Patent Application
20190235574
Next-generation computing devices have a constant pressure to evolve features without increasing costs. One such example pertains to an active display area of a computing device. Users oftentimes desire more room dedicated to rendering content without affecting an overall size of the corresponding display device. In other words, the users desire more rendering capability in a same-sized display device. However, various factors can impose restrictions on how large of an area in the display device can be used to render content, as well as affect the overall cost of providing such a display device to the user. For example, some features necessitate that the display device includes a setback region to ensure the display device performs reliably. However, the setback region occupies valuable space without providing the ability to render content in that region. Accordingly, providing a larger active area in a same-sized display can be difficult to design and/or manufacture.
Embodiments for virtual cutout regions in a display are described with reference to the following Figures. The same numbers may be used throughout to reference like features and components that are shown in the Figures:
Various embodiments provide a virtual cutout in a dual panel display. Aspects of the dual panel display include at least one active partition between the dual panels, where the active partition includes electronic display circuitry disposed on a substrate. When activated, the active partition can be used to render content. Alternately or additionally, the dual panel display includes a virtual cutout within the structure of the dual panel display. Various implementations interpose the virtual cutout between the dual panels of the dual panel display, where the virtual cutout is devoid of electronic display circuitry and provides, in at least some embodiments, visibility through the dual panel display. Some implementations physically locate interactive components in regions associated with the virtual cutout to enable access to the interactive components without using a physical cutout.
While features and concepts for virtual cutouts in a display device using pattern masking can be implemented in any number of different devices, systems, environments, and/or configurations, embodiments for virtual cutouts using pattern masking are described in the context of the following example devices, systems, and methods.
Multilayer display 104 generally represents a display device that uses multiple different layers of composition to generate an electronic device capable of displaying images. In some implementations, multilayer display represents a dual panel display device that includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and electronic display circuitry disposed on a substrate and interposed between the top panel and the bottom panel. The multilayer display uses the electronic display circuitry, which resides in-between the top panel and bottom panel, to render content. Alternately or additionally, a multilayer display can include various combinations of organic and nonorganic layers to generate the electronic display circuitry (e.g., substrate layer(s), photoresist layer(s), transistor device layer(s), insulation layer(s), sealant layer(s), etc.). As one skilled in the art will appreciated, careful selection of how different materials are layered, where the different layers are electronically coupled, and where the different layers are electronically insulated from one another generates regions within multilayer display 104 that have electronic display circuitry that can be activated by computing device 102 to render content. For example, careful selection of the layer ordering, points of electronic coupling, and/or points of electronic isolation can generate electronic pixel components that, when activated, render a digital image and, at the same time, provide one or more virtual cutouts as described below. Multilayer display 104 can be any suitable type of display such as, by way of example and not limitation, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and/or a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
Multilayer display 104 includes active partition(s) 106 and virtual cutout(s) 108. Active partitions 106 represent regions of multilayer display 104 that are capable of electronically displaying content, while virtual cutouts 108 represent regions of multilayer display 104 that provide unobstructed viewing through multilayer display 104. For example, some implementations of active partitions 106 include pixel components generated by electronically coupling and/or insulating various layers included in multilayer display 104. Conversely, virtual cutouts 108 are vacant of any pixel components, thus generating a window of visibility through multilayer display 104. In other words, virtual cutouts 108 are part of the physical structure of multilayer display 104, but are devoid of electronic display circuitry in order to provide visibility through the display and/or access to functionality other than content-rendering display functionality as further described herein. A virtual cutout can include any type of pattern and/or geometry, including a notch, such as an angular, v-shaped, and/or u-shaped notch. Various implementations generate virtual cutouts 108, and/or active partitions 106, in the structure of multilayer display 104 by using a pattern masking process as further described herein.
In environment 100, active partitions 106 of multilayer display 104 follow a generally rectangular shape with the exclusion of, in this example, a trapezoidal shape near the top, where the trapezoidal shape corresponds to virtual cutouts 108 of multilayer display 104. However, active partitions and virtual cutouts can be configured in any other suitable shape can be used without departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter. For example, this example demonstrates a singular and contiguous active partition, and a singular and contiguous virtual cutout, but other implementations can include multiple active partitions and/or multiple virtual cutouts that are contiguous, separated, or any combination thereof. As one example, a virtual cutout can reside in a middle of multilayer display where an active partition surrounds the virtual cutout on all sides by an active partition. Accordingly, using pattern masking to generate virtual cutouts provides the flexibility to place virtual cutouts and/or active partition at any suitable location.
Computing device 102 also includes interactive component(s) 110 in the form of a dual camera that includes two camera lenses. Here, the camera lenses are physically located in a region corresponding to virtual cutouts 108. In turn, this positioning provides the camera lenses with visibility through multilayer display 104. However, computing device 102 can physically locate any other type of component in a region corresponding to a virtual cutout, such as a scanner (e.g., fingerprint, eye, facial, etc.), an audible output device, a microphone, a haptic sensor, a haptic feedback component, and so forth. Here, interactive components 110 visibly occupy regions of the multilayer display that could otherwise be used to display content. Since virtual cutouts 108 provide a window through multilayer display 104, the placement of virtual cutouts 108 corresponds to the placement of interactive components 110 to provide access and/or visibility into the interactive components.
Computing device 102 also includes processor(s) 200 and computer-readable media 202, which includes memory media 204 and storage media 206. Applications and/or an operating system (not shown) embodied as computer-readable instructions on computer-readable media 202 are executable by processor(s) 200 to provide some, or all, of the functionalities described herein. For example, various embodiments can access an operating system module, which provides high-level access to underlying hardware functionality by obscuring implementation details from a calling program, such as protocol messaging, register configuration, memory access, and so forth. In one or more implementations, applications and/or operating systems work in conjunction with one another to drive the display of content on multilayer display 104. Computing device 102 also includes interactive components 110 to provide an interactive user experience, example of which are provided herein. Various embodiments physically locate interactive components 110 at locations corresponding to virtual cutouts 108.
Having described an example operating environment in which various implementations can be utilized, consider now a discussion of pattern masks used to generate virtual cutouts in a layered display device in accordance with one or more implementations.
One of the challenges in evolving computing devices pertains to making the devices more affordable, evolving functionality included within the device, and maintaining a same or reduced device size relative to previous devices. For instance, some users desire a next generation computing device to have larger active display region relative to previous devices without increasing the physical size of the display device. However, reconciling both of these demands can pose challenges. As an example, some computing devices visibly display interactive components that appropriate regions of the display that could otherwise be used to render content. In turn, this reduces how much of the display can be allocated to active partitions that render content. Accordingly, evolving the display functionality of a next-generation device oftentimes has a need to balance how much of the display can be allocated to rendering content, and how much of the display can be allocated to interactive components, such as fingerprint pads, cameras and the like.
To demonstrate, consider
Determining the length and height of a corresponding cutout can be based upon any suitable factor, such as a predetermined number and/or type of interactive components designated to be visibly accessible through the display. As illustrated in both display 300a and display 300b, the cutout creates an absence of structure and/or absence of substance in the multilayer display. Accordingly, trapezoidal cutout 302 has removed portions of structure from display 300a to accommodate and expose interactive components. In other words, the top panel, bottom panel, and/or internal structure of the multilayer display have been physically cut in the shape of trapezoidal cutout 302 to make room for the interactive components. In turn, the interactive components occupy the region of the physical cutout in the absence of structure corresponding to trapezoidal cutout 302.
While cutting out a portion of a display device provides a way to accommodate interactive components, the physical cutouts have drawbacks. For instance, manufacturing a physical cutout in the multilayer display increases the costs of manufacturing the multilayer display. To generate the modified rectangular shape, a first process uses a cutting tool with a particular size and/or diameter to cut the rectangular shape. In order to achieve the finer shaping of the physical cutout, a second process uses a second cutting tool with finer granularity relative to the first cutting tool to physically cut the notch out of the rectangular shape. In other words, the process uses a two-step process with two or more separate cutting tools to generate the physical cutout. These separate processes and/or the separate cutting tools increase the manufacturing costs and complexities of generating a display with a physical cutout, which is then passed on to the consumer in the form of a higher-priced computing device.
Another downside to a physical cutout corresponds to unavoidable setbacks that occupy valuable display regions. When a display includes a physical cutout, setbacks around the cutout are used to ensure proper internal sealing between the physical cutout and active partitions in order to reduce the probability of the active regions failing. In
Various embodiments provide a virtual cutout in a multi-layered, dual panel display. Aspects of the dual panel display include at least one active partition between the dual panels, where the active partition includes electronic display circuitry disposed on a substrate. When activated, the active partition can be used to render content. Alternately or additionally, the dual panel display includes a virtual cutout within the structure of the dual panel display without making physical cuts to the top panel and/or the bottom panel.
To demonstrate, now consider
To illustrate, first consider the shape of virtual cutout 404, which is a generally trapezoidal shape having an arbitrary length 406 and arbitrary height 408. In some implementations, the length and height of virtual cutout 404 can be larger than the length and height used for trapezoidal cutout 302 of
Virtual cutouts also provide more space for interactive components, relative to physical cutouts, without negatively affecting the size of active partitions, since virtual cutouts reduce the size of a setback region. In
In the example described with respect to
In mask 500, active region 502 designates areas of a corresponding multilayer display capable of rendering content, and cutout region 504a and cutout region 504b designate areas in the corresponding multilayer display that are transparent and/or provide a window through the multiple layers and/or panels of the multilayer display. In this example, active region 502 is generally rectangular, with the exception of two modifications to the rectangle. The first modification, cutout region 504a, has the shape of half an ellipse, and is located at the upper short-end of the rectangle. The second modification, cutout region 504b, is located at an opposite edge of cutout region 504a, and it positioned at the lower short-end of the rectangle. While this example illustrates each of the cutouts at an edge of the corresponding multilayer display, a virtual cutout can be located in any suitable region, such as in the middle of active region 502 where all sides of the cutout are surrounded by an active partition. Some implementations base the shapes and sizes of virtual cutouts on an anticipated interactive component. For example, the shape of cutout region 504b corresponds to a fingerprint scanner incorporated into the multilayer display, while the shape of cutout region 504a corresponds to a dual camera being incorporated into the multilayer display. However, the shape and/or size can be based on any other suitable type of interactive component, such as an audio output module, an eye scanner, etc.
In various implementations, a fabrication process uses mask 500 to generate a multilayer display. As one skilled in the art will appreciated, a multilayer display can include multiple layers of different materials that are used to form electronic display circuitry. For instance, a semiconductor fabrication process can form a first layer of material used in electronic display circuitry, and then alter the first layer to form a predetermined pattern corresponding to data lines, groves, isolation buffers, and so forth. After completing alterations to the first layer, the semiconductor fabrication process then applies a second layer of material on top of the first layer, and modifies the second layer to form data lines, grooves, isolation buffers, etc. This process generally repeats for the different layers to create connections and/or isolation points between the different layers at decisive locations to form electronic display circuitry. Accordingly, the fabrication process can include applying and/or removing temporary substances, developing and/or ash-ing off substances, exposing various regions and/or layers to lasers and/or light, and so forth, to form connections and/or isolation points at the decisive locations. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the respective alterations to each layer can vary from layer to layer.
To illustrate, consider a semiconductor material with light-emitting properties, such as indium gallium nitride. By placing a layer of indium gallium nitride on top of a transparent substrate layer, and making particular traces, patterns, connections, and/or isolations between the layers, the process can generate a light-emitting diode (LED). Selectively activating the LED with the proper amount of voltage to the corresponding leads causes the LED to emit light. In a similar manner, a multilayer display device can layer, connect, isolate, and/or trace several different compositions of semiconductor material, substrates, barrier materials, and so forth to form components capable of rendering content (e.g., LEDs, pixel components, subpixel components, etc.). Various implementations apply mask 500 to various layers as a way to form virtual cutout regions and/or active partitions in a multilayer display as further described herein.
To demonstrate, consider
Various implementations initially coat layer 600 with a second material that is used to form a mask layer, such as a light-sensitive material. In
To form mask 500 out of photoresist 602, some implementations use a light pattern mask to selectively expose and protect regions of photoresist 602 to/from light. Generally, a light pattern mask represents a light mask that administers which regions of photoresist 602 are exposed to light, and which regions of photoresist 602 are blocked from the light. In
In this example, photoresist 602 represents a negative photoresist material. Because of this, the regions of photoresist 602 exposed to light maintain structure during the developing process, and the regions of photoresist 602 blocked from light dissolve during the developing process. This generates patterned mask layer 608 that represents a modified version of photoresist 602 to form mask 500 out of the photoresist material. Here the portions of patterned mask layer 608 that have maintained structure define active partitions, and the portions of patterned mask layer 608 that have dissolved define virtual cutouts. As can be seen, virtual cutout region 610a corresponds to cutout region 504a of
After forming patterned mask layer 608 on layer 600, the combined structure of layer 600 and patterned mask layer 608 can be exposed to other types of processing actions, such as a processing action that dissolves layer 600 to generate a virtual cutout. Here, the photoresist material acts as an insulator. Accordingly, any processing actions applied to the exposed regions of layer 600 corresponding to virtual cutout regions 610a and 610b would modify layer 600 in those regions. Conversely, any processing actions applied to the regions insulated by the photoresist material would be blocked, leaving the insulated regions protected from the processing actions. This provides the semiconductor fabrication process with a way to generate virtual cutout regions without modifying the top and/or bottom panels, and a way to increase the display capabilities of the corresponding multilayered display.
While
As each layer of layered structure 700 is applied, various implementations apply patterned masks to block or allow processing actions in order to etch data paths, build insulating layers, and so forth, in the designated regions of the material. These processing actions are generally represented in
Since the processing actions of
An advantage to using pattern masking to generate a multilayer display is the ability to expand an active display region of the multilayer display without increasing the size of the multilayer display. Pattern masking allows displays to reclaim setback regions previous designated as inactive, and convert the setback regions into active display regions. An example,
Some implementations apply less expensive post-processing to virtual cutouts and/or virtual cutouts as well.
The generation of virtual cutouts through pattern masks provides an efficient way to increase active display regions of a display device without increasing an overall display size by reclaiming and/or repurposing setback regions for active display partitions as further described herein. This not only increases an active display region size, but additionally reduces manufacturing costs of the display device by eliminating a second, and costly, cutting process that is used to generate physical notches and/or cutouts. In other words, pattern masking can be used to generate virtual cutouts within the display device, rather than requiring the display device to be physically cut to generate a physical notch. The pattern masking process additionally provides visibility into interactive components with the flexibility to place virtual cutouts at any desired location.
Block 1002 forms a mask layer on one or more layers of material associated with a multilayered device. For example, the mask layer can coat an entire top surface of a layer. Alternately or additionally, forming the mask layer can be an iterative process, where a fabrication process applies a mask layer to each layer at different points in time during a fabrication process. The layers of material can include any suitable combination of materials in any suitable order. The layers associated with the multilayered device can include substrate material layers, semiconductor material layers, insulation material layers, and so forth. The mask layer can include any type of material that acts as an insulator to underlying regions of the layer which are coated with the mask layer, such as a photoresist material.
In response to forming the mask layer, block 1004 patterns the mask layer to define at least a first region on the one or more layers for creating electronic display circuitry, and at least a second region on the one or more layers for creating a virtual cutout. Some implementations pattern the mask layer utilizing a light pattern mask that exposes portions of the mask layer to light, and blocks other portions of the mask layer from the light as further described herein. Alternately or additionally, the mask layer is developed to remove portions of the mask layer effective to form the desired pattern.
Responsive to patterning the mask layer, block 1006 forms the electronic display circuitry based on the patterned mask. This can include performing additional processing acts to exposed areas of the one or more layers. Alternately or additionally, the patterned mask layer can be removed after performing the additional processing acts, and a new layer can be added to the one or more layers. Accordingly, forming the electronic display circuitry can be an iterative and/or multi-step process that utilizes multiple applications of the patterned mask. When properly activated, the electronic display circuitry enables the multilayer display to render content.
Block 1008 forms the virtual cutout in the at least second region by forming regions devoid of the electronic display circuitry. In a multilayer display, the virtual cutouts can reside between a top panel and a bottom panel of the multilayer display to enable visibility through the multilayer display. For instance, some implementations include a glass panel as a top panel overlaying the virtual cutout to enable visibility through the multilayer display.
Having described generating virtual cutouts using pattern masking techniques, consider now an example computing device that can implement the embodiments described above.
Example Device
The device 1100 includes communication transceivers 1102 that enable wired and/or wireless communication of device data 1104 with other devices. Additionally, the device data can include any type of audio, video, and/or image data. Example transceivers include wireless personal area network (WPAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (Bluetooth™) standards, wireless local area network (WLAN) radios compliant with any of the various IEEE 802.11 (WiFi™) standards, wireless wide area network (WWAN) radios for cellular phone communication, wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (WiMAX™) standards, and wired local area network (LAN) Ethernet transceivers for network data communication.
The device 1100 may also include one or more data input ports 1106 via which any type of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs to the device, messages, music, television content, recorded content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any content and/or data source. The data input ports may include Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, coaxial cable ports, and other serial or parallel connectors (including internal connectors) for flash memory, DVDs, CDs, and the like. These data input ports may be used to couple the device to any type of components, peripherals, or accessories such as microphones, cameras, and/or modular attachments.
The device 1100 includes a processing system 1108 of one or more processors (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like) and/or a processor and memory system implemented as a system-on-chip (SoC) that processes computer-executable instructions. In some embodiments, processing system 1108 includes a low power contextual processor and an application processor as further described herein. The processor system may be implemented at least partially in hardware, which can include components of an integrated circuit or on-chip system, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and other implementations in silicon and/or other hardware. Alternatively, or in addition, the device can be implemented with any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits 1110, which generally represents any of the aforementioned combinations. The device 1100 may further include any type of a system bus or other data and command transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures and architectures, as well as control and data lines.
The device 1100 also includes computer-readable storage memory or memory devices 1112 that enable data storage, such as data storage devices that can be accessed by a computing device, and that provide persistent storage of data and executable instructions (e.g., software applications, programs, functions, and the like). Examples of the computer-readable storage memory or memory devices 1112 include volatile memory and non-volatile memory, fixed and removable media devices, and any suitable memory device or electronic data storage that maintains data for computing device access. The computer-readable storage memory can include various implementations of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, and other types of storage media in various memory device configurations. The device 1100 may also include a mass storage media device.
The computer-readable storage memory provides data storage mechanisms to store the device data 1104, other types of information and/or data, and various device applications 1114 (e.g., software applications). For example, an operating system 1116 can be maintained as software instructions with a memory device and executed by the processing system 1108. The device applications may also include a device manager, such as any form of a control application, software application, signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, and so on
The device 1100 also includes an audio and/or video processing system 1118 that generates audio data for an audio system 1120 and/or generates display data for a display system 1122.
In some embodiments, display system 1122 includes a multilayer display 1124, such as a dual panel LCD, a dual panel OLED, and so forth. Some implementations of the multilayer display 1124 include active partition(s) 1126 and virtual cutout(s) 1128, where the multilayer display can include any combination of active partitions and virtual cutouts. For instance, the multilayer display 1124 can include a single contiguous active partition with multiple virtual cutouts, multiple active partitions with a single contiguous virtual cutout, or multiple active partitions with multiple virtual cutouts.
Active partitions 1126 represent regions of the multilayer display 1124 that include electronic display circuitry capable of rendering content. In some implementations, the electronic display circuitry is interposed between two panels of multilayer display 1124.
Virtual cutouts 1128 represent regions of the multilayer display 1124 that are devoid of the electronic display circuitry between a top panel and a bottom panel associated with the multilayer display, such as a virtual cutout generated through pattern masking as further described herein. Various implementations configure virtual cutouts 1128 to allow access to interactive components 1130.
The audio system 1120 and/or the display system 1122 may include any devices that process, display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, display, and/or image data. Display data and audio signals can be communicated to an audio component and/or to a display component via an RF link, S-video link, HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), composite video link, component video link, DVI (digital video interface), analog audio connection, or other similar communication link, such as media data port 1132. In implementations, the audio system and/or the display system are integrated components of the example device. Alternatively, the audio system and/or the display system are external, peripheral components to the example device.
Device 1100 also includes interactive components 1130 that provide a user with an interactive experience using device 1100. This can include a dual camera, a fingerprint scanner, a tactile feedback device, and so forth. Various implementations physical locate and/or expose interactive components 1130 in visible regions corresponding to virtual cutouts 1128 as further described herein.
Various embodiments provide a virtual cutout in a dual panel display. Aspects of the dual panel display include at least one active partition between the dual panels, where the active partition includes electronic display circuitry disposed on a substrate. When activated, the active partition can be used to render content. Alternately or additionally, the dual panel display includes a virtual cutout with structure that creates a virtual cutout in the dual panel display. Various implementations interpose the virtual cutout between the dual panels of the dual panel display, where the virtual cutout is devoid of electronic display circuitry and provides visibility through the dual panel display. Some implementations physically locate interactive components in regions associated with the virtual cutout to enable access to the interactive components without using a physical cutout.
Although various implementations of virtual cutouts using pattern masking have been described in language specific to features and/or methods, the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations, and other equivalent features and methods are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims. Further, various different embodiments are described and it is to be appreciated that each described embodiment can be implemented independently or in connection with one or more other described embodiments.
