PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9466653-B2
Application Number: US-201514752702-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with display-integrated light sensors

Abstract:
An electronic device is provided, with a display and a display-integrated light sensor. The display includes a transparent cover layer, light-generating layers, and a touch-sensitive layer. The display-integrated light sensor is interposed between the transparent cover layer and a display layer such as the touch-sensitive layer or a thin-film transistor layer of the light-generating layers. The light-generating layers include a layer of organic light-emitting material. The display-integrated light sensor can be implemented as an ambient light sensor or a proximity sensor. The display-integrated light sensor may be a packaged light sensor that is integrated into the display layers of the display or may be formed from light-sensor components formed directly on a display circuitry layer such as the touch-sensitive layer or the thin-film transistor layer.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display, comprising:
 light-generating layers; 
 a transparent cover layer; 
 an additional layer having conductive traces, wherein the additional layer is interposed between the light-generating layers and the transparent cover layer; and 
 a light sensor at least partially interposed between the light generating layers and the transparent cover layer, wherein the light sensor is electrically coupled to at least one of the light-generating layers. 
 
     
     
       2. The display defined in  claim 1 , wherein the light-generating layers comprise a thin-film transistor layer, and wherein the light sensor is electrically coupled to the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       3. The display defined in  claim 2 , wherein the light-generating layers comprise a layer of organic emissive material formed on the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       4. The display defined in  claim 3 , wherein the layer of organic emissive material is interposed between the thin-film transistor layer and the transparent cover layer. 
     
     
       5. The display defined in  claim 3 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer is interposed between the layer of organic emissive material and the transparent cover layer. 
     
     
       6. The display defined in  claim 3 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer has first and second opposing surfaces, and wherein the light sensor and the layer of organic emissive material are formed on the first surface. 
     
     
       7. The display defined in  claim 3 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer has first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the light sensor is attached to the first surface, and wherein the layer of organic emissive material is formed on the second surface. 
     
     
       8. The display defined in  claim 1 , wherein the additional layer comprises a touch-sensitive layer. 
     
     
       9. A display, comprising:
 a cover layer; 
 a light-emitting layer; 
 a first substrate interposed between the light-emitting layer and the cover layer and having conductive traces formed thereon; 
 a second substrate interposed between the first substrate and the cover layer and having conductive traces formed thereon; and 
 a light sensor electrically coupled to the conductive traces on the first substrate. 
 
     
     
       10. The display defined in  claim 9 , wherein the first substrate forms at least part of a thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       11. The display defined in  claim 10 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer comprises the conductive traces on the first substrate. 
     
     
       12. The display defined in  claim 10 , wherein the thin-film transistor layer comprises first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the light-emitting layer is formed on the first surface, and wherein the light sensor is attached to the second surface. 
     
     
       13. The display defined in  claim 10 , wherein the second substrate forms at least part of a touch-sensitive layer. 
     
     
       14. The display defined in  claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive layer comprises the conductive traces on the second substrate. 
     
     
       15. A display, comprising:
 light-generating layers; 
 a touch-sensitive layer; 
 an additional layer having conductive traces interposed between the light-generating layers and the touch-sensitive layer; and 
 a light sensor electrically coupled to the conductive traces on the additional layer. 
 
     
     
       16. The display defined in  claim 15 , wherein the light-generating layers comprise at least one layer having conductive traces formed thereon. 
     
     
       17. The display defined in  claim 16 , wherein the touch-sensitive layer comprises conductive traces formed thereon. 
     
     
       18. The display defined in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one layer having the conductive traces formed thereon comprises a thin-film transistor layer, and wherein the light-generating layers further comprise a layer of organic emissive material formed on the thin-film transistor layer. 
     
     
       19. The display defined in  claim 15 , wherein the light sensor comprises at least one light-emitting component. 
     
     
       20. The display defined in  claim 15 , wherein the additional layer is configured to transmit signals from the light sensor to control circuitry that controls the display.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/686,746, filed Nov. 27, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application claims the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/686,746, filed Nov. 27, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays and light sensors. 
     Electronic devices often include displays. For example, cellular telephones and portable computers often include displays for presenting information to a user. 
     Electronic devices also often include light sensors. For example, an electronic device may include an ambient light sensor that senses the amount of light in the environment surrounding the device. The brightness of display images generated by the display is sometimes adjusted based on the amount of ambient light. For example, in bright sunlight, the display brightness may be increased and in a dark room, the display brightness can be decreased. 
     In a typical device, a light sensor is laterally displaced from an active display region of the display along a front face of the device. Additional space is therefore provided in common devices at the top, bottom, or side of the active display area to accommodate the light sensor. This can result in an undesirable increase in the size and weight of the device, if care is not taken, displays may be bulky or may be surrounded by overly large borders. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved electronic devices with light sensors and displays. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device is provided with a display such as an organic light-emitting diode display mounted in an electronic device housing. The electronic device is also provided with one or more light sensors. 
     The display includes multiple display layers such as one or more light-generating layers, a touch-sensitive layer, and a cover layer. The cover layer may, for example, be a layer of rigid transparent material such as glass or transparent plastic. 
     The light sensor is a display-integrated light sensor that is integrated into the layers of the display. The light, sensor may foe interposed between the cover layer and another layer of the display such as the touch-sensitive layer, the light-generating layers, or another display layer. 
     The light sensor may be an ambient light sensor that senses light having primarily optical wavelengths, a proximity sensor that includes a light-generating component and a light-sensitive component, or any other light sensor. 
     The light sensor may be a packaged light sensor that is integrated into the layers of the display or may be a light sensor formed from light sensor components that are formed on a display layer that includes conductive traces. In one example, the light sensor is formed from a light-emitting component such as a light-emitting diode and a light-sensitive component such as a photodiode formed on a thin-film transistor layer of the display. 
     Further features, their nature and various advantages will be more apparent, from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a computer display with a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a display-integrated light sensor attached to a touch-sensitive layer of the display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative light-generating layers of a bottom emission organic light-emitting diode display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of light-generating layers of a top emission organic light-emitting diode display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a display-integrated light sensor attached to light-generating layers of the display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a display-integrated light sensor attached to a thin-film transistor layer of a top emission organic light-emitting diode display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a display-integrated light sensor attached to a thin-film transistor layer of a bottom emission organic light-emitting diode display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display having a display-integrated light-sensor attached to a sensor layer of the display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of an illustrative light sensor that may be implemented as a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of an illustrative light sensor having conductive contacts that may be implemented as a display-integrated light sensor in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of an illustrative display-integrated light sensor that is formed from light-sensor elements that are formed on a display circuitry layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with displays and light sensors that are integrated into layers of the display. Illustrative electronic devices that have displays and display-integrated light sensors are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 . 
     Electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  has the shape of a laptop computer and has upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  has hinge structures  20  to allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  is mounted in upper housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes referred to as a display housing or lid, is placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  in which device  10  is implemented as 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  has opposing front and rear surfaces. Display  14  is mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Display  14  may have an exterior layer such as a rigid transparent layer that includes openings for components such as button  26  and speaker port  28 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , electronic device  10  is a tablet computer. In electronic device  10  of  FIG. 3 , housing  12  has opposing planar front and rear surfaces. Display  14  is mounted on the front surface of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  has an external layer with an opening to accommodate button  26 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  in which device  10  is a computer display or a computer that has been integrated into a computer display. With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  is mounted on a support structure such as stand  27 . Display  14  is mounted on a front face of housing  12 . 
     In some configurations, peripheral portions of display  14  are provided with an opaque masking layer. As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 , display  14  may be characterized by a central active region such as active region AA in which an array of display pixels is used in displaying information for a user. An inactive region such as inactive border region IA surrounds active region AA. In the examples of  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 , active region AA has a rectangular shape. Inactive region IA has a rectangular ring shape that surrounds active region AA (as an example). Portions of display  14  in inactive region IA may be covered with an opaque masking material such as a layer of black ink (e.g., a polymer filled with carbon black) or a layer of opaque metal. The opaque masking layer helps hide components in the interior of device  10  in inactive region IA from view by a user. 
     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, is 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. 
     Displays for device  10  may, in general, include image pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electrowetting pixels, electrophoretic pixels, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures. In some situations, it may be desirable to use OLED components to form display  14 , so configurations for display  14  in which display  14  is an organic light-emitting diode display are sometimes described herein as an example. Other types of display technology may be used in device  10 , if desired. 
     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. 
     A schematic diagram of device  10  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , electronic device  10  includes control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Storage and processing circuitry  40  includes one or more different types of storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  40  is used in controlling the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on a processor such as a microprocessor and other integrated circuits. 
     With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry  40  is used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, software for capturing and processing images, software for implementing functions associated with gathering and processing sensor data, etc. 
     Input-output, circuitry  32  is used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  can include wired and wireless communications circuitry  34 . Communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Input-output circuitry  32  of  FIG. 5  includes input-output devices  36  such as buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, a touch screen such as display  14 , other touch sensors such as track pads or touch-sensor-based buttons, vibrators, audio components such as microphones and speakers, image capture devices such as a camera module having an image sensor and a corresponding lens system, keyboards, status-indicator lights, tone generators, key pads, and other equipment for gathering input from a user or other external source and/or generating output for a user. 
     Sensors  38  of  FIG. 5  include a light sensor such as an ambient light sensor for gathering information on ambient light levels. The ambient light sensor includes one or more semiconductor detectors (e.g., silicon-based detectors) or other light detection circuitry. Sensors  38  also include other light sensor components such as proximity sensor components. Proximity sensor components in device  10  can include capacitive proximity sensor components, infrared-light-based proximity sensor components, proximity sensor components based on acoustic signaling schemes, or other proximity sensor equipment. Sensors  38  may also include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and other circuitry for making measurements of the environment surrounding device  10 . 
     It can be challenging to mount electrical components such as the components of  FIG. 5  within an electronic device. To facilitate mounting of components in housing  12  of device  10 , one or more of sensors  38  may be integrated into the display layers of display  14 . For example, device  10  may include a display-integrated ambient light sensor, a display-integrated proximity sensor, other display-integrated light sensor circuitry, or other display-integrated sensor circuitry. A display-integrated light sensor (e.g., a proximity sensor or an ambient light sensor) can be formed on a layer of display  14  that includes conductive traces such as a touch-sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer associated, with light-generating layers of the display, a sensor layer, or any other display layer that has conductive traces. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of display  14  showing how a display-integrated light sensor may be coupled to a touch-sensor layer of the display. In the example of  FIG. 6 , display  14  includes a touch-sensitive layer  64  that is interposed between light-emitting layers such as light-generating layers  61  and a cover layer such as cover layer  70 . Adhesive  62  such as transparent adhesive (sometimes referred to as optically clear adhesive (OCA)) attaches one side of touch-sensitive layer  64  to cover layer  70 . Additional adhesive  62  attaches light-generating layers  61  to an opposing side of touch-sensitive layer  64 . 
     Touch-sensitive layer  64  is formed from a layer of touch traces such as layer  66  that is formed on a touch substrate such as substrate  68 . Substrate  68  may be formed from any suitable transparent material (e.g., glass, transparent plastic, or other transparent polymers). Touch traces in layer  66  may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide electrodes or other transparent electrodes. The electrodes are used in making capacitive touch sensor measurements. 
     A sensor such as light sensor  72  is electrically coupled to conductive traces in touch trace layer  66 . Conductive traces that are coupled to sensor  72  may be formed from transparent conductive materials such as indium tin oxide or may be formed from opaque conductive material such as metal (e.g., copper). Sensor  72  receives light  76  though transparent cover layer  70 . Sensor  72  has a thickness T. Thickness T may be between 0.1 mm and 1.1 mm, between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm, between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, between 0.6 mm and 1.1 mm, between 0.5 mm and 1.1 mm, less than 1.5 mm, or greater than 0.01 mm (as examples). 
     Sensor  72  may be implemented as an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, or any other sensor. In the example of  FIG. 6 , sensor  72  transmits sensor data (e.g., ambient light data, object proximity data, or other data) to storage and processing circuitry  40  ( FIG. 5 ) through conductive traces in touch traces layer  66 . Conductive contacts  73  may be provided that electrically couple sensor  72  to conductive traces in layer  66 . Conductive contacts  73  may foe formed from conductive materials such as solder, conductive adhesive (e.g., an anisotropic conductive film), mechanical connectors or other electrical coupling structures. However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, sensor circuitry (e.g., photosensitive elements or other sensor circuitry) may be formed directly on substrate  68 . 
     Light-generating layers  61  of display  14  may include any suitable display technology (e.g., liquid crystal display pixels, light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, plasma cells, electrowetting pixels, electrophoretic pixels, or other suitable image display circuitry) for generating image light  60  in active area AA of display  14 . In one suitable example that is sometimes discussed herein as an example, light-generating layers  61  are implemented using organic light-emitting diode image display technology. 
     Cross-sectional side views of configurations that may be used for light-generating layers  61  of display  14  (e.g., for display  14  of the devices of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , or other suitable electronic devices) are shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative bottom emission organic light-emitting diode display.  FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative top emission organic light-emitting diode display. 
     In a configuration for display  14  of the type shown in  FIG. 7 , light-generating layers  61  include a transparent substrate layer such as glass layer  52 . A layer of organic light-emitting diode structures such as organic light-emitting diode layer  54  is formed on the underside of glass layer  52 . An encapsulation layer such as encapsulation layer  56  is used to encapsulate organic light-emitting diode layer  54 . Encapsulation layer  56  may be formed from a layer of metal foil, metal foil covered with plastic, other metal structures, a glass layer, a thin-film encapsulation layer formed from a material such as silicon nitride, a layered stack of alternating polymer and ceramic materials, or other suitable material for encapsulating organic light-emitting diode layer  54 . Encapsulation layer  56  protects organic light-emitting diode layer  54  from environmental exposure by preventing water and oxygen from reaching organic emissive materials within organic light-emitting diode layer  54 . 
     Organic light-emitting diode layer  54  contains an array of thin-film transistors. The thin-film transistors may be formed from semiconductors such as amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or compound semiconductors (as examples). Signal lines (e.g., a grid of horizontal and vertical metal lines) may be used in applying control signals to the array of thin-film transistors. During operation, signals are applied to the organic light-emitting diodes in layer  54  using the signal lines so that an image is created on display  14 . Image light  60  from the organic light-emitting diode pixels in layer  54  is emitted upwards through transparent glass layer  52  for viewing in direction  65  by viewer  63 . Circular polarizer  50  may suppress reflections from the metal signal lines in layer  54  that might otherwise be visible to viewer  63 . 
     In a configuration for display  14  of the type shown in  FIG. 8 , light-generating layers  61  include a substrate layer such as substrate layer  58 . Substrate layer  58  may be a polyimide layer that is temporarily carried on a glass carrier during manufacturing or may be a layer formed from glass or other suitable substrate materials. 
     Organic light-emitting diode layer  54  is formed on the upper surface of substrate  58 . An encapsulation layer such as encapsulation layer  56  encapsulates organic light-emitting diode layer  54 . During operation, individually controlled pixels in organic light-emitting diode layer  54  generate image light  60  for viewing in direction  65  by viewer  63 . Circular polarizer  50  suppresses reflections from metal signal lines in layer  54 . If desired an array of color filter elements may be included, in polarizer layer  50 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of display  14  showing how a display-integrated light sensor such as sensor  72  may be coupled to light-generating layers  61  of the display. In the example of  FIG. 9 , layer  61  includes an extended portion such as portion  80  that extends into inactive area IA of display  14 . Extended portion  80  of layers  61  includes fewer display layers than other portions of layers  61 . Extended portion  80  may be formed entirely in inactive area IA or may be partially located in active area AA. Extended portion  80  of light-generating layers  61  extends beyond an outer edge of touch-sensitive layers  64 . Sensor  72  is electrically coupled to conductive traces on a layer of light-generating layers  61 . Sensor  12  may foe coupled to conductive traces on a layer of layers  61  using solder or conductive adhesive (e.g., an anisotropic conductive film), or may be formed directly on a layer of layers  61 . As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , sensor  72  may be coupled to conductive traces on a thin-film transistor layer of a top emission OLED display or a bottom emission OLED display. 
       FIG. 10  shows a configuration for display  14  in which light generating layers  61  are implemented as a top emission OLED display and light sensor  72  is attached to light-generating layers  61 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , organic-light-emitting diode layer  54  includes thin-film transistor (TFT) layer  82  and a layer of organic light-emitting material such as emissive layer  84 . Sensor  72  may be attached to an extended portion of TFT layer  82  that extends beyond encapsulation layer  56  and polarizer layer  50 . 
     TFT layer  82  includes an array of thin-film transistors. The thin-film transistors may be formed from semiconductors such as amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or compound semiconductors (as examples). Organic emissive layer  84  may be formed from organic plastics such as polyfluorene or other organic emissive materials. Encapsulation layer  56  covers emissive layer  84  and, if desired, some or all of TFT layer  82 . 
     Signal lines  86  (e.g., a grid of horizontal and vertical metal lines) transmit control signals to the array of thin-film transistors in TFT layer  82 . Signals applied to the thin-film transistors in TFT layer  82  selectively cause portions of emissive layer  84  to emit display light such as light  60 . In this way, images are created on display  14  in active area AA. 
     Thin-film transistors in TFT layer  82  are formed in active area AA. Signal lines  86  route signals received from circuitry such as a display driver integrate circuit in inactive area IA to the thin-film transistors in TFT layer  82 . Light sensor  72  is attached to the thin-film transistor layer. 
     Conductive contacts  73  may be provided that electrically couple sensor  72  to signal lines such as signal lines  88  in TFT layer  82 . Signal lines  88  route sensor control signals from circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40  ( FIG. 5 ) to sensor  72  and route sensor signals (e.g., ambient light signals, object proximity signals, etc.) from sensor  72  to circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Conductive contacts  73  may be formed from conductive materials such as solder, conductive adhesive (e.g., an anisotropic conductive film), mechanical connectors or other electrical coupling structures. However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, sensor circuitry (e.g., photosensitive elements or other sensor circuitry) may be formed directly on TFT layer  82 . 
     The example of  FIG. 10  in which sensor  72  is attached to a thin-film transistor layer of a top emission OLED display is merely illustrative. If desired, sensor  72  may be attached to a display layer of another type of display such as a liquid crystal display or a bottom emission OLED display. 
       FIG. 11  shows a configuration for display  14  in which light generating layers  61  are implemented as a bottom emission OLED display and light sensor  72  is attached to light-generating layers  61 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , emissive layer  84  may be formed on a bottom side of TFT layer  82 . Sensor  72  is attached to an extended portion of TFT layer  82  that extends beyond encapsulation layer  56 , glass layer  52 , and polarizer layer  50 . In this type of configuration, sensor  72  is electrically coupled to a surface of TFT layer  82  that is opposite to the surface on which emissive layer  84  is attached to TFT layer  82 . Sensor  72  is formed along an edge of glass layer  52 , polarizer layer  50 , and touch-sensitive layer  64 . 
     The examples of  FIGS. 6, 9, 10, and 11  in which sensor  72  is attached to a touch-sensitive layer or one of one light-generating layers of display  14  are merely illustrative. A display-integrated, light sensor may be attached to other layers of a display, if desired. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of display  14  showing how a display-integrated light sensor such as sensor  72  may be coupled, to an additional layer of the display such as sensor layer  90 . In the example of  FIG. 12 , display  14  includes an additional sensor layer  90 . Adhesive  62  attaches light-generating layers  61  to sensor layer  90 . However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, sensor layer  90  may be formed in other locations within display  14  (e.g., interposed between touch-sensitive layer  64  and cover layer  70 , interposed between two of light-generating layers  61 , or integrated with touch-sensitive layer  64 ). 
     Sensor layer  90  generates sensor signals to be transmitted to circuitry in device  10  (e.g., storage and processing circuitry  40  of  FIG. 5 ). Sensor layer  90  may be a pressure sensing layer, a force sensing layer, a temperature sensing layer, a humidity sensing layer, an acoustic sensing layer, a layer having accelerometer circuitry, a layer having gyroscope circuitry, or a layer having other circuitry for making measurements of the environment surrounding device  10 . Conductive contacts  73  (e.g., solder-based contacts, conductive adhesive-based contacts, etc.) can be used to attach sensor  72  to sensor layer  90  or sensor circuitry such as light-sensitive elements and/or light-emitting diodes may be formed directly on a substrate such as a silicon substrate in sensor layer  90 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  are diagrams showing how sensor  72  may be implemented as a packaged light sensor. The packaged light sensor of  FIGS. 13 and 14  can be integrated into the layers of display  14  as shown in any of  FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 11 , and  12  or may be otherwise integrated into display  14 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 13 , sensor  72  includes a layer of sensor circuitry such as sensor circuitry layer  92 . Sensor circuitry layer  92  includes sensor circuitry elements such as light-sensitive element  98  and light-emitting element  100 . Light-sensitive element  98  and light-emitting element  100  may be formed on a substrate such as a silicon substrate (e.g., a printed circuit such as a rigid printed circuit, a flexible printed circuit, or other substrate having electrical interconnects and other electrical components in a layered circuit stack). 
     A protective material such as transparent encapsulant  94  is formed over sensor circuitry elements  98  and  100  on circuitry layer  92 . Transparent encapsulant  94  may be formed from transparent, materials such as glass or transparent plastic. Transparent encapsulant  94  protects sensor circuitry  92  and allows light such as light  76  to pass through encapsulant  94  onto light-sensitive element  98  and allows light such as light  101  to be emitted from light-emitting element  100  through encapsulant  94 . 
     Light-emitting element  100  may be an infrared light-emitting diode (as an example). However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, light-emitting element  100  may be a visible light-emitting diode, or other light-emitting element. If desired, sensor  72  may be provided without any light-emitting components. In configurations in which sensor  72  is provided, with a light-emitting element  100 , sensor  72  may detect the proximity of objects in the vicinity of device  10  by detecting portions of light  101  that are reflected from the objects using light-sensitive element  98 . In configurations in which sensor  72  is provided without a light-emitting element, sensor  72  may detect the brightness of ambient light in the environment surrounding device  10  by detecting the ambient light intensity using light-sensitive element  98 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 13 , sensor  72  includes solder bumps  96  formed on a bottom surface of sensor circuitry layer  92 . Solder bumps  96  can be used to form electrical contacts  73  of  FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12 . However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, sensor circuitry layer  92  may be provided with planar conductive contacts such as contact pads  104  on the bottom surface of layer  92  as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     Contact pads  104  may, for example, be formed from an exposed portion of a copper layer of circuitry layer  92 . In configurations in which sensor circuitry layer  92  is provided with contact pads  104 , conductive contacts  73  are formed from a conductive adhesive such as an anisotropic conductive film that couples contact pads  104  to conductive traces in a display layer of display  14 . 
     The examples of  FIGS. 13 and 14  in which sensor  72  is implemented as a packaged display-integrated light sensor are merely illustrative. As shown in  FIG. 15 , sensor circuitry such as light-sensitive element  98  and light-emitting element  100  can be formed directly on a display layer of display  14  such as display circuitry layer  106 . Display circuitry layer  105  may be touch-sensitive layer  64 , TFT layer  82 , sensor layer  90 , or another display layer having conductive traces  88  for carrying sensor signals from sensor  72  as in any of the configurations described above in connection with  FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12  (as examples). 
     Light sensor elements such as elements  98  and  100  may be attached to traces  88  of layer  106  using solder, anisotropic conductive adhesive, or may be otherwise formed on layer  106 . In the example of  FIG. 15 , traces  88  are formed on a top surface, a bottom surface, and embedded within layer  106 . However, this is merely illustrative. In various configurations, traces  88  can be formed only on the top surface, only on the bottom surface, only embedded within or formed only on the outer surfaces of layer  106 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20150626
Publication Date: 20161011
Grant Date: 20161011
Priority Date: 20121127
Inventors: DE JONG ERIK G.
SHEDLETSKY ANNA-KATRINA
HOLENARSIPUR PRASHANTH S.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01L27/3227", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L27/3276", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L27/323", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L27/3269", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/13", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/13", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/60", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 49596434