below. The folding can add space occupied by flex connector  224  to help the sealing and positioning of strobe module  116  and audio transducer  226 . 
     I/O assembly  110  can also include a trim  230  that can enclose first camera module  112 , second camera module  114 , and strobe module  116 . Trim  230  can take the shape of a deep drawn bucket that can include internal walls and chambers that can optically blocks light emitted from strobe module  116  from leaking to any of the first camera module  112  or the second camera module  114 . Hence, in some cases, trim  230  can also be referred to as a light blocking trim. In  FIG. 2 , some of the exemplary walls and chambers are illustrated in dashed lines. Trim  230  can also include one or more openings that provide access to first camera module  112 , second camera module  114 , strobe module  116 , and audio transducer  226 . Detailed structure and features of trim  230  will be further discussed below. 
     Trim  230  can serve multiple purposes. First, trim  230  can serve as a structural component that can help I/O assembly  110  to be secured to some structural elements (such as side wall retainer  102  and rear cover glass  108 ) of portable electronic device  100 . For example, trim  230  can be formed from a high strength material such as stainless steel or other another suitable metal, alloy, or high strength polymer. Trim  230  can also support other components of I/O assembly  110 . For example, trim  230  can have lips  236  (shaded) that can define a receptacle  238  that can receive camera cover glass  232 . Receptacle  238  can have a size and shape that is complementary to camera cover glass  232  so that camera cover glass  232  can fit right at receptacle  238 . Trim  230  can further serve as a divider that can divide first camera module  112 , second camera module  114 , and strobe module  116  so that light emitted from strobe is not leaked to the camera modules. In some cases, trim  230  can be coated with an opaque and non-reflective material. In one case, the internal surface (or the entire trim  230 ) of trim  230  can be coated with a diamond-like carbon coating with non-reflective surface texturing. Trim  230  can additionally serve cosmetic purpose. Certain exposed edges or surface of trim  230  (such as lips  236  shaded in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) can have a shiny finish so that, when I/O assembly  110  is assembled, trim  230  can give an aesthetically pleasing outline (best shown in  FIG. 3 ) to I/O assembly  110 . 
     I/O assembly  110  can also include camera cover glass  232 . Camera cover glass  232  can be formed from a transparent material. In one case, camera cover glass  232  is formed from sapphire. However, one of its surfaces can be dyed or coated with black mass or other suitable opaque materials in a manner that will be discussed in further detail below. Camera cover glass can overlie trim  230  and can include one or more openings and/or windows that allow access to camera modules  112  and  114  and strobe module  116 . 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates an exemplary architecture of how I/O assembly  110  can be secured to the enclosure of portable electronic device  100 . In some embodiments, I/O assembly  110  can be secured to the enclosure from both outside of the exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108  and inside of the interior surface  218  of rear cover glass  108 .  FIG. 2  shows multiple dashed lined arrows that can represent how components of I/O assembly  110  are secured to different part of the enclosure of portable electronic device  100 . 
     I/O assembly  110  can be positioned at opening  220  of rear cover glass  108 . I/O assembly  110  can be suspended at opening  220  such that a portion of I/O assembly  110  protrudes from exterior surface  216  and is proud of exterior surface  216  while another portion of I/O assembly  110  can remain in cavity  212  (best shown in  FIGS. 3 &amp; 6B ). From outside of exterior surface  216 , trim  230  of I/O assembly  110  can be secured to a turret  240 . In one embodiment, turret  240  can take the form of a ring that has a shape of the perimeter of trim  230 . Turret  240  can serve both structural and cosmetic purposes. In terms of its structural purpose, a portion of side surface  242  of trim  230  can be secured to internal side surface  244  of turret  240  through adhesive and/or welding, as indicated by arrows  246 . Turret  240  can then be secured by adhesive and/or welding to exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108  so that I/O assembly  110  can be secured to the enclosure of portable electronic device  100  from outside of exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108 . Turret  240  can be formed from a high strength material such as stainless steel or any another suitable metal, alloy, or polymer. By surrounding I/O assembly  110 , turret  240  can provide mechanical protection to I/O assembly  110 . In terms of the cosmetic purpose of turret  240 , when I/O assembly  110  is assembled (shown in  FIG. 3 ), the upper edge of turret  240  can be generally flush with lips  236  (shaded) of trim  230  and also be flush with camera cover glass  232 . Turret  240  can also be coated with the color of rear cover glass  108  and/or color of camera cover glass  232 . Hence, turret  240  can provide a smooth transition from exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108  to camera cover glass  232 , which is elevated slightly from exterior surface  216 . 
     From inside of interior surface  218  of rear cover glass  108 , camera module housing  222  can engage with a retaining member such as a cowling  250 . Cowling  250  can be formed by a thin piece of metal or plastic so that cowling  250  can be semi-flexible. In some cases, cowling  250  can be a thin sheet that includes various retention features extending from different locations that can cooperate to retain camera module housing  222 . In the particular case shown in  FIG. 2 , cowling  250  can be a band shaped perimeter cowling that is shaped in accordance with the perimeter of the lower surface of camera module housing  222 . Hence, the semi-flexible cowling  250  can engage with camera module housing  222  through frictional fit and/or snap fit. Camera module housing  222  can also optionally be further secured to cowling  250  by adhesives and/or welding. Cowling  250  can in turn be secured to a structural element that is part of, or an extension of, the enclosure of portable electronic device  100 . 
     In addition, trim  230  can be secured to a brace piece  252 , which can be a structural element that can have an opening  254  having a size and shape that is complementary to camera module housing  222  so that camera module housing  222  can fit through. The bottom of trim  230  can also be mounted on the top surface of brace piece  252  by adhesives and/or welding, as indicated by dashed lined arrows  256 . Brace piece  252  can be secured to enclosure of portable electronic device  100  such as to interior surface  210  of side wall retainer  102  by welding and/or screwing, as illustrated by dashed line arrows  258 . Brace piece  252  can also additionally be secured to lower surfaces of ledges  214  by adhesives and/or welding, as shown in  FIG. 3 . In sum, from outside of exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108 , trim  230  can be secured to exterior surface  216  through turret  240 . From inside of interior surface  218  of rear cover glass  108 , trim  230  can be secured to brace piece  252 , which can be mounted on interior surface  210  of side wall retainer  102 . Camera module housing  222  can be enclosed by trim  230 . 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate an exemplary camera cover glass  232  in accordance with some embodiments.  FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of camera cover glass  232  and  FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view of camera cover glass  232  across dashed line  400 . Camera cover glass  232  can be characterized as having an exterior surface  402 , which can be an exposed surface of an I/O assembly, and an interior surface  404 , which can be adhered to a surface of trim of an I/O assembly. Camera cover glass  232  can be made from a light passing material such as sapphire glass. On interior surface  404 , camera cover glass  232  can be dyed or coated with an opaque material  406  (not shown in  FIG. 4A  but shown in  FIG. 4B  as shaded elements) such as black mass. Hence, light cannot pass through camera cover glass  232  at location that is dyed or coated with opaque material  406 . Camera cover glass  232  can include one or more windows and openings for the access of camera modules, strobes and other component. In the context of camera cover glass  232 , windows can refer to locations of camera cover glass  232  that are absent of opaque material  406 . Since camera cover glass  232  can be made from a transparent material, light can penetrate through the windows of camera cover glass  232 . In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 4A , camera cover glass  232  can include two camera windows, which can be a first window  408  (a circular window in  FIG. 4A ) and a second window  410  (another circular window in  FIG. 4A ) that can respectively correspond to the positions of the first camera module and the second camera module. Windows  408  and  410  are not physical opening of camera cover glass  232 , as best illustrated in the cross-sectional view in  FIG. 4B . In the context of camera cover glass  232 , openings can refer to cavities of camera cover glass  232 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 4B . For example, camera cover glass  232  can include a first opening  412  that can be positioned collinear with and between first window  408  and second window  410 . First opening  412  can correspond to the strobe that can be positioned collinear with and between the first camera and the second camera. Camera cover glass  232  can include a second opening  414 , which can serve as an inlet port for an audio transducer of an I/O assembly, which will be explained in further detail below. In sum, a first portion of the camera cover glass  232  that allows passage of light can include first and second camera windows  408  and  410  and opening  412  between the first and second camera windows  408  and  410 . A second portion of camera cover glass  232  is coated with opaque material  406  that blocks light from passing through the camera cover glass  232 . In one case, the second portion can be all of the remaining of camera cover glass  232  except the first and second camera windows  408  and  410  and the first and second opening  412  and  414 . 
       FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C  illustrate an exemplary trim  230  in accordance with some embodiments.  FIG. 5A  is a first perspective view of trim  230 .  FIG. 5B  is a second perspective view of trim  230  when trim  230  is positioned upside down compared to the configuration in  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of trim  230  across dashed line  500 . While a particular exemplary trim  230  is illustrated, it should be understood that trim  230  could take different forms and shapes. In the particular embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C , trim  230  can take the form of a deep drawn bucket that can define an internal volume, as best illustrated in  FIG. 5B . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5A , trim  230  can include a surface  502  and a perimeter lip  504  that extends from surface  502  to define a shape of a receptacle  506 . Surface  502  can include a first opening  508  and a second opening  510  that provide access to the camera modules that can be enclosed by trim  230 . Between the first opening  508  and the second opening  510 , there can be a third opening  512  that can provide access to a strobe module. Trim  230  can additionally include a fourth opening  514  that can serve as an inlet opening for an audio transducer. Along the perimeter of third opening  512 , there can be a second lip  516  that extends from surface  502 . In other words, surface  502  can be recessed from lips  504  and  516 . Lips  504  and  516  can cooperate define the shape of receptacle  506 , which can have a shape that is complementary to a camera cover glass so that receptacle  506  can receive the camera cover glass. The height of lips  504  and  516  can be generally equal to the thickness of a camera cover glass. Hence, when a camera cover glass is placed on surface  502 , surfaces of lips  504  and  516  can be exposed and be flush with the exterior surface of camera cover glass. The exposed surfaces of lips  504  and  516  can serve a cosmetic purpose. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5B , trim  230  can include perimeter wall  518  that can define an internal volume  520 . Perimeter wall  518  can be used to enclose the audio and optical components of an I/O assembly such as the camera modules, the strobe module, and the audio transducer (the components are not shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C ). Trim  230  can also include internal wall  522  that can define one or more internal chamber  524  of trim  230 . One exemplary internal chamber  524  can be located between first opening  508  and second opening  510 . A strobe module can be positioned within an internal chamber  524  so that internal wall  522  can at least partially block light emitted from the strobe module from leaking into any of the camera modules. Additionally, an audio transducer can also be positioned within internal chamber  524 . Internal chamber  524  can include one or more keys  526  that can align the strobe module and the audio transducer. 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates a plan view of a portion of a rear surface of portable electronic device  100  at the location of I/O assembly  110 .  FIG. 6A  illustrates rear cover glass  108 , exposed surfaces of trim  230  (shaded), turret  240  surrounding perimeter lip  504  of trim  230 , and camera cover glass  232  that includes its opaque material  406  (shaded to illustrate the location of opaque material  406 ).  FIG. 6A  also shows first window  408 , second window  410 , first opening  412 , and second opening  414  of camera cover glass  232  and second lip  516  (shaded) of trim  230  that is inserted at first opening  412  and surrounds the internal edge of first opening  412 . 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates a cross-section view of a portion of portable electronic device  100  along the dashed line  600  in  FIG. 6A . For the ease of reference,  FIG. 6B  is aligned with  FIG. 6A . It should be understood that several components, such as rear cover glass  108 , camera module housing  222 , camera cover glass  232 , trim  230 , turret  240 , cowling  250 , and brace piece  252 , are illustrated as having separated portions in this cross-section view. This is because those components can have one or more openings and/or can have a ring shaped structure so that each component is divided into more than one portions in this cross-sectional view. For example, comparing  FIG. 6B  to  FIG. 5C , trim  230  can be divided into four pieces in a cross-sectional view because of the several openings present in trim  230 . 
     In  FIG. 6B , the cross section of I/O assembly  110  is shown. I/O assembly  110  can include camera module housing  222  that can carry circuit board  618  within the cavity of camera module housing  222 . Circuit board  618  can carry first camera module  112  and second camera module  114 , which can extend partially outside of camera module housing  222 . Camera module housing  222  can be enclosed in the internal volume  520  of trim  230 . Trim  230  can receive camera cover glass  232  and secure camera cover glass  232  by adhesives. Lips  504  and  516  can be flush with exterior surface  402  of camera cover glass  232 . The opaque material of camera cover glass  232  is represented by thick black horizontal line under interior surface  404  of camera cover glass  232 . First window  408  and second window  410  can correspond to locations of camera cover glass  232  that are absent of opaque material. First and second windows  408  can respectively align with first and second camera modules  112  and  114  so that the camera modules can take photos and record video through the windows. 
     Lip  516  can be inserted into first opening  412  of camera cover glass  232 . Underneath lip  516  can be an internal chamber  524  which can be enclosed by internal wall  522  of trim  230 . A strobe window  228  can be positioned in internal chamber  524 . Interior to strobe window  228 , a strobe module  116  can also be positioned in internal chamber  524  above substrate  616  of camera module housing  222  that secures strobe module  116 . Strobe window  228  can be positioned slightly interior to camera cover glass  232  and interior to lip  516 . By separating strobe window  228  and camera cover glass  232  and by enclosing strobe window  228  with lip  516 , light emitted from strobe module  116  can be prevented from entering camera cover glass  232 . Lip  516  can internally surround first opening  412  of camera cover glass  232  so that lip  516  can serve as a wall that block light emitted from strobe module  116  from reaching camera cover glass  232  and directly or reflectively leaking into any of first camera module  112  or second camera module  114 . Lip  516  can include a chamfered edge that is sloped internally so that the surface of I/O assembly  110  can smoothly transition from the external surface  402  of camera cover glass to the slightly recessed surface of strobe window  228  through the chamfered edge. 
     Positioning strobe module  116  between first camera module  112  and second camera module  114  can provide significant advantages over conventional placement of a strobe relative to a camera. One design concern of the position of a strobe in a portable electronic device is that light may be leaked or reflected to camera by a part of the portable electronic device. Such unintended leakage or reflection deteriorates the quality of the images because, instead of being reflected by the targeted objects at the focal point, some of the light is reflected by some very nearby objects that can result in glares in the images. Such potential problem can be worsened when the portable electronic device is coupled to an external object, such as a protective case. If the potential reflection of light of the strobe is not taken into account when designing a protective case, the edges of the opening of the protective case for the strobe may reflect the light and deteriorate the quality of the images. Hence, the edge of an opening for the strobe of a case may need special design. A third party manufacturer of protective cases may not be aware of the potential problem and unintentionally design cases that could adversely affect the image quality of a camera. On the contrary, since strobe module  116  is positioned between first camera module  112  and second camera module  114 , the area surrounding strobe module  116  is the area that is occupied by first and second camera modules  112  and  114 . As a result, the edge of an opening of any protective case that may be coupled to portable electronic device  100  will be quite far away from strobe module  116 . Hence, any potential unintentional leakage or reflection of light can be addressed by the design of I/O assembly  110  and the image quality of the camera modules would not be affected by a protective case or any other accessories added to the electronic device. 
     To further prevent leakage of light from strobe module  116  to any of the camera modules, particularly against internal leakage, a sealing member, which can be referred to as a boot piece  602  can engage with strobe module  116 . Boot piece  602  can be a ring shaped structure (hence, shown as two portions in the cross-section view of  FIG. 6B ) that engages with the perimeter of strobe module  116 . Boot piece  602  can be a compression-molded piece that can be formed of an elastic and opaque material. Boot piece  602  can serve multiple purposes. First, it can fill the remaining space of internal chamber  524  so that strobe module  116  can be optically isolated from first and second camera modules  112  and  114 . Light emitted from strobe module  116  is prevented from reaching light sensors  604  on circuit board  618 . Second, boot piece  602  can also push strobe module  116  and strobe window  228  against trim  230  so that strobe module  116  and strobe window  228  can be secured in placed. Third, boot piece  602  can cooperate with foam  606  presented on selected locations of camera module housing  222  to provide a dust seal to the I/O assembly  110 . 
     Since I/O assembly  110  can be proud of rear cover glass  108 , I/O assembly  110  can be particularly susceptible to damage in an accidental drop. Hence, I/O assembly  110  can be secured to the enclosure of portable electronic device  100  from both exterior and interior of portable electronic device  100 . Rear cover glass  108  is secured to side wall retainer  102  (shaded) and on a first surface  608  of ledge  214 , which can extend from interior surface  210  of side wall retainer  102 . Trim  230 , which can define the dimension of I/O assembly  110 , can have a perimeter that generally correspond to the size and shape of opening  220  of rear cover glass  108  so that I/O assembly  110  can fit through opening  220 . Within an acceptable manufacture tolerance range of trim  230  and opening  220 , there can be small amount of space between the edge of rear cover glass  108  and trim  230 . An O-ring  614  (which is represented by two small circles in this cross-sectional view) that can serve as a gasket can be positioned between trim  230  and an interior edge of opening  220  of rear cover glass  108  to seal the space and to secure trim  230  (therefore I/O assembly  110 ) in place. Turret  240  can be secured to exterior surface  216  of rear cover glass  108 . A portion of side surface of trim  230  can be secured to internal side surface of turret  240  through adhesive and/or welding. Turret  240  can optionally include a stop  610  that can prevent I/O assembly  110  from coming out to the exterior of portable electronic device  100 . 
     From the interior of portable electronic device  100 , brace piece  252  can be secured to side wall retainer  102  through welding and/or screwing. Brace piece  252  can additionally be secured to ledge  214  by adhesives and/or welding at a second surface  612  of ledge  214  opposite the first surface  608 . I/O assembly  110  can be secured to brace piece  252  by multiple ways. Perimeter cowling  250  can engage with the edge of camera module housing  222  and can fit within opening  254  of the brace piece  252 . Perimeter cowling  250  can be used so that only minimal extra thickness is added to the I/O assembly  110  and the supporting structure. Perimeter wall  518  of trim  230  can also be welded onto brace piece  252  so that trim  230 , as an enclosure of I/O assembly  110 , can be securely mounted on a structural element of portable electronic device  100 . 
       FIG. 7  is an internal plan view of portable electronic device  100  illustrating side wall retainer  102  and the position of brace piece  252  and I/O assembly  110  relative to side wall retainer  102 . Side wall retainer  102  can include first part  202 , second part  204 , and a split  206 . Brace piece  252  can be secured to side wall retainer  102  at weld points  702 . Brace piece  252  can be additionally secured to structural element  704  at weld point  706  to provide more balanced support to brace piece  252 . Structural element  704  can be extended from and secured to other structure elements of portable electronic device, such as side wall retainer  102  or another structural element. I/O assembly  110  can be carried by brace piece  252 . Since first camera module  112  and second camera module  114  can be spaced apart by a relatively large distance, the space between the two camera modules can fit not only strobe module  116  but also an audio transducer  226  that can be positioned adjacent to strobe module  116 . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate an exemplary flex connector  224  in accordance with some embodiments. Flex connector  224  can carry strobe module  116  on a first side  802  of flex connector  224  and can include a tail  804  that can carry audio transducer  226  on a second side  806  opposite first side  802 . Tail  804  can be folded onto the main part of flex connector  224  so that audio transducer  226  and strobe module  116  can face the same direction, as illustrated in  FIG. 8B . This folding structure can help the alignment and positioning of strobe module  116  and audio transducer  226 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of I/O assembly  110  along the dashed line  700  in  FIG. 7 . I/O assembly  110  can include trim  230  that can include internal chamber  524  that can enclose audio transducer  226 . Audio transducer  226  can include a permeable membrane  902 . Audio transducer  226  can be carried by flex connector  224  and can also be secured to trim  230  through adhesive. Boot piece  602  can fill some of the remaining space of internal chamber  524  and push audio transducer  226  against trim  230  so that audio transducer  226  can be secured in place. Trim  230  can include fourth opening  514  that can allow sound to pass through trim  230  to reach audio transducer  226 . Camera cover glass  232  can include second opening  414  that is protected by mesh  904 . Mesh  904  can serve as a dust shield to prevent ingress of dust. To fit in audio transducer  226  to I/O assembly  110  so that the size of I/O assembly  110  and portable electronic device  100  can be reduced, fourth opening  514  of trim  230  and second opening  414  of camera cover glass  232  can be displaced and not be aligned. In addition, such displacement can increase the effective acoustic volume  906  for audio transducer  226 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a flowchart depicting an exemplary method  1000  for assembling an I/O assembly in accordance with some embodiments. Method  1000  can begin at step  1002 , which can include positioning and aligning an audio transducer carried by a flex connector at an internal chamber of a trim of the I/O assembly. The flex connector can carry the audio transducer at a tail and a strobe module on an opposite side of the audio transducer. At step  1004 , the method can include folding the flex connector and flipping the strobe module to the same direction of the audio transducer. At step  1006 , the method can include positioning and aligning the strobe module inside the trim. At step  1008 , the method can include positioning a boot piece, which can be formed from a compression-molded material, inside the trim to push the strobe module and audio transducer against the trim and to fill at least some of the remaining space of the internal chamber of the trim. At step  1010 , the method can include positioning a camera module housing, which can carry a first camera module and a second camera module, with respect to the perimeter wall of the trim. At step  1012 , the method can include adhering a camera cover glass to an exterior surface of the trim at a receptacle defined by the lips of the trim. 
       FIG. 11  illustrate a flowchart depicting an exemplary method  1100  for securing an I/O assembly to an enclosure of a portable electronic device having a rear cover glass having an opening. Method  1100  can begin at step  1102 , which can include securing a trim of the I/O assembly to a brace piece. The securing can include welding the trim to the brace piece or can include other suitable ways. At step  1104 , the method can include inserting the trim through the opening of the rear cover glass so that a portion of the I/O assembly can be proud of and protrude from an exterior surface of the rear cover glass and another portion of the I/O assembly can remain interior to the rear cover glass. The brace piece can also be positioned interior to the rear cover glass. In some cases, the trim can be inserted from the interior side of the rear cover glass. At step  1106 , the method can include securing the brace piece to the side wall retainer of the portable electronic device. The securing can include the use of welding, screwing, gluing, and other suitable ways. At step  1108 , the method can include connecting the portion of the I/O assembly that protrudes from the exterior surface of the rear cover glass and the exterior surface together by a turret that can surround the portion of the I/O assembly. At step  1110 , the method can include inserting a camera module that is carried in a camera module housing to the internal volume of the trim through an opening of the brace piece. At step  1112 , the method can include mounting the camera module housing to the enclosure of the portable electronic device through a cowling. 
     It should be understood that the order of some of the steps of method  1000  or method  1100  is not limiting. For example, step  1012  can be performed before or after any other steps. 
       FIG. 12  is a block diagram that illustrates circuitry of a portable electronic device  1200  in accordance with some embodiments. The portable electronic device  1200  can be an electronic device or an article described herein that includes a processor. An exemplary portable electronic device can contain all or some of the components shown in  FIG. 12 . The portable electronic device  1200  can include a processor  1202  that pertains to a microprocessor or controller for controlling the overall operation of the portable electronic device  1200 . The portable electronic device  1200  can store media data pertaining to media items in a file system  1204  and a cache  1206 . The file system  1204  can be, typically, a storage disk or a plurality of disks. The file system  1204  typically can provide high capacity storage capability for the portable electronic device  1200 . However, since the access time to the file system  1204  can be relatively slow, the portable electronic device  1200  can also include a cache  1206 . The cache  1206  can, for example, Random-Access Memory (RAM) provided by semiconductor memory. The relative access time to the cache  1206  can be substantially shorter than for the file system  1204 . However, the cache  1206  does not have the large storage capacity of the file system  1204 . Further, the file system  1204 , when active, can consumer more power than does the cache  1206 . The power consumption can often be a concern when the portable electronic device  1200  is a portable media device that is powered by a battery  1224 . The portable electronic device  1200  can also include a RAM  1220  and a Read-Only Memory (ROM)  1222 . The ROM  1222  can store programs, utilities or processes to be executed in a non-volatile manner. The RAM  1220  provides volatile data storage, such as for the cache  1206 . 
     The portable electronic device  1200  can also include a user input device  1208  that allows a user of the portable electronic device  1200  to interact with the portable electronic device  1200 . For example, the user input device  1208  can take a variety of forms, such as a button, keypad, touch screen, audio input interface, visual/image capture input interface, input in the form of sensor data, etc. Still further, the portable electronic device  1200  can include a display  1210  (screen display) that can be controlled by the processor  1202  to display information to the user. A data bus  1216  can facilitate data transfer between at least the file system  1204 , the cache  1206 , the processor  1202 , and the CODEC  1213 . 
     In one embodiment, the portable electronic device  1200  can serve to store a plurality of media items (e.g., songs, podcasts, etc.) in the file system  1204 . When a user desires to have the electronic device play a particular media item, a list of available media items can be displayed on the display  1210 . Then, using the user input device  1208 , a user can select one of the available media items. The processor  1202 , upon receiving a selection of a particular media item, can supply the media data (e.g., audio file) for the particular media item to a coder/decoder (CODEC)  1213 . The CODEC  1213  can then produce analog output signals for a speaker  1214 . The speaker  1214  can be a speaker internal to the portable electronic device  1200  or external to the portable electronic device  1200 . For example, headphones or earphones that can connect to the portable electronic device  1200  would be considered an external speaker. 
     The portable electronic device  1200  can also include a network/bus interface  1211  that couples to a data link  1212 . The data link  1212  can allow the portable electronic device  1200  to couple to a host computer or to accessory articles. The data link  1212  can be provided over a wired connection or a wireless connection. In the case of a wireless connection, the network/bus interface  1211  can include a wireless transceiver. The media items (media assets) can pertain to one or more different types of media content. In one embodiment, the media items can be audio tracks (e.g., songs, audio books, and podcasts). In another embodiment, the media items can be images (e.g., photos). However, in other embodiments, the media items can be any combination of audio, graphical or visual content. Sensor  1226  can take the form of circuitry for detecting any number of stimuli. For example, sensor  1226  can include a Hall Effect sensor responsive to external magnetic field, an audio sensor, a light sensor such as a photometer, and so on. 
     The portable electronic device  1200  can further include circuit board  1228  that can be in communication with processor  1202 . Circuit board  1228  can control one or more camera modules carried on the circuit board of circuit board  1228 . Circuit board  1228  can also process images and/or videos captured by the camera modules and transmit such images and videos in digital format to processor  1202 . Circuit board  1228  and/or processor  1202  can also be in communication with strobe module  1230  that provide flash light for the camera modules of circuit board  1228 . 
     The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20191023
Publication Date: 20200630
Grant Date: 20200630
Priority Date: 20170908
Inventors: JARVIS, DANIEL W.
QUINONES, MICHAEL D.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04N23/50", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/50", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/57", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/56", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/55", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/45", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/57", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/54", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/51", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/54", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2252", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2257", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2256", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2258", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2254", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2251", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/2253", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63363957