Device display with a touch sensor

A device display with touch sensor, the display comprising:

• a housing bezel with a bezel aperture;
• a clear substrate;
• a display panel;
• a circuit board having a display aperture, the circuit board abutting the clear substrate and the display panel abutting the circuit board, wherein the clear substrate, circuit board, and display panel are assembled with the housing bezel such that a portion of the display can be viewed through the bezel aperture, through the clear substrate, and through the display aperture;
• and
• a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed around the display aperture of the circuit board, wherein the sensor electrodes are at least partially disposed under the housing bezel, as viewed through the bezel aperture, and wherein the clear substrate includes an opaque coating covering any sensor electrodes exposed within the bezel aperture as viewed through the bezel aperture.

A device display with touch sensor, the display comprising:

• a housing bezel with a bezel aperture;
• a clear substrate;
• a display panel;
• a circuit board having a display aperture of the same size as the bezel aperture, the circuit board abutting the clear substrate and the display panel abutting the circuit board, wherein the clear substrate, circuit board, and display panel are assembled with the housing bezel such that the display aperture and bezel aperture are aligned and a portion of the display can be viewed through the bezel aperture, through the clear substrate, and through the display aperture;
• a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed around the display aperture of the circuit board, wherein the sensor electrodes are wholly disposed under the housing bezel, as viewed through the bezel aperture, and
• a capacitive touch controller coupled to the sensor electrodes, the controller operable to generate an electric field between sensor electrodes such that the electric field extends through and above the clear substrate within the bezel aperture, and the controller also operable to detect a disturbance in the electric field above the clear substrate within the bezel aperture, and wherein the display panel is configured to display an icon in proximity to an electric field of the sensor electrodes near a periphery of the bezel aperture, the icon configured to represent a function, wherein disturbance of the electric field in proximity to the icon will cause the touch controller to initiate the execution of that function.