PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9575392-B2
Application Number: US-201313760930-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with camera flash structures

Abstract:
An electronic device may contain a camera, a camera flash, and a display in a housing. The camera flash or the display may provide illumination while capturing images with camera. The camera flash may be formed from light guiding structures that receive camera flash light from a light source. The camera flash may be located under a speaker port mesh. A speaker port may contain a camera and a camera flash. Light guiding structures may have a ring shape with an opening. A speaker port, camera, or button may be located within the opening. A button may have an opaque portion in which a transparent light guiding structure for a camera flash is embedded. Camera flash structures may produce camera flash light to capture images and can serve as a status indicator to indicate when a message is received or other state change is detected during operation.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted on a front face of the housing; 
 a speaker port in the display; 
 a camera flash in the speaker port; 
 a camera window in an inactive area of the display; and 
 a camera mounted within the housing in alignment with the camera window. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising mesh that overlaps the speaker port and the camera flash. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a speaker in the speaker port; and 
 mesh that covers at least the speaker. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the camera flash comprises:
 a light source that produces light; and 
 ring-shaped light guiding structures that receive the light from the light source and direct the light outwards from the front face. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  further comprising a coating on the ring-shaped light-guiding structures. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode and wherein the coating comprises metal. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted on a front face of the housing; 
 a speaker port in the display; 
 a light source that produces light; 
 ring-shaped light guiding structures in the speaker port that receive the light from the light source and direct the light outwards from the front face; and 
 a speaker in the speaker port, wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures surround the speaker, wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures have an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the speaker has an upper surface, and wherein the upper surface of the speaker is positioned between the upper surface of the ring-shaped light guiding structures and the lower surface of the ring-shaped light guiding structures. 
 
     
     
       8. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted on the housing that has at least one transparent layer; 
 a layer of opaque masking material on an inner surface of the transparent layer, wherein the opaque masking layer has an opaque masking layer opening; 
 a camera flash having a light source that produces camera flash light and ring-shaped light guiding structures that receives the camera flash light and direct the camera flash light through the opaque masking layer opening, wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures have an opening that is aligned with the opaque masking layer opening; and 
 a speaker in the opening. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  further comprising a coating on the light guiding structures. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the opening in the light guiding structures is circular and wherein the light guiding structures have an extending portion through which the camera flash light from the light source is received. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the light guiding structures comprise light diffusing structures that impart an angular spread on the camera flash light as the camera flash light exits the light guiding structures. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the light diffusing structures comprise a curved surface portion of the light guiding structures. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus, comprising:
 a camera flash having ring-shaped light-guiding structures with an opening and a light source that produces camera flash light that passes through the ring-shaped light-guiding structures; and 
 a speaker located within the opening. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus defined in  claim 13  further comprising:
 an electronic device housing; and 
 a display mounted in the electronic device housing, wherein the speaker and camera flash are mounted in an opening in the display. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus defined in  claim 14  further comprising a coating on the ring-shaped light guiding structures. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus defined in  claim 15  wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures comprise transparent plastic and wherein the coating comprises metal. 
     
     
       17. A method of operating an electronic device that has a display and that has control circuitry configured to control a camera and a camera flash that provides illumination for the camera during image capture operations and that is configured to control the display, the method comprising:
 in response to detecting a command to use the display to provide illumination for capturing an image, capturing an image with the camera while using the control circuitry to direct the display to provide illumination for a subject of the image; and 
 in response to detecting a change in operating state for the electronic device with the control circuitry, providing status indicator light output to a user of the electronic device using the camera flash. 
 
     
     
       18. The method defined in  claim 17  wherein the camera flash comprises a front-facing camera flash mounted on a front face of the electronic device and wherein providing the status indicator light output comprises providing light output with a pattern corresponding to the detected change in operating state. 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the detected change in operating state is associated with receipt of a message using the control circuitry and wherein providing the status indicator light output comprises providing light output indicative of receipt of the message. 
     
     
       20. The method defined in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 in response to detection of an input to acquire an image, directing the camera to capture an image while directing the camera flash to provide illumination for the camera using the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
       21. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted on a front face of the housing; 
 a speaker port in the display; 
 a camera flash in the speaker port; and 
 a camera in an inactive area of the display. 
 
     
     
       22. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising mesh that overlaps the speaker port and the camera flash. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising:
 a speaker in the speaker port; and 
 mesh that covers at least the speaker. 
 
     
     
       24. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the camera flash comprises:
 a light source that produces light; and 
 ring-shaped light guiding structures that receive the light from the light source and direct the light outwards from the front face. 
 
     
     
       25. The electronic device defined in  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a speaker in the speaker port, wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures surround the speaker. 
 
     
     
       26. An electronic device, comprising:
 a speaker port; 
 a camera flash in the speaker port; 
 a light source that produces light; 
 ring-shaped light guiding structures that receive the light from the light source; and 
 a speaker in the speaker port, wherein the ring-shaped light guiding structures surround the speaker. 
 
     
     
       27. The electronic device defined in  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a housing; and 
 a display mounted on a front face of the housing. 
 
     
     
       28. The electronic device defined in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a camera window in an inactive area of the display; and 
 a camera mounted within the housing in alignment with the camera window. 
 
     
     
       29. The electronic device defined in  claim 27 , further comprising a camera in an inactive area of the display. 
     
     
       30. The electronic device defined in  claim 26  further comprising a coating on the ring-shaped light-guiding structures. 
     
     
       31. The electronic device defined in  claim 30  wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode and wherein the coating comprises metal.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with cameras and camera flash structures. 
     Electronic devices such as cellular telephones and other devices often contain cameras. A camera may be used in acquiring still and moving images. Flash structures based on light sources such as light-emitting diodes are incorporated into electronic devices to provide illumination for a subject during camera use. 
     Challenges arise when mounting flash structures in an electronic device. If care is not taken, flash structures may be bulky and obtrusive. Flash structures that are mounted poorly may detract from an otherwise aesthetically appealing device appearance. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices with improved arrangements for mounting camera and flash structures. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may contain a camera and a camera flash. A display may be mounted in an electronic device housing for the electronic device. The display may, for example, be mounted on a front face of the electronic device housing. The camera and the camera flash may be mounted on the front face of the electronic device housing or other surface of the electronic device. 
     The camera flash or the display may provide illumination while capturing images with the camera. The camera flash may be formed from light-guiding structures that receive camera flash light from a light source. The light-guiding structures may be formed from a transparent material such as clear plastic or glass. 
     The camera flash may be located under a speaker port mesh. If desired, a speaker port opening in a display may contain a camera and a camera flash. 
     Light-guiding structures may have a ring shape with an opening. A speaker port, camera, or button may be located within the opening in the light-guiding structures. A metal coating or other opaque or reflective coating may be provided on exterior portions of the light-guiding structure to reduce stray light. 
     The electronic device may have buttons with which a user of the electronic device supplies input to control circuitry within the electronic device. A button may have an opaque portion in which a transparent light-guiding structure for a camera flash is embedded. 
     Camera flash structures may produce camera flash light to capture images and can serve as a status indicator to indicate when a message is received or when the control circuitry has detected other state changes during operation of the electronic device. 
     Further features, their 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 of the type that may be provided with camera and camera flash structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with camera and camera flash structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a portion of an electronic device in which a camera flash has been mounted within a speaker port in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a portion of an electronic device in which a camera and camera flash have been mounted at opposing ends of an elongated housing opening forming a speaker port in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a portion of an electronic device in which camera flash structures run along a peripheral edge of a speaker port in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative camera flash structures having a light guide ring for directing light from a light-emitting diode outwards through a display in a ring-shaped speaker port configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the illustrative camera flash structures of  FIGS. 5 and 6  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of camera flash structures having a circular light guide ring in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of illustrative camera flash structures having circular light guide ring structures surrounding a camera so that the camera receives image light through a circular opening in the ring-shaped light guide structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative camera flash structures of  FIG. 9  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative camera flash structures having rounded upper surfaces or other light diffusion structures to help distribute camera flash light in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a portion of an electronic device having a button surrounded by light guiding structures for a camera flash in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a portion of an electronic device having a button with a translucent area through which light for a camera flash passes in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic shutter covering a flash structure in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of an electronic device having a camera flash structure that runs along an edge of an electronic device housing and a rectangular display mounted on the front face of the electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of an electronic device having camera flash structures such as transparent light guide structures in the shape of a logo in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic device camera and camera flash module having a camera formed from camera lenses and an image sensor and having a light-emitting diode in a shared housing in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in operating an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An illustrative electronic device that may be provided with camera and camera flash structures is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic devices such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be cellular telephones, media players, other handheld portable devices, somewhat smaller portable devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, or other wearable or miniature devices, gaming equipment, tablet computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, televisions, computer monitors, computers integrated into computer displays, or other electronic equipment. 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  includes a display such as display  14 . Display  14  has been mounted in a housing such as housing  12  (i.e., in the front face of housing  12 ). Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber materials and other fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). 
     Display  14  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. 
     Display  14  may include an array of display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic display pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. Display  14  may include transparent substrate layers such as thin-film transistor substrate layers, color filter layers, and other transparent layers. The brightness of display  14  may be adjustable. For example, display  14  may include a backlight unit formed from a light source such as a lamp or light-emitting diodes that can be used to increase or decrease display backlight levels and thereby adjust display brightness. Display  14  may also include organic light-emitting diode pixels or other pixels with adjustable intensities. In this type of display, display brightness can be adjusted by adjusting the intensities of drive signals used to control individual display pixels. 
     Display  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass, clear plastic, or other transparent layer. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . An opening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate ports such as speaker port  18 . 
     In the center of display  14 , display  14  may contain an array of active display pixels. This region is sometimes referred to as the active area of the display. As shown in  FIG. 1 , active area AA of display  14  may have a rectangular shape. A rectangular ring-shaped region surrounding the periphery of the active display region may not contain any active display pixels and may therefore sometimes be referred to as the inactive area of the display (see, e.g., inactive area IA of  FIG. 1 ). The display cover layer or other display layers in display  14  may be provided with an opaque masking layer in the inactive region to hide internal components from view by a user. For example, the inner surface of the display cover layer in inactive area IA may be covered with a layer of black ink or other opaque masking material. 
     Openings may be formed in the opaque masking layer to accommodate speaker port  18  and other components. For example, openings may be provided in the opaque masking layer in inactive area IA of display  14  to accommodate cameras, camera flashes, and other components. A circular opening in the opaque masking layer or other opening in the opaque masking layer may be used to form a camera window such as camera window  20 . Camera window  20  may be located above speaker port  18  as shown in  FIG. 1  or may be located elsewhere in device  10  (see, e.g., illustrative camera window  20 ′ of  FIG. 1 ). Camera flash structures may be provided for device  10  that emit camera flash light through portions of camera window  20  or camera flash structures may be provided that emit camera flash light through other portions of device  10 . 
     A schematic diagram of device  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , electronic device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Storage and processing circuitry  40  may include one or more different types of storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used in controlling the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on a processor such as a microprocessor and other suitable integrated circuits. With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, software for capturing and processing images while using camera flash structures to emit camera flash light to provide illumination for the images, software implementing functions associated with gathering and processing sensor data, software that makes adjustments to display brightness and touch sensor functionality, software that detects user input such as button press events and that detects state changes in device  10  related to messages and other communications functions, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may be used to allow input to be supplied to device  10  from a user or external devices and to allow output to be provided from device  10  to the user or external devices. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include wired and wireless communications circuitry  34 . Communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include input-output devices  36  such as button  16  of  FIG. 1 , joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, a touch screen such as display  14  of  FIG. 1 , other touch sensors such as track pads or touch-sensor-based buttons, vibrators, audio components such as microphones and speakers, image capture devices such as a camera module having an image sensor and a corresponding lens system (e.g., camera  42 ), light-emitting-diode structures, lamp structures, or other camera flash structures such as camera flash  44  for providing illumination for a subject when capturing images with camera (i.e., while camera  42  receives image light), keyboards, status-indicator lights, tone generators, key pads, and other equipment for gathering input from a user or other external source and/or generating output for a user. 
     Sensor circuitry such as sensors  38  of  FIG. 2  may include an ambient light sensor for gathering information on ambient light levels, proximity sensor components (e.g., light-based proximity sensors and/or proximity sensors based on other structures), accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors, and other sensor structures. 
     Device  10  may be provided with cameras such as camera(s)  42  of  FIG. 2  on the front of housing  12  (i.e., the exposed display surface of housing  12  shown in  FIG. 1 ), on a side of housing  12 , or on the rear surface of housing  12 . Configurations in which device  10  has at least a front-facing camera (i.e., in which camera  42  is a front-facing camera) are sometimes described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Cameras in device  10  may be mounted in any suitable location within housing  12  of device  10 . 
     Device  10  may be provided with camera flash structures  44  that enhance device aesthetics while ensuring that sufficient flash light is available for a user of a camera in device  10 . Camera  42  and camera flash structures  44  may be mounted on device  10  in a location such as the front of housing  12  (as an example). 
     With one suitable arrangement, camera flash structures  44  may be mounted within speaker port  18 . This type of configuration is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , housing  12  of device  10  has camera window  20 . Camera  42  is mounted in alignment with camera window  20  so that images may be acquired through camera window  20  (i.e., so that a digital image sensor in camera  42  can be used by camera  42  to receive image light through camera window  20 ). Speaker port  18  is formed from opening  46  in housing  12  (i.e., an opening in the display cover layer that covers display  14  on the front face of housing  12  for device  10  or an opening in other display layers). Opening  46  may have an elongated rectangular shape with rounded ends as shown in  FIG. 3  or may have other suitable shapes (e.g., a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape, a square shape, a shape with a combination of straight and curved edges, etc.). 
     Speaker port  18  has peripheral edge  48 . Peripheral edge  48  runs around the periphery of opening  46 . Mesh  50  or other suitable audio-transparent covering may overlap opening  46 . Audio-transparent coverings may be formed from plastic, metal, fiber-based composites, other materials, or combinations of these materials. As an example, an audio-transparent covering for speaker port  18  may be formed from one or more layers of mesh  50  such as one or more plastic layers of mesh and/or one or more layers of metal mesh. Mesh  50  contains strands of fiber such as plastic or metal fiber arranged in a grid pattern such as a rectangular grid, a grid with diagonally intersecting fibers, or a grid with fibers arranged in other mesh patterns. The spaces between the strands of fiber in mesh  50  form openings through which sound can pass for audio components  56 . Audio components  56  may include components such as speaker  54  and microphone  52  (e.g., a noise cancellation microphone or a voice microphone). 
     The spaces between the strands of fiber in mesh  50  also form openings through which light can pass for optical components such as light-emitting diodes, lamps, or other sources of light. As an example, one or more flash structures such as camera flash structures  44  may be located under mesh  50 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . By configuring device  10  so that mesh  50  overlaps flash structures  44 , flash structures  44  may be at least somewhat hidden from view by a user of device  10 , thereby enhancing device aesthetics. During use of camera  42 , flash  44  can emit camera flash light that passes through mesh  50  to illuminate a subject. Camera  42  may then acquire an image of the subject that has been illuminated in this way. Camera  42  may be located under camera window  20  or elsewhere in device  10 . 
     If desired, camera  42  and camera flash  44  may both be located within port  18 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 4 , camera  42  has been located in the left-hand end of opening  46  for port  18  and camera flash  44  has been located in the right-hand end of port  18 . Mesh  50  may cover audio components such as speaker  54  and microphone  52 . If desired, mesh  50  may be extended to cover all of opening  46  in port  18 , as shown by dashed lines  50 ′ over camera  42  and camera flash  44 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative configuration for speaker port  18  in which camera flash  44  has the shape of a rectangular ring running around peripheral edge  48  of speaker port opening  46 . Camera  42  may be mounted within housing  12  in alignment with camera window  20 . Mesh  50  overlaps speaker  54  and optional microphone  52 . If desired, mesh  50  may be extended to overlap camera flash  44 , as indicated by dashed lines  50 ′. In the  FIG. 5  example, camera flash  44  surrounds opening  46 . This is merely illustrative. Camera flash  44  may be formed from a light-emitting structure that runs along edge  48  of opening  46  for a portion of the periphery of opening  46 . 
     Camera flash structures  44  may be formed from a ring of plastic or other suitable material that serves as a light guiding structure and may include a light source such as a light-emitting diode structure. During use of camera flash structures  44 , the light-emitting diode or other light source emits light that serves as camera flash light. The light guiding structures guide the emitted light from the light-emitting diode so that the emitted light is directed outwards from the front face of electronic device  10 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of camera flash structures  44  of  FIG. 5  taken along line  56  and viewed in direction  58  is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , speaker port  18  is formed from opening  46  in display cover layer  60  in inactive region IA of display  14 . The inner surface of display cover layer  60  is covered with opaque masking material  62  such as black ink to hide internal device components from view by a user of device  10 . Camera flash structures  44  include light source  64  and light guiding structures  68 . 
     Light source  64  may be a light-emitting diode or an array of light-emitting diodes or other source of light  66 . During operation of device  10 , a user may direct camera  42  to acquire images. When illumination from camera flash structures  44  is desired, light source  64  may be directed to produce light  66  by control circuitry  40 . 
     Light guiding structures  68  are formed from a transparent material such as clear plastic or glass. Light guiding structures  68  may be configured to receive light  66  from light source  64  and to redirect light  66  upwards in direction Z through display cover layer  60  (i.e., through an opening in opaque masking layer  62  on the inner surface of display cover layer  60  or other display layer) to serve as camera flash light for camera flash structures  44 . If desired, light guiding structures  68  may be provided with a coating such as coating  70 . Coating  70  may be a reflective layer formed from a multilayer dielectric coating and/or one or more metal layers to help reflect light upwards in direction Z without allowing stray light to escape. If desired, coating  70  may be formed form a material such as black ink that is opaque. Using a reflective and/or an opaque non-reflective coating, stray light from light guiding structures  68  can be suppressed. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of light guiding structures  68  showing how light guiding structures  68  may have an extending portion  68 ′ that receives light  66  from light source  64 . After reflecting within the interior of light guiding structures  68  (e.g., due to total internal reflection and the presence of reflective coating layer  70  ( FIG. 6 ), light  66  is emitted upwards in direction Z to illuminate a subject that is being photographed using camera  42 . 
     Light guiding structures  68  may have a rectangular ring shape of the type shown in  FIG. 7  to facilitate mounting in a rectangular speaker port opening  46  in a rectangular speaker port  18  (e.g., to facilitate incorporation of light guiding structures  68  and camera flash  44  into a speaker port with a rectangular shape having square or rounded ends). If desired, light guiding structures  68  may have other shapes. For example, light guiding structures  68  may have a circular ring shape, as shown in  FIG. 8 . Light guiding structures  68  of  FIG. 8  may be used in forming camera flash structures  44  that surround camera  42 , as shown in the top view of  FIG. 9 . With this type of configuration, light guiding structures  68  have an opening (e.g., a circular opening) in which camera  42  is located and through which camera  42  may receive image light when capturing digital images. Light guiding structures  68  with other ring shapes (e.g., the rectangular ring of  FIG. 7 , etc.) may also be mounted around camera  42 , so that camera  42  receives image light from a subject through the opening in the center of the ring. 
     A cross-sectional side view of camera flash structures  44  taken along line  72  of  FIG. 9  and viewed in direction  74  is shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , light guiding structures  68  may be provided with a reflective (or light absorbing) coating such as coating  70 . Coating  70  may prevent stray light from escaping from light guiding structures  68  when light source  64  launches light  66  into light guiding structures  68  via extending portion  68 ′. Camera  42  is surrounded by light guiding structures  68  (in the lateral dimensions running parallel to the plane of display cover layer  60 ). 
     Camera  42  has a digital image sensor such as digital image sensor  55  and lens structures such as lens structures  78 . Lens structures  78  include one or more lenses for focusing image light onto digital image sensor  55 . Digital image sensor  55  captures digital still and moving images of a subject through camera window  20 . Camera window  20  is formed from a circular opening in opaque masking layer  62  on the inner surface of display cover layer  60 . Light guiding structures  68  are aligned with window  20 , so that light  66  provides subject illumination during image capture operations with camera  42 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of camera flash structures of the type shown in  FIG. 10  in a configuration in which the uppermost surfaces of light guiding structures  68  have been provided with light diffusing structures  82 . Light diffusing structures  82  may include curved surfaces (as shown in  FIG. 11 ), Fresnel lens structures, textured surfaces, or other structures that diffuse or otherwise impart an angular spread to light  66  exiting light guiding structures  68 . 
     If desired, camera flash structures  44  may be incorporated into button structures in device  10  such as button  16  of  FIG. 1  in inactive area IA of display  14 . This type of configuration is shown in  FIG. 12 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , light guiding structures  68  of camera flash structures  44  may be configured to form a ring shape that surrounds circular button  16  (i.e., button  16  may be located within the central opening of light guiding structures  68 ). Light guiding structures  68  may, for example, have a circular ring shape of the type shown in  FIG. 8 . Button  16  of  FIG. 12  has a circular shape, but this is merely illustrative. Button  16  may have a rectangular shape, an oval shape, a shape with a combination of straight and curved edges, or other suitable shape. Light guiding structures  68  may have a shape that runs around the complete periphery of button  16  completely or that runs along part of the edge of button  16 . 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 13 , light guiding structures of camera flash  44  are formed within button  16 . Button  16  may, for example, be formed from a material such as plastic. Light guiding structures  68  may be formed from clear plastic (as an example). Injection molding techniques may be used in forming the light guiding structures of  FIG. 13 . For example, light guiding structures  68  may be formed from a first shot of molded plastic and surrounding button portions  84  may be formed from a second shot of molded plastic. The shot of plastic used in forming button portions  84  may be an opaque plastic such as black plastic, white plastic, or plastic of other colors. With this type of arrangement, transparent button portions that form light-guiding structures  68  may be embedded within opaque button portions  84 . During operation, camera flash light passes through light-guiding structures  68 . 
     It may be desirable to hide camera flash structures  44  from view when not in use. Liquid crystal shutter structures may be turned on and off to selectively hide camera flash structures  44 . For example, liquid crystal shutter structures such as liquid crystal shutter  86  of  FIG. 14  may be placed in a transparent state to allow camera flash light to pass during camera flash use and may be placed in an opaque state to block camera flash structures  44  from view when not in use. Camera flash structures  44  of  FIG. 14  include light emitting diode  64  or other light source structures. Light guiding structures  68  may be incorporated into camera flash structures  44  of  FIG. 14 , if desired. 
     During operation of camera flash structures  44 , light source  64  produces camera flash light  66 , while control circuitry  40  places liquid crystal shutter  86  in a transparent state to allow camera flash light  66  to exit device  10  in direction Z. Liquid crystal shutter  86  may be mounted below a window in display cover layer  60  (e.g., an opening in opaque masking layer  62 ) and/or may be incorporated into display cover layer  60 . If desired, display  14  may be a liquid crystal display and liquid crystal shutter  86  may be formed as part of the display (e.g., by sharing substrate layers and a liquid crystal layer with the display). 
     Control circuitry  40  may contain circuitry such as controllable voltage source  102  for applying a controlled voltage across electrodes  90  and  98 . Voltage source  102  has one terminal that is coupled to upper electrode  90  via signal path  104  and another terminal that is coupled to lower electrode  98  by signal path  106 . Electrodes  90  and  98  may be formed from transparent conductive material such as layers of indium tin oxide. Electrodes  90  and  98  may be formed on transparent substrate layers such as layers of clear glass or transparent plastic. For example, upper electrode  90  may be formed on transparent substrate  92  and lower electrode  98  may be formed on transparent substrate  96 . 
     Liquid crystal layer  94  may be interposed between substrates  92  and  96 . Layers  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 , and  98  may be sandwiched between opposing polarizer layers such as lower polarizer  100  and upper polarizer  88 . Voltage source  102  of control circuitry  40  controls the voltage across electrodes  90  and  98 , thereby controlling the electric field strength through liquid crystal layer  94 . In response to adjustments in the strength of the electric field imposed on liquid crystal layer  94 , liquid crystal layer  94  controls the polarization of light  66  passing through layer  94 . Due to the presence of polarizers  88  and  100 , changes to the polarization of light  66  in liquid crystal layer  94  produce corresponding changes to the amount of light passing through liquid crystal shutter structures  86 . 
     If desired, device  10  may be a cellular telephone and display  14  may be a touch screen liquid crystal display having upper and lower polarizer layers such as layers  88  and  100 , a color filter layer with a substrate such as layer  90 , a thin-film transistor layer with a substrate such as layer  96 , and a liquid crystal layer such as portions of layer  94 . With this type of arrangement, liquid crystal shutter  86  may be formed from part of the touch screen liquid crystal display (e.g., in an inactive portion of the display). Devices such as portable computers, tablet computers, and other electronic equipment with liquid crystal displays may also have display portions that form liquid crystal shutters such as liquid crystal shutter  86  of  FIG. 14 . 
       FIG. 15  is a front view of an illustrative electronic device in which camera flash structures  44  run along the edge of device housing  12 . In the configuration of  FIG. 15 , light guiding structures  68  of camera flash structures  44  have been implemented using a strip of clear material such as clear plastic that runs along the upper edge of housing  12  (i.e., between the sidewalls of housing  12  and the display cover layer for display  14 ). If desired, light guiding structures  68  may run along the left and right edges of the display in device  10 , may run along the lower edge of display  14  and device housing  12 , or may run along multiple edges of display  14  and device housing  12 . The example of  FIG. 15  is merely illustrative. 
     If desired, camera flash  44  may have light guiding structures  68  that are shaped to form some or all of a logo, a decorative structure, or other patterned structure on the exterior surface of housing  12 . The logo structures may be formed on the front face of device  10  (e.g., on display  14 ) or may be formed on a rear housing surface or other surfaces of housing  12 . The logo structures may be formed from transparent plastic or other transparent material that serves as light guiding structures. A light-emitting diode or other light source  64  provides camera flash light to the light-guiding structures. During operation, the camera flash light exits the light-guiding structures (e.g., some or all of the logo) and serves as illumination for capturing digital image data. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 16 , portion  108  of display  14  (e.g., a portion of inactive area IA of display  14 ) has been provided with camera flash structure  44  that are formed from light guiding structures  68  that form some or all of a logo (e.g., text such as a name of a company or brand or other name or a shape that forms a trademark or identifier of a product, company, or service). If desired, light guiding structures  68  may be formed from other patterned shapes that do not resemble a circular flash window. Using logo-shaped light guiding structures  68  or other such patterned light guiding structures  68 , a user of device  10  will generally not recognize that light guiding structures  68  form part of camera flash  44 , thereby allowing camera flash  44  to be implemented in plain view on the exterior of device  10  without detracting from device aesthetics. 
     If desired, camera  42  and camera flash  44  may be housed within a common housing to form a unitary camera and flash module. As shown in  FIG. 17 , camera and flash module  110  may have a housing such as housing  112 . Housing  112  may be formed from one or more plastic structures, metal structures, fiber-composite structures, or other structures. As an example, housing  112  may be formed from molded plastic. Metal frame structures, brackets, component mounting structures, and other structures may be incorporated into module  110  if desired. As shown in  FIG. 17 , both camera flash structures  44  such as light-emitting diode  64  or other light source and camera structures  42  such as lens structures  78  and digital image sensor  55  may be housed within shared housing  112 . 
     During operation of camera flash  44 , light source  64  produces camera flash light  66 . Transparent structures such as transparent structures  114  and  116  may be provided in openings in housing  112 . Transparent structure  114  may allow light  66  to exit housing  112  during camera flash operations. If desired, transparent structures  114  may include light spreading structures to help ensure that camera flash light  116  is distributed over a desired range of angles. Transparent structures  114  may, for example, include Fresnel lens structures, diffusing structures such as textured surfaces, lens structures such as convex and/or concave lenses, camera flash window structures, or other structures that are transparent to camera flash light  66 . 
     Transparent structures  116  may be aligned with lens structures  78  and digital image sensor  55  to form camera  42 . Transparent structures  116  may be formed from sheets of glass or plastic or other planar camera window structures for preventing intrusions of moisture and other contaminants into interior  118  of housing  112 . If desired, transparent structures  116  may include lens-shaped surfaces for focusing incoming light  118 . During operation of camera  42 , light  118  from the subject of an image is received by digital image sensor  55  after being focused by lens structures  78  and optionally by lens structures that are formed as integral portions of transparent structures  116 . Camera  42  may then provide corresponding digital image data to control circuitry  40  ( FIG. 2 ). The operation of camera flash  44  may be controlled by control circuitry  40  to ensure that the subject of the image is appropriately illuminated during image acquisition operations. 
     During operation of device  10 , a light source such as light source  64  that is associated with camera flash structures  44  may produce light  66 . Light  66  may be used to illuminate digital image subjects during digital image acquisition operations. If desired, light from display pixels in display  14  may provide illumination for the subjects of digital images. 
     In addition to serving as a camera flash to provide illumination during still and moving image capture operations, light source  64  of camera flash  44  may serve as a status indicator or other output device. For example, light source  64  may produce periodic illumination (i.e., light source  64  may blink on and off), may produce illumination with other on/off patterns, may produce constant illumination, may produce constant or blinking output with a selected peak intensity that is equal to or less than the maximum intensity of light source  64 , or may produce other light output. The light output of light source  64  may be indicative of the current operating status of device  10  or may serve other output functions (e.g., constant illumination for a flashlight application). Examples of device status that may be reflected by the state of light source  64  include whether or not a message has been received, whether or not device  10  is in a sleep state, whether or not device  10  is receiving an incoming telephone call, whether or not camera  42  is actively gathering image data (e.g., as part of a video telephone call), etc. 
       FIG. 18  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in operating optical components such as camera flash structures  44  and camera  42  in device  10 . 
     At step  122 , device  10  may be operated normally by a user. During the operations of step  122 , control circuitry  40  of device  10  may await status changes associated with input-output circuitry  32  (e.g., button presses, audio input from a microphone, keyboard input, touch sensor input, camera input, sensor input, etc.) and may await status changes associated with the software running on device  10  (e.g., email and text message application status changes, web browser status changes, etc.). 
     In response to detection by control circuitry  40  of input that indicates that the user desires to capture an image (e.g., when a button press, touch screen input, voice command, or other input directs device  10  to capture an image) or in response to other changes in the status of software running on device  10 , device  10  may, at step  124 , use control circuitry  40  and input-output circuitry  32  to capture still and/or moving image data (i.e., pictures and/or video). During image capture operations, camera flash  44  may illuminate image subjects. As an example, camera  42  (e.g., a front-facing camera) and camera flash  44  (e.g., a front-facing camera flash) may be used to capture still images of the user of device  10 . When capturing still images, camera flash  44  may produce a burst of illumination (i.e., camera flash  44  may produce a flash of light) to help illuminate the user or other image subject. Continuous illumination may also be provided by camera flash  44  during still image acquisition operations. When capturing moving images such as when capturing video for a video chat session or when recording a video clip, camera flash  44  may provide constant illumination for the subject of the video clip. 
     In response to detection of a change in operating status of device  10 , device  10  may, at step  126 , use camera flash  44  (i.e., light source  64 ) as a status indicator. For example, in response to detection of a change in the status of a communications application such as a text messaging application, email application, telephone call application, video telephone call application, or other application, control circuitry  40  may direct camera flash  44  to produce a corresponding light output (blinking, steady, output of a particular intensity to indicate status, other patterns of light at appropriate intensity levels and patterns that are indicative of operating status, etc.). 
     If desired, display pixels in display  14  may be used to produce illumination (e.g., white light illumination of other light) to illuminate a subject during image acquisition operations at step  128 . The light that is produced by display  14  may supplement or replace the light from camera flash  44  that is used as illumination in connection with acquiring still and moving images. In a device configuration that uses only display  14  for providing subject illumination during image acquisition operations, device  10  can use display  14  to provide illumination while capturing digital image data with camera  42  in response to input from a user (e.g., a button press, touch screen command, or voice command) and/or from software running on circuitry  40 . In a device configuration that uses light from display  14  to supplement light from camera flash  44 , device  10  may, in response to detection of a user input command, a software command, or other input, use control circuitry  40  and camera  42  to acquire still and/or moving image data while illuminating the subject of the acquired images by turning on display  14  and camera flash  44  using control circuitry  40 . 
     Following acquisition of images during steps  124  or  128  or following the use of light source  64  to produce light output that serves to indicate the status of device  10 , processing may return to step  122 , as indicated by line  130 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20130206
Publication Date: 20170221
Grant Date: 20170221
Priority Date: 20130206
Inventors: HOOTON LEE E.
KWONG KELVIN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G03B15/03", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B17/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B2215/0503", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B31/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B17/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B31/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B15/03", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B2215/0503", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 51259293