PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11346542-B2
Application Number: US-202016882307-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with diffusively illuminated housing portions

Abstract:
An electronic device includes a housing, a speaker, control circuitry, a plurality of light-emitting components configured to emit light through an upper housing wall or other housing structure. A lens diffuser layer having lenses overlapping respective light-emitting components, a textured diffuser layer formed from textured coatings on a substrate, and a volume diffuser layer having light-scattering structures in a polymer layer might be included to project light from the light-emitting components. A light-guiding portion of the lens diffuser layer may guide light to a circular peripheral edge to form an illuminated ring visible through the upper housing wall.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a speaker in the housing configured to emit sound; and 
 light-emitting components configured to emit light through a portion of the housing; and 
 a light-spreading layer between the light-emitting components and the portion of the housing, wherein the light-spreading layer has lenses that each overlap a respective one of the light-emitting components, wherein each lens has an upper surface with a depressed central portion and a lower surface with a protruding central portion facing the light-emitting components. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing is cylindrical and has a top and wherein the portion of the housing comprises a housing wall on the top. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the light-emitting components comprise light-emitting components selected from the group consisting of light-emitting diodes and lasers. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the light-spreading layer comprises clear polymer member containing each of the lenses. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  further comprising an additional light-spreading layer that overlaps the clear polymer member and that is separated from the clear polymer member by an air gap. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the additional light-spreading layer comprises a light-spreading layer selected from the group consisting of: a volume diffuser layer and a textured diffuser layer. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the clear polymer member has a light-guiding portion that is configured to guide light emitted from the light-emitting components. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the light-guiding portion has a peripheral edge and wherein the peripheral edge is configured to extract the guided light. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the peripheral edge is a circular peripheral edge and wherein the circular peripheral edge has a bevel that causes the circular peripheral edge to extract the guided light in a ring. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  further comprising:
 a textured diffuser layer between the clear polymer member and the housing wall; and 
 a volume diffuser layer between the textured diffuser layer and the housing wall. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the volume diffuser layer is separated from the housing wall by an air gap and includes a polymer film with embedded light-scattering structures. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  further comprising a touch sensor between the housing wall and the volume diffuser layer. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the touch sensor comprises capacitive touch sensor electrodes that are formed on an inner surface of the housing wall and that are separated from the volume diffuser layer by an additional air gap. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the housing wall on the top comprises a polymer disk with a curved cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14  wherein the textured diffuser layer has a substrate and a textured coating. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a polymer member; 
 light-emitting components on a printed circuit; 
 a first light diffuser layer having lenses that each overlap a respective one of the light-emitting components and that each have outer surfaces with curved cross-sectional profiles and cuspoid central depressions and opposing inner surfaces with curved cross-sectional profiles that are separated from that overlapped light-emitting component by air; 
 a second light diffuser layer having a textured film with a textured surface, wherein the second light diffuser layer is between the polymer member and the first light diffuser layer and is separated from the first light diffuser layer by air; 
 a third light diffuser layer that has light-scattering structures embedded in polymer, wherein the third light diffuser layer is between the polymer member and the second light diffuser layer, is separated from the second light diffusing layer by air, and is separated from the polymer member by air. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  further comprising:
 touch sensor electrodes on an inner surface of the polymer member, wherein the polymer member has a circular outline; 
 a speaker in the housing; 
 a microphone in the housing; and 
 control circuitry in the housing that is configured to receive voice commands using the microphone, wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the light-emitting components to emit light that passes through the first, second, and third light diffuser layers and through the polymer member in response to the voice commands. 
 
     
     
       18. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 light-emitting components overlapped by the housing; and 
 a lens diffuser layer having a plurality of lenses and a light-guiding layer, wherein the lens diffuser layer is disposed between the light-emitting components and the housing, wherein the light-guiding layer is configured to guide light received from the light-emitting components to a circular peripheral edge of the light-guiding layer, and wherein the circular peripheral edge has a light-extraction structure configured to send the light outwardly through the housing. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 18  wherein the housing is cylindrical and has a circular polymer top cap and wherein the light-extraction structure comprises a bevel along the circular peripheral edge that sends a ring of light through the polymer top cap. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 19  wherein each of the plurality of lenses overlaps a respective one of the light-emitting components and is separated from that light-emitting component by an air gap.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/861,210, filed Jun. 13, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with light-emitting devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices such as voice-controlled assistant devices may include light-emitting components. During operation, the light-emitting component may emit patterns of light that serve as visual feedback. The feedback helps confirm to a user that an electronic device is operating as desired. 
     It can be challenging to incorporate light-emitting components into an electronic device. If care is not taken, the patterns of light that are emitted will not appear as intended, the appearance of the device may not be as desired, or the device may be overly bulky. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing. A speaker, other input-output components, and control circuitry may be mounted within the housing. During operation, the control circuitry can direct a set of light-emitting components to emit light that passes through the housing. The emitted light may, as an example, serve as visual feedback to confirm that a voice command or other input has been received from a user. 
     The housing may have an upper housing wall that overlaps the light-emitting components. The upper housing wall, which may sometimes be referred to as a top cap, may be formed from a slightly domed polymer disk or other suitable housing wall structure. 
     Before passing through the upper housing wall for viewing by a user, light from the light-emitting components may be spread laterally by multiple light diffusing layers. The light diffusing layers may include a lens diffuser layer having lenses overlapping respective light-emitting components, a textured diffuser layer formed from textured coatings on a substrate, and a volume diffuser layer having light-scattering structures in a polymer layer. 
     The lens layer may be formed from a transparent member with integral lenses having curved inner surfaces and opposing curved outer surfaces. In some configurations, the lenses may have surfaces with cuspoid-shaped cross-sectional profiles. A light-guiding portion of the transparent member may guide light to a circular peripheral edge to form an illuminated ring visible through the upper housing wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative voice-controlled electronic device having a light-emitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the device of  FIG. 1  showing how optical elements such as diffuser layers may be interposed between a translucent or transparent upper housing wall and a set of light-emitting components in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an illustrative visual output system based on a light-emitting device with a set of light-emitting diodes or other light-emitting components covered with light spreading structures such as lenses and diffuser layers in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative optical element for light spreading such as a volume diffuser that is formed from light-scattering structures embedded in a clear material such as a sheet of polymer or glass and that serves as a fine diffuser in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative optical element for light spreading such as a textured film that serves as a moderate diffuser in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative optical element for light spreading such as an air-gap lens (lens array) in a lens layer that serves as a coarse diffuser in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative optical element such as a lens layer with light spreading and light guiding for use in a light-emitting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the illustrative optical element of  FIG. 7  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of an illustrative electronic device having a light-emitting device and a light-guiding structure such as the optical element of  FIG. 7  that provides light output in a ring coinciding with a circular peripheral edge of the light-guiding structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of a portion of a light-guiding structure for a light-emitting device that has segments in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may have light-emitting devices. A light-emitting device may be used to provide a user with visual feedback during operation of an electronic device. For example, in a voice-controlled device, visual feedback such as moving patterns of lights of different colors may be used to visually confirm to the user that the voice-controlled device is responding to a voice command. Visual output may also include status indicator information and other output. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device that includes a light-emitting device to provide visual output. In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  is a voice-controlled device such as a voice-controlled speaker. If desired, device  10  may be an electronic device or an accessory for an electronic device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which equipment for device  10  is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, other electronic equipment, or equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may have a cylindrical shape with rounded upper and lower ends of the type shown in  FIG. 1  or other suitable shape (e.g., a pyramidal shape, a conical shape, a frustoconical shape, a box shape such as a rectangular box shape, a spherical shape, etc.). Housing  12  may include support structures formed from metal, polymer, ceramic, glass, wood, other materials, and/or combinations of these materials. The shape of housing  12  may be selected to form an enclosure suited to the type of device  10  for which the housing is being used. As an example, in scenarios in which device  10  is a voice-controlled electronic device, housing  12  may be cylindrical, pyramidal, box-shaped, conical, spherical, or other shapes suitable for enclosing one or more speakers, in configurations in which device  10  is a laptop computer, housing  12  may have upper and lower thin box-shaped portions that are joined with a hinge and that can respectively house a display and a keyboard, in configurations in which device  10  is a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, housing  12  may have a slender box shape with optionally curved rear housing walls that can hold a display and be mounted on a stand, in configurations in which device  10  is a tablet computer, cellular telephone, media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, housing  12  may have a rectangular outline and a thin depth, in configurations in which device  10  is a smaller device such as a wristwatch device or a pendant device, housing  12  may have a thin profile and an outline that is rectangular, square, hexagonal, triangular, oval, or circular, in configurations in which device  10  is a headphone or earpiece device, housing  12  may have a shape configured to fit on or in a user&#39;s ear, in configurations in which device  10  is a pair of eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, housing  12  may have a head-mountable shape, in configurations in which device  10  is a jacket or other item of clothing (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, shirt, pants, shoes, etc.), housing  12  may be formed from layers of fabric or other material configured to allow device  10  to be worn on a user&#39;s body, in configurations in which device  10  is a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, or a navigation device, housing  12  may have a rectangular outline, an outline with curved sides and/or straight sides, a box shape, a cylindrical shape, and/or other suitable shapes, in configurations in which device  10  is a kiosk, housing  12  can form a pedestal or other shape suitable for a kiosk, in configurations in which device  10  forms part of an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, housing  12  may form a dashboard, console, door, window, seat, body panel, or other portion of the vehicle, in configurations in which device  10  is a removable external case for electronic equipment, housing  12  may have the shape of a sleeve or other structure with a recess for receiving the electronic equipment, in configurations in which device  10  is a strap, wrist band, necklace or headband, housing  12  may have a strip shape, in configurations in which device  10  forms a case, bag, or wallet, housing  12  may have surfaces that form the walls of the case and/or sides of the bag or wallet and/or that forms straps and/or other structures for the case or bag, and in configurations in which device  10  is part of furniture, housing  12  may be configured to form a part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures). In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 1 , housing  12  has a cylindrical shape suitable for an electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker with Internet access. Housing  12  may have other shapes and may be incorporated into other devices, if desired. The configuration of  FIG. 1  is presented as an example. 
     If desired, device  10  may include fabric  14 . Fabric  14  may form all or part of a housing wall or other layer in an electronic device, may form the outermost layer of device  10 , may form one or more inner covering layers, may form internal structures in an electronic device, or may form other fabric-based structures. Device  10  may be soft (e.g., device  10  may have a fabric surface that yields to a light touch), may have a rigid feel (e.g., the surface of device  10  may be formed from a stiff fabric), may have a surface that is textured, that is smooth, that has ribs or other patterned textures, and/or may include portions formed from non-fabric structures of plastic, metal, glass, crystalline materials, ceramics, or other materials. 
     Fabric  14  may include intertwined strands of material such as strands  16 . Fabric  14  may, for example, include warp knit fabric that is formed by warp knitting of strands  16  and/or may include woven fabric, fabric with braided strands of material, etc. Strands  16  may be single-filament strands (sometimes referred to as fibers or monofilaments) or may be strands of material formed by intertwining multiple monofilaments of material together (sometimes referred to as yarns). 
     Strands  16  may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite, ceramic, natural materials such as cotton or bamboo, or other organic and/or inorganic materials and combinations of these materials. Conductive coatings such as metal coatings may be formed on non-conductive material. For example, plastic strands in fabric  14  may be coated with metal to make them conductive. Reflective coatings such as metal coatings may be applied to make strands reflective. Strands formed from white polymer (e.g., light-scattering particles in polymer) and/or that are coated with white polymer may help reflect light in some configurations. Darkly colored strands may also be used. If desired, strands may be formed from bare metal wires or metal wire intertwined with insulating monofilaments (as examples). Bare metal strands and strands of polymer covered with conductive coatings may be provided with insulating polymer jackets. In some configuration, strands  16  may include optical fibers. 
     In an illustrative configuration, some or all of the upper surface of housing  12  such as portion  12 P may be formed from rigid polymer, rigid glass, or other non-fabric structure and the sidewall surfaces of housing  12  may be covered with fabric  14  (e.g., to create a cover layer for the sidewalls that is transparent to sound). Portion  12 P, which may sometimes be referred to as an upper housing wall or top cap, may be a disk. For example, portion  12 P may be formed from a disk-shaped polymer or glass member with a slightly curved cross-sectional profile and a circular outline (e.g., portion  12 P may form a slightly protruding dome shape or other suitable housing shapes). Portion  12 P may be formed from transparent materials. The transparent materials may be translucent (hazy) or may exhibit low haze. The use of translucent material and/or other transparent material for portion  12 P allows underlying light-emitting components in the interior of device  10  to emit light that passes through portion  12 P. For example, portion  12 P may be formed from clear material, material with a neutral tint (e.g., dark polymer or glass that allows light to pass), or material with a non-neutral color (e.g., blue, red, etc.). 
     Portion  12 P may overlap a touch sensor. For example, a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor may be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes that are overlapped by portion  12 P. Capacitive touch sensor circuitry may be coupled to the touch sensor electrodes and may gather user touch input through portion  12 P. The capacitive touch sensors may be formed directly on the inner surface of portion  12 P, which therefore serves as a substrate for the touch sensors, or may be formed on separate supporting structures (e.g., a separate polymer film or other separate substrate). Capacitive touch sensor electrodes may be formed from conductive material such as metal, transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide, or other conductive materials. If desired, one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and/or three-dimensional sensors such as proximity sensors, optical touch sensors, force sensors, image sensors, time-of-flight sensors, vibration sensors such as accelerometers, and/or other sensors may be formed under portion  12 P or other portions of housing  12  (e.g., instead of a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor or in addition to a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor). If desired, sensors may operate through fabric sidewalls or other housing structures. 
     Device  10  may include control circuitry  20 . Control circuitry  20  may include microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated-circuits, digital signal processors, baseband processors, and/or other controllers and may include storage such as random-access memory, read-only memory, solid state drives, and/or other storage and processing circuitry. 
     Control circuitry  20  may gather information from sensors and other circuitry in input-output devices  18  and may use input-output devices  18  to supply output. Input-output devices  18  may, for example, include audio devices such as microphones and speakers. Microphones can gather audio input (e.g., sound that passes through fabric  14  such as voice commands for controlling the operation of device  10 ). Speakers can produce audio output (e.g., sound that passes through fabric  14 ). Sensors in input-output devices  18  may include touch sensors, force sensors, capacitive sensors, optical sensors, proximity sensors, strain gauges, temperature sensors, moisture sensors, gas sensors pressure sensors, magnetic sensors, position and orientation sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses), and/or other sensors. Sensors such as these may, if desired, be overlapped by housing portion  12 P (e.g., a polymer layer or glass layer). 
     Light-emitting diodes, displays, and other visual output devices may be used in supplying visual output to a user. As an example, visual output devices may be used to form illuminated buttons, displays that display images, visual feedback areas that display still and/or moving patterns of light to indicate to a user that a command has been received and/or is being processed by control circuitry  20 , etc. Commands may be received using a touch sensor, voice commands may be received by control circuitry  20  using a microphone in input-output devices  18 , and other input may be received using input-output devices  18 . If desired, buttons, joysticks, haptic output components, and/or other input-output components may be provided in input-output devices  18  to gather input from a user and to provide a user with output. Wireless circuitry in circuitry  20  (e.g., wireless local area network circuitry, cellular telephone circuitry, etc.) may be used to support wireless communications with external equipment (e.g., to form a communications link with internet-based equipment or other electronic equipment). 
     Light-emitting components (e.g., lasers or light-emitting diodes) may be arranged in a pattern under portion  12 P of housing  12  or other suitable portion of housing  12 . In general, any suitable light-based output may be supplied by light-based output devices in device  10 . For example, displays with arrays of pixels may display images, text output devices such as segmented light-emitting diode displays may display text, and status indicator lights may provide light output indicative of device operating status (e.g., a power on/off status, battery level status, volume level status, mute/non-muted status, etc.). In an illustrative arrangement, which may sometimes be described as an example, a light-emitting device in device  10  is formed from a set of light-emitting components that are located under housing portion  12 P. The light-emitting device may be used to provide status information, decorative patterns, visual feedback (e.g., confirmation of receipt by control circuitry  20  of device  10  of voice commands), and/or other visual information that is visible through portion  12 P. 
     To help enhance the appearance of visual output provided through portion  12 P, the light-emitting device may include light-spreading structures. The light-spreading structures may include one or more layers of structures that spread and mix light in lateral directions such as directions in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 1  as light propagates outwardly (e.g., upwardly in the Z direction) from light-emitting components located under portion  12 P. A cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of housing portion  12 P in an illustrative configuration in which light-emitting components are overlapped by three light-spreading structures is shown in  FIG. 2 . In the example of  FIG. 2 , these light spreading structures include lens diffuser layer  30 , textured diffuser layer  28 , and volume diffuser layer  26 . More light-spreading structures or fewer light-spreading structures may be used in device  10 , if desired (e.g., fewer than three layers, more than three layers, etc.). These light-spreading structures may include light-diffusing structures formed from solid transparent structures with curved surfaces (e.g., lens structure), textured films, light-scattering structures embedded in clear polymer or other material, and/or other light scattering and diffusing structures that help homogenize emitted light and reduce hotpots. In some configurations, portions of the light-spreading structures or other optical layers in device  10  may help guide light that has been emitted from light-emitting components. 
     Light-emitting components  34  may be mounted on a support structure. In the example of  FIG. 2 , light-emitting components  34  have been mounted on printed circuit  32 . Printed circuit  32  may contain signal lines that convey signals from control circuitry  20  to components  34  so that components  34  may emit desired amounts of light. The color of emitted light may be controlled by adjusting the emitted color from each of components  34 . With an illustrative configuration, each component  34  contains components such as red light-emitting component  34 R (e.g. a red light-emitting diode or red laser), green light-emitting component  34 G (e.g., a green light-emitting diode or green laser), and blue light-emitting component  34 B (e.g., a blue light-emitting diode or blue laser). With this type of configuration, the color of light that is emitted can be adjusted by adjusting the relative light intensity from each of the colored subcomponents of each component  34 . The pattern of light that is emitted (e.g., the location in the X-Y plane of the emitted light) can be controlled by controlling components  34  (e.g., to turn on a first component  34  on the left side of device  10  while turning off a component  34  on the right side of device  10 , to display blue light from one component and red from another, to display a pattern with a gradient of light intensity, etc.). If desired, flashing light effects, chasing light effects, lighting effects involving emission of light patterns that swirl or otherwise move about the X-Y plane of  FIG. 2  may be produced. 
     Lens diffuser layer  30  may, if desired, have alignment features such as protrusions  30 P that are received within corresponding alignment openings in printed circuit  32 . Lens diffuser layer  30  may have an array of lenses  36 . Each lens  36  may overlap a respective light-emitting component  34 . Layer  30  may be formed from a solid molded (and/or machined) layer of clear material (e.g., polymer) and/or may include separate components (e.g., individual lenses supported in a desired pattern using a frame). Configurations in which layer  30  is a unitary planar member with molded lens structures forming lenses  36  may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     Air gaps may separate light-emitting components  34  from the inner surfaces of lenses  36 . Air gaps  24  may also separate layers  30 ,  28 , and  26  from each other and may separate layer  26  from housing portion (upper housing wall)  12 P. The presence of air gaps  24  may help promote light mixing. If desired, one or more of these air gaps may be omitted (e.g., by attaching adjacent layers with a layer of clear adhesive by forming the structures of one layer as a coating on another layer, etc.). 
     Capacitive touch sensor electrodes for forming a capacitive touch sensor such as capacitive touch sensor electrodes  18 E may be formed on a stand-alone substrate layer (e.g., a polymer film overlapped by housing portion  12 P) and/or may be deposited and patterned directly on the inner surface of a polymer or glass housing member such as housing portion  12 P. By forming electrodes  18 E on the inner surface of housing portion  12 P, part count may be reduced and assembly operations may be facilitated. This arrangement also allows portion  12 P to have a slightly domed shape which can help create an air gap between portion  12 P and underlying structures to facilitating light mixing. Arrangements in which capacitive touch sensor electrodes are formed on the inner surface of portion  12 P allow touch sensor measurements to be taken close to the exterior surface of portion  12 P, which may enhance touch sensor accuracy. If desired, other sensors and/or other input-output devices  18  may be overlapped by housing portion  12 P. The arrangement of  FIG. 2  in which a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor formed from electrodes  18 E is formed under housing portion  12 P is illustrative. 
     Light-emitting components  34  and corresponding overlapping lenses  36  in lens diffuser layer  30  may have any suitable pattern. As an example, lenses  36  (and the components  34  that are overlapped by lenses  36 ) may be arranged in a hexagonal pattern as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this illustrative arrangement, there are 19 lenses  36  and therefore 19 corresponding components  34  (and 19*3 light-emitting diodes or lasers in a system with three differently colored sets of light emitters). More lenses  36  and more components  34  or fewer lenses and fewer components  34  may be used if desired. For example, there may be at least 10 components and lenses, at least 50 components and lenses, at least 100 components and lenses, fewer than 1000 components and lenses, fewer than 120 components and lenses, or fewer than 70 components and lenses, as examples. 
     Lens diffuser layer  30  may serve as a course diffuser that spreads light widely (but not necessarily smoothly). Textured diffuser layer  28  may serve as a medium diffuser that spreads light moderately (e.g., less strongly than layer  30 ). Although layer  28  tends to spread light less aggressively than layer  30 , the uniformity of the light exiting layer  28  will be greater than the uniformity of the light exiting layer  30 . Volume diffuser layer  26  may spread light lightly (e.g., less aggressively than layer  28 ) and may output light that is more uniform than the light exiting layer  28 . With this type of multi-layer diffusing arrangement, the amount of lateral uniformity (hotspot reduction) achieved as light passes successively through layers  30 ,  28 , and  26  tends to increase as each layer is passed. For example, light that has passed through layer  30  may have a given uniformity. After this light passes through layer  28 , the light may have enhanced uniformity across the X-Y plane. The intensity of this light may, in turn, be rendered even more uniform after passing through layer  26 . The use of multiple light-spreading layers (coarse, medium, and fine) may help optimize overall light uniformity within a given amount of light propagation distance (Z-axis distance in this example) versus local contrast when displaying an illumination pattern. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative volume diffuser layer. Volume diffuser layer  26  of  FIG. 4  contains light-scattering structures  40  embedded in material  38 . Material  38  may be glass, polymer, or other transparent material. Light-scattering structures  40  may include voids (vacuum-filled cavities, gas-filled cavities such as air bubbles, cavities filled with nitrogen or other inert gases, etc.) and/or may include light-scattering particles having refractive index values that differ from that of material  38 . The light-scattering particles may include, for example, titanium dioxide particles or other particles of inorganic dielectric. If desired, colorant (e.g., dye and/or pigment) may be incorporated into material  38 . Colorant may also be incorporated into other layers in device  10  such as layers  28  and/or  30  and/or portion  12 P. 
     As light  42  passes through layer  26 , the presence of structures  40  scatters light  42  laterally. As shown by scattered light intensity pattern  42 P, the light scattering process of layer  26  may result in smooth and uniform light scattering. 
     Before light  42  reaches layer  28 , more aggressive and coarser light scattering may be performed by textured diffuser layer  28  of  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , layer  28  may include a polymer film or other substrate  44  that is coated with textured coating layer(s) such as illustrative upper coating layer  46  and illustrative lower coating layer  48 . Layers  46  and  48  may have textured structures such as pyramidal structures, spherical structures, conical structures, frustoconical structures, ridges, and/or other protrusions, and/or grooves, pits, or other depressions to help scatter light  42 . As shown by scattered light intensity pattern  42 P′ of  FIG. 5 , layer  28  may tend to scatter light  42  more strongly but less evenly than layer  26 . Accordingly, light  42  preferably passes through layer  28  before passing through layer  26 . 
     Before light  42  reaches layer  28 , even more aggressive and coarser light spreading in the lateral X-Y plane (sometimes referred to as coarse light scattering) may be performed by lens diffuser layer  30 . A portion of lens diffuser layer  30  is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , lens  36 ′ of layer  30  may have an outer surface with a cuspoid center (e.g., depression  54  in the outer surface of lens  36 ′ may be aligned with longitudinal lens axis  56 ). Lens  36 ′ may, as an example, have an outer surface that is effectively a combination of two tilted convex lenses. The corresponding inner surface of lens  36 ′ may have multiple bulging protrusions  50  with a curved (e.g., convex) cross-sectional profile. The inner surface of lens  36 ′ is separated from light-emitting components such as component  34  by air gaps  24 . The shape of lens  36 ′ including the cuspoid shape of the outer surface of lens  36 ′ produces a batwing light intensity profile, as shown by the off-axis elevated-intensity lobes of light intensity pattern  42 P″. The batwing intensity pattern provides an enlarged illuminance spot size (e.g., a wider point spread function) for a given vertical height (a given distance along the Z axis of  FIG. 2 ). The shape of lens  36 ′ thereby helps avoid any hotspot in the center of lens  36 ′ (e.g., to prevent excess light from propagating straight through lens  36 ′ along axis  56 ). Arrangements in which lens  36 ′ has other layouts that promote coarse light mixing may be used, if desired. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which lens diffuser layer  30 ′ has an extended portion  30 E (sometimes referred to as a light-guiding portion, light-guiding layer, light guide, waveguide structure, radially extended layer or portion, etc.). Portion  30 E may serve as a light-guiding structure (light-guiding layer) that guides light laterally that has been emitted from components  34  (e.g., light may be guided radially outward). Layer  30 ′ may, as an example, have a circular shape (e.g., layer  30 ′ may be a clear polymer member having a disk shape and a circular footprint when viewed along axis  22 ). During operation, light emitted by components  34  may be coarsely scattered by lenses  36  in main portion  30 M of lens diffuser layer  30 ′. This coarsely scattered light may pass through additional layers  66  (e.g., layers  28 ,  26 , portion  12 P, etc.). Some of the light emitted by components  34  may also be guided laterally within portion  30 E as guided light rays  421  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. Due to this light guiding process, little or no light in portions  30 E scatters upwardly through overlapping structures  68  (e.g., printed circuits, cosmetic layers, components, etc.). At the peripheral edge of portion  30 E or at other suitable portions of the light-guiding structures of layer  30 ′, total internal reflection may be locally frustrated (defeated), causing light  421  to be emitted outwardly as light  42 E. In the example of  FIG. 7 , the circular peripheral edge of portion  30 E has a light-extraction structure (sometimes referred to as a light-scattering structure) such as bevel  30 B that cause light  421  to be extracted and thereby emitted from the circular periphery of layer  30 ′ and sent outwardly through the housing of device  10  as emitted (extracted) light  42 E. Light  42 E may, as an example, have a ring shape when viewed from a user of device  10  such as viewer  62  who is viewing device  10  in direction  64 . If desired, other light-extraction (light-scattering) structures may be provided in addition to or instead of bevel  30 B. These light-extraction (light-scattering) structures may include light-scattering particles, textures, groves, pits, and other recesses, bumps, ridges, or other protrusions, and/or other light-extraction structures. These light-extraction structures may be located at the peripheral edge of layer  30 ′ and/or at other locations. 
       FIG. 8  is a close-up cross-sectional view of an illustrative lens structure  36 ″ associated in layer  30 ′ of  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , some of emitted light  42  from component  34  may be coupled into the interior of portion  30 M′ and may then proceed to be guided laterally outward within a light guide formed from extended portion  30 E of layer  30 ′ as shown by guided light rays  42 I of  FIG. 7 . Light-extraction structures such as bevel  30 B of  FIG. 7  are formed in a ring shape, but other patterns of light-extraction (light-scattering) structures may be used to scatter and thereby extract light out of layer  30 ′ for viewing by a user, if desired (e.g., icon-shaped light-scattering structures may be used, light-scattering structures may be patterned into the shape of text, graphics, or decorative patterns containing spots, wavy lines, circles, rectangles, triangles, and/or other shapes). 
     The circular shape of bevel  30 B in layer  30 ′ may create a ring of emitted light when components  34  are active. If desired, components  34  may be selectively activated to create a partially filled ring of light. This type of arrangement is shown in the top view of device  10  of  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , ring  70  may coincide with the ring-shaped light emitting region associated with ring-shaped bevel  30 B at the circular periphery of layer  30 ′. When all light-emitting components  34  are illuminated evenly, emitted light may exit ring  70  evenly (e.g., ring  70  may form an illuminated circle). Components  34  may, as an example, be formed in a hexagonal array pattern (see, e.g.,  FIG. 3 ) or other pattern in central circular region  72  under housing portion (top cap)  12 P. When a subset of light-emitting components  34  are illuminated (e.g., in subregion  72 L), emitted light may be concentrated in a portion of ring  70  such as illustrative portion  70 P. During operation of device  10 , control circuitry  20  can adjust which components  34  emit light (and the intensity and color that is emitted by active components  34 ). In this way, different amounts of ring  70  can be illuminated at different times and can serve as moving light decoration, may serve as status indicators (e.g., to indicate the current volume level of device  10  or other operating state information), may serve to notify a user of an incoming message or alarm (e.g., expiration of a timer), and/or may otherwise provide visual output for a user. 
     To help localize the light emitted in ring  70  (e.g., to help delineate which region the emitted light is located in), layer  30 ′ may, if desired, have gaps such as gap  74  of  FIG. 10 . By segmenting layer  30 ′ in this way, emitted light may be emitted in selectable arc-shaped bars around the periphery of layer  30 . Other gap patterns may be used in restricting light guiding within layer  30 ′, if desired. 
     Device  10  may be operated in a system that uses personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20200522
Publication Date: 20220531
Grant Date: 20220531
Priority Date: 20190613
Inventors: KERESZTES, JANOS C.
SUN, YU P.
LIU, RONG
LEE, CHUNGJAE
POON, KA HO P.
GRAVES, BRIAN P.
QI, JUN
YIN, VICTOR H.
YAMASAKI, JOEL C.
MARI, PEDRO
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "F21V5/007", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V33/0056", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V23/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21Y2115/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V5/007", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21Y2115/30", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V19/001", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V33/0056", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V23/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21Y2115/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V33/0056", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21Y2115/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V3/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V5/007", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V19/001", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V23/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 73744956