Electronic device including optical sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11895383-B2
Application number	US-202217583701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a stretchable display disposed so as to be visible from the outside in at least a part of the housing to face a first direction, a module housing which is rotatably arranged in a first space and includes a second space as an optical sensor assembly disposed in the first space of the housing, and an optical sensor assembly including at least one first optical sensor disposed in the second space of the module housing and configured to detect an external environment through at least a portion of the module housing, wherein in a first rotational state, the module housing is positioned such that the at least one first optical sensor detects an external environment in a second direction different from the first direction, and in a second rotational state, the module housing is positioned such that the at least one first optical sensor detects the external environment in the first direction through an extended area of the stretchable display, which is expanded through pressing of at least a portion of the module housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a stretchable display disposed so as to be visible from the outside in at least a part of the housing to face a first direction; and
an optical sensor assembly rotatably arranged in a first space of the housing, the optical sensor assembly including:
a module housing disposed in the first space of the housing and comprising a second space; and
at least one first optical sensor disposed in the second space of the module housing and configured to detect an external environment through at least a portion of the module housing,

wherein in a first rotational state, the module housing is positioned such that the at least one first optical sensor detects an external environment in a second direction different from the first direction, and
wherein in a second rotational state, the module housing is positioned such that the at least one first optical sensor detects the external environment in the first direction through an extended area of the stretchable display, which is expanded through pressing of at least a portion of the module housing.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor assembly further comprises a driving motor disposed to rotate the module housing in the first space.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the extended area protrudes from a peripheral area of the stretchable display.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein an amount of protrusion of the extended area of the stretchable display protruding through at least a part of the module housing is determined by an allowable transmittance for the at least one first optical sensor.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one second optical sensor disposed in the second space and disposed to detect an external environment through at least a portion of the module housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one second optical sensor is arranged to detect the external environment in the first direction through the stretchable display in the first rotational state.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one second optical sensor is arranged to detect the external environment in the second direction in the second rotational state.

8. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one second optical sensor comprises a distance detection sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , the module housing comprising:
a first module surface;
a second module surface facing in the opposite direction to the first module surface; and
a module side surface surrounding the second space between the first module surface and the second module surface,
wherein in the first rotational state, the first module surface is positioned to face the second direction.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein in the second rotational state, the first module surface is positioned to face the first direction.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein a contact surface of the first module surface in contact with the stretchable display is formed as a curved surface.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
a side member that at least partially defines an appearance of the electronic device;
a support member extending from the side member into the first space, and comprising a first surface supporting at least a portion of the stretchable display and a second surface facing in a direction opposite to the first surface; and
a cover member disposed at a position corresponding to the second surface of the support member.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein, in the first rotational state, the at least one first optical sensor is arranged to detect an external environment through at least a part of the cover member.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising:
an opening formed in at least a portion of the support member,
wherein the module housing is rotatably disposed through the opening.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first optical sensor comprises at least one camera device.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a stretchable display arranged to be visible from the outside at part of the housing;
a rotating structure rotatably disposed in an inner space of the housing; and
at least one optical sensor disposed in the inner space,
wherein the stretchable display, in a first rotational state of the rotational structure, has an extended area deformed by pressing the rotational structure, and
wherein the at least one optical sensor is arranged to detect an external environment through the extended area of the stretchable display.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one optical sensor is disposed in the inner space in proximity to the rotating structure.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one optical sensor is arranged to rotate together with the rotating structure.

19. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the extended area of the stretchable display is protruded from a peripheral area by pressing the rotating structure.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein an amount of protrusion of the extended area of the stretchable display is determined by an allowable transmittance for the at least one optical sensor.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Prushinskiy Valeriy
• Heo Changryong
• Yeo Hyungsok
• Yoo Minwoo
• Hwang Seonho

Classifications

• H04N23/54 Primary

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

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title