US 2019/0317635 A1 · OPTICAL SENSORS DISPOSED BENEATH THE DISPLAY OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Abstract

Various embodiments concern sensors and other components that can be disposed beneath a variable transparency layer of a mobile device. By modifying how much voltage is applied to the variable transparency layer, a component, such as a camera, can be readily hidden when not in use. More specifically, the variable transparency layer may be substantially opaque when the camera is not in use and at least partially transparent when the camera is in use and ready to capture an image. The opacity level of the variable transparency layer can be modified by a voltage source that is electrically coupled to the variable transparency layer. The various levels of opacity could also enable the variable transparency layer to act as an electronic aperture for the camera.

Claims8

Dependent claims

1-20. (canceled)

An electronic device comprising:

a display, a portion of said display comprising a first variable transparency region defining a variably light transmissive aperture through said display, wherein the first variable transparency region is operable from transparent to opaque in response to a signal applied thereto;
and
a sensor disposed directly beneath the first variable transparency region;
wherein light is received by the sensor through said display said when said first variable transparency region is operated to be transparent;
and
wherein said first variable transparency region is opaque when said first variable transparency segment is operated to be opaque.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/450,727Filed 24 Jun 2019

Priority

30 Oct 2015

Published

17 Oct 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 3/0412
Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means: digitisers structurally integrated in a display
G06F 1/1626
For portable computers: with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
G06F 1/1637
Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626:…
G06F 1/1643
Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing: the display being associated to…

Family

Application62/249,130Us provisional application · filed 30 Oct 2015

Application62/318,123Us provisional application · filed 4 Apr 2016

Application15/336,620Continuation · filed 27 Oct 2016

Application16/450,727Continuation

US 10,331,260 B2Related patent

US 10,986,255 B2Related patent

US 2017/0123575 A1Published application

US 2019/0317635 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Optical sensors disposed beneath the display of an electronic device

Life of this patent

Optical sensors disposed beneath the display of an electronic device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8