Apple Inc.

Facebook Technologies, LLC

Silvio Grespan

Kuo-Hua Sung

John Z Zhong

Casey J Feinstein

Paul Stephen Drzaic

Jean-Pierre Simon Guillou

Vasudha Gupta

Young Bae Park

Sang Ha Kim

Cyrus Y Liu

Heng-Hsi Wu

Shih-Min Hsu

Brett W Degner

Dinesh C Mathew

Richard Hung Minh Dinh

Michael Benjamin Wittenberg

Victor H Yin

Jun Qi

Kingsuk Brahma

Chieh-Wei Chen

Po-Jui Chen

Lynn Richard Youngs

Nathan K Gupta

Miguel C Christophy

Romain A Teil

Aiqing Chen

Wayne H Fu

Chenhui Wang

Kuanying Lin

Brian Shadle

John Oskar Ceideburg

A computer-implemented method for optical element fabrication with optical scanner feedback includes initiating the optical scanner to obtain an optical measurement of an optical layer of a multi-layer film. A rotational orientation for an optical element that is to be cut from the multi-layer film is then determined based on the optical measurement. The method also includes initiating a cutting instrument to cut the optical element from the multi-layer film at the rotational orientation.

Optical element fabrication with optical scanner feedback

An electronic device may be provided with an organic light-emitting diode display with minimized border regions. The border regions may be minimized by providing conductive structures that pass through polymer layers of the display and/or conductive structures that wrap around an edge of the display and couple conductive traces on the display to conductive traces on additional circuitry that is mounted behind the display.

Narrow border displays for electronic devices

Structures in an electronic device such as substrates associated with a display may be bonded together using liquid adhesive. Fiber-based equipment may be used to apply ultraviolet light to peripheral edges of an adhesive layer during bonding. There-dimensional adhesive shapes may be produced using nozzles with adjustable openings, computer-controlled positioners, and other adhesive dispensing equipment. Ultraviolet light may be applied to liquid adhesive through a mask with an opacity gradient. Adjustable shutter structures may control adhesive exposure to ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light exposure may be used to create an adhesive dam that helps create a well defined adhesive border. Multiple layers of adhesive may be applied between a pair of substrates.

Methods for bonding substrates using liquid adhesive

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) blocking component is set forth for a computing device. The computing device can include a housing formed of non-conducting material and an overlaying display assembly supported by the housing. The display assembly can further include a plurality of display elements such as thin film transistors (TFTs) interconnected by corresponding metallic traces. The ESD block is used to block static charges associated with an ESD event so that essentially no ESD event related static charge is accumulated on the metallic traces thereby preventing ESD related damage to the plurality of TFTs.

Electrostatic discharge protection in consumer electronic products

An electronic device may be provided with an organic light-emitting diode display with minimized border regions. The border regions may be minimized by providing the display with bent edge portions having neutral plane adjustment features that facilitate bending of the bent edge portions while minimizing damage to the bent edge portions. The neutral plane adjustment features may include a modified backfilm layer of the display in which portions of the backfilm layer are removed in a bend region. A display device may include a substrate, a display panel on the substrate having display pixels, and peripheral circuitry proximate the display panel and configured to drive the display pixels. A portion of the periphery of the substrate may be bent substantially orthogonal to the display panel to reduce an apparent surface area of the display device. The bent portion may include an electrode for communication with the peripheral circuitry.

Flexible displays

Delamination of a laminated multilayer stack is provided by generating a layer-specific energy distribution in the stack during delamination. A localized energy transferrer can generate localized heating, cooling heating, cooling, or other form of energy absorption or transmission, in a bonding layer of a multilayer stack. Localized energy transfer can include thermal energy transfer, such as heating and/or cooling, acoustic energy transfer, such as applying ultrasonic energy, electromagnetic energy transfer, such as applying laser light, directed microwaves, etc. Localized energy transfer can generate a layer-specific energy distribution that can weaken the bonding layer while reducing damage to other layers of the stack.

Layer-specific energy distribution delamination

The described embodiments relate generally to electronic devices and more particularly to methods for forming mechanical and electrical connections between components within an electronic device. In one embodiment, an interconnect component such as a flex cable is attached to a substrate such as a printed circuit board. A plurality of apertures can be created in the interconnect component, passing through bonding pads located on one end of the interconnect component. The interconnect component can then be aligned with bonding pads on the substrate with the bonding pads on the interconnect component facing away from the substrate. A conductive compound can be injected into the apertures through the interconnect component, forming a mechanical and electrical connection between the bonding pads. In some embodiments, an adhesive layer can be used to further strengthen the bond between the interconnect component and the substrate.

Electrical and mechanical interconnection for electronic components

Conductive contacts can be disposed on multiple substrates or on different surfaces of a single substrate. Conductive material is disposed over at least a portion of the two conductive contacts to electrically connect the contacts. The conductive material may be disposed over at least one surface between the conductive contacts. One or more conductive borders can be formed on a surface of a conductive layer. The conductive border or borders can improve signal transmission across the surface of the conductive layer.

Electrical connections between conductive contacts

Methods and devices for using liquid optically clear adhesives (LOCAs) are described. A method for detecting uncured LOCA between a first substrate and a second substrate is described. In addition, an improved method for curing a laminated stack up having LOCA between a first substrate and a second substrate is described. The method includes a pre-curing method involving variable exposure of the LOCA. In addition, an improved light emitting diode (LED) unit assembly for exposing a laminated stack up to ultraviolet (UV) light during a pre-curing process is described. A method for testing the LED unit assembly prior to a pre-curing process is described.

Liquid optically clear adhesive lamination process control

Improved techniques are disclosed for fabrication of touch panels using thin sheet glass, coupling external circuitry, and securely holding the touch panel within a portable electronic device. The thin sheet glass may be chemically strengthened and laser scribed.

Thin glass for touch panel sensors and methods therefor

A flexible circuit with multiple independent mounting points can be mounted (soldered) to substrates by independently (and concurrently) positioning mounting points in x, y, and theta (angular rotation) with vacuum chucks. In one embodiment the vacuum chucks can be guided by computer aided vision to locate and match fiducials on the flex circuit with fiducials on the substrate. In one embodiment, hot bars can be used in a subsequent bonding operation to secure an adhesive coupling between the flexible circuits and the substrate.

T-flex bonder

A method of forming a curved touch surface is disclosed. According to an embodiment, the method includes depositing a touch sensor pattern on a flexible substrate; and curving the flexible substrate, using a chuck surface supporting the flexible substrate, to conform to a shape of a curved cover surface. Then, the curved flexible substrate can be laminated or otherwise adhered to the cover surface. The flexible substrate can be a glass substrate greater than 200 &#x3bc;m in thickness, and can be reduced to a desired thickness below 200 &#x3bc;m after the touch sensor pattern is deposited thereon. The flexible substrate can be curved by supporting the flexible substrate on the chuck surface such that the flexible substrate conforms to a shape of the chuck surface, or forcing the flexible substrate against the cover surface, such that the flexible substrate conforms to the shape of the curved cover surface.

Method of making a curved touch panel

Structures such as display structures and other electronic device structures may be shaped using water jet cutting equipment. The water jet cutting equipment may be used to produce a water jet. The water jet may be used to cut layer of material such as display layers and other structures. Water jet cutting may form edge cuts, cuts for openings in the structures, chamfers, and other features. Multiple layers may be simultaneously cut using water jet cutting. Positioning equipment may be used to control the position of a workpiece relative to a water jet nozzle. The positioning equipment may be controlled using a control unit. During water jet cutting operations, the workpiece may be trimmed, openings may be formed, and features such as chamfers may be created. A workpiece may include a cover glass, a color filter array, a thin-film transistor layer, and other display layers and device structures.

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Shanghai, China

Silvio Grespan