Portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11487322-B2
Application number	US-202016848678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2020
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

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 comprising a back wall and sidewalls that extend from the back wall to define an internal volume;
internal walls extending from the back wall and positioned between the sidewalls;
an audio module coupled with the internal walls, the audio module capable of acoustically driving the back wall to generate acoustical energy;
a display assembly; and
an inductive charging unit capable of inductively charging an accessory that is used with the display assembly.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls comprise a metal sidewall formed of a metal, the metal sidewall comprising an opening filled with a non-metal material, wherein the inductive charging unit is positioned in the internal volume at the non-metal material.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a microphone, wherein:
the sidewalls comprise a first sidewall,
the sidewalls comprise a second sidewall having a through hole, and
the microphone is positioned along the first sidewall and aligned with the through hole.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first sidewall is parallel with respect to the second sidewall.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a transparent cover that covers the display assembly;
a border that extends along the transparent cover, the border comprising a uniform dimension and having an opening;
a light transmissive material that is positioned in the opening; and
a vision system positioned in the internal volume and aligned with the light transmissive material, wherein the vision system facilitates facial recognition operations.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-metal material, wherein:
the back wall defines:
a first section, a second section, and an aperture that divides the first section from the second section, the aperture comprising a bridge section that connects to the first section and the second section, and

the non-metal material fills the aperture and covers the bridge section.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a magnet positioned between the internal walls and that is separate from the audio module.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a display assembly configured to present visual information;
a transparent cover coupled with the display assembly;
an enclosure coupled with the transparent cover, the enclosure comprising:
a metal back wall,
sidewalls extending from the metal back wall, the sidewalls secured with the transparent cover, and
an aperture through the metal back wall and dividing the metal back wall into a first section and a second section, wherein the aperture comprises a metal bridge section connecting the first section and the second section; and

a non-metal material that fills the aperture and covers the metal bridge section.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the non-metal material provides a window for radio frequency transmission.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the metal bridge section is integrated with the enclosure to define a unitary enclosure.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising:
internal walls extending from the metal back wall and positioned between the sidewalls; and
an audio module coupled with the internal walls, the audio module capable of acoustically driving the metal back wall to generate acoustical energy.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising
an inductive charging unit positioned along a sidewall of the sidewalls, the inductive charging unit capable of inductively charging an object external to the enclosure.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H04N23/57 Primary

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title