Electronic devices having displays with infrared components behind the displays

Abstract

An electronic device having a display with an infrared component (such as a camera, a light source) behind the display. The layer of the display is transparent to infrared light at which the infrared component operates. Infrared sensing functions, when implemented by the component, may be accomplished by transmission of infrared light through the layer of the display, thereby removing the conventional need for cut-outs or holes in the display plane and maximizing the display area.

1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a housing;   at least one infrared component in the housing, wherein the at least one infrared component comprises a dilute nitride semiconductor material; and   a pixelated display layer in optical communication with the at least one infrared component, the pixelated display layer comprising an array of pixels and having at least one transmissive region, the at least one transmissive region including a material of the pixelated display layer that is substantially transparent to infrared light,   wherein the array of pixels comprises a first array of pixels and a second array of pixels, the first array of pixels and the second array of pixels having different sizes of non-optically-active areas,   wherein the at least one transmissive region is spatially coordinated with the at least one infrared component such that the at least one infrared component detects or emits the infrared light through the material of the pixelated display layer at the at least one transmissive region, the infrared light having a wavelength between 1100 nm and 1600 nm.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second array of pixels contain only non-optically-active areas. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first array of pixels and the second array of pixels alternate in location to form an interleaved arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first array of pixels are spatially adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transmission region is located in a non-optically-active area of the array of pixels. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one infrared component comprises a plurality of infrared components, the plurality of infrared components spatially coordinated with the same pixel of the second array of pixels. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
 a) the array of pixels is carried on a polymer substrate, a glass substrate, or a silicon substrate, or   b) wherein the infrared light is traversing the material of the pixelated display layer while being transmitted between a medium at the front and the at least one infrared component through the at least one transmissive region.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent protection layer,
 wherein at least one pixel of the array of pixels further comprises an optically-active area, and wherein the optically-active area is located between the transparent protection layer and the at least one infrared component.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one infrared component comprises a semiconductor laser, an optical detector, an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), an auxiliary optical element, an infrared optical camera, a flood illuminator, a dot projector, a time-of-flight sensor, or a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength of the infrared light is between 1250 nm and 1600 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the dilute nitride semiconductor material includes at least one of: GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, GaNAsSb, GaInNAsBi, GaInNAsSbBi, GaNAsBi, or GaNAsSbBi. 
     
     
         12 . A method for fabricating an electronic device, the method comprising:
 providing a transparent protection layer of the electronic device;   forming a first layered structure of the electronic device, the first layered structure defining a plurality of display pixels, the plurality of display pixels comprising first display pixels and second display pixels,   wherein each display pixel comprises a non-optically-active area configured to not emit light when the display pixel is operating and includes a material of the first layered structure that is substantially transparent to infrared light having a wavelength between 1100 nm and 1600 nm,   wherein the first display pixels and second display pixels have different sizes of non-optically-active areas;   constructing a functional layer of the electronic device by disposing at least one infrared component, the first layered structure located between the at least one infrared component and the transparent protection layer,   wherein the at least one infrared component comprises a dilute nitride semiconductor material and detects or emits the infrared light through a material of the first layered structure at the non-optically-active areas;   creating a second layered structure carrying electronic connection circuitry electrically connected to at least one of the first layered structure or the functional layer;   disposing the first layered structure and the functional layer in and within bounds of a housing shell such that the non-optically-active areas are positioned between the at least one infrared component and the transparent protection layer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the forming the first layered structure comprises forming only non-optically-active areas in the second display pixels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the forming the first layered structure comprises arranging the first display pixels and the second display pixels with alternate locations to form an interleaved arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the forming the first layered structure comprises arranging at least two first display pixels to be spatially adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one infrared component comprises a plurality of infrared components, wherein the forming the first layered structure comprises arranging the plurality of infrared components to be spatially coordinated with the same second display pixel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
 (i) wherein the forming the first layered structure includes dimensioning the non-optically-active areas to be transparent to the infrared light; or   (ii) wherein the constructing the functional layer includes constructing the functional layer to include a semiconductor laser, an optical detector, an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), an auxiliary optical element, an infrared optical camera, a flood illuminator, a dot projector, a time-of-flight sensor, or a proximity sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
 (i) wherein the forming the first layered structure includes defining the non-optically-active areas within predetermined boundaries of the plurality of display pixels without overlapping thereof;   (ii) wherein the forming the first layered structure includes defining optically-active areas and the non-optically-active areas to be complementary to one another to define, aggregately, an overall area of the first display pixels; or   (iii) wherein the forming the first layered structure includes forming the plurality of display pixels such that optically-active areas of the plurality of display pixels are formed with a first spatial period, the at least one infrared component disposed with a second spatial period, and the first and second spatial periods substantially coincide.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
 (i) wherein the disposing the functional layer includes disposing the at least one infrared component behind at least one non-optically-active area, as seen from the front; or   (ii) wherein the disposing the functional layer includes disposing the at least one infrared component behind at least one optically-active area, as seen from the front.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the forming includes forming the first layered structure having a first area,
 wherein the constructing includes constructing the functional layer having a second area,   wherein the first and second areas are substantially congruent or spatially matching one another.