PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10088927-B2
Application Number: US-201414467657-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with flexible displays

Abstract:
Electronic devices may be provided that contain flexible displays and internal components. An internal component may be positioned under the flexible display. The internal component may be an output device such as a speaker that transmits sound through the flexible display or an actuator that deforms the display in a way that is sensed by a user. The internal component may also be a microphone or pressure sensor that receives sound or pressure information through the flexible display. Structural components may be used to permanently or temporarily deform the flexible display to provide tactile feedback to a user of the device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display having a substrate and an array of display pixels formed on the substrate, wherein the display comprises an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes; and 
 an electrical component mounted behind a portion of the substrate, wherein the electrical component comprises a force sensor that gathers user input by detecting a localized deformation of the portion of the substrate, wherein the portion of the substrate transitions from a flat configuration to a deformed configuration during the localized deformation while the rest of the substrate remains undeformed, and wherein the force sensor is located behind the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the display comprises an active area and an inactive area, wherein the array of display pixels is formed in the active area, and wherein the electrical component is mounted behind the active area. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the electrical component comprises a button and wherein the localized deformation of the portion of the substrate actuates the button. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the localized deformation comprises a vibration of the portion of the substrate in response to sound waves passing through the display from an exterior of the electronic device and wherein the electrical component comprises a microphone that gathers the user input by detecting the vibration of the portion of the substrate. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the microphone comprises a laser microphone. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the substrate is interposed between the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and the electrical component. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes is formed on a flexible sheet of polymer. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the electrical component comprises a pressure sensor and wherein the localized deformation of the portion of the substrate exerts pressure on the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the pressure sensor comprises a piezoelectric actuator and wherein the mechanical pressure induces a voltage on the piezoelectric actuator. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display having a flexible substrate and an array of display pixels formed in an active area of the flexible substrate; 
 an input component mounted behind the active area of the flexible substrate; and 
 a touch-sensitive layer that gathers touch input, wherein the flexible substrate is interposed between the touch-sensitive layer and the input component, wherein the input component gathers user input by detecting a localized deformation of a portion of the touch-sensitive layer and the flexible substrate while the rest of the touch-sensitive layer and the flexible substrate remain undeformed. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the portion of the flexible substrate has a natural shape and a deformed shape, wherein the external forces cause the portion of the flexible substrate to transition from the natural shape to the deformed shape. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the external forces are associated with sound waves, wherein the sound waves cause a vibration of the flexible substrate, wherein the input component comprises a microphone, and wherein the microphone gathers the user input by detecting the vibration of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the input component comprises a button. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the button comprises a dome switch mounted to a printed circuit substrate and wherein the dome switch is actuated by the localized deformation of the portion of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       15. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display having a flexible substrate and an array of display pixels formed in an active area of the flexible substrate, wherein the display displays a virtual button in a region of the active area; 
 an electrical component mounted behind the region of the active area where the virtual button is displayed, wherein the electrical component gathers user input by detecting a deformation of the flexible substrate and provides output by vibrating a localized portion of the flexible substrate; and 
 a touch-sensitive layer, wherein the flexible substrate is interposed between the touch-sensitive layer and the electrical component, wherein the touch-sensitive layer comprises a flexible sheet of polymer and a plurality of capacitive touch-sensing electrodes on the flexible sheet of polymer. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 15  wherein the electrical component comprises a button and wherein the deformation of the flexible substrate actuates the button. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 15  wherein the electrical component comprises a pressure sensor and wherein the deformation of the flexible substrate exerts pressure on the pressure sensor.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/171,295, filed Jun. 28, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/454,894, filed Mar. 21, 2011, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. This application claims the benefit of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/171,295, filed Jun. 28, 2011, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/454,894, filed Mar. 21, 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to flexible displays, and more particularly, to electronic devices with flexible displays. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones are often provided with rigid displays made from rigid display structures. For example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be formed from a stack of rigid display structures such as a thin-film, transistor layer with display pixels for providing visual feedback to a user, a color filter layer for providing the display pixels with color, a touch screen panel for gathering touch input from a user, and a cover glass layer for protecting the display and internal components. 
     Conventional devices may also have input-output components such as buttons, microphones, speakers, and other components. Openings are commonly formed in the housing of a conventional device to accommodate operation of these input-output components. For example, openings may be formed in a device housing to accommodate speaker and microphone ports and openings may be formed in a display cover glass layer to accommodate a speaker port and menu button. 
     The inclusion of these openings to accommodate input-output components may not be desirable. For example, the presence of openings may be aesthetically unappealing, may raise the risk of damage from environmental exposure, and may reduce the amount of active display area that is available to display images for a user. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Electronic devices may be provided with flexible displays. The flexible displays may be composed of one or more flexible layers and may be mounted on top of or under a cover layer. For example, a flexible display may be mounted on top of a rigid support member or may be mounted on the underside of a rigid cover layer. 
     Electronic devices may also be provided with user interface components (input-output components) such as buttons, microphones, speakers, piezoelectric actuators (for receiving electrical input from a user or tactile feedback to users), or other actuators such as vibrators, pressure sensors, and other components. These components may be mounted under portions of a flexible display. 
     During operation of the electronic device, the flexibility of the display may allow a user to interact with the component through the display. For example, sound waves from a speaker or localized vibrations front an actuator in an electronic device may pass through the flexible display. The flexible display may also allow an internal microphone, pressure sensor, or force sensor (or other internal components) to receive external input. For example, a user may deflect a flexible display using a finger or other external object, barometric pressure may be monitored through the flexible display, or sound waves may be received through the flexible display. 
     Components may receive input or may supply output through a physically deformed portion of the flexible display (e.g., a deformation that occurs when a user presses on the display to compress the component). In some configurations, a portion of the flexible display may serve as a membrane that forms part of a microphone, speaker, pressure sensor, or other electronic component. 
     The ability of a user to compress a component such as a button switch by deforming the flexible display may allow the area of a device available for visual display to be enlarged. For example, the active area of a flexible display may overlap a component such as a button or speaker. 
     If desired, a flexible display may be deformed by an internal component to provide audio or tactile feedback to a user. For example, structures inside an electronic device may be pressed against portions of a flexible display to temporarily create an outline for a virtual on-screen button or to temporarily create a grid of ridges that serve to delineate the locations of keys in a keyboard (keypad). 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent, from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a flexible display and internal components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of an illustrative set of display layers that may be used to form a flexible display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an internal user interface component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of a button in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of a button in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an audio component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an audio component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of yet another embodiment of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an audio component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an actuator such as a piezoelectric actuator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an internal structural component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of a combined internal interface component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device with a flexible display and a combined internal interface component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device with a flexible display and a combined internal interface component mounted to actuator stage in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of an internal structural component mounted to an actuator stage in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device with a cover and an internal structural component mounted to an actuator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in the vicinity of a pressure sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device may be provided with a flexible display and user interface components. User interface components may include buttons, switches, microphones, actuators such as solenoids, motors, and piezoelectric actuators, connector ports, touch screens, proximity sensors and other components for accepting input from, or transmitting information to, a user or the surrounding environment. 
     Flexible displays may be formed from flexible layers such as a flexible display layer (e.g., a flexible organic light-emitting diode array), a flexible touch-sensitive layer (e.g., a sheet of polymer with an array of transparent capacitor electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor), a flexible substrate layer, etc. These flexible layers may, if desired, be covered by a flexible or rigid cover layer (sometimes referred to as a cover glass) or may be supported by a support structure (e.g., a rigid support structure on the underside of the flexible layers). In electronic devices with flexible displays that are covered by rigid cover layers, the cover layers may be provided with openings that provide access to the flexible layers of the display in the vicinity of a user interface device. For example, a cover glass layer may nave an opening that allows a button member to move relative to the cover glass layer. As the button member moves within the opening, underlying portions of the flexible display may be deformed (e.g., to allow actuation of an associated switch). 
     To maximize the area of the portion of the flexible display that is available for displaying visual information to the user, user interface components may be positioned behind, abutted against or integrated into the flexible display. The deformable nature of the flexible display may allow a user to interact with the user interface components (input-output components) by moving the display into contact with the user interface components or by otherwise allowing the display to locally flex (e.g., to allow sound to pass through the flexible display or to allow a barometric pressure measurements of the exterior environment to be made by an internal pressure sensor). If desired, a portion of the flexible display may form a membrane portion of an electrical component. Components that may be provided with a membrane that is formed from a portion of a flexible display include microphones, laser microphones, pressure sensors, speakers, etc. 
     An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with a flexible display is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic device  10  may be a portable electronic device or other suitable electronic device. For example, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a somewhat smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, pendant device, or other wearable or miniature device, a cellular telephone, a media player, etc. 
     Device  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material. In other situations, housing  12  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  12  may be formed from metal elements. 
     Device  10  may have a flexible display such as flexible display  14 . Flexible display  14  may be formed from multiple layers of material. These layers may include a touch sensor layer such as a layer on which a pattern of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes or other suitable transparent electrodes have been deposited to form a capacitive touch sensor array. These layers may also include a layer that contains an array of display pixels. The touch sensor layer and the display layer may be formed using flexible sheets of polymer or other substrates having thicknesses of 10 microns to 0.5 mm or other suitable thicknesses (as an example). 
     The display pixel array may be, for example, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) array. Other types of flexible display pixel arrays may also be formed (e.g., electronic ink displays, etc.). The use of OLED technology to form flexible display  14  is sometimes described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Flexible display  14  may be formed using any suitable flexible display technology. The use of flexible displays that are based on OLED technology is merely illustrative. 
     In addition to these functional display layers (i.e., the OLED array and the optional touch sensor array), display  14  may include one or more structural layers. For example, display  14  may be covered with a flexible or rigid cover layer and/or may be mounted on a support structure (e.g., a rigid support). Layers of adhesive may be used in attaching flexible display layers to each other and may be used in mounting flexible display layers to rigid and flexible structural layers. 
     In configurations for display  14  in which the cover layer for display  14  is flexible, input-output components that rely on the presence of flexible layers may be mounted at any suitable location under the display (e.g., along peripheral portions of the display, in a central portion of the display, etc.). In configurations for display  14  in which the flexible layers are covered by a rigid cover glass layer or other rigid cover layer, the rigid layer may be provided with one or more openings and the electronic components may be mounted under the openings. For example, a rigid cover layer may have openings such as a circular opening  16  for button  17  and a speaker port opening such as speaker port opening  18  (e.g., for an ear speaker for a user). Device  10  may also nave other openings (e.g., openings in display  14  and/or housing  12  for accommodating volume buttons, ringer buttons, sleep buttons, and other buttons, openings for an audio jack, data port connectors, removable media slots, etc.). 
     In some embodiments, portions of flexible display  14  such as peripheral regions  20 I may be inactive and portions of display  14  such as rectangular central portion  20 A (bounded by dashed line  20 ) may correspond to the active part, of display  14 . In active display region  20 A, an array of image pixels may be used to present text and images to a user of device  10 . In active region  20 A, display  14  may include touch sensitive components for input and interaction with a user of device  10 . If desired, regions such as regions  20 I and  20 A in  FIG. 1  may both be provided with display pixels (i.e., all or substantially all of the entire front planar surface of a device such as device  10  may be covered with display pixels). 
     Device  10  may, if desired, have internal user interface components such as buttons  17  or speaker component  19  that occupy openings such as openings  16  and  18  respectively in an optional rigid, cover layer of flexible display  14 . Buttons  17  may be based on dome switches or other switch circuitry. Buttons  17  may include button members that form push buttons (e.g., momentary buttons), slider switches, rocker switches, etc. Device  10  may include internal structural components such as structural component  22  that add a raised structure to a portion of flexible display  14 . Device  10  may include components such as interface components  24  and  26  that may be fully internal to device  10 , but that receive input from the user or from the surrounding environment through physical interaction with flexible display  14 . Interface components  22 ,  24 , and  26  may be positioned in active region  20 A or inactive region  20 I of flexible display  14 . Interface components  22 ,  24 , and  26  may be positioned separately from one another or may be commonly located to form a combined component with structural and internal features. Interface components  24  and  26  may be positioned underneath flexible display  14  so that flexible display  14  must be deformed in order to contact components  24  or  26  or, if desired may be positioned to remain in constant contact with flexible display  14 . 
     An exploded perspective view of an illustrative display is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , flexible display  14  may be formed by stacking multiple layers including flexible display layer  14 A, touch-sensitive layer  14 B, and cover layer  14 C. Flexible display  14  may also include other layers of material such as adhesive layers, optical films, or other suitable layers. Flexible display layer  14  may include image pixels formed form light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures compatible with flexible displays. 
     Touch-sensitive layer  14 B may incorporate capacitive touch electrodes such as horizontal transparent electrodes  32  and vertical transparent electrodes  34 . Touch-sensitive layer  14 B may, in general, be configured to detect the location of one or more touches or near touches on touch-sensitive layer  14 B based on capacitive, resistive, optical, acoustic, inductive, or mechanical measurements, or any phenomena that can be measured with respect to the occurrences of the one or more touches or near touches in proximity to touch sensitive layer  14 B. 
     Software and/or hardware may be used to process the measurements of the detected touches to identify and track one or more gestures. A gesture may correspond to stationary or non-stationary, single or multiple, touches or near touches on touch-sensitive layer  14 B. A gesture may be performed by moving one or more fingers or other objects in a particular manner on touch-sensitive layer  14 B such as tapping, pressing, rocking, scrubbing, twisting, changing orientation, pressing with varying pressure and the like at essentially the same time, contiguously, or consecutively. A gesture may be characterized by, but is not limited to a pinching, sliding, swiping, rotating, flexing, dragging, or tapping motion between or with any other finger or fingers. A single gesture may be performed with one or more hands, by one or more users, or any combination thereof. 
     Cover layer  14 C may be formed from plastic or glass (sometimes referred to as display cover glass) and may be flexible or rigid. If desired, the interior surface of peripheral inactive portions  20 I of cover layer  14 C may be provided with an opaque masking layer on such as black ink. 
     Touch-sensitive flexible display section  14 AB may be formed from display pixel array layer  14 A and optional touch sensor layer  14 B. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of flexible display  14  in the vicinity of internal user interface component  24 . Flexible display  14  may be deformed away from its natural shape under pressure. For example, flexible display  14  may be deflected by pressure exerted by a user or by other external forces in direction  40 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , pressure in direction  40  may cause flexible display  40  to deform as indicated by dashed lines  44 . Internal component  24  may be configured to receive input due to deformation of flexible display  14 . Internal component  24  may also provide a temporary return (restoring) pressure in direction  42 . 
     Pressure in direction  42  may cause flexible display  14  to temporarily deform outward of device  10  as indicated by dashed lines  46 . Pressure in direction  42  may, if desired, be formed by an internal actuator that deforms display  14  to provide a desired tactile sensation on the surface of display  14  to a user of device  10 . Flexible display  14  may have a natural resiliency that, following deformation as indicated by dashed lines  44 , causes flexible display to temporarily deform outward of device  10  as indicated by dashed lines  46  before returning to its natural shape. Internal component  24  may be a button, an actuator such as a motor, solenoid, vibrator, or piezoelectric actuator, a pressure sensor, an audio component such as a microphone or speaker, or other component. Because display  14  is flexible, these components may operate effectively, even when covered by display  14 . For example, audio components such as microphones and speakers may receive and transmit sound through flexible display  14 . A barometric pressure sensor or a force sensor may also receive input through flexible display  14 . Components such as actuators may be used to temporarily create raised ridges or other external features on the surface of the flexible display (e.g., to indicate to a user where an on-screen button or group of buttons is located). The portion of display  14  under which components  24  are mounted may be active (i.e., a portion of the display that contains OLED pixels or other display pixels) or inactive (i.e., a peripheral portion of the display outside of the active region). 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of button  17  of device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , button  17  may have a button member such as button member  52  that reciprocates within opening  16  of cover layer  14 C. When a user presses the exterior of button member  52  in direction  58 , button member  52  may press against touch-sensitive flexible display section (layer)  14 AB. Touch-sensitive flexible display section  14 AB may be deformed to depress a dome switch such as dome switch  56  or other switch mechanism, thereby activating the switch (e.g., shorting internal switch terminals together to close the switch). Dome switches such as dome switch  56  may, if desired, be mounted to printed circuits such as printed circuit  54 . Dome switch  56  may have a dome-shaped biasing member that pushes touch-sensitive flexible display section  14 AB outward in direction  60  when the user releases pressure from button member  52 . Dome switch  54  and printed circuit  54  may be recessed in a support structure such as support structure  50  behind flexible display  14 . Other types of switches may used if desired, such as switches with spring-based biasing members or other biasing structures that bias button members such as button member  52 . The use of a dome switch with a dome-shaped biasing structure is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of button  17  of device  10 . The illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 5  differs from the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 4  in that cover layer  14 C of flexible display  14  is not a rigid cover layer, but a flexible cover layer. In an embodiment in which flexible display  14  contains a flexible cover layer  14 C, button  17  includes dome switch  55  and printed circuit  54 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , a user may press the exterior of flexible display  14  in direction  58 . Flexible display  14  may be deformed to depress dome switch  56  or other switch mechanism, thereby activating the switch. As in  FIG. 4 , dome switches such as dome switch  56  may, if desired, be mounted to printed circuits such as printed circuit  54 . Dome switch  56  may have a dome-shaped biasing member that pushes flexible display  14  outward in direction  60  when the user releases pressure from button member  52 . Dome switch  54  and printed circuit  54  may be mounted in support structures  50  behind flexible display  14 . Other types of switches may use spring-based biasing members or other biasing structures to bias button members such as button member  52 . The use of a dome switch with a dome-shaped biasing structure is merely illustrative. 
     Providing device  10  with flexible display  14  without the need for an opening in flexible display  14  to access button  17  allows flexible display  14  to extend over button  17  without disruption. In both the  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  configurations, the portion of the flexible display that overlaps the button may be an active display portion or an inactive display portion. When an active display portion is configured so as to overlap buttons and other components, there is generally more area available for the active display portion. The presence of flexible display  14  over button  17  (or other components) may also reduce the risk of moisture or dirt entering into the interior of device  10 . 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of audio component  19 . Audio component  19  may be recessed in a chassis  50  behind flexible display  14 . Audio component  19  may be a speaker for providing sound to a user of device  10  or a microphone for receiving input from a user or the external environment. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , sound may be transmitted through flexible display  14  to a microphone or from a speaker. The portion of flexible display  14  that overlaps audio component  19  may be active or inactive. Arrangements in which component  19  is covered with part of the active area of display  14  may allow the size of active region  20 A of flexible display  14  to be increased. The presence of flexible display  14  over audio component  19  may also reduce the risk of moisture or dirt entering into the interior of device  10 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of another embodiment of audio component  19 . In the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 7 , audio component  19  may be a speaker or microphone that contains a diaphragm such as diaphragm  70 . Diaphragm  70  may be formed from a separate structure that is attached to the underside of flexible display  14  or may be formed from a part of flexible display  14 . As in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , audio component  19  may be mounted within support structures  50 . Audio component  19  may include a magnet such as magnet  74  and a coil such as coil  72  in which current may flow. If audio component  19  is a speaker, current may be driven through coil  72  to induce motion in diaphragm  70  and thereby emit sound through flexible display  14 . If audio component  19  is a microphone, sound waves originating from the exterior of device  10  may induce vibrations in flexible display  14  which are transmitted to diaphragm  70  and ultimately to coil  72  in which current may be induced. The current produced in coil  72  may be used to transmit sound information to device  10 . Diaphragm  70  may be a separate member in contact with flexible display  14  or may be an integral part of flexible display  14 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of another possible embodiment of audio component  19 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , audio component  19  may be a laser microphone which uses vibrations in flexible display  14  induced by sound originating external to device  10  to produce an signal to be transmitted to device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , audio component  19  may be recessed in support structures  50 . Audio component  19  may include a light emitting component such as laser component  80 . Laser component  80  may emit a laser beam such as laser beam  84  in the direction of flexible display  14 . Laser beam  84  may reflect off of flexible display  14  and a reflected laser beam such as reflected laser beam  86  may be absorbed by a laser absorbing component  82 . 
     Laser beam  84  and reflected laser beam  86  may be used in combination with laser  80  and photosensitive element  82  to monitor variations in distance  88  from flexible display  14  to component  80  and component  82 . Sound waves originating external to device  10  may induce vibrations in flexible display  14  causing distance  88  to oscillate. The oscillations in distance  88  may be converted into sound-related information by device  10 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of a component such as component  22  of  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , component  22  may contain an actuator such as a piezoelectric (actuator  90 ). Piezoelectric actuators such as piezoelectric actuator  90  may vary in shape (e.g., thickness) in response to applied control voltages and may produce an output voltage when compressed (i.e., the piezoelectric element in actuator  90  may serve as a force sensor in addition to serving as a controllable actuator). A user of device  10  may exert force on flexible display  14  in direction  92 . Flexible display  14  may be deformed to exert a mechanical pressure on piezoelectric element  90  or other force sensor, inducing a voltage which may be transmitted to device  10 . Conversely, piezoelectric actuator  90  may be used to provide tactile feedback to a user of device  10 . A voltage difference applied to the surfaces of piezoelectric actuator  90  may induce an expansion of piezoelectric actuator  90 . Piezoelectric actuator  90  may then deform flexible display  14  in direction  94  providing tactile feedback to a user of device  10 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of structural component  22  of device  10 . Structural component  22  may cause a permanent deformation such as deformation  102  in flexible display  14  to indicate the location of portion  101  of touch-sensitive layer  14 B in display  14  to the user of device  10 . Portion  101  may be, for example, a letter key or other button in a virtual keypad (keyboard) displayed on flexible display  14 . A touch sensor array associated with display  14  may be used to gather user input (i.e., the touch sensor array may be used to determine when a user has pressed the virtual key associated with portion  101 ). The location of portion  101  may also be indicated visually using associated display pixels in flexible display  14 . At times, a user may desire to be able to locate portion  101  without having to look at flexible display  14 . Deforming flexible display  14  in the vicinity of portion  101  using structural component  22  may allow a user to locate portion  101  without visual aid. Structural component  22  may be an isolated component indicating the location of a single portion  101  of touch-sensitive layer  14 B or may be one of an array of components  22  indicating the locations of an array of portions  101  (e.g., the array of letter, number, and symbol keys in a virtual keypad displayed on display  14 ). Structural component  10  may be a separate component mounted to support structures  50  or may be an integral part of support structures  50 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of a hybrid component such as component  100 . Component  100  may include both an internal interface component such as internal component  24  and a structural component such as structural component  22 . Structural component  22  may cause a permanent deformation such as deformation  102  in flexible display  14  in the vicinity of internal component  24  to indicate the location of internal component  22  to the user of device  10 . The presence of flexible display  14  between the user of device  10  and internal component  24  may obscure the location of internal interface component  24 . The location of interface component  24  may be indicated visually using display pixels in flexible display  14 . The deformation of flexible display  14  in the vicinity of interface component  24  using structural component  22  may also allow the user to locate interface component  24  without visual aid. Component  100  may be an isolated component indicating the location of a single interface component  24  of touch-sensitive layer  14 B or may be one of an array of components  100  indicating the locations of an array of interface components  24 . 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an embodiment of device  10  in which internal component  24  is a button such as button  17 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 12 , as in  FIG. 11 , component  100  includes internal component  24  and structural component  22  (shown in  FIG. 11 ). As shown in  FIG. 12 , a ridge or other deformation such as deformation  102  in flexible display  14  may be used to indicate the location of button  17 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of another illustrative embodiment of a hybrid component such as component  100  which includes an internal interface component such as internal component  24  and a structural component such as structural component  22  mounted to an actuator such as actuator stage  110 . Component  100  may be recessed in chassis  50 . Actuator stage  110  may be electrically or mechanically raised in direction  112  to temporarily produce deformations such as deformations  102  in flexible display  14 . Deformations  102  in flexible display  14  may indicate the location of internal interface device  24  to a user of device  10 . Actuator stage  110  may be electrically or mechanically lowered in direction  114  to remove deformations  102  in flexible display  14  returning flexible display  14  to its original shape. Component  100  may be an isolated component indicating the location of a single interface component  24  of touch-sensitive layer  14 B or may be one of an array of components  100  indicating the locations of an array of respective interface components  24 . 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of another illustrative embodiment of a component such as structural component  22 . In the arrangement of  FIG. 14 , structural component  22  is mounted an actuator such as actuator stage  110 . Some modes of operating device  10  may require visual interaction with a user of device  10  (e.g., a mode involving the display of images or video). In these visual modes, the location of portion  101  of touch-sensitive layer  14 B of flexible display  14  may be indicated visually using display pixels in flexible display  14 . 
     In other modes of operation of device  10 , a user of device  10  may wish to determine the location of portion  101  without visual aid. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 14 , component  22  may be recessed in support structures  50 . Actuator stage  110  may be electrically or mechanically raised in direction  112  to move structural component  22  into contact with flexible display  14  to temporarily produce deformations such as deformations  102  in flexible display  14 . Deformations  102  may indicate the location of portion  101  to a user of device  10 . When no longer needed for tactile interaction (e.g., upon switching to a video display mode), actuator  110  may be electrically or mechanically moved in direction  114  to lower structural component  22  and remove deformations  102  in flexible display  14 . 
       FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of device  10  in which device  10  includes housing  12  and cover member  122 . Cover member  122  may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. Cover member  122  may be a single structure or may include multiple cover structures. In order to facilitate lifting of cover  122  by a user of device  10 , structural component  22  may be coupled to an actuator  130  which may be used to lift structural component  122  in direction  134 . When lifted, structural component  134  may cause a deformation such as deformation  102  in flexible display  14 . Flexible display  14  may exert a pressure on cover member  122 , lifting cover member  122  in direction  134  allowing the user to grip cover member  122  in order to lift cover member  122  to an open position such as open position  140 . Actuator  130  may then be used to lower structural component  22  in direction  132  in order to allow flexible display  14  to return to its original shape. Actuator  130  may be activated in response to a control signal produced by the user using actuator switch  124  or by a control signal from other suitable control circuitry. 
       FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  in the vicinity of another illustrative embodiment of internal interface component  24 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 16 , interface component  24  may be a pressure sensor that includes a pressure sensing module  140 . Pressure sensing module  140  may be coupled between a contact member such as contact member  142  (which is in contact with flexible display  14 ) and electrical contacts  144 . Pressure may be exerted on flexible display  14  (e.g., by a user of device  10  or due to atmospheric pressure changes in the surrounding environment of device  10 ). Pressure exerted on flexible display  14  may be transmitted to pressure sensing module  140  by contact member  142 . Pressure information may be transmitted to device  10  through electrical contacts  144 . Pressure sensing module  140  may sense pressure changes using piezoelectric, capacitive, inductive, resistive, optical or other mechanisms. Providing device  10  with flexible display  14  allows flexible display  14  to extend over interface component  24 , increasing the area of active region  20 A of flexible display  14 . The presence of flexible display  14  over interface component  24  may also reduce the risk of moisture or dirt entering into the interior of device  10 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20140825
Publication Date: 20181002
Grant Date: 20181002
Priority Date: 20110321
Inventors: ROTHKOPF, FLETCHER R.
MYERS, SCOTT A.
LYNCH, STEPHEN BRIAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F3/0412", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0414", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0412", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 46876931