Method and device for detecting fascia damage and repairing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001878-B2
Application number	US-201615015242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2016
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device includes a fascia manufactured from a shape memory polymer. One or more thermal elements can be disposed adjacent to the fascia or integrated into the fascia. One or more processors can be operable with the one or more thermal elements to detect deformation along at least a portion of the fascia and cause the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply heat to the shape memory polymer along at least a portion of the fascia to reverse at least some of the deformation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a fascia comprising a shape memory polymer;
one or more thermal elements disposed adjacent to the fascia; and
one or more processors operable with the one or more thermal elements, the one or more processors:
detecting deformation along at least a portion of the fascia;
causing the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply heat to the shape memory polymer along the at least a portion to reverse at least some of the deformation; and
presenting a message on the user interface when the one or more thermal elements selectively apply the heat to the shape memory polymer, the message indicating that the heat is being applied to the shape memory polymer;

the one or more processors further causing the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply the heat to the shape memory polymer when the electronic device is in a low power or sleep mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a touch sensitive user interface disposed beneath the fascia, the one or more processors further to receive user input from the touch sensitive user interface demarcating the at least a portion.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a touch sensitive interface, the one or more processors to cause the one or more thermal elements to terminate application of the heat to the shape memory polymer upon detecting, with the touch sensitive interface, an object proximately located with the fascia.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , the message indicating that the fascia not be touched.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a power interface to receive energy from a source coupled to the power interface, the one or more processors to cause the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply the heat to the shape memory polymer only after the source is coupled to the power interface.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more processors further receiving a user demarcation identifying a location of the deformation.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more processors to cause the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply the heat to the shape memory polymer in accordance with a varying duty cycle.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , an amount of heat applied by the one or more thermal elements occurring as a function of thermal element density.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , the deformation comprising one or more of:
scratches along the fascia;
breakage of the fascia; or
bending of the fascia.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply the heat by an amount sufficient to cause the shape memory polymer to exceed a predefined transition temperature for at least a predefined duration along the at least a portion of the fascia.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , the one or more thermal elements comprising a matrix of optically transparent resistive electrodes.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , one or more optically transparent resistive electrodes having an impedance of between 200 and 1000 ohms, inclusive.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a pellucid substrate disposed adjacent to the fascia, the matrix of optically transparent resistive electrodes disposed along the pellucid substrate.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 , the matrix of optically transparent resistive electrodes comprising an interlaced matrix of optically transparent resistive electrodes.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , the one or more thermal elements comprising a capacitive touch-sensitive film.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a companion attachment configured to selectively couple to the electronic device, the companion attachment comprising the one or more thermal elements.

17. A method, in an electronic device, comprising:
automatically detecting, with one or more processors of the electronic device, a deformation along a portion of a fascia of the electronic device by identifying one or more inoperable electrode pairs of a capacitive touch sensor of the electronic device, the fascia comprising a shape memory polymer; and
selectively applying heat, with one or more thermal elements disposed long the fascia and operable with the one or more processors, to the portion to at least partially repair the deformation of the fascia.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving, from a touch sensitive user interface operable with the one or more processors, user input demarcating the portion.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising presenting, on the touch sensitive user interface, a message indicating the selectively applying the heat by the one or more thermal elements is occurring.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising terminating the selectively applying upon detecting an object proximately located with the fascia.

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Wood Charles David
• Green Phillip A

Classifications

• B29C35/12 Primary

  Dielectric heating · CPC title

• G06F2203/04111

  Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate · CPC title

• G06F3/0412 Primary

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• B29L2031/3475

  Displays, monitors, TV-sets, computer screens · CPC title