PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11963425-B1
Application Number: US-202117224020-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Electronic devices having displays with curved surfaces

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. The display may include a flexible substrate and may have bent edge portions protruding from a central region. Gaps may be formed between regions of pixels on a common substrate or between separate display panels. Gap-overlapping structures may overlap the gaps to hide internal components from view or to blend the appearance of gaps with the appearance of adjoining portions of a display layer. The gap-overlapping structures may include light sources such as crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes. The diodes may emit light through light diffusing structures. Protruding display layer fingers and other structures may be used to accommodate display cover layer surfaces with curved profiles such as corner surfaces of compound curvature.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display having a planar array of pixels in an active area configured to display images and having an inactive area; 
 a plurality of microlenses that overlaps the planar array of the pixels; and 
 a display cover layer that overlaps the plurality of microlenses, wherein the plurality of microlenses overlaps the active area without overlapping the inactive area. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a diffusor layer interposed between the plurality of microlenses and the display cover layer. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the diffusor layer overlaps the active and inactive areas. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the display cover layer has a curved portion and wherein the diffusor layer overlaps the curved portion. 
     
     
       5. An electronic device having a front, a rear, and sides that extend between the front and the rear, comprising:
 a first glass portion that faces the front; 
 a first array of pixels configured to display images through the first glass portion; 
 a second glass portion that faces one of the sides; 
 a second array of pixels configured to display images through the second glass portion; 
 a third glass portion that faces the rear; and 
 a third array of pixels configured to display images through the third glass portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the first glass portion and the second glass portion are planar and are coupled by a curved glass portion. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the third glass portion is planar and is coupled to the second glass portion with an additional curved glass portion. 
     
     
       8. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display cover layer having an outline with a corner surface of compound curvature; 
 a display layer overlapped by the display cover layer, wherein the display layer has pixels configured to display images and has a gap that separates a first array of the pixels that are configured to display a first image from a second array of the pixels that are configured to display a second image; and 
 a gap-overlapping structure configured to overlap the gap. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the gap-overlapping structure includes a light-emitting device, the electronic device further comprising cellular telephone transceiver circuitry, wherein the gap is overlapped by the corner surface of the compound curvature, wherein the gap-overlapping structure comprises a diffuser having a surface of the compound curvature, and wherein the light-emitting device comprises a crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode configured to emit light through the diffuser and the gap. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the gap-overlapping structure includes a light-emitting device, wherein the gap is overlapped by the corner surface of the compound curvature and wherein the light-emitting device comprises a crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode configured to emit light through the gap. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  further comprising a flexible substrate on which the crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode is mounted. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in claim  11  wherein the flexible substrate comprises a mesh-shaped elastomeric polymer. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the gap-overlapping structure includes a light-emitting device and wherein the light-emitting device comprises crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes of different colors. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the display cover layer has a light diffusing portion overlapping the gap. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  further comprising a transparent layer that is interposed between the display cover layer and the display layer, wherein the transparent layer has a light diffusing portion overlapping the gap. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the gap-overlapping structure is a layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of: ink, metal, ceramic, glass, and polymer. 
     
     
       17. An electronic device having opposing front and rear faces, comprising:
 a display cover layer having a surface that forms the front face and having a transparent sidewall portion with a curved surface profile that extends along a peripheral portion of the display cover layer; 
 a display layer with pixels that is overlapped by the display cover layer, wherein the display layer comprises a display panel having a gap; and 
 a gap-overlapping structure that overlaps the gap in the display panel. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 17  wherein the gap-overlapping structure is a crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode, the electronic device further comprising a diffuser interposed between the display cover layer and the crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 17  further comprising cellular telephone transceiver circuitry, wherein the display layer comprises an organic light-emitting diode display panel having the gap and wherein the gap-overlapping structure is a crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode that is configured to emit light through the gap. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 19  wherein the display cover layer has a corner with a surface of compound curvature and wherein the crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode is configured to emit light through the surface of the compound curvature. 
     
     
       21. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display cover layer with rounded corners coupled to the housing; and 
 a flexible display layer having pixels configured to display an image, wherein the display cover layer overlaps the flexible display layer, and wherein portions of the flexible display layer overlap the rounded corners of the display cover layer. 
 
     
     
       22. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the portions of the flexible display layer include protrusions that comprise barrel-shaped fingers. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in claim  21  wherein each of the surfaces of compound curvature overlaps at least three of the portions. 
     
     
       24. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the portions comprise at least two parallel finger-shaped protrusions at each of the rounded corners. 
     
     
       25. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the portions include first and second protrusions separated by a gap, wherein the electronic device comprises a light-emitting device configured to emit light through the gap, and wherein the light-emitting device comprises first and second crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes configured to emit light of first and second different respective colors, the electronic device further comprising:
 a light-diffusing structure overlapping the light-emitting device, wherein the light-diffusing structure comprises a diffuser having a surface with compound curvature. 
 
     
     
       26. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the portions include first and second protrusions separated by a gap and wherein the electronic device comprises a gap-overlapping structure. 
     
     
       27. The electronic device defined in  claim 26  wherein the gap-overlapping structure comprises a light-emitting device and a light-diffusing structure overlapping the light-emitting device, and wherein the light-emitting device is configured to emit light through the light-diffusing structure and the gap.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/505,559, filed Jul. 8, 2019, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/696,298, filed Jul. 10, 2018, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, and other electronic equipment may include displays for presenting images to a user. 
     If care is not taken, electronic devices with displays may not have a desired appearance or may be difficult to use satisfactorily. For example, displays may be bulky and unattractive or may not accommodate a desired electronic device shape. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a display cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. For example, a display cover layer may have transparent sidewall portions with curved surface profiles. The transparent sidewall portions of the display cover layer may include rounded corners having areas of compound curvature. 
     The display of the electronic device may include a flexible substrate. For example, the display may include a flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer with an array of pixels configured to display images for a user. The display layer may have bent edge portions protruding from a central region and other protrusions and may be configured to overlap surfaces on a front face, a rear face, and/or sidewalls of an electronic device. 
     Gaps may be formed between regions of pixels on a common substrate or between separate display panels forming a display. Gap-overlapping structures may overlap the gaps to hide internal components from view or to blend the appearance of gaps with the appearance of adjoining portions of a display layer. 
     The gap-overlapping structures may include light sources such as crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes. The diodes may emit light through light diffusing structures. Protruding display layer fingers and other structures may be used to accommodate display cover layer surfaces with curved surface profiles such as surfaces in the rounded corners or other areas of compound curvature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative planar portion of a display cover layer and pixel array in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative curved portion of a display cover layer and pixel array in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative sidewall portion of an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of an illustrative corner portion of an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an illustrative electronic device having a display cover layer with a curved surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an illustrative electronic device having a display that projects images onto a curved screen under a display cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display panel showing how through-panel vias may be used to reduce the size of an inactive border region in the display panel in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device with a curved display cover layer and an associated curved flexible display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  12    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative flexible display panel mounted under the curved inner surface of a display cover layer that mates with a housing sidewall member in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional side view of the edge of an illustrative electronic device having a displays on front and rear faces in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  14    is a diagram showing illustrative operations involved in forming a display with a curved surface profile in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  15    is a top view of an illustrative electronic device display having a first rectangular portion with rounded corners and a second strip-shaped elongated portion that is wrapped around the periphery of the rectangular portion in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view of an illustrative display with a planar central portion and vertical sidewall portion in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  17    is a perspective view of an illustrative display with a planar central portion and an angled sidewall portion in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  18    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an illustrative electronic device having display layers on a front face, sidewall, and a rear face of a device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  19    is a perspective view of an illustrative corner portion of a display with a bent protrusion in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  20  and  21    are perspective view of illustrative corner portions of displays with parallel finger-shaped protrusions that extend downwardly to provide the corners of a device with pixels in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG.  22    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of ink or other masking material that may overlap a gap or other area in a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  23    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light source and diffuser that may overlap a gap or other area in a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  24    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display layer with pixels of the type that may overlap a gap or other area in a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  25    is a top view of an illustrative display having a pixel array formed on a flexible mesh-shaped substrate in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  26    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display formed from overlapping display panels in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  27    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative portion of a display cover layer with a light scattering region that is overlapping a gap between two sets of pixels in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  28    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display cover layer and associated gap-overlapping structures that are overlapping a gap between two sets of pixels in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  29    is a perspective view of an illustrative corner portion of a display layer having a first display panel with bent edge tabs and a second display panel that fills an area at the corner of the first panel in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  30    is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative corner portion of a display formed from multiple display panels in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  31    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device edge portion showing how a gap between display layer portions associated with a single display panel or separate display panels can be covered using opaque masking material on an inner surface of a display cover layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with displays. The displays may have planar surfaces and curved surfaces. For example, a display may have a planar central portion surrounded by bent edges. The bent edges may have curved surface profiles. Arrangements in which displays exhibit compound curvature may also be used. Electronic devices having displays with curved surfaces may have an attractive appearance, may allow the displays to be viewed from a variety of different angles, and may include displays with a borderless or nearly borderless configuration. 
     A schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device having a display with curved surface portions is shown in  FIG.  1   . Device  10  may be a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wristwatch device or other wearable device, a television, a stand-alone computer display or other monitor, a computer display with an embedded computer (e.g., a desktop computer), a system embedded in a vehicle, kiosk, or other embedded electronic device, a media player, or other electronic equipment. 
     Device  10  may include control circuitry  20 . Control circuitry  20  may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  20  may be used to gather input from sensors and other input devices and may be used to control output devices. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communications circuits, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     To support communications between device  10  and external equipment, control circuitry  20  may communicate using communications circuitry  22 . Circuitry  22  may include antennas, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, and other wireless communications circuitry and/or wired communications circuitry. Circuitry  22 , which may sometimes be referred to as control circuitry and/or control and communications circuitry, may support bidirectional wireless communications between device  10  and external equipment over a wireless link (e.g., circuitry  22  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry such as wireless local area network transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a wireless local area network link, near-field communications transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a near-field communications link, cellular telephone transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over a cellular telephone link, or transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over any other suitable wired or wireless communications link) Wireless communications may, for example, be supported over a Bluetooth® link, a WiFi® link, a 60 GHz link or other millimeter wave link, a cellular telephone link, or other wireless communications link. Device  10  may, if desired, include power circuits for transmitting and/or receiving wired and/or wireless power and may include batteries or other energy storage devices. For example, device  10  may include a coil and rectifier to receive wireless power that is provided to circuitry in device  10 . 
     Device  10  may include input-output devices such as devices  24 . Input-output devices  24  may be used in gathering user input, in gathering information on the environment surrounding the user, and/or in providing a user with output. During operation, control circuitry  20  may use sensors and other input devices in devices  24  to gather input and can control output devices in devices  24  to provide desired output. 
     Devices  24  may include one or more displays such as display(s)  14 . An output device such as display  14  may be an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, an electrophoretic display, an electrowetting display, a plasma display, a microelectromechanical systems display, a display having a pixel array formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies (sometimes referred to as microLEDs), and/or other display. Display  14  may have an array of pixels configured to display images for a user. The display pixels may be formed on a substrate such as a flexible substrate (e.g., display  14  may be formed from a flexible display panel). Conductive electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor in display  14  and/or an array of indium tin oxide electrodes or other transparent conductive electrodes overlapping display  14  may be used to form a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor for display  14  (e.g., display  14  may be a touch sensitive display). 
     Sensors  16  in input-output devices  24  may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive force sensors, etc.), audio sensors such as microphones, touch and/or proximity sensors such as capacitive sensors (e.g., a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor integrated into display  14 , a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor overlapping display  14 , and/or a touch sensor that forms a button, trackpad, or other input device not associated with a display), and other sensors. If desired, sensors  16  may include optical sensors such as optical sensors that emit and detect light, ultrasonic sensors, optical touch sensors, optical proximity sensors, and/or other touch sensors and/or proximity sensors, monochromatic and color ambient light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional non-contact gestures (“air gestures”), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, and/or inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these sensors), health sensors, radio-frequency sensors, depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and/or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices), optical sensors such as self-mixing sensors and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors that gather time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors, gaze tracking sensors, and/or other sensors. In some arrangements, device  10  may use sensors  16  and/or other input-output devices to gather user input (e.g., buttons may be used to gather button press input, touch sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering user touch screen input, touch pads may be used in gathering touch input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input, accelerometers may be used in monitoring when a finger contacts an input surface and may therefore be used to gather finger press input, etc.). 
     If desired, electronic device  10  may include additional components (see, e.g., other devices  18  in input-output devices  24 ). The additional components may include haptic output devices, audio output devices such as speakers, light producing output devices such as light-emitting diodes for status indicators, light sources such as light-emitting diodes (e.g., crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes) that illuminate portions of a housing and/or display structure, other optical output devices, and/or other circuitry for gathering input and/or providing output. Device  10  may also include a battery or other energy storage device, connector ports for supporting wired communication with ancillary equipment and for receiving wired power, and other circuitry. 
       FIG.  2    is a front (plan) view of electronic device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which display  14  covers some or all of the front face FR of device  10 . Opposing rear face RR of device  10  may be covered by a housing wall formed from glass, metal, polymer, and/or other materials. Rear face RR may be free of display pixels and/or may be partly or fully covered by display  14 . 
     Device  10  may include a housing (e.g., housing  12 ) that forms sidewall structures for device  10  and/or internal supporting structures (e.g., a frame, midplate member, etc.). In some illustrative arrangements, sidewall portions of device  10  may be covered with portions of display  14 . In the example of  FIG.  2   , device  10  is characterized by four peripheral edges: upper edge T, lower edge B, left edge L, and right edge R. Upper edge T and opposing lower edge B may run parallel to each other and parallel to the X axis of  FIG.  2   . Left edge L and opposing right edge R may run parallel to each other and parallel to the Y axis of  FIG.  2   . Front face FR and rear face RR may be planar (e.g., two parallel planes offset by a distance along the Z axis) and/or may include curved portions. 
     Touch sensor circuitry such as two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor circuitry may be incorporated into one or more display panels in device  10  as separate touch sensor panels overlapping display pixels or may be formed as part of one or more display panels in device  10 . Touch sensors may be formed on front face FR, rear face RR, and/or edges (sidewall faces) T, B, R, and/or L. If desired, icons and other images for virtual buttons may be displayed by the pixels of device. For example, virtual buttons and/or other images may be displayed on front face FR, rear face RR, and/or sidewall structures in device  10  such as edges T, B, R, and/or L and may overlap touch sensor circuitry. Haptic output devices may be used to provide haptic feedback when virtual buttons are selected (as an example). 
     Device  10  of  FIG.  2    has a rectangular outline with four rounded corners. If desired, device  10  may have other shapes. For example, device  10  may have a shape that folds and unfolds along a bend (folding) axis and may include a display that overlaps or that does not overlap the bend axis, may have a shape with an oval footprint or circular outline, may have a cubic shape, may have a pyramidal, cylindrical, or conical shape, or may have other suitable shapes. The configuration of  FIG.  2    is illustrative. 
     If desired, openings may be formed in the surfaces of device  10 . For example, a speaker port and optical windows for an ambient light sensor, an infrared proximity sensor, and a depth sensor may be formed in a region such as upper region  30  of front face FR. A finger print sensor, touch sensor button, force-sensitive button, or other sensor that operates through display  14  may be formed under the portion of display in lower region  32  on front face FR and/or other portions of front face FR and/or other external surfaces of device  10 . An optional opening for a connector (e.g., a digital data connector, analog signal connector, and/or power connector) may be formed in portion  34  of the lower sidewall of device  10  running along lower edge B. This opening may be omitted when power is received wirelessly or is received through contacts that are flush with the surface of device  10  and/or when data is transferred and received wirelessly using wireless communications circuitry in circuitry  22  or through contacts that are flush with the exterior surface of device  10 . 
       FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device. As shown in  FIG.  3   , display  14  may be formed on front face FR and/or rear face RR of device  10 . Display  14  may include one or more transparent protective layers such as display cover layer  40 . Display cover layer  40  may be formed from transparent material such as clear glass, polymer, sapphire or other crystalline material, or other transparent material. Display layers such as layers  42  may have arrays of pixels  44  that form images. The pixel arrays (e.g., layers  42 ) may sometimes be referred to as pixel layers, pixel array layers, displays, display structures, display layers, or display panels. For example, layers  42  may be formed from organic light-emitting diode displays. In the example of  FIG.  3   , device  10  has a first display  14  (or first display portion of a display panel or other display structure) formed from a first pixel array  42  on front face FR. This first pixel array is visible in the —Z direction through display cover layer  40  on front face FR. Device  10  of  FIG.  3    also has a second display  14  (or second display portion of the display panel or other display structure) formed from a second pixel array  42  on rear face RF. This second pixel array is visible in the +Z direction through display cover layer  40  on rear face RR. The front and/or rear surfaces formed by display cover layer(s)  40  may be planar (as shown in FIG.  3 ) or may have a curved profile. 
     If desired, the second display  14  of device  10  may be omitted. For example, pixel array  42  on rear face RR may be omitted. In this configuration, the inner surface of layer  40  on rear face RR may be coated with a black masking material or other opaque coating and/or may be coated with colored and/or shiny structures. Coating material can be patterned to form logos, text, and other visual elements. This type of arrangement may be used to hide internal components in interior  46  of device from view from the exterior of device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , for example, device  10  may include electrical components  50  in interior  46  (e.g., integrated circuits, sensors and other input-output devices, control circuitry, display layers  42  such as organic light-emitting diode panels or other display layers, etc.). Electrical components  50  may, if desired, be mounted on printed circuits such as printed circuit  48  (e.g., flexible printed circuits and/or printed circuits formed from rigid printed circuit board material). In configurations such as these in which the lower pixel array of device  10  is omitted, the portion of device  10  on rear face RR (e.g., layer  40 ) may be formed from metal (e.g., a stainless steel or aluminum layer). For example, device  10  may have a rear housing wall formed from metal. Device  10  may also have housing walls formed from opaque glass, transparent glass coated with opaque materials such as ink or metal, and/or other housing wall materials. 
     In some configurations for device  10 , an opaque material such as metal or opaque polymer may form some or all of the sidewalls of device  10 . As an example, metal that forms some or all of a rear housing wall on rear face RR of device  10  may protrude upwardly along the edges of device  10  to form some or all of the sidewalls for device  10 . As another example, a peripheral metal band that forms some or all of the sidewalls of device  10  may extend around the rectangular periphery of device  10  (e.g., along upper edge T, right edge R, lower edge B, and left edge L). Sidewalls may have vertically extending planar surfaces and/or may exhibit other surface profiles (e.g., curved profiles). 
     If desired, some or all of the sidewalls of device  10  may be formed from clear material and may overlap light-producing components. This material may, as an example, be part of display cover layers  40  of  FIG.  3    (e.g., an extending piece of glass, polymer, crystalline material, or other transparent display cover layer material). Because clear layers of glass, plastic, crystalline material, and/or other clear layers of material in device  10  may enclose and protect internal device components, these outer layers of material in device  10  serve as an enclosure (housing  12 ) for device  10 . 
     In configurations for device  10  in which sidewalls have transparent portions formed from extending portions of display cover layers  40  or other transparent material, the sidewalls may overlap light-emitting components. Transparent sidewalls may have planar and/or curved surfaces and may be formed from clear glass, clear polymer, transparent crystalline material such as sapphire, and/or other transparent protective material. Displays (pixel arrays), light-emitting diodes covered with diffusing material, light-emitting diodes covered with patterned masks (e.g., opaque coatings with icon-shaped openings or openings of other shapes), and/or other light-emitting devices may be placed under clear sidewalls. 
     During operation, light emitted from the pixels or other light-emitting components under the sidewalls may pass through the sidewalls. In arrangements in which display panels are placed under transparent sidewalls, images may be displayed through the sidewalls. The images may form parts of images being displayed on front face FR and/or rear face RR and/or may be separate images. For example, a photograph may extend across front face FR and some or all of the sidewalls of device  10  and/or a photograph may cover only front face FR while virtual buttons are displayed on the sidewalls of device  10 . In arrangements in which one or more light-emitting diodes and an overlapping diffuser are placed under transparent sidewalls, diffuse light may be emitted through the sidewalls. 
     In addition to optional opaque housing structures such as metal housing walls or opaque walls formed from other materials, device  10  may include display cover layers  40  and other structures formed from transparent glass, transparent polymer, and/or other transparent material. These materials may surround the interior of device  10  and thereby serve as a housing for device  10  as well as serving as protective layers for pixel arrays and other light-emitting components. In the example of  FIG.  3   , the front surface of device  10  is formed by a planar surface of display cover layer  40  on front face FR and the rear surface of device  10  is formed by a planar surface of display cover layer  40  on rear face RR. In general, device  10  may have planar surface portions and/or curved surface portions (surface portions with curved profiles) and these portions may be formed by display cover layers, other layers formed from glass, polymer, sapphire or other crystalline material, ceramic, or other potentially transparent materials, metal, wood, or other materials. 
     Transparent portions of device  10  may overlap pixels or other light-emitting components that emit light that is visible to a user. In the illustrative arrangements of  FIGS.  4  and  5   , an array of pixels  44  in layer  42  is configured to emit light that passes through display cover layer  40  for viewing by viewer  52  (e.g., in direction  54  and/or other directions from the exterior of device  10 ). The inner and outer surface of layers  40  (and other layers enclosing the interior of device  10 ) may be planar and/or curved. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  4   , outer surface  56  of layer  40  and inner surface  58  of layer  40  are planar. Inner surface  58  of  FIG.  4    may be curved or partly planar and partly curved, if desired. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  5   , outer surface  56  of layer  40  is curved and inner surface  58  of layer  40  is curved. Inner surface  58  may, if desired, be planar or may have planar and curved surface profile portions. 
     Device  10  may have upper and/or lower surfaces (e.g., external surfaces  56  on front face FR and rear face RR, respectively) that are planar and/or curved. The edges of device  10  may have sidewalls with planar and/or curved portions (e.g., surfaces with straight and/or curved profiles). As shown in  FIG.  6   , for example, the sidewalls of device  10  along one or more edges such as edge E of device  10  (e.g., left edge L, right edge R, upper edge T, lower edge B, and/or the corners of device  10 ) may have a curved outer surface. 
     Edge E may be transparent (e.g., the entire sidewall of device  10  may be transparent and may be formed from extended portions of upper and lower display cover layer(s)) and/or one or more portions of the curved sidewall of edge E may be opaque (e.g., formed from glass or other material that is coated with opaque material, formed from opaque polymer, formed from metal, and/or formed from other opaque structures). Opaque structures (e.g., metal housing wall portions) may extend along one or more portions of edge E (e.g., metal or other opaque material may form the portion of edge E between locations  60 A and  60 B, between locations  60 B and  60 C, between locations  60 C and  60 D, between locations  60 D and  60 E, between locations  60 A and  60 C, between locations  60 B and  60 D, between locations  60 C and  60 E, or between other suitable locations on edge E. There may be a single strip of metal housing material that runs around all four peripheral edges E of device  10 , there may be a pair of discrete strips of metal housing material that run around all four peripheral edges E in parallel, there may be no non-glass structures on edges E, and/or there may be other suitable structures on edges E. 
     Display layer  42  may be formed from a single panel (e.g., a single flexible organic light-emitting diode display panel having a polyimide substrate or other flexible substrate with bent edge portions), may be formed from multiple panels (e.g., multiple panels separated from one or more gaps), may be formed from panels with slots and other openings, and/or may be formed from other types of displays. Portions of display layer  42  (e.g., all of layer  42  and/or the pixels and/or other structures of layer  42 ) may be omitted wherever layer  42  is overlapped by a metal portion of edge E and/or other opaque structures in edge E. For example, edge E may be formed from glass everywhere except between locations  60 B and  60 D. The portion of edge (sidewall) E between locations  60 B and  60 D may be formed from metal (as an example). In this type of scenario, no display layer  42  (or at least no pixels  44 ) may be overlapped by the metal and pixels  44  and display layer  42  may be present under the glass portions of edge E and/or display cover layer  40  on front face FR and/or rear face RR. 
     If desired, device  10  may have external surfaces with compound curvature. A perspective view of an illustrative corner portion of device  10  is shown in  FIG.  7   . In the example of  FIG.  7   , device  10  has edge portions (sidewalls)  68  and  70  with surfaces that curve about axes  62  and  64 , respectively. These portions extend along the straight sides of device  10  and are characterized by curved surfaces that can be flattened into a plane without distortion (sometimes referred to as developable surfaces). At the corner of device  10 , device  10  has curved surface portions CP with compound curvature (e.g., a surface that can only be flattened into a plane with distortion, sometimes referred to as a surface with Gaussian curvature). Each of the four corners of device  10  may have this arrangement, if desired. 
     Flexible displays such as organic light-emitting diode displays with flexible polyimide substrates or other bendable polymer substrates can be bent about axes such as axes  62  and  64  to form curved surfaces in portions  68  and  70 . In compound curvature regions such as corner regions of device  10 , display  14  can be formed from materials that stretch (e.g., displays formed from mesh-shaped elastomeric substrate material), may be formed from flexible displays that are patterned to create flexible strips and other structures that can be bent to cover at least part of the compound curvature regions, and/or may use optical structures (e.g., lenses, etc.) to redirect light emitted from pixels in a display to surfaces with compound curvature. 
     In some configurations, display cover layer  40  and display layer  42  may be configured to minimize the apparent border of display  14 . Consider, as an example, the portion of device  10  in  FIG.  8   . As shown in  FIG.  8   , display cover layer  40  may have curved inner surface  74  and curved outer surface  76 . Display layer  42  may be planar or may be curved (see, e.g., illustrative display layer  42 ′). If desired, display layer  42  may be mounted against the inner surface  74  of display cover layer  40 . 
     Light from pixels near the center of display  14  may pass to viewer  52  with minimal refraction, as indicated by illustrative light ray  80  from display layer  42 . Light from pixels near the edge of display layer  42  may refract more strongly upon passing through layer  40  due to the angled orientation of cover layer  40  near the edge of device  10 . For example, outer surface  76  of display cover layer  40  may be sufficiently curved at the edge of device  10  (see, e.g., vertical edge portion  76 ′) to cause ray  78  from a pixel at the end of the active area of display layer  44  to refract towards viewer  52  at the outermost or nearly outermost portion of display cover layer  40 . This may make display  14  appear to be borderless or nearly borderless to viewer (user)  52  when display  14  is viewed in direction  54 . Light refracting arrangements of the type shown in  FIG.  8    may also be used to display images using portions of display cover layer that have curved surface profiles (e.g., surfaces of compound curvature). 
     Another illustrative arrangement for display  14  is shown in  FIG.  9   . As shown by the device  10  of  FIG.  9   , display  14  may have a display layer  42  with an active area AA (e.g., a portion of display layer  42  containing pixels that display an image for viewing by the user) and an inactive area IA (e.g., an inactive border region that is free of pixels and that contains signal lines and support circuitry). Diffusor layer  82  may be placed against the inner surface of display cover layer  42  along the edges and/or corners of device  10  and/or in the middle of device  10 . Layer  82  may be a layer of polymer with light scattering particles (e.g., particles of inorganic material such as high refractive index metal oxides). Lens structures  84  (e.g., microlenses or other lens structures) may direct light from the pixels of active area AA onto layer  82 . In this way, an image from display layer  42  may be projected onto layer  82 . Layer  82  may be deposited onto portions of layer  40  where the inner surface of layer  40  has a curved surface profile (e.g., compound curvature). The use of lens structures  84  to project image light onto layer  82  therefore allows images to be displayed in corner portions of device  10  and other areas where display cover layer  40  may have curved inner and/or outer surface profiles (e.g., surfaces of compound curvature). 
     To minimize borders in display  14 , display layer  42  may have vias such as vias  86  of  FIG.  10   . Vias  86 , which may sometimes be referred to as through-panel vias, may pass through the substrate of display layer  42 , so that signal routing lines and other circuitry that might otherwise be located on the top of layer  42  in inactive border area IA may instead be relocated to the lower surface of display layer  42  and/or may be incorporated into an attached flexible printed circuit (see, e.g., routing lines and other display circuitry  88  in flexible printed circuit  90 , which is coupled to vias  86  on the inwardly facing surface of display layer  42 ). By moving circuitry from inactive area IA of display layer  42  to the rear of display layer  42  and/or ancillary flexible printed circuit substrates such as printed circuit  90 , the width of inactive area IA and therefore the width of any visible display border for display  14  may be reduced. 
       FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of device  10  showing how multiple pieces of glass, clear polymer, sapphire or other crystalline material, or other transparent material for forming display layer  40  may be joined along one or more seams such as seam  92  (e.g., using adhesive, welds or other joints in which glass, polymer, or other display cover layer material is joined using heat, chemical bonding structures, or other coupling structures). Seam  92  may run around the rectangular periphery of device  10  (e.g., so that seam  92  extends along the upper, left, lower, and right edges of the housing of device  10 ). In the example of  FIG.  11   , seam  92  is located midway up the sidewall for device  10 . If desired, seam  92  may be located in other portions of display cover layer  40 , as shown by illustrative seam locations  92 ′ (e.g., seam  92  may be located at other suitable locations on or near the sidewall of device  10 ). One or more layers  42  may be mounted to some or all of the inner surface of display cover layer  40 . For example, a first layer  42  (e.g., a first organic light-emitting diode display panel) may be mounted to the interior of an upper half of display cover layer  40  and a second layer  42  (e.g., a second organic light-emitting diode display panel) may be mounted to the interior of a lower half of display cover layer  40 . One or both of these layers may, if desired, have portions that extend over sidewall portions of the interior of display cover layer  40 . 
       FIG.  12    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which the enclosure for device  10  includes a display cover layer with an enlarged edge portion. As shown in  FIG.  12   , display cover layer  40  may be thinner in portions of display cover layer  40  that cover the central portion of display layer  40  than in edge portions of device  10 . Along the periphery of device  10 , display cover layer  40  may be thickened, as shown by thickened portion  40 T of layer  40  of  FIG.  12   . This may help protect layer  40  from damage during drop events. Display layer  42  may be mounted adjacent to the curved inner surface of display cover layer  40 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , some of the edge of display layer  42  may exhibit a curved profile that matches the curved profile of thickened edge portion  40 T of display cover layer  40 . The housing of device  10  may be formed entirely of transparent display cover layer material or may, as shown in  FIG.  12   , include housing structures such as structure  94  that are formed from one or more different materials (e.g., metal, different glass or polymer structures, etc.). Structures such as structure  94  may form some or all of a rear housing wall for device  10  and may have a planar central region that covers rear face RR of device  10 . If desired, structures such as structure  94  may be present only along the peripheral edges of device  10  (e.g., structures  94  may form a metal housing band or other peripheral housing member that extends along each of the peripheral edges of device  10 ). The outermost peripheral surfaces of device  10  of  FIG.  12    may have curved profiles as shown in  FIG.  12    or may have planar (e.g., vertically oriented) surfaces. 
       FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which the rear of device  10  is covered with a display cover layer structure (e.g., display cover layer  40  on rear face RR, which covers rear display layer  42 ). Peripheral housing member  96  may be formed from metal or other materials and may extend along each of the four peripheral edges of device  10  (as an example). Display cover layer  40  may have a portion that covers a display layer  42  on front face FR. Member  96  may be coupled between the front display cover layer structures and the rear display cover layer structures along the periphery of device  10 . With this type of arrangement and/or other arrangements in which display layers  42  cover front face FR and rear face RR, images may be displayed for users on both on the front and rear of device  10 . 
     To avoid damage to flexible display layers (e.g., brittle encapsulation layers and/or sensitive pixel structures), it may be desirable to perform fabrication operations on display layers  42  while some of display layers  42  are in a bent configuration. Consider, as an example, the arrangement of  FIG.  14   . Initially, display layer  98  (e.g., a substrate and/or other partial portion of display layer  42 ) may have a planar configuration. Before depositing brittle structures such as inorganic thin-film encapsulation layers and/or pixel layers such as thin-film structures that form an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels for layer  42 , layer  98  may be bent into a desired shape (see, e.g., the illustrative shape of layer  100  of  FIG.  14   , which has been bent into a configuration having surfaces with curved profiles). The edges of layer  100  may be bent and/or the center of layer  100  may be bent. This allows layer  100  to form a shape of the type shown in  FIGS.  11 ,  12 , and  13    (as examples). After bending, potentially brittle structures such as thin-film pixel structures and/or thin-film encapsulation (e.g., layer  102 ) may be deposited (e.g., one or more fabrication tools such as deposition tools that create a vacuum around layer  100  can be used to deposit layer  102 ). These deposited layers may be formed while layer  100  is in its bent configuration, so that layer  102  will have a curved profile without additional bending. This approach may help avoid creating damage to potentially sensitive structures in display layer  42  during display bending operations. 
     If desired, display layer  42  may include a first portion such as display layer  42 - 1  of FIG. that forms a central rectangular portion of display  14  and may include a second portion (e.g., a strip-shaped elongated display layer) such as display layer  42 - 2  that wraps around the periphery of display  14 . This type of arrangement, which uses separate display panels (e.g., separate organic light-emitting diode display panels), avoids situations in which the corners of display  14  are left uncovered by display pixels, because the strip shape of layer  42 - 2  allows layer  42 - 2  to be bent around each of the four rounded corners of the rectangular periphery of device  10 . 
       FIG.  16    is a perspective view of a portion of an illustrative corner of display  14  in device  10  showing how display layer  42 - 2  may have surfaces that are perpendicular to layer  42 - 1  (e.g., showing how the surface normals of layer  42 - 2  are perpendicular to the surface normal of layer  42 - 1 , so that the surfaces of layer  42 - 2  are vertically oriented). In the example of  FIG.  17   , elongated strip-shaped layer  42 - 2  is angled (e.g., the surface normals of layer  42 - 2  are oriented so that they are not perpendicular to the surface normal of layer  42 - 1 ). This type of arrangement may be used to help create sloping upper and/or lower portions of display  14  along the peripheral edges of device  10 . 
       FIG.  18    is a cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which device  10  has a strip-shaped display layer that wraps around the peripheral edges of device  10  to create a vertical sidewall display portion. Display layers  40  on front face FR and rear face RR of device  10  cover the front and rear of device  10 , so that device has displays on most or all exposed surfaces. If desired, the sidewall of display cover layer  40  of  FIG.  18    may have a planar inner surface and an outer surface with a curved surface profile. 
     To accommodate curved structures (e.g., display cover layer sections with curved profiles, compound curvature, etc.), device  10  may have protruding display layer portions (sometimes referred to as tabs or protrusions) that bend about corners or other portions of device Consider, as an example, the illustrative arrangement of  FIG.  19   . As shown in  FIG.  19   , display layer  42  may have a central rectangular portion such as portion  100 . Elongated side portions of layer  42  may be bent downwardly from the plane of central portion  100 . Layer  42  may have one, two, three, or four elongated side protrusions such as illustrative side (edge) protrusions  102  and  104 . Each of these elongated protrusions may run along a different respective peripheral edge of device  10 . For example, protrusions  104  may run along a first edge of device  10  and may be bent about bend axis  64  and protrusion  102  may run along a second edge of device  10  and may be bent about bend axis  62 . 
     Display cover layer  40  may cover display layer  42  and may include edge portions (e.g., transparent sidewalls) with curved surface profiles that cover protrusions  102  and  104 . In the corner of device  10  between portions  104  and  102 , display cover layer  40  may have a surface with compound curvature. To help display image content in corner portions of display layer  42  and to accommodate display cover layer surfaces with compound curvature, display layer  42  may be provided with an elongated corner protrusion such as protrusion (tab)  106  in the corner of device  10  and display  14 . As shown in  FIG.  19   , protrusion  106  may be bent about vertical bend axis  108  (e.g., a bend axis that is parallel to the surface normal of planar central display layer portion  100 ), thereby allowing protrusion  106  to wrap around the corner of device  10 . During operation, the pixels of protrusion  106  may help display an image that is being displayed on layer  42 . 
     Another illustrative configuration for display layer  42  is shown in  FIG.  20   . In the example of  FIG.  20   , portion  100  of display layer  42  has finger-shaped protrusions  110  that protrude in parallel outwardly (and downwardly) from the corner of portion  100  to cover the corner of device  10 . The arrangement of  FIG.  20    has curved profile sidewall display structures (curved portions  104  and  102 ) that form quarter cylinders running along the sides of device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  21   , portions  102  and  104  may be bent more to form half cylinders or other display layer shapes along the edges of device  10  (e.g., under transparent curved sidewalls formed from portions of layer  40 ). In the arrangement of  FIG.  21   , finger-shaped protrusions  110  have barrel shapes that help accommodate compound curvature at the corner of device  10  when protrusions  110  are bent over the corner of device  10  (e.g., protrusions  110  may be barrel-shaped protrusions, sometimes referred to as barrel-shaped fingers). Each of the corners of device  10  may have 1-10 barrel-shaped fingers, at least two barrel-shaped fingers, at least three barrel-shaped fingers, at least four barrel-shaped fingers, fewer than eight barrel-shaped fingers, or other suitable number of barrel-shaped fingers. The barrel-shaped fingers may run parallel to each other at each corner. If desired, the parallel fingers at each corner may have shapes other than barrel shapes (e.g., the fingers may have rectangular outlines, etc.). 
     Arrangements of the types shown in  FIGS.  19 ,  20 , and  21    have display layers  42  with gaps (sometimes referred to as gaps G) between adjacent display portions. For example, there may be gaps (areas with no pixels) between protruding fingers and adjacent display edges, gaps between elongated corner protrusions and adjacent display layer portions, etc. It may be desirable to minimize the visual impact of such gaps in display layer  42 , thereby providing device  10  with an attractive appearance (e.g., configuring display layer  42  so that device  10  appears to have a continuous or nearly continuous display covering its edges, corners, and/or other portions of device  10 ). 
     Illustrative structures that may be located in the gaps between different sets of pixels in display layer  42  are shown in  FIGS.  22 ,  23 ,  24 , and  25   . These structures, which may sometimes be referred to as gap-filling or gap-overlapping structures, may help create an attractive gap appearance and/or may help hide gaps. 
     In the example of  FIG.  22   , an illustrative gap-overlapping structure is formed from a layer of material (layer  112 ). Layer  112  may be a polymer layer or other suitable layer (e.g., a layer of metal, ceramic, glass, polymer, other materials, combinations of these materials, etc.). As an example, layer  112  may be a polymer layer including light-scattering particles (e.g., particles of inorganic material such as titanium oxide that provide layer  112  with a white appearance). If desired, layer  112  may be a polymer layer including dark particles (e.g., dark dye or pigment such as black dye and/or pigment) or may be a polymer layer that includes dye, pigment, or other colorant to provide layer  112  with a non-neutral color. With one illustrative arrangement, layer  112  may be material that hides internal components from view such as an opaque layer of ink or other opaque masking material. 
     To help obscure gaps in display layer  42 , structures such as layer  112  may be formed on the underside of display cover layer  40  in areas that overlap display layer gaps or in other locations that overlap the display layer gaps. The color of layer  112  may be selected to block display layer gaps from view and/or to help blend the appearance of display layer gaps with adjacent portions of display layer  42 . Examples of suitable colors for layer  112  include white, black, gray, a non-neutral color such as red, blue, yellow, or any other suitable color. 
     In the example of  FIG.  23   , the gap-overlapping structure is a light-emitting gap-overlapping structure that has been formed from a diffuser structure (e.g., diffuser  116 ) and a light source such as light source  114 . Diffuser  116  may be a planar structure (e.g., diffuser  116  may be a layer of material), may have a three-dimensional shape (e.g., a cube, cube with rounded surfaces, a pyramid, or other suitable shape), may have an elongated strip shape, may form a corner of the housing for device  10 , may form an edge of the housing for device  10 , may form a peripheral band that extends along the rectangular periphery of the housing of device  10 , or may have other suitable shapes. Diffuser  116  may be formed from glass, plastic, or other transparent material. Colorant (e.g., dye or pigment) may be incorporated into diffuser  116  to provide diffuser  116  with a desired appearance (e.g., a neutral or non-neutral tint). Diffuser  116  may incorporated light-scattering particles, voids, textured surfaces, or other light-scattering features to help provide diffuser  116  with a translucent appearance. Light source  114  may emit light into diffuser  116 . The emitted light may pass through diffuser  116  and/or may be guided within diffuser  116  in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection (e.g., diffuser  116  or transparent portions of diffuser  116  may serve as a light guide). 
     Light source  114  may emit light of one or more different colors. For example, light source  114  may include light source components configured to emit red light, blue light, green light, yellow light, white light, etc. Light source  114  may be based on lasers, light-emitting diodes, lamps, etc. Light source  114  may, for example, include a set of multiple crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes (e.g., light-emitting diodes that are each formed from a respective crystalline semiconductor die) of different respective colors that can be individually controlled to adjust the color of emitted light from light source  114 . Flashing patterns of light can be emitted, if desired. When emitted light from light source  114 , light enters diffuser  116  and diffuser  116  diffuses the light to produce diffuse output light  118 . 
       FIG.  24    shows how display layer  42  can be provided with openings  120  to enhance display layer flexibility. Layer  42  may be formed from a flexible polymer substrate such as a polyimide substrate. Thin-film structures may be formed on the substrate to form pixels  44  (e.g., an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels). Laser cutting, drilling, or other hole formation techniques may be used to create an array of openings  120  in the flexible polymer substrate to enhance the flexibility (and stretchability) of display layer  42 . Once provided with openings  120 , display layer  42  may be mounted to a curved inner surface of display cover layer  40  (e.g., a corner portion of layer  40  with compound curvature) and/or can otherwise be mounted in device  10  to serve a part of a display having a region with a curved profile. If desired, flexible display structures such as flexible display layer  42  of  FIG.  24    can be mounted in device  10  in positions that overlap gaps between other display layers  42  (e.g., display layer  42  may serve as a gap-overlapping structure). In an illustrative arrangement, an organic light-emitting diode display may have a rectangular central region surrounded by four bent peripheral edges. The corners of device  10  (e.g., corners with compound curvature) can be provided with pixels using a flexible layer such a layer  42  of  FIG.  24   , thereby ensuring that the pixels of display  14  cover all desired surfaces of device  10 . If desired, display layer  42  of  FIG.  24    may overlap gaps in a separate organic light-emitting diode display panel. 
     Another flexible display structure is shown in  FIG.  25   . In the example of  FIG.  25   , display layer  42  has a mesh-shaped substrate. The mesh-shaped substrate may be formed from a polymer material. For example, the mesh-shaped substrate may be formed from an elastomeric polymer such as silicone or other material that can stretch and bend. The mesh-shaped substrate may have regions such as islands  122  that are interconnected by interconnecting lines  124 . Lines  124  may have narrow widths and/or meandering shapes to enhance flexibility and may contain metal traces for forming signal lines that interconnect circuitry on islands  122 . 
     Islands  122  and lines  124  may be configured to form an array of openings  126  in the mesh-shaped substrate. Electrical components and circuitry may be mounted on islands  122  and/or lines  124 . The electrical components may include sensors such as touch sensors, haptic output devices, other sensors and output devices, light-emitting diodes and other light sources, and/or other electrical components. As an example, the electrical components may include light-emitting diodes (or lasers) such as red light-emitting diode  44 R, green light-emitting diode  44 G, and/or blue light-emitting diode  44 B. The diodes may, if desired, be crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes (e.g., diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies). 
     Each set of diodes in this type of arrangement may form colored pixels (subpixels) for a respective pixel in display layer  42 . Because islands  122  and lines  124  are formed from flexible material and/or flexible shapes such as serpentine shapes, display layer  42  can be stretched and bent to accommodate mounting in shapes with curved profiles and/or shapes with compound curvature. For example, display layer  42  can overlap all of the interior surface of display cover layer  40 , may overlap edge portions of display cover layer  40  (e.g., portions of layer  40  with curved surface profiles), may overlap corner portions of display cover layer  40  (e.g., corner surfaces with compound curvature), may cover gaps in a display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer, and/or may otherwise be incorporated into display  14 . 
     If desired, gaps in display layer  42  can be reduced or eliminated in arrangements in which adjacent portions of display layer  42  overlap each other. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG.  26   . As shown in  FIG.  26   , first and second display layers  42  may have respective arrays of pixels  44  (forming respective active areas AA that are configured to display images for a user) and respective inactive border areas IA. Border areas IA are free of pixels, but may contain metal traces, display driver circuitry, and other display circuitry (e.g., display circuitry without pixels). By creating spaces within the circuitry and electrical components of inactive areas IA, inactive areas IA may be configured to be at least partially transparent to light (e.g., areas IA may exhibit light transmission values of at least 30%, at least 60%, at least 90%, less than 99%, or other suitable transmission values). As shown in  FIG.  26   , this allows the edge of active area AA in a lower of two display layers  42  to be aligned with and overlapped by the transparent inactive area IA of an upper of two display layers  42 . When viewed from above, display  14  will appear to be continuous to a viewer (e.g., there will be no visible space between adjacent active areas AA). Display layers  42  of  FIG.  26    may overlap in a corner of device  10  (e.g., where fingers of display layer  40  wrap around a surface of compound curvature), may overlap curved edge surfaces, or may be formed elsewhere in device  10 . The overlapping display panel edges of  FIG.  26    may be part of a common display panel (e.g., a common display substrate) or may be formed from separate overlapping display panels (e.g., separate display substrates). 
       FIG.  27    shows how display cover layer  40  may have a region such as region  132  that is overlaps gap G in display layer  42 . To help hide gap G, region  132  may be selectively provided with light-scattering features (e.g., particles, laser-damaged glass or polymer, or other diffusive structures that create a light diffusing structure in region  132 ). If desired, lower surface  130  of display layer  40  may be textured in the portion of surface  130  that overlaps gap G. Using textured surfaces, embedded particles, or other light-scattering features, colorant in selected portions of layer  40 , and/or other structures in layer  40 , a portion of layer  40  can be provided with a gap-filling appearance and can serve as a gap-overlapping structure to help visually obscure gap G. For example, in arrangements in which portion  132  and/or surface  130  over gap G are configured to diffuse light, it may be difficult or impossible to view gap G through layer  40 . If desired, portion  134  of layer  128  (e.g., a polymer layer serving as an adhesive) may be provided with embedded particles, colorant, bubbles or other voids, texture, and/or other structures that help layer  128  diffuse light and thereby help obscure gap G from view from the exterior of device  10 . 
     In the illustrative arrangement of  FIG.  28   , gap G between planar display layers  42  may be covered with gap-overlapping structure  136 . Structure  136  may be an ink layer or other layer of material that hides or visually enhances the appearance of gap G (see, e.g., layer  112  of  FIG.  22   ), may be a diffuser such as diffuser  116  of  FIG.  23    that is optionally illuminated with a light-emitting device such as an array of light-emitting diodes (see, e.g., light source  114  of  FIG.  23   ), may be a flexible display (e.g., a display with a flexible polyimide substrate or other flexible polymer layer with openings that has been formed into a shape suitable to conform to the curvature of gap G of  FIG.  28    such as layer  42  of  FIG.  24   ), may be an elastomeric mesh-shaped flexible display such as mesh-shaped display layer  42  of  FIG.  25   , or may be other suitable gap-overlapping structure for covering gap G. Display layers  42  of  FIG.  28    may be planar and may be mounted on corresponding planar inner surfaces of display cover layer  40  (e.g., with an optional layer of interposed adhesive) or may have surfaces with curved profiles (e.g., surfaces with compound curvature). 
       FIG.  29    is a perspective view of an illustrative corner of display  14  for device  10 . In the example of  FIG.  29   , gap G is formed between a first display layer  42 A that has a planar (or slightly curved) central rectangular portion surrounded by four bent elongated strip-shaped protrusions along four respective edges of the rectangular portion and a second display layer  42 B that is bent around a corner portion of device  10  (e.g., a corner portion with compound curvature). Gap-overlapping structures such as structures  136  of  FIG.  28    may overlap gap G of  FIG.  29    at one corner, two corners, three corners, or four corners of the housing of device  10  (as examples). 
       FIG.  30    is a diagram of an illustrative corner portion of device  10  in a configuration in which a gap-overlapping structure such as the structure of  FIG.  23    has been mounted under an inner surface of display cover layer  20  with a curved profile (e.g., a surface of compound curvature). Diffuser  116  may overlap gap G between portions of display layer  42  that extend along respective edges of device  10 . The curvature (e.g., compound curvature) of the outer surface of diffuser  116  may match the curvature of the opposing (mating) inner surface of display cover layer  40  in the corner of device  10 . Light source  114  (e.g., one or more independently adjustable colored light-emitting diodes of different colors, etc.) may be used to illuminate diffuser  116 . If desired, diffuser  116  may extend in a ring around most or all of the rectangular perimeter of device  10  (e.g., to serve as an edge-lit waveguide with light-scattering structures and/or other diffusor structure that provides a curved sidewall portion of device  10  with an illuminated appearance). The use of diffuser  116  to fill gaps G at the corners of device  10  is illustrative. 
     Another illustrative arrangement for device  10  is shown in  FIG.  31   . In the example of  FIG.  31   , first and second portions of display layer  42  (e.g., portions of a common display panel or two separate display panels) are formed on opposing sides of gap G. Inactive border portions of layers  42  may extend into gap G. Layer  128  (e.g., a polymer layer) may be used in attaching layer(s)  42  to the inner surface of display cover layer  40 . Layer  40  may, for example, have an inner surface with a curved profile (e.g., a surface with compound curvature). Layer  112  (e.g., an opaque layer of polymer or other material such as layer  112  of  FIG.  112   ) may overlap gap G and thereby hide inactive areas IA of display layer  42  and other structures in gap G. 
     Gap-overlapping structures may have any suitable size and shape and may overlap and cover gaps G of any suitable size and shape. As an example, the gap-overlapping structures and gaps G may have straight and/or curved sides and may have lateral dimensions of at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.4 mm, at least 0.8 mm, at least 1.2 mm, less than 10 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 1 mm, less than 0.3 mm, less than 0.2 mm, or other suitable size. 
     In arrangements in which gaps G are covered by structures that emit light (e.g., arrays of pixels, a set of one, two, three, or more light-emitting diodes such as crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes, etc.), the properties of the emitted light (color, intensity, output duration, pulse width, pulse pattern, output light location, etc.) can be adjusted to provide a user with a desired device appearance, to supply a user with a notification (e.g., an alarm notification, an incoming message notification, etc.). Light-emitting gap overlapping structures may also serve as indicators for battery strength, wireless signal strength, operating mode (e.g., airplane mode, handsfree mode, etc.). 
     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: 20210406
Publication Date: 20240416
Grant Date: 20240416
Priority Date: 20180710
Inventors: WITTENBERG, MICHAEL B.
GUILLOU, Jean-Pierre S.
KAKUDA, TYLER R.
PREST, CHRISTOPHER D.
RAMMAH, MARWAN
PHOUTHAVONG, RASAMY
DINH, RICHARD H.
PAKULA, DAVID A.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/50", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0269", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W88/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K50/854", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K50/858", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/12", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2201/38", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/50", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2201/38", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W88/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K50/854", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K50/858", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/12", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0269", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W88/02", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/044", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0269", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0268", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/879", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/871", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K2102/311", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/877", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K77/111", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 90628276