Portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10649489-B2
Application number	US-201916396471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include an enclosure and a transparent cover. The electronic device may include a display assembly. The electronic device may further include an inductive charging unit designed to inductively charge a stylus, or other object suitable for use with the display assembly. The electronic device may further include audio modules, at least some of which are designed to cause resonation of the enclosure to produce acoustical energy in the form of audible sound. Some audio modules produce acoustical energy in relatively low frequencies, while other audio modules produce acoustical energy in relatively high frequencies. The electronic device may further include a vision system designed for facial recognition. The display assembly may include a metal chassis as well as antennae for wireless communication. In order to prevent antennae interference, the metal chassis can be electrically grounded to the enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an internal volume, the enclosure comprising a bottom wall;
internal walls coupled to the enclosure;
an audio module positioned in the internal volume and coupled to the internals walls; and
a magnetic element located between the internal walls and separate from the audio module, the magnetic element configured to magnetically couple with a magnet in an accessory device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising electrical contacts located on the bottom wall, the electrical contacts capable of electrically coupling to electrical contacts of the accessory device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transparent cover that carries a display assembly;
a circuit board coupled to the bottom wall;
a first flexible circuit located along a first edge of the display assembly, the first flexible circuit electrically coupling the display assembly to the circuit board; and
a second flexible circuit located along a second edge of the display assembly, the second edge different from the first edge, the first flexible circuit electrically coupling the display assembly to the circuit board.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising a border located on the transparent cover, the border obscuring connections between the display assembly, the first flexible circuit, and the second flexible circuit.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second magnetic element located along a sidewall of the enclosure; and
an inductive charging unit located along the sidewall, wherein the inductive charging unit is capable of charging an object that is magnetically coupled to the second magnetic element.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sidewall extending from the bottom wall, the sidewall having a through hole;
a bracket that carries a vision system and a microphone, the microphone aligned with the through hole; and
a second audio module positioned between the sidewall and the audio module.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the audio module acoustically drives the bottom wall.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising:
an opening formed in the bottom wall;
a non-metal material that fills the opening;
an antenna and a linked section that passes over the non-metal material.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an internal volume, the enclosure comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall;
a bracket that carries i) a vision system used for facial recognition and ii) a microphone aligned with an opening in the first sidewall; and
an inductive charging unit positioned against the second sidewall.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first audio module disposed in the internal volume;
a second audio module disposed in the internal volume; and
a vision system capable of facial recognition, the vision system disposed in the enclosure between the first audio module and the second audio module.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element that combines with the first magnetic element to surround the inductive charging unit, wherein the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element magnetically couple to respective magnets in an object that is inductive charged by the inductive charging unit.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a third sidewall;
a second opening formed in the third sidewall; and
a second microphone located on the third sidewall, the second microphone aligned with the second opening.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a bottom wall connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall; and
an audio module that acoustically drives the bottom wall.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a connector that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a first retainer element located on the first surface; and
a second retainer element located on the second surface.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the enclosure comprises a metal enclosure having an opening in the second sidewall, the opening filled with a non-metal material.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the inductive charging unit is aligned with the non-metal material.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls that extend from the bottom wall to form an internal volume, the sidewalls comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall;
a first microphone aligned with a first opening that is formed in the first sidewall;
a second microphone aligned with a second opening that is formed in the second sidewall;
a third microphone aligned with a third opening that is formed in the bottom wall;
a bracket that caries the second microphone; and
a vision system carried by the bracket.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a fourth sidewall extending from the bottom wall; and
an inductive charging unit located along the fourth sidewall.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the vision system is capable of facial recognition.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a fourth microphone aligned with a fourth opening formed in the first sidewall.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kuna Melody L
• Mihelich Ryan J
• Gilbert Taylor Harrison
• Ruscher Joel N
• Oster Carli E
• Yeung Alex Chun Lap

Classifications

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F1/1658

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• H05K7/1427

  Housings · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title