Electronic devices having electrically adjustable optical shutters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11460746-B2
Application number	US-202017119878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2020
Priority date	Sep 13, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device having opposing front and rear faces, the electronic device comprising:
a display forming the front face;
a housing having a rear housing wall forming the rear face;
an electrochromic component coupled to the rear housing wall; and
control circuitry configured to adjust the electrochromic component between a first mode and a second mode.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the electrochromic component between a first color in the first mode and a second color that is different from the first color in the second mode.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the first color is blue.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the second color is gray.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the first color is selected from the group of colors consisting of: blue, red, green, blue-black, white, black, and gray.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the electrochromic component between exhibiting a first haze in the first mode and a second haze that is different from the first haze in the second mode.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrochromic component comprises first and second electrodes and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the electrochromic component between the first and second modes by applying a voltage to the first and second electrodes.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first and second electrodes are respectively formed on first and second glass substrates.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrochromic component is adjustable between at least one additional mode.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrochromic component is configured not to draw power when in the first mode or the second mode.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the electrochromic component is continuously adjustable between the first mode and the second mode.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the rear housing wall is formed from a planar glass member.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 further comprising:
a camera that receives light through the rear housing wall.

14. An electronic device having a front and a rear, the electronic device comprising:
a display facing the front;
a transparent member at the rear;
an electrochromic component positioned behind the transparent member;
control circuitry that is configured to adjust the electrochromic component between exhibiting a first color and a second color that is different from the first color; and
a camera that receives light through the transparent member.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the first color is a neutral color and the second color is a non-neutral color.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the first color is gray and the second color is blue.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the electrochromic component comprises first and second electrodes and wherein the control circuitry is configured to apply a voltage to the first and second electrodes to adjust the color of the electrochromic component.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the transparent member is a rear housing wall.

19. An electronic device having first and second sides, the electronic device comprising:
a display facing the first side;
an electrochromic component visible at the second side and adjustable between exhibiting a first color and a second color that is different from the first color; and
a sensor interposed between the display and the electrochromic component.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 further comprising:
a housing, wherein the electrochromic component is configured to be adjusted based on a user's interaction with the housing.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Firka Michael W
• Fletcher Ashley E
• Pope Benjamin J
• Hooton Lee E
• Myers Scott A
• Bustle Benjamin Shane
• Young Garam
• Coughenour Blake M

Classifications

• G09G3/36

  using liquid crystals · CPC title

• G09G3/348

  based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting · CPC title

• G02F1/13306

  Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells (G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence) · CPC title

• G09G2360/144

  the light being ambient light · CPC title

• G09G2300/023

  Display panel composed of stacked panels · CPC title