PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11715810-B2
Application Number: US-201715724162-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Displays with camera window openings

Abstract:
A display may include a color filter layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. A camera window may be formed in the display to accommodate a camera. The camera window may be formed by creating a notch in the thin-film transistor layer that extends inwardly from the edge of the thin-film transistor layer. The notch may be formed by scribing the thin-film transistor layer around the notch location and breaking away a portion of the thin-film transistor layer. A camera window may also be formed by grinding a hole in the display. The hole may penetrate partway into the thin-film transistor layer, may penetrate through the transistor layer but not into the color filter layer, or may pass through the thin-film transistor layer and partly into the color filter layer.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a camera; and 
 a display comprising:
 a thin-film transistor layer; 
 an opening that penetrates partly into the thin-film transistor layer without extending completely through the thin-film transistor layer, wherein the camera extends at least partly into the opening, and wherein the camera receives light through the opening and through a portion of the thin-film transistor layer covering the camera; and 
 a polarizer layer that overlaps the opening in the thin-film transistor layer. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the display has an active area and an inactive area, and wherein the opening is formed in the inactive area. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the polarizer comprises an unpolarized portion that overlaps the camera and the opening in the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3 , wherein the camera receives light through the unpolarized portion. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the polarizer comprises an opening from which a portion of the polarizer has been removed, and wherein the opening overlaps the camera and the opening in the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5 , wherein the camera receives light through the opening in the polarizer. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer comprises:
 a substrate; and 
 thin-film transistor circuitry formed on the substrate. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer has first and second parallel opposing edges and third and fourth parallel opposing edges that are perpendicular to the first and second parallel opposing edges, and wherein the opening that penetrates partly into the thin film transistor layer is surrounded by the first, second, third, and fourth edges. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising:
 a light-sensing component, wherein the light-sensing component comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of: a camera, an ambient light sensor, and light-based proximity sensor; and 
 a display comprising:
 a thin-film transistor layer comprising an opening from which a first portion of thin-film transistor layer is absent, wherein a second portion of the thin-film transistor layer overlaps the opening, and wherein the light-sensing component fills the opening; and 
 a layer of polarizer material that overlaps the opening, wherein the layer of polarizer material comprises a window from which the polarizer material has been removed, and wherein the light-sensing component receives light through the window, the opening in the thin-film transistor layer, and the second portion of the thin-film transistor layer. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , wherein the display comprises an active area with an array of pixels that displays images and an inactive area that does not display images, and wherein the opening in the thin film transistor layer and the window in the polarizer are formed in the inactive area. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer comprises:
 a thin-film transistor substrate; and 
 thin-film transistor circuitry formed on the thin-film transistor substrate. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a touch sensor layer formed over the thin-film transistor layer. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a housing having a glass portion and a metal portion, wherein the display and the light-sensing component are mounted in the housing; and 
 a glass cover layer that overlaps the display. 
 
     
     
       14. An electronic device, comprising:
 a camera; and 
 a display having an active area and an inactive area, wherein the display comprises:
 a thin-film transistor layer having a substrate and thin-film transistor circuitry formed on the substrate; 
 an array of pixels formed on the substrate in the active area; 
 an opening in the thin-film transistor layer in the inactive area, wherein the opening extends only partially into the thin-film transistor layer, and wherein the camera has an outermost sidewall extending at least partly into the opening; and 
 a polarizer having a layer of polarizing material that overlaps the inactive area and the array of pixels in the active area, wherein the polarizer overlaps the opening in the thin-film transistor layer and comprises a window that is free of the polarizing material, and wherein the camera receives light through the opening in the thin-film transistor layer and through the window in the polarizer. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a housing having a glass portion and a metal portion, wherein the display and the camera are mounted in the housing; and 
 a glass cover layer that overlaps the display. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a touch sensor layer that overlaps the active area and the inactive area. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 14 , wherein the display has a first pair of opposing parallel edges and a second pair of opposing parallel edges, wherein the parallel edges in the first pair are shorter than the parallel edges in the second pair, and wherein the camera is mounted along one of the parallel edges in the first pair, the electronic device further comprising:
 a speaker port along the parallel edge in the first pair along which the camera is mounted.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/151,253, filed Jan. 9, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/764,668, filed Feb. 14, 2013. This application claims the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/151,253, filed Jan. 9, 2014, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/764,668, filed Feb. 14, 2013, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with optical devices such as cameras. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones often have cameras. Cameras may be used to take still images and may be used to support video features such as video calls. 
     In a cellular telephone with a camera, the camera may be mounted under a portion of a cover glass layer in the display of the cellular telephone. Black ink may be printed under the cover glass to hide the camera from view. An opening may be formed in the black ink to form a window for the camera. 
     In a portable computer, a camera may be mounted along the upper edge of the display. In a typical arrangement, the display may be mounted within the housing of the portable computer using a bezel. An opening may be provided in the bezel to form a window for the camera or a camera may be located under an opening in a black ink border region. 
     Camera mounting arrangements such as these may not be satisfactory in device configurations where space is at a premium. For example, mounting arrangements in which a camera is attached to the lower surface of a display may consume more interior space in a device than is desired. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved camera and display structures for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may include a color filter layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. Polarizers may be formed above and below the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer, respectively. 
     The color filter layer may form the outermost layer of the display. A camera window may be formed in the display to accommodate a camera. An opaque masking layer may be formed in an inactive border region along the edge of the display. The opaque masking layer may have an opening that is aligned with the camera window to allow light to pass through the opaque masking layer to the camera. 
     The camera window may be formed by creating a notch in the thin-film transistor layer that extends inwardly from the edge of the thin-film transistor layer. The notch may be formed by scribing the thin-film transistor layer around the notch location and breaking away a portion of the thin-film transistor layer. A scribe wheel or laser scribing equipment may be used in creating scribe lines for the notch. The color filter layer may have a polished edge that is aligned with a polished edge of the thin-film transistor layer. The color filter layer may overlap the notch. 
     A camera window may also be formed by grinding a hole in the display using grinding equipment. The hole may penetrate partway into the thin-film transistor layer, may penetrate through the transistor layer but not into the color filter layer, or may pass through the thin-film transistor layer and partly into the color filter layer. 
     The camera may be mounted in the recess or hole in the display and may be aligned with the opening in the opaque masking layer. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with a display that has a camera window in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with a display that has a camera window in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with a display that has a camera window in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a computer display with display structures having a camera window in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having an opening that accommodates a camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a camera mounted to a flexible printed circuit cable in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of display layers in a display panel showing how an opening may be formed by scribing a portion of the display panel with a computer-controlled scribing wheel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of display layers in a display panel showing how an opening may be formed by scribing a portion of the display panel with a computer-controlled laser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a display panel in which a portion of a thin-film transistor layer has been removed using wheel-based or laser-based scribing techniques in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a display panel and an adjacent rotating grinding bit for forming a window opening in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  12    is a perspective view of the display panel of  FIG.  11    following formation of a ground hole using the equipment of  FIG.  11    in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional side view of a display panel in which an opening has been formed through part of a thin-film transistor layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of a display panel in which an opening has been formed through a thin-film transistor layer without penetrating into an overlapping color filter layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  15    is a cross-sectional side view of a display panel in which an opening has been formed that passes through a thin-film transistor layer and that penetrates partially into a color filter layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  16    is a diagram of equipment and methods used in forming displays with camera window openings in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  17    is a flow chart of techniques involved in forming displays with camera window openings in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may include displays. The displays may be used to display images to a user. Cameras may be used to capture images. The cameras may be mounted in alignment with camera windows in the displays. Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with displays having camera windows are shown in  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  3   , and  4 . 
       FIG.  1    shows how electronic device  10  may have the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  may have hinge structures  20  that allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  may be mounted in upper housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes referred to as a display housing or lid, may be placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . Camera window  30  may be formed along the upper edge of display  14  or elsewhere on display  14 . 
       FIG.  2    shows how electronic device  10  may be a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , housing  12  may have opposing front and rear surfaces. Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Display  14  may, if desired, have openings for components such as button  26 . Openings may also be formed in display  14  to accommodate a speaker port (see, e.g., speaker port  28  of  FIG.  2   ). Camera window  30  may be formed adjacent to speaker port  28  or elsewhere on display  14 . 
       FIG.  3    shows how electronic device  10  may be a tablet computer. In electronic device  10  of  FIG.  3   , housing  12  may have opposing planar front and rear surfaces. Display  14  may be mounted on the front surface of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , display  14  may have an opening to accommodate button  26  (as an example). Camera window  30  may be formed on an opposing edge of display  14  or may be formed elsewhere on display  14 . 
       FIG.  4    shows how electronic device  10  may be a computer display or a computer that has been integrated into a computer display. With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  may be mounted on a support structure such as stand  27 . Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Camera window  30  may be formed along the upper edge of display  14  or elsewhere on display  14 . 
     The illustrative configurations for device  10  that are shown in  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4    are merely illustrative. In general, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, 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 electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Housing  12  of device  10 , which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other fiber-based composites, metal (e.g., machined aluminum, stainless steel, or other metals), other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     Display  14  may be a touch sensitive display that includes a touch sensor or may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display  14  may be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, a resistive touch array, touch sensor structures based on acoustic touch, optical touch, or force-based touch technologies, or other suitable touch sensor components. 
     Display  14  for device  10  includes display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components or other suitable image pixel structures. 
     A display cover layer may cover the surface of display  14  or a display layer such as a color filter layer or other portion of a display may be used as the outermost (or nearly outermost) layer in display  14 . The outermost display layer may be formed from a transparent glass sheet, a clear plastic layer, or other transparent member. An advantage of forming display  14  without a cover layer is that this type of configuration may be thinner than configurations in which a display cover layer is present. Configurations for display  14  in which no display cover layer is present are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Device  10  may include optical sensors such as light-based proximity sensors and ambient light sensors, status indicator lights, cameras, and other optical components. These components may be mounted under a window in display  14  such as window  30  (i.e., window  30  may form an optical device window). Configurations in which window  30  is a camera window and in which a camera is mounted in alignment with window  30  are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration for display  14  of device  10  (e.g., for display  14  of the devices of  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  3   ,  FIG.  4    or other suitable electronic devices) is shown in  FIG.  5   . As shown in  FIG.  5   , display  14  may include backlight structures such as backlight unit  42  for producing backlight  44 . During operation, backlight  44  travels outwards (vertically upwards in dimension Z in the orientation of  FIG.  5   ) and passes through display pixel structures in display layers  46 . This illuminates any images that are being produced by the display pixels for viewing by a user. For example, backlight  44  may illuminate images on display layers  46  that are being viewed by viewer  48  in direction  50 . 
     Display layers  46  may be mounted in chassis structures such as a plastic chassis structure and/or a metal chassis structure to form a display module for mounting in housing  12  or display layers  46  may be mounted directly in housing  12  (e.g., by stacking display layers  46  into a recessed portion in housing  12 ). Display layers  46  may form a liquid crystal display or may be used in forming displays of other types. 
     In a configuration in which display layers  46  are used in forming a liquid crystal display, display layers  46  may include a liquid crystal layer such a liquid crystal layer  52 . Liquid crystal layer  52  may be interposed between display layers such as display layers  58  and  56 . Layers  56  and  58  may be interposed between lower polarizer layer  60  and upper polarizer layer  54 . 
     Layers  58  and  56  may be formed from transparent substrate layers such as clear layers of glass or plastic. Layers  56  and  58  may be layers such as a thin-film transistor layer and/or a color filter layer. Conductive traces, color filter elements, transistors, and other circuits and structures may be formed on the substrates of layers  58  and  56  (e.g., to form a thin-film transistor layer and/or a color filter layer). Touch sensor electrodes may also be incorporated into layers such as layers  58  and  56  and/or touch sensor electrodes may be formed on other substrates. 
     With one illustrative configuration, layer  58  may be a thin-film transistor layer that includes an array of thin-film transistors and associated electrodes (display pixel electrodes) for applying electric fields to liquid crystal layer  52  and thereby displaying images on display  14 . Layer  56  may be a color filter layer that includes an array of color filter elements for providing display  14  with the ability to display color images. If desired, layer  58  may be a color filter layer and layer  56  may be a thin-film transistor layer. 
     During operation of display  14  in device  10 , control circuitry (e.g., one or more integrated circuits such as components  68  on printed circuit  66  of  FIG.  5   ) may be used to generate information to be displayed on display  14  (e.g., display data). The information to be displayed may be conveyed from circuitry  68  to display driver integrated circuit  62  using a signal path such as a signal path formed from conductive metal traces in flexible printed circuit  64  (as an example). 
     Display driver integrated circuit  62  may be mounted on thin-film-transistor layer driver ledge  82  or elsewhere in device  10 . A flexible printed circuit cable such as flexible printed circuit  64  may be used in routing signals between printed circuit  66  and thin-film-transistor layer  58 . If desired, display driver integrated circuit  62  may be mounted on printed circuit  66  or flexible printed circuit  64 . Printed circuit  66  may be formed from a rigid printed circuit board (e.g., a layer of fiberglass-filled epoxy) or a flexible printed circuit (e.g., a flexible sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer layer). 
     Backlight structures  42  may include a light guide plate such as light guide plate  78 . Light guide plate  78  may be formed from a transparent material such as clear glass or plastic. During operation of backlight structures  42 , a light source such as light source  72  may generate light  74 . Light source  72  may be, for example, an array of light-emitting diodes. 
     Light  74  from light source  72  may be coupled into edge surface  76  of light guide plate  78  and may be distributed in dimensions X and Y throughout light guide plate  78  due to the principal of total internal reflection. Light guide plate  78  may include light-scattering features such as pits or bumps. The light-scattering features may be located on an upper surface and/or on an opposing lower surface of light guide plate  78 . 
     Light  74  that scatters upwards in direction Z from light guide plate  78  may serve as backlight  44  for display  14 . Light  74  that scatters downwards may be reflected back in the upwards direction by reflector  80 . Reflector  80  may be formed from a reflective material such as a layer of white plastic or other shiny materials. 
     To enhance backlight performance for backlight structures  42 , backlight structures  42  may include optical films  70 . Optical films  70  may include diffuser layers for helping to homogenize backlight  44  and thereby reduce hotspots, compensation films for enhancing off-axis viewing, and brightness enhancement films (also sometimes referred to as turning films) for collimating backlight  44 . Optical films  70  may overlap the other structures in backlight unit  42  such as light guide plate  78  and reflector  80 . For example, if light guide plate  78  has a rectangular footprint in the X-Y plane of  FIG.  5   , optical films  70  and reflector  80  may have a matching rectangular footprint. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , display  14  may be characterized by an active area such as active area AA. Active area AA may include an array of display pixels  98 . Display pixels  98  may be used in displaying images to viewer  48  during operation of device  10 . An inactive border region such as inactive area IA may surround the periphery of active area AA. For example, active area AA may have a rectangular shape surrounded by four peripheral edges and inactive region IA may have the shape of a rectangular ring that runs along each of the four peripheral edges of active area AA and thereby surrounds active area AA. 
     Camera window  30  may be formed by creating an opening in one or more of the layers of display  14  such as opening  84 . Opening  84  may be formed along the edge of display  14  (i.e., opening  84  may be a notch in the edge of display  14  that extends inwardly from an edge of the display and that passes partway through display  14 ) or may a hole that passes partway through display  14  (as shown in the  FIG.  6    example). 
     An optical component such as camera  86  may be mounted within window opening  84 . Camera  86 , which may sometimes be referred to as a camera module, may be formed from a plastic housing or other housing structure that encloses components such as lens structures  88  and digital image sensor  90 . During operation, light  96  may pass through camera window  30 . Lens structures  88  may include one or more lenses formed from glass or plastic. Lens structures  88  may focus light  96  onto digital image sensor  90 . Digital image sensor  90  may be coupled to components  68  on a substrate such as substrate  66  using a communications path such as communications path  92 . Communications path  92  may be a flexible printed circuit (e.g., a layer of polyimide or other flexible polymer substrate with metal traces that form a signal bus for a flexible printed circuit cable) or may be formed from other structures. A connector such as connector  94  (e.g., a board-to-board connector) may be used in coupling flexible printed circuit cable  92  to substrate  66 . Circuitry  68  may include processors for processing image data from camera  86  and other circuitry. 
     The presence of an opening such as opening  84  that passes partly through the layers of display  14  may help accommodate camera  86 . For example, some or all of camera  86  may protrude into opening  84  as shown in  FIG.  6   , which reduces or eliminates the volume consumed by camera outside of the layers of display  14 . By mounting components in device  10  efficiently, the size of device  10  can be minimized and/or space may be made available within device  10  for other components. 
       FIG.  7    is a perspective view of camera  86  showing how the housing for camera  86  may have a rectangular box shape with rounded corners  102  (as an example). Other shapes may be used for the camera housing if desired (e.g., cylindrical shapes with circular portions that fit within corresponding circular holes  84 , shapes with right-angle corners, etc.). Camera  86  may be soldered or otherwise mounted on flexible printed circuit  92 . Flexible printed circuit  92  may include metal traces such as traces  104 . Traces  104  may be used in conveying power and data signals between camera  86  and circuitry  68  on substrate  66 . A ring of adhesive such as adhesive  100  may surround lens structures  88  on the upper surface of camera  86 . Adhesive  100  may be used in attaching camera  86  within recess  84  in display  14 . Screws and other fasteners, solder, welds, clips, mounting brackets, and other structures may also be used in mounting camera  86  if desired. 
       FIG.  8    is a perspective view of layers in display  14  during formation of a display camera window opening using a scribing tool. As shown in  FIG.  8   , the display panel for display  14  may include scribing equipment such as equipment  106 . Equipment  106  may include a computer-controlled positioner such as positioner  108  that controls the position of scribing wheel  110 . Scribing wheel  110  may be carbide glass cutting wheel, a diamond scribing wheel, or other scribing wheel. Using positioner  108 , wheel  110  may be moved in direction  114  along path  112 , thereby creating scribe line  116 . The shape of scribe line  116  defines the shape of the camera window opening being formed. 
     After scribe line  116  has been formed, portion  58 ′ of layer  58  may be removed to form opening  84  by breaking portion  58 ′ away from the remainder of layer  58  along scribe line  116 . In the example of  FIG.  8   , the shape of the scribe line is curved and the resulting shape of removable portion  58 ′ is semicircular (i.e., the process of scribing and removing portion  58 ′ from thin-film-transistor layer  58  forms a semicircular camera window notch  84  for camera window  30 ). Other scribe line shapes and resulting camera window opening shapes may be formed if desired (e.g., shapes with straight edges, shapes with straight edges with curved corners, shapes with curved edges, shapes with a combination of curved and straight edges, etc.). 
     If desired, laser-based scribing equipment may be used in removing portion  58 ′ of thin-film transistor layer  58  in display  14 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , laser-based scribing equipment  118  may include computer-controlled positioner  120 . Computer-controlled positioner  120  may control the position of laser  122 . During operation, laser  122  produces laser beam  124 . Positioner  120  moves laser beam  124  in direction  128  along path  126 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , this creates scribe line  130  around portion  58 ′ of thin-film transistor layer  58 . As with the wheel-based scribing technique of  FIG.  8   , portion  58 ′ of layer  58  may be removed to form opening  84  by breaking portion  58 ′ away from the remainder of layer  58  along scribe line  130  following completion of scribe line  130  by laser-based scribing equipment  118 . The shape of scribe line  130  and the associated shape of the resulting notch for the camera window opening formed by removing portion  58 ′ may be semicircular, may have straight edges, may have curved edges, may have a combination of straight and curved edges, etc. 
     Following scribing of thin-film transistor layer  58  using wheel based scribing equipment  106  of  FIG.  8   , using laser-based scribing equipment  118 , or using other scribing equipment, a camera window opening such as camera window notch  84  of  FIG.  10    may be created in thin-film transistor layer  58 . Scribing processes tend to produce minor surface damage along the scribe lines that are formed by the scribing equipment. For example, the process of rolling wheel  110  along the surface of layer  58  and the process of exposing the surface of layer  58  to laser light  124  along scribe line  130  tend to produce shallow surface damage such as surface damage  132  of  FIG.  10    (i.e., a scribe-damaged surface region such as a wheel-scribed surface region or a laser-scribed surface region). When viewed from the side as shown in  FIG.  10   , surface damage  132  will penetrate into layer  58  only a relatively shallow distance W relative to the thickness T of layer  58 . 
     The edges of layers  58  and  56  may be polished prior to removal of portion  58 ′ of layer  58 . Polishing equipment such as a grinding tool with a rotating grinding head that travels around the peripheral edge of display  14  may be used to polish the edges. With this type of arrangement, layers  58  and  56  are attached during the polishing process, so the polishing head will polish thin-film transistor layer peripheral edge  58 E in alignment with color filter layer peripheral edge  56 E. 
     The presence of portion  58 ′ during polishing may help ensure that the polishing process proceeds evenly across the portion of edge  56 E (i.e., portion  136  of color filter layer edge  56 E adjacent to portion  58 ′ will be polished identically to adjacent portions  134  of color filter layer edge  56 E). In the absence of portion  58 ′ during polishing, there is a potential for portion  136  of edge  56 E to exhibit more chips or other imperfections than adjacent regions  134  (i.e., regions  136  and  134  would not have identically polished surfaces, because region  136  would be more damaged than regions  134 ). When portion  58 ′ is present during polishing, however, color filter layer edge region  134  and  136  will have matched (identically polished) surfaces, even though region  136  is adjacent to notch  84  and region  134  is not adjacent to notch  84  in the finished display. 
     If desired, camera window opening  84  may have the shape of a hole in one or more of the layers of display  14 . As shown in  FIG.  11   , grinding tool  140  may include motor system  142 . Motor system  142  rotates shaft  144  and grinding bit  150  in direction  146  about rotational axis  152 . When it is desired to grind a hole in layer  58 , motor system  142  may move rotating grinding bit  150  in direction  148  towards layer  58 . 
     Following grinding of hole  84  to a desired depth into display  14 , hole  84  may appear as shown in  FIG.  12    (i.e., hole  84  may form a recess in display  14  to accommodate camera  86 ). During subsequent assembly operations, camera  86  may be mounted within opening  84  (e.g., using adhesive  100  or other attachment mechanism). 
     As shown in the cross-sectional side view of display  14  in  FIG.  13   , recess (opening)  84  may be formed to a depth into thin-film transistor layer  58  that penetrates only partly into thin-film transistor layer  58  and that does not pass through thin-film transistor layer  58 . In this type of situation, a thin portion  58 ″ of layer  58  remains above camera  86 . During operation of camera  86 , light  96  passes through layer  56  and portion  58 ″ to reach camera  86 . 
     Thin-film transistor circuitry  160  may be formed in active area AA on the surface of the glass substrate that is used in forming thin-film transistor layer  58 . Color filter layer  56  may have a layer of color filter elements  158  in active area AA. Color filter elements  158  may be formed from colored polymers (e.g., red elements, blue elements, and green elements in an array pattern). Liquid crystal layer  52  ( FIG.  5   ) is interposed between color filter layer  56  and thin-film transistor layer  58  in active area AA. 
     In inactive area IA, a layer of opaque masking material such as black ink is formed between color filter layer  56  and thin-film transistor layer  58 . As shown in  FIG.  13   , for example, an opaque masking layer such as black ink  154  may coat the surface of color filter layer  56  in inactive border area IA. An opening such as opening  156  in black ink layer  154  may be aligned with camera window  30  and may allow light  96  to pass through black ink layer  154  to camera  86 . 
     In the configuration of  FIG.  13   , opening  84  penetrates sufficiently far into thin-film transistor layer  58  to form a recess that accommodates some or all of camera  86  without penetrating all of the way through layer  58  into opening region  156 . If desired, opening  84  may pass through layer  58  without penetrating into layer  56 , as shown in  FIG.  14   .  FIG.  15    is a cross-sectional side view of display  14  in a configuration in which opening  84  forms a recess that passes through thin-film transistor substrate  58  and partially enters color filter layer substrate  56  without passing through color filter layer substrate  56 . 
       FIG.  16    shows systems and methods that may be used in forming device  10  with a display having a camera window formed by removing portions of the display. Initially, mother glass layers such as a color filter mother glass layer  56 M and a thin-film transistor mother glass layer  58 M may be assembled and divided into individual display panels using assembly and singulation equipment  162 . Scribing tool  164  may be used in singulating mother glass layers (e.g., using scribe and break techniques). A liquid crystal layer  52  may be encapsulated between each singulated color filter layer  56  and singulated thin-film transistor layer  58 . 
     The edges of the assembled singulated display layers that have been attached together using equipment  162  may be rough (unpolished). Accordingly, edge grinding equipment  166  may use positioner  170  to move rotating polishing head  168  along the peripheral edges of the display panel formed from the singulated color filter layer  56  and thin-film transistor layer  58 . This polishing process forms a display panel structure with polished and aligned peripheral edges  56 E and  58 E, as described in connection with  FIG.  10   . 
     Following polishing, a grinder, scribing wheel, laser scribing equipment, or other equipment may be used to form camera window recess  84  in layer  58 . Recess (opening)  84  may pass partly through layer  58 , may pass through layer  58  without penetrating layer  56 , or may pass through layer  58  and part of layer  56 . Portion  58 P of layer  58  may remain (e.g., when recess  84  forms a hole) or portion  58 P of layer  58  may be removed as part of the scribe and break process to form a notch in layer  58  (i.e., a notch that extends in from the edge of layer  58  to form window  30 ). 
     Polarizer attachment equipment and equipment for assembling the structures of display  14  may be used to attach upper polarizer  54  to color filter layer  56  and may be used to attach lower polarizer  60  to thin-film transistor layer  58  after forming opening  84 . Camera  86  may be mounted in opening  84  by equipment  174  and display  14  may be mounted in device housing  12  to form electronic device  10 . 
     Illustrative steps involved in forming an electronic device having a display with a camera window opening are shown in  FIG.  17   . 
     At step  176 , color filter layer structures may be deposited and patterned on a glass substrate or other transparent substrate to form color filter layer  56 . An opening such as opening  156  in opaque masking layer  154  is formed for camera windows  30 . Opening  156  may be circular in shape, rectangular in shape, or may have other suitable shapes. Thin-film transistor circuitry is formed on a glass substrate or other transparent substrate to form thin-film transistor layer  58 . The color filter layer and thin-film transistor layers may be formed as large panels (mother glass) during the operations of step  176 . 
     At step  178 , the mother glass layers (color filter mother glass and thin-film transistor mother glass) are attached to each other. Liquid crystal layer  52  is interposed between the mother glass layers. Sealant may be used to laterally confine liquid crystal layer  52 . 
     At step  180 , the mother glass layers are singulated into individual panels using equipment  162 . 
     At step  182 , the peripheral edge of the singulated display structures is polished using equipment  166  to create aligned thin-film transistor and color filter layer edges. 
     At step  184 , a camera window recess is formed in each display panel. Scribing and breaking techniques may be used to remove a portion of thin-film transistor layer  58 , thereby creating a notch along the edge of thin-film transistor layer  58  that can serve as camera window  30  or a notch may be formed using a grinding tool. If desired, grinding techniques may be used to form a ground hole in thin-film transistor layer  58  (and, if desired color filter layer  56 ). 
     At step  186 , the upper and lower polarizers of display  14  may be attached to the display panel. The display panel to which the polarizers are attached may have polished edges and the recess forming camera window  30 . Equipment such as equipment  174  of  FIG.  16    may be used in attaching the polarizers. If desired, a portion of the upper polarizer in alignment with camera window  30  may be cut away or treated (e.g., using light, chemicals, etc.) to remove the polarizer material and thereby enhance camera performance. 
     At step  188 , camera  86  may be attached to the display panel. For example, adhesive  100  may be used to attach camera  86  to the top of camera window opening  84 . Adhesive  100  may attach camera  86  to the bottom of color filter layer  56  when opening  84  is a notch in the edge of thin-film transistor layer  58  as shown in  FIG.  10   , may attach camera  86  to portion  58 ″ of thin-film transistor layer  58  at the top of opening  84  when opening  84  is a ground hole of the type shown in  FIG.  13   , may attach camera  86  to the bottom of color filter layer  56  in configurations of the type shown in  FIG.  14    in which opening  84  passes through thin-film transistor layer  58  without penetrating color filter layer  56 , or may attach camera  86  to the surface of color filter layer  56  that is exposed in a configuration of the type shown in  FIG.  15    in which opening  84  partially penetrates into color filter layer  56 . 
     At step  188 , backlight  42  and other portions of display  14  and camera  86  may be assembled into electronic device housing  12  to form electronic device  10 , as shown at the bottom of  FIG.  16   . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20171003
Publication Date: 20230801
Grant Date: 20230801
Priority Date: 20130214
Inventors: BENSON, ERIC L.
POSNER, BRYAN W.
BOITNOTT, CHRISTOPHER L.
MATHEW, DINESH C.
QI, JUN
CAO, ROBERT Y.
YIN, VICTOR H.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H10F71/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10F55/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L31/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L31/18", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/1362", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133388", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133512", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133514", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/58", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133512", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133514", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/1362", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/58", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133388", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133512", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133514", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/1362", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2201/58", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1643", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1686", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133388", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 51296896