Flexible electronic devices
Flexible electronic devices may be provided. A flexible electronic device may include a flexible display, a flexible housing and one or more flexible internal components configured to allow the flexible electronic device to be deformed. Flexible displays may include flexible display layers, flexible touch-sensitive layers, and flexible display cover layers. The flexible housing may be a multi-stable flexible housing having one or more stable positions. The flexible housing may include a configurable support structure that, when engaged, provides a rigid support structure for the flexible housing. The flexible internal components may include flexible batteries, flexible printed circuits or other flexible components. A flexible battery may include flexible and rigid portions or may include a lubricious separator layer that provides flexibility for the flexible battery. A flexible printed circuit may include flexible and rigid portions or openings that allow some rigid portions to flex with respect to other rigid portions.
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a display having an array of pixels and having a rigid cover layer over the array of pixels;
a flexible fabric layer;
a touch sensor that receives user input on the flexible fabric layer; and
processing circuitry that controls the array of pixels based on the user input.
2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display comprises light-emitting diodes.
3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry activates a software application in response to the user input.
4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry switches the display between an on mode and a sleep mode in response to the user input.
5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible fabric layer is attached to at least one metal structure.
6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible fabric layer is movable between a flat configuration and a curved configuration.
7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.
8. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
a flexible fabric material;
an array of light-emitting elements mounted to the flexible fabric material;
a flexible touch sensor that detects user input on the flexible fabric material; and
processing circuitry that controls the light-emitting elements based on the user input.
9. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the light-emitting elements are covered by a rigid layer.
10. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the array of light-emitting elements comprises a flexible array of light-emitting elements.
11. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the light-emitting elements comprise light-emitting diodes.
12. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the flexible touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.
13. The wearable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the flexible fabric material is attached to a metal structure.
14. A wrist-watch electronic device, comprising:
a display having a rigid cover layer;
a flexible member coupled to the display;
a sensor that detects user input on the flexible member; and
processing circuitry that gathers signals from the sensor and that controls the display based on the signals.
15. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the flexible member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: polymer, silicone, fabric, and metal.
16. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the display comprises an organic light-emitting diode display.
17. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of: a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, and a touch sensor.
18. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the display comprises an organic light-emitting diode display.
19. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the flexible member is movable between a flat configuration and a curved configuration.
20. The wrist-watch electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the sensor detects deformation of the flexible member and wherein the processing circuitry controls the display based on the deformation.