Display with backside ultrasonic sensor array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9551783-B2
Application number	US-201414291208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2013
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A display device has a visual display capable of providing an image and an ultrasonic sensor array attached to a backside component of the visual display. The ultrasonic sensor array may be an ultrasonic area array sensor. For example, the backside component may be a backlight, an optical waveguide, or a display TFT.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device, comprising:
a visual display capable of providing an image; and
an ultrasonic area array sensor attached to a backside component of the visual display such that a sensing area of the ultrasonic area array sensor is angled relative to an imaging surface of the visual display.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the backside component is a backlight.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor is attached to a surface of the backlight that is furthest from an imaging surface of the display device.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor is attached to a surface of the backlight that is closest to an imaging surface of the display device.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the backside component is an optical waveguide.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the optical waveguide is planar or wedge shaped.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing area of the ultrasonic area array sensor is angled relative to the imaging surface of the visual display such that an ultrasonic wave from a piezoelectric transmitter of the ultrasonic area array sensor that is reflected off of an object proximate the visual display will arrive at different pixel input electrode rows of the ultrasonic area array sensor in a sweeping delay fashion.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the visual display has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is smaller than the image-providing area.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the visual display has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is substantially the same size as the image-providing area.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the visual display has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is larger than the image-providing area.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the visual display has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area overlaps at least one edge of the image-providing area.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the visual display includes liquid crystal material, organic light emitting diodes, one or more LEDs, or at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp to produce an image.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the visual display includes an optical waveguide with light-turning features.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the light-turning features are filled with a non-gaseous material that allows for transmission of ultrasonic energy emitted by the ultrasonic area array sensor.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the material has an acoustic impedance of between about 1.5 to 15 MRayls.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the visual display comprises one or more component layers bonded to each other with an acoustically transmissive material.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the visual display comprises at least one component layer that has an acoustically transmissive material filling interstices of the at least one component layer.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor is positioned between a backlight and a display TFT of the visual display.

19. A device, comprising:
means for displaying an image; and
means for detecting an object using an ultrasonic area array sensor attached to a backside component of the means for displaying an image, wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor is attached so that a sensing area of the ultrasonic area array sensor is angled relative to an imaging surface of the means for displaying an image.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the backside component is a backlight.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the means for detecting an object is attached to a surface of the backlight that is furthest from an imaging surface of the means for displaying an image.

22. The device of claim 20 , wherein the means for detecting an object is attached to a surface of the backlight that is closest to an imaging surface of the means for displaying an image.

23. The device of claim 19 , wherein the backside component is an optical waveguide.

24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the optical waveguide is planar or wedge-shaped.

25. The device of claim 19 , wherein the sensing area of the ultrasonic area array sensor is angled relative to the imaging surface of the means for displaying an image such that an ultrasonic wave from a piezoelectric transmitter of the ultrasonic area array sensor that is reflected off of an object proximate means for displaying an image will arrive at different pixel input electrode rows of the ultrasonic area array sensor in a sweeping delay fashion.

26. The device of claim 19 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the means for displaying an image has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is smaller than the image-providing area.

27. The device of claim 19 wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the means for displaying an image has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is substantially the same size as the image-providing area.

28. The device of claim 19 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the means for displaying an image has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area is larger than the image-providing area.

29. The device of claim 19 , wherein the ultrasonic area array sensor has a sensing area and the means for displaying an image has an image-providing area, and wherein the sensing area overlaps at least one edge of the image-providing area.

30. The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for displaying an image includes liquid crystal material, organic light emitting diodes, one or more LEDs, or at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp to produce an image.

31. The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for displaying an image includes a waveguide with light-turning features.

32. The device of claim 31 , wherein the light-turning features are filled with a non-gaseous material that allows for transmission of acoustic energy from the ultrasonic area array sensor.

33. The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for displaying an image comprises one or more component layers bonded to each other with an acoustically transmissive material.

34. The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for displaying an image comprises at least one component layer that has an acoustically transmissive material filling interstices of the at least one component layer.

35. The device of claim 19 , wherein the backside component is a backlight.

36. The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for detecting an object is positioned between a backlight and a display TFT of the visual display.

37. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
displaying an image via a visual display;
causing an ultrasonic generator to generate an ultrasonic wave; and
detecting an object via an ultrasonic area array senso

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Schneider John K
• Kitchens Jack C
• Gojevic Stephen M
• Dickinson Timothy A
• Gupta Samir K
• Djordjev Kostadin D
• Burns David William
• Fennell Leonard E
• Ganti Suryaprakash

Classifications

• G01S15/02

  using reflection of acoustic waves (G01S15/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/56 Primary

  Display arrangements {(short-range imaging G01S7/52053)} · CPC title

• G06F3/043 Primary

  using propagating acoustic waves · CPC title