U.S. patent application number 16/994384 was filed with the patent office on 2020-12-03 for optical system and method to mimic zero-border display.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Paul Stephen Drzaic, Stephen Brian Lynch, Scott Andrew Myers, Benjamin Mark Rappoport, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, John Patrick Ternus.
Application Number | 20200380916 16/994384 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005019917 |
Filed Date | 2020-12-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200380916 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rappoport; Benjamin Mark ;
et al. |
December 3, 2020 |
OPTICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MIMIC ZERO-BORDER DISPLAY
Abstract
A system and methods to extending the overall display area for a
device. At or near the borders of a device, pixel pitch between
adjacent pixels may be increased such that overall pixel placement
may be provided closer to a border of a display of a device. In one
embodiment, pixel drive circuitry may be located in the spacing
between adjacent pixels. Additionally, various optical systems and
techniques may be utilized to provide an appearance of a lack of a
border around the display such as decreasing the size of border
pixels, overdriving the border pixels, or utilizing a light pipe on
a surface above the border pixels.
Inventors: |
Rappoport; Benjamin Mark;
(Santa Barbara, CA) ; Rothkopf; Fletcher R.; (Los
Altos, CA) ; Ternus; John Patrick; (Los Altos Hills,
CA) ; Drzaic; Paul Stephen; (Morgan Hill, CA)
; Myers; Scott Andrew; (Saratoga, CA) ; Lynch;
Stephen Brian; (Portola Valley, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005019917 |
Appl. No.: |
16/994384 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16148928 |
Oct 1, 2018 |
10777129 |
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16994384 |
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15150278 |
May 9, 2016 |
10109232 |
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16148928 |
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13251103 |
Sep 30, 2011 |
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15150278 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09G 2320/0233 20130101;
G09G 3/30 20130101; H01L 27/326 20130101; G09G 2300/0408 20130101;
G09G 2310/0232 20130101; G09G 3/20 20130101; G09G 3/3225 20130101;
G09G 2300/0439 20130101; G09G 2300/0465 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G09G 3/3225 20060101
G09G003/3225; G09G 3/20 20060101 G09G003/20; H01L 27/32 20060101
H01L027/32; G09G 3/30 20060101 G09G003/30 |
Claims
1. A cellular telephone, comprising: a housing having a front face
with a plurality of edges that surround the front face; a display
comprising an array of pixels that forms an active area of the
display, wherein the active area has a first width that extends
between first and second edges of the plurality of edges and a
first height that extends between third and fourth edges of the
plurality of edges; and a transparent cover structure that overlaps
the display, wherein the transparent cover structure redirects
light from the array of pixels and wherein the redirected light has
an effective viewable area with a second width that is larger than
the first width.
2. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 wherein the effective
viewable area has a second height that is larger than the first
height.
3. The cellular telephone defined in claim 2 wherein the active
area has edges that are spaced apart from the plurality of edges by
first distances and wherein the effective viewable area has edges
that are spaced apart from the plurality of edges by second
distances that are less than the respective first distances.
4. The cellular telephone defined in claim 3 wherein the
transparent cover structure that has a first planar portion and a
second portion that is bent out of the plane.
5. The cellular telephone defined in claim 4 wherein the
transparent cover structure has first and second opposing surfaces,
the first surface receiving light from the array of pixels and the
second surface outputting the effective viewable area.
6. The cellular telephone defined in claim 3 wherein the array of
pixels comprises first and second sets of pixels, wherein the
pixels of the first set of pixels are separated by a first
distance, and wherein the pixels of second set of pixels are
separated by a second distance that is greater than the first
distance.
7. The cellular telephone defined in claim 6 wherein the display
further comprises a plurality of drive circuitry elements that
provide control signals to the array of pixels and wherein the
plurality of drive circuitry elements are interspersed with the
pixels of the second set of pixels.
8. The cellular telephone defined in claim 3 wherein the display
further comprises: a passive area that includes no light generating
elements, wherein the passive area surrounds the array of
pixels.
9. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 wherein the housing
wherein the display is formed at the front face, the cellular
telephone further comprising: a speaker at the front face; and a
camera at the front face.
10. The cellular telephone defined in claim 9 wherein the housing
has a plurality of sidewalls that extend from the front face, the
cellular telephone further comprising: a button on one of the
sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls.
11. A cellular telephone comprising: a housing having a front face,
upper and lower peripheral edges of the front face, and first and
second side peripheral edges that extend from the lower peripheral
edge to the upper peripheral edge; a display comprising an array of
pixels that forms an active area of the display, wherein the active
area is separated from the first and second side peripheral edges
by a first distance and is separated from the upper and lower
peripheral edges by a second distance; and a light-redirecting
structure that overlaps the display and redirects light emitted by
the array of pixels to form an effective display area, wherein the
effective display area is separated from the first and second side
peripheral edges by a third distance that is smaller than the first
distance and is separated from the upper and lower peripheral edges
by a fourth distance that is smaller than the second distance.
12. The cellular telephone defined in claim 11 wherein the
light-redirecting structure overlaps the entire array of
pixels.
13. The cellular telephone defined in claim 12 wherein the array of
pixels comprises a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels
that surrounds the first set of pixels, and wherein the
light-redirecting structure has a planar portion that overlaps the
first set of pixels and an angled portion that overlaps the second
set of pixels.
14. The cellular telephone defined in claim 13 wherein the display
further comprises: a passive area that includes no light generating
elements.
15. The cellular telephone defined in claim 14 wherein the second
set of pixels is interposed between the first set of pixels and the
passive area.
16. The cellular telephone defined in claim 14 wherein the
light-redirecting structure has a portion that extends from the
angled portion and that overlaps the passive area.
17. A cellular telephone comprising: a display comprising an array
of pixels that forms an active area of the display, wherein the
active area has a first height and a first width; and a
light-redirecting structure that overlaps the display, wherein the
light-redirecting structure has first and second opposing surfaces,
the first surface receives light from the array of pixels and the
second surface outputs the light, and the outputted light has an
effective area with a second height that is greater than the first
height and a second width that is greater than the first width.
18. The cellular telephone defined in claim 17 further comprising:
a housing having a front face and sidewalls that extend from the
front face, wherein the display is formed at the front face; a
speaker formed at the front face; a camera formed at the front
face; and a button on one of the sidewalls.
19. The cellular telephone defined in claim 18 wherein the
light-redirecting structure comprises a light pipe.
20. The cellular telephone defined in claim 18 wherein the array of
pixels comprises a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels
that surrounds the first set of pixels, wherein the pixels of the
first set of pixels are separated by a first distance, and wherein
the pixels of the second set of pixels are separated by a second
distance that is greater than the first distance.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/148,928, filed Oct. 1, 2018, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/150,278, filed
May 9, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,109,232, which is a division of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/251,103, filed Sep. 30, 2011,
which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to electronic
displays and, more particularly, to increasing overall visible area
for an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
[0003] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various
aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the
present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This
discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with
background information to facilitate a better understanding of the
various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should
be understood that these statements are to be read in this light,
and not as admissions of prior art.
[0004] Flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs)
organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, are commonly used in
a wide variety of electronic devices, including such electronic
devices as televisions, computers, and hand-held devices (e.g.,
cellular telephones, audio and video players, gaming systems, and
so forth). Such display panels typically provide a flat display in
a relatively thin package that is suitable for use in a variety of
electronic goods. In addition, such devices typically use less
power than comparable display technologies, making them suitable
for use in battery-powered devices or in other contexts where it is
desirable to reduce power usage.
[0005] Electronic displays typically include a border around the
display. This border may be utilized to conceal, for example, drive
circuitry used to operate the display. However, use of this border
reduces the overall visible space available to display images.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to implement a system that
increases the overall usable space for a display by reducing the
impact of borders around the display.
SUMMARY
[0006] A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set
forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are
presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of
these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended
to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may
encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.
[0007] Systems and methods are disclosed that extending the overall
visible display area for an electronic device. One technique for
extending the overall viewable area of an electronic device
includes increasing pixel pitch (i.e., the distance between
adjacent pixels) in border regions of the electronic device. In
this manner, drive circuitry elements may be interspersed between
pixel elements of the device in the border region to increase the
overall viewing area of a display of the device. Another technique
may include utilizing a light pipe to transmit light generated in
an active pixel area of the display of the electronic device to an
area that does not generate light, for example, over the area of
the display containing the drive circuitry. Further techniques may
include adjusting the size and or intensity of pixels in a border
region adjacent, for example, drive circuitry in an effort to
extend the overall perceived display area of the electronic
device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood
upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference
to the drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device capable of
performing the techniques disclosed herein, in accordance with an
embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the electronic device of FIG. 1
in the form of a computer, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the electronic device of FIG. 1,
in the form of a handheld device, in accordance with an
embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4A is a top view of an organic light emitting diode
(OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a first
perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 4B is a top view of an organic light emitting diode
(OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a second
perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 5A is second top view of an organic light emitting
diode (OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a
first perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 5B is a second top view of an organic light emitting
diode (OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a
second perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 6A is a third top view of an organic light emitting
diode (OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a
first perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment;
and
[0017] FIG. 6B is a third top view of an organic light emitting
diode (OLED) display of the electronic device of FIG. 1, with a
second perceived active area, in accordance with an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0018] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In
an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments,
not all features of an actual implementation are described in the
specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of
any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design
project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to
achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with
system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary
from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be
appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and
time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of
design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill
having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0019] Present embodiments relate to techniques for efficiently
increasing the perceived display area of a display for an
electronic device. These techniques may include increasing pixel
pitch (i.e., the distance between adjacent pixels) in border
regions of the electronic device and utilizing the empty space
between pixels to include drive circuitry. That is, drive circuitry
elements may be interspersed between pixel elements of the device
in the border region of the device to increase the overall viewing
area of a display of the device.
[0020] Another embodiment may include utilizing a light pipe to
transmit light generated in an active pixel area of the display of
the electronic device to an area that does not generate light. For
example, light may be transmitted via the light pipe to an area of
the display containing the drive circuitry. Additional embodiments
may include adjusting the size and or intensity of pixels in a
border region adjacent to, for example, drive circuitry, in an
effort to extend the overall perceived display area of the
electronic device.
[0021] With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 1 represents a block
diagram of an electronic device 10 employing an organic light
emitting diode (OLED) display 14 employing a greater surface area
as a result of, for example, reduced bordering around the display
14. Among other things, the electronic device 10 may include the
processor(s) 12, the display 14, memory 16, nonvolatile storage 18,
input structures 20, an input/output (I/O) interface 22, network
interface(s) 24, and/or an expansion card 26. In alternative
embodiments, the electronic device 10 may include more or fewer
components than those listed above
[0022] In general, the processor(s) 12 may govern the operation of
the electronic device 10. The processor(s) 12 may provide the
processing capability to execute the operating system, programs,
user and application interfaces, and any other functions of the
electronic device 10. The processor(s) 12 may include one or more
microprocessors, such as one or more "general-purpose"
microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors and/or
ASICS, or some combination of such processing components. For
example, the processor(s) 12 may include one or more reduced
instruction set (RISC) processors, as well as graphics processors,
video processors, audio processors and/or related chip sets.
[0023] The instructions or data to be processed by the processor(s)
12 may be stored in a computer-readable medium, such as a memory
16. Such a memory 16 may be provided as a volatile memory, such as
random access memory (RAM), and/or as a non-volatile memory, such
as read-only memory (ROM). The memory 16 may store a variety of
information and may be used for various purposes. For example, the
memory 16 may store firmware for the electronic device 10 (such as
a basic input/output instruction or operating system instructions),
various programs, applications, or routines executed on the
electronic device 10, user interface functions, processor
functions, and so forth. In addition, the memory 16 may be used for
buffering or caching during operation of the electronic device
10.
[0024] The components of electronic device 10 may further include
other forms of computer-readable media, such as a non-volatile
storage 18, for persistent storage of data and/or instructions. The
non-volatile storage 18 may include flash memory, a hard drive, or
any other optical, magnetic, and/or solid-state storage media. The
non-volatile storage 18 may be used, for example, to store
firmware, data files, software, wireless connection information,
and any other suitable data.
[0025] In some embodiments, based on instructions loaded into the
memory 16 from the nonvolatile storage 18, the processor(s) 12 may
respond to user touch gestures input via the display 14. The
display 14 may be an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
Accordingly, the display 14 may be used to display various images
generated by the device 10. Additionally, in certain embodiments of
the electronic device 10, the display 14 may be provided in
conjunction with touch-sensitive element, such as a touch screen,
that may be used as part of the control interface for the device
10. In this manner, the display 14 may represent one of the input
structures 20 by providing interactive functionality, thus allowing
a user to navigate the displayed interface by touching the display
10.
[0026] Other input structures 20 may include, for example, buttons,
sliders, switches, control pads, keys, knobs, scroll wheels,
keyboards, mice, touchpads, and so forth. Accordingly, the input
structures 20 may include various devices and/or circuitry by which
user input or feedback is provided to the processor(s) 12. For
example, the input structures 20 may allow a user to navigate a
displayed user interface or application interface. In this way, the
displayed interface may provide interactive functionality, allowing
a user to navigate the displayed interface by touching the display
10.
[0027] The electronic device may also include an I/O interface 22.
The I/O interface 22 may enable the electronic device 10 to
transmit data to and receive data from other electronic devices 10
and/or various peripheral devices. The I/O interface 22 may thus
include ports configured to connect to a variety of external
devices, such as a power source, headset or headphones, external
keyboards, mice, or other electronic devices (such as handheld
devices and/or computers, printers, projectors, external displays,
modems, docking stations, and so forth). The I/O interface 22 may
support any interface type, such as a universal serial bus (USB)
port, a video port, a serial connection port, an IEEE-1394 port,
and/or an Ethernet or modem port.
[0028] Additionally, the electronic device 10 may include a network
interface 24 that may include a network controller or a network
interface card (NIC). Thus, in one embodiment, the network
interface 24 may be a wireless NIC providing wireless connectivity
over any 802.11 standard or any other suitable wireless networking
standard. The network interface 24 may allow the electronic device
10 to communicate over a network, such as a personal area network
(PAN) (e.g., Bluetooth), a local area network (LAN) (e.g., Wi-Fi),
a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., 3G or 4G).
[0029] The embodiment of the electronic device 10 illustrated in
FIG. 1 may also include one or more card or expansion slots. The
card slots may be configured to receive an expansion card 26 that
may be used to add functionality, such as additional memory, I/O
functionality, or networking capability, to the electronic device
10. Such an expansion card 26 may connect to the device through any
type of suitable connector, and may be accessed internally or
external to the housing of the electronic device 10. For example,
in one embodiment, the expansion card 26 may be flash memory card,
such as a SecureDigital (SD) card, mini- or microSD, CompactFlash
card, Multimedia card (MMC), or the like.
[0030] Additionally, the electronic device 10 may also include a
power source 28. In one embodiment, the power source 28 may be one
or more batteries, such as a lithium-ion polymer battery or other
type of suitable battery. The battery may be user-removable or may
be secured within the housing of the electronic device 10, and may
be rechargeable. Additionally, the power source 28 may include AC
power, such as provided by an electrical outlet, and the electronic
device 10 may be connected to the power source 28 via a power
adapter. This power adapter may also be used to recharge one or
more batteries of the electronic device 10, if present.
[0031] One embodiment of the electronic device 10 of FIG. 1 is
illustrated in FIG. 2. Specifically, FIG. 2 illustrates the
electronic device 10 in the form of a computer 30. The computer 30
may be generally portable (such as a laptop, a notebook computer, a
tablet computer, a netbook, and so forth) and may be a model of a
MacBook.RTM., MacBook.RTM. Pro, MacBook Air.RTM., iMac.RTM.,
Mac.RTM. mini, or Mac Pro.RTM. available from Apple Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif. In another embodiment, the electronic device 10
may be a tablet computing device, such as an iPad.RTM. available
from Apple Inc. By way of example, a laptop computer 30 is
illustrated in FIG. 3 and represents an embodiment of the
electronic device 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the
present disclosure. Among other things, the computer 30 includes a
housing 32, the display 14 (such as the depicted OLED display
panel), input structures 20, and input/output interfaces 22. In one
embodiment, the input structures 20 (such as a keyboard and/or
touchpad) may enable interaction with the computer 30, such as to
start, control, or operate a graphical user interface (GUI) or
applications running on the computer 30. For example, a keyboard
and/or touchpad may allow a user to navigate a user interface or
application interface displayed on the display 14. Also as
depicted, the computer 30 may also include various I/O interfaces
22, such as a USB port or other ports suitable for connecting to
other electronic devices. In addition, the computer 30 may include
network connectivity, memory, and storage capabilities, as
described with respect to FIG. 1.
[0032] As illustrated, the computer 30 may have a perceived active
area 34 for the display 14 on which a user may perceive images as
being displayed. As will be discussed in greater detail below with
respect to FIGS. 4A-6B, techniques may be implemented in the
computer 30 to increase the size of this perceived active area 34
to perceived active area 36. That is, techniques will be discussed
to generate the perceived active area 36, effectively shrinking the
border area 38 surrounding the display 14 and, thus, providing a
user an effective larger display 14 area.
[0033] In addition to computers, such as the depicted laptop
computer 30 of FIG. 2, the electronic device 10 may take other
forms, such as the electronic handheld device 40 depicted in FIG.
3. It should be noted that while the depicted handheld device 40 is
provided in the context of a cellular telephone, other types of
handheld devices (such as media players for playing music and/or
video, a camera or video recorder, personal data organizers,
handheld game platforms, and/or combinations of such devices) may
also be suitably provided as the electronic device 10. Further, a
suitable handheld device 40 may incorporate the functionality of
more than one of these types of devices, such as a device that
incorporates the functionality of two or more of a media player, a
cellular phone, a gaming platform, a personal data organizer, and
so forth. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the handheld
device 40 is in the form of a cellular telephone that may provide
various additional functionalities (such as the ability to take
pictures, record audio and/or video, listen to music, play games,
and so forth). Moreover, as discussed with respect to the
electronic device 10 of FIG. 1, the handheld device 40 may allow a
user to connect to and communicate through the Internet or through
other networks, such as local or wide area networks. Additionally,
the handheld device 40 also may communicate with other devices
using short-range connections, such as Bluetooth and/or near field
communication (NFC). By way of example, the handheld device 40 may
be a model of an iPod.RTM. or iPhone.RTM. available from Apple
Inc.
[0034] The handheld device 40 may include a display 14 that may
include an OLED display panel. The display 14 may be used to
display a graphical user interface (GUI), which may allows a user
to interact with the handheld device 40. For example, the GUI may
include graphical elements that represent applications and
functions of the electronic device such as icons 35 and/or
indicators 37. The icons 35 may be selected and/or activated via a
touch screen included in the display 10, or may be selected by a
user input structure 20, such as a wheel or button. The handheld
device may further include other elements, such as a camera 39 and
a speaker 41.
[0035] The handheld device 40 may also include an enclosure 42 or
body that protects the interior components of the handheld
electronic device 40 from physical damage and shields them from
electromagnetic interference. The enclosure may be formed from any
suitable material such as plastic, metal or a composite material
and may allow certain frequencies of electromagnetic radiation to
pass through to wireless communication circuitry within the
handheld device 40 to facilitate wireless communication.
[0036] The handheld device 40 also includes user input structures
20, through which a user may interface with the device. Each user
input structure 20 may be configured to help control a device
function of the handheld device 40 when actuated. For example, in a
cellular telephone implementation, one or more of the input
structures 20 may be configured to invoke a "home" screen or menu
to be displayed, to toggle between a sleep and a wake mode, to
silence a ringer for a cell phone application, to increase or
decrease a volume output, and so forth. The handheld device 40 may
additionally include various I/O interfaces 22 that allow
connection of the handheld device 40 to external devices. For
example, one I/O interface 22 may be a port that allows the
transmission and reception of data or commands between the handheld
device 40 and another electronic device, such as the computer 30.
Such a port may be a proprietary port from Apple Inc. or may be an
open standard I/O port. Another I/O interface 22 may include a
headphone jack to allow a headset to connect to the handheld device
40.
[0037] Furthermore, similar to the computer 30 illustrated in FIG.
2, the handheld device 40 may have a perceived active area 34 for
the display 14 on which a user may perceive images as being
displayed. As will be discussed in greater detail below with
respect to FIGS. 4A-6B, techniques may be implemented in the
handheld device 40 to increase the size of this perceived active
area 34 to perceived active area 36. That is, techniques will be
discussed to generate the perceived active area 36, effectively
shrinking the border area 38 surrounding the display 14 and, thus,
providing a user an effective larger display 14 area.
[0038] With the foregoing discussion in mind, it may be appreciated
that an electronic device 10 in either the form of a computer 30 or
a handheld device 40 may be provided with a display 14 that
includes an OLED display panel or layer. Such a display 14 may be
utilized to display the respective operating system and application
interfaces running on the electronic device 10 and/or to display
data, images, or other visual outputs associated with an operation
of the electronic device 10. Furthermore, techniques to increase
the perceived size of this display 14 will be discussed below.
[0039] Turning now to FIG. 4A, one embodiment of a display 14 for
use in an electronic device 10, as discussed above, is depicted.
FIG. 4A illustrates a top view of the display 14 of the electronic
device 10, which may be an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The
display 14 may be made up of pixels 44 disposed in a pixel array or
matrix. In such an array, each pixel 44 may be defined by the
intersection of rows and columns, represented here columns 46, 48,
and 50. In one embodiment, pixels 44 in column 46 may represent red
pixels (i.e., pixels 44 that are used to generate red light),
pixels 44 in column 48 may represent green pixels (i.e., pixels 44
that are used to generate green light), and pixels 44 in column 48
may represent blue pixels (i.e., pixels 44 that are used to
generate blue light). Although only eighty one pixels 44 are shown
for purposes of simplicity, it should be understood that in an
actual implementation, each pixel array may include thousands,
hundreds of thousands, or millions of such pixels 44. Moreover, in
some embodiments, three pixels 44 of three different colors (e.g.,
red, green, and blue) may be stacked atop each other rather than
side-by-side.
[0040] Thus, as shown in the present embodiment, each pixel 44
includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED) capable of emitting
light of a particular color. Each unit pixel 44 may be electrically
connected drive circuitry, represented in column 52. This drive
circuitry may select any particular pixel on a given line
(horizontal selection) and column (vertical selection). Thus, the
drive circuitry in column 52 may operate to activate and/or provide
a brightness control signal to any given pixel 44 in the array. In
conjunction, as various pixels 44 are activated, an overall image
is generated on the display 14.
[0041] In addition to drive circuitry in column 52, the display 14
includes an inactive border area 54. This inactive border 54 area
may correspond to a mask, which may be a dark area through which no
light may be emitted. Thus, the display 14 may include an active
area 56 that includes each of the pixels 44 in the array (e.g.,
light emitting elements), as well as a passive area 58 of the
display 14 that includes no light generating elements. As such, the
viewable area 60 of the display 14 (i.e., the area of the display
that is illuminated to a user) corresponds to the size of the
active area 56. This is further shown in FIG. 4A with respect to a
side view of a protective covering surface 62 that may cover the
display 14 and extend to, for example, the enclosure 42 or body
that protects the interior components of the handheld electronic
device 40. In one embodiment, this protective covering surface 62
may be touch screen such as a glass-based capacitive touch panel.
As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the viewable area 60 corresponds to the
perceived active area 34 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Past the
viewable area 60, the border 38 (i.e., non-illuminated portion of
display 14) is present.
[0042] FIG. 4B illustrates a technique to extend the perceived
active area 34 of FIG. 4A to the perceived active area 36
illustrated in FIG. 4B. FIG. 4B illustrates the display 14 with
pixels 44 aligned in columns 46, 48, and 50, as previously
discussed with respect to FIG. 4A. Additionally, FIG. 4B
illustrates drive circuitry, represented in column 52 and the
inactive border area 54 as previously discussed with respect to
FIG. 4A. As such, the display 14 in FIG. 4B has an identical active
area 56 and passive area 58 as illustrated in FIG. 4A. However, the
viewable area 64 of the display 14 in FIG. 4B differs from the
viewable area 60 in FIG. 4A.
[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the viewable area 64 of the
display 14 (i.e., the area of the display that is illuminated to a
user) covers both the pixels 44 and the drive circuitry in column
52. This extension of the viewable area 64 with respect to viewable
area 60 may be accomplished by modification of the protective
covering surface 62. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the protective
covering surface 62 may include a flat area 70 that extends over a
portion of the pixel array. This flat area 70 may cover, for
example, approximately 50%, 60%, 66%, 70%, 75% or more of the pixel
array of the display 14. Extending from this flat area 70 of the
protective covering surface 62 is a light pipe 66. The light pipe
66 may function to transport or distribute light from the pixel
array across, for example, the drive circuitry area in column 52 of
the display 14 to generate a perceived active area 36 corresponding
to the perceived active area 36 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0044] In one embodiment, the light pipe 66 may extend the
thickness of the protective covering surface 62 by an amount 72
equal to, for example, approximately 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 33%, 40%,
45%, 50% or more of the thickness of the protective covering
surface 62 in flat area 70. Additionally, the light pipe may extend
from the flat area 70 of the protective covering surface 62 at an
angle 68 of, for example, approximately 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%,
30%, 33%, 40% or more with respect to the flat area 70. In this
manner, through the use of the light pipe 66, the viewable area 64
of the display 14 covers both the pixels 44 and the drive circuitry
in column 52, thus generating a perceived active area 36 greater
than perceived active area 34 of FIG. 4A.
[0045] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate another technique to extend the
perceived active area 34 of an electronic device 10 to a perceived
active area 36. FIG. 5A illustrates a display 14 of the electronic
device 10 that includes pixels 44 aligned in columns 46, 48, and
50, drive circuitry, represented in column 52, and an inactive
border area 54 as previously discussed with respect to FIG. 4A. In
this configuration, the display 14 of FIG. 5A has an active area
56, passive area 58, and viewable area 60 similar to those
illustrated in FIG. 4A. A technique to extend this viewable area 60
of FIG. 5A is illustrated in FIG. 5B.
[0046] FIG. 5B illustrates a configuration of the display 14 that
extends the viewable area 60 (and, thus, the perceived active area
34 of the display 14) of FIG. 5A. FIG. 5B illustrates the display
14 with pixels 44 aligned in columns 46, 48, and 50, as previously
discussed with respect to FIG. 5A. These columns 46, 48, and 50 may
be separated from both the drive circuitry in column 52 and the
inactive border area 54 by an active border area 84, represented by
columns 74, 76, 78, and 80. That is, an active area 82 includes
pixels 44 aligned in columns 46, 48, and 50, while the active
border area 84 includes pixels 44 intermixed with drive circuitry
elements 81. In this manner the pixel pitch (i.e., the distance
between pixels) at the border area (the area of the display
adjacent the drive circuitry in column 52 and the inactive border
area 54) is increased relative to the pixel pitch of the pixels 44
in the active area 82 (i.e., a central area of the display 14
adjacent the border area) such that a pixel 44 may be spaced apart
from a neighboring pixel 44 and separated therefrom by a drive
circuit element.
[0047] In the illustrated example in FIG. 5B, it should be noted
that the equivalent of columns 46, 48, 50, and drive circuitry
column 52 are interlaced to generate columns 74, 76, 78, and 80.
That is, red, green, and blue pixels 44 are interspersed drive
circuitry elements 81. Moreover, it is noted that during the
interspersing of the pixels 44 and drive elements 81, no pixel 44
in any of the columns 74, 76, 78, or 80 is placed directly above,
below, to the left, or to the right of a similarly colored pixel
44. By avoiding placement of adjacent similar colored pixels 44,
undesirable visual artifacts may be minimized. Moreover, while one
particular configuration of the interspersed of pixels 44 with
drive circuitry elements 81 is illustrated in FIG. 5B, it should be
noted that other configurations are contemplated.
[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 5B, by interspersing drive circuitry
in columns 74, 76, 78, and 80 of the active border area 84, a
viewable area 86 may be generated. It should be noted that this
viewable area 86 is larger than the viewable area 60 of FIG. 5A.
That is, while viewable area 60 of FIG. 5A corresponds to perceived
active area 34 of the display 14, the viewable area 86 of FIG. 5B
corresponds to perceived active area 36 of the display 14. In this
manner, a user viewing the display 14 of FIG. 5B will perceive the
display to be larger than a user viewing the display 14 of FIG.
5A.
[0049] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an additional technique to extend
the perceived active area 34 of an electronic device 10 to a
perceived active area 36. FIG. 6A illustrates a display 14 of the
electronic device 10 that includes pixels 44 aligned in columns 46,
48, and 50, drive circuitry, represented in column 52, and an
inactive border area 54 as previously discussed with respect to
FIGS. 4A and 5A. In this configuration, the display 14 of FIG. 6A
has an active area 56, passive area 58, and viewable area 60
similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 5A. A technique to
extend this viewable area 60 of FIG. 6A is illustrated in FIG.
6B.
[0050] FIG. 6B illustrates a configuration of the display 14 that
extends the viewable area 60 (and, thus, the perceived active area
34 of the display 14) of FIG. 6A. FIG. 6B illustrates the display
14 with pixels 44 aligned in columns 46, 48, and 50, as previously
discussed with respect to FIG. 6A. These columns 46, 48, and 50 may
be grouped into an active area 88 and a condensed active area 90,
as illustrated in FIG. 6B. In one embodiment, the pixels 44 in the
active area 88 are identically sized to the pixels in active area
56 of FIG. 6A. In contrast, the pixels 44 in the condensed active
area 90 may be smaller than the pixels in the active area 88 of
FIG. 6B. In one embodiment, the pixels 44 in the condensed active
area 90 may be equal to, for example, approximately 20%, 25%, 30%,
33%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75% the size of the pixels 44 in the
active area 88 of FIG. 6B. In addition, the pixels 44 in the
condensed active area 90 of FIG. 6B may be driven at a greater
intensity than the pixels 44 in the active area 88. For example,
the pixels 44 in the condensed active area 90 may driven at an
intensity equal to approximately 110%, 120%, 125%, 130%, 133%,
140%, 145%, 150%, 160%, 170%, 175%, 200%, 250%, or 300% of the
intensity that the pixels 44 in the active area 88 of FIG. 6B are
driven. That is, the pixels 44 in the condensed active area 90
(i.e., a border area of the display 14 adjacent the drive
circuitry) may be sized differently and driven differently than
pixels 44 in the active area 88 (i.e., a central area of the
display 14 adjacent the border area).
[0051] Accordingly, through the use of smaller pixels 44 driven at
a greater intensity in the condensed active area 90, viewable area
92 may be generated. It should be noted that this viewable area 92
is larger than the viewable area 60 of FIG. 6A. That is, while
viewable area 60 of FIG. 5A corresponds to perceived active area 34
of the display 14, the viewable area 92 of FIG. 5B corresponds to
perceived active area 36 of the display 14. In this manner, a user
viewing the display 14 of FIG. 6B will perceive the display to be
larger than a user viewing the display 14 of FIG. 6A.
[0052] The specific embodiments described above have been shown by
way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments
may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms.
It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to
be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover
all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the
spirit and scope of this disclosure.
* * * * *