IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,503,143
Granted Patent B2
US 11,503,143 · App. 17/068,570 · Granted Nov 15, 2022

Handheld electronic device

Inventors: Benjamin J. Kallman (Emerald Hills, CA); Luman Zhang (Sunnyvale, CA); Hugh J. Jay (Cupertino, CA); Trent Canales (Cupertino, CA); Lindsay M. Alanen (San Jose, CA); Christopher B. Lyons (Cupertino, CA); Brian A. Argyres (San Mateo, CA); Sherry Cao (San Francisco, CA); Jaden A. Barney (East Palo Alto, CA); Lucy E. Browning (San Francisco, CA); Sawyer I. Cohen (Menlo Park, CA); Benjamin J. Pope (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04M1/0206G06F1/1637G06F1/1686H04M1/026H04M1/0264H04M1/0266H05K1/115H05K1/118H05K1/189H05K5/0047H05K5/0086H05K5/0217H04M2201/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,503,143
App. No.
17/068,570
Granted
Nov 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a housing, a display at least partially within the housing, a front cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the display, a rear cover coupled to the housing and defining a first portion of a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device, a protrusion defining a sensor array region of the rear cover and a second portion of the rear exterior surface, and an internal surface opposite the second portion of the rear exterior surface. The portable electronic device also includes a sensor array mounted within the housing along the sensor array region and comprising a frame member coupled to the rear cover along the internal surface and defining a wall structure defining a first container region and a second container region, a camera module positioned in the first container region, and a depth sensor module positioned in the second container region and attached to the internal surface of the rear cover.

Claims (78)

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display at least partially within the housing;

a front cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the display;

a rear cover coupled to the housing and defining:

a first portion of a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device;

a protrusion defining a sensor array region of the rear cover and a second portion of the rear exterior surface; and

an internal surface opposite the second portion of the rear exterior surface; and

a sensor array mounted within the housing along the sensor array region and comprising:

a frame member coupled to the rear cover along the internal surface and defining a wall structure defining a first container region and a second container region;

a camera module positioned in the first container region; and

a depth sensor module positioned in the second container region and attached to the internal surface of the rear cover.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the wall structure is a first wall structure; and

the sensor array further comprises a bracket member defining:

a mounting surface; and

a second wall structure defining a wall portion extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the mounting surface and defining a receptacle in the bracket member;

the camera module is positioned in the receptacle attached to the mounting surface; and

the bracket member is attached to the frame member.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein:

the camera module is a first camera module;

the mounting surface is a first mounting surface;

the wall portion is a first wall portion;

the receptacle is a first receptacle; and

the bracket member further comprises:

a second mounting surface; and

a second wall portion extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the second mounting surface and defining a second receptacle in the bracket member; and

the portable electronic device further comprises a second camera module positioned within the second receptacle and attached to the second mounting surface.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the depth sensor module is positioned outside the second wall structure.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the depth sensor module is attached to the internal surface of the rear cover by an adhesive layer in contact with the depth sensor module and the internal surface of the rear cover.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the rear cover defines a hole extending through the sensor array region;

the portable electronic device further comprises a metal ring positioned at least partially in the hole; and

the frame member is welded to the metal ring.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a transparent camera cover coupled to the metal ring.

8. A mobile phone comprising:

a housing;

a display at least partially within the housing;

a front cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the display;

a rear cover coupled to the housing and defining a sensor array region protruding from a rear exterior surface of the rear cover;

a frame member coupled to the rear cover along an internal surface opposite the sensor array region and comprising a wall at least partially defining a container region;

a camera module positioned in the container region; and

a depth sensor module positioned outside the container region and attached to the rear cover along an internal surface.

9. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the container region is a first container region;

the wall at least partially defines a second container region along a side of the first container region; and

the depth sensor module is positioned in the second container region.

10. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the depth sensor module is attached to the rear cover with an adhesive.

11. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the rear cover includes an opaque masking layer; and

the depth sensor module is adhered to the opaque masking layer.

12. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the rear cover defines:

a first portion having a first thickness; and

a second portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, the sensor array region defined in the second portion of the rear cover.

13. The mobile phone of claim 12 , wherein the depth sensor module comprises:

an optical emitter configured to emit light through the second portion of the rear cover; and

an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the emitted light through the second portion of the rear cover.

14. The mobile phone of claim 13 , wherein:

the rear cover defines a hole through the second portion of the rear cover; and

the camera module is positioned at least partially in the hole.

15. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display at least partially within the housing;

a front cover coupled to the housing and defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device;

a rear cover coupled to the housing and defining a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device and a raised sensor array region along the rear exterior surface, the raised sensor array region defining:

a hole extending through the raised sensor array region; and

an internal surface defining a depth sensor mounting region;

a camera extending at least partially into the hole; and

a depth sensor module attached to the internal surface in the depth sensor mounting region.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the depth sensor module is configured to receive light through an optically transmissive portion of the rear cover.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:

the portable electronic device further comprises a frame member coupled to the rear cover and defining a wall extending at least partially around a first container region and at least partially around a second container region; and

the depth sensor module is positioned in the second container region.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the camera is positioned in the first container region.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a microphone positioned in the second container region.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising:

a metal ring positioned at least partially in the hole and welded to the frame member; and

an optically transmissive window coupled to the metal ring and covering a lens component of the camera.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2020
From: KALLMAN, BENJAMIN J.; ZHANG, LUMAN; JAY, HUGH J.; CANALES, TRENT; ALANEN, LINDSAY M.; LYONS, CHRISTOPHER B.; ARGYRES, BRYAN A.; CAO, SHERRY; BARNEY, JADEN A.; BROWNING, LUCY E.; COHEN, SAWYER I.; POPE, BENJAMIN J.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 054306/0136 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62943199 · Dec 3, 2019
Provisional Application 62946920 · Dec 11, 2019
Provisional Application 63047760 · Jul 2, 2020
Related Publication 20210168229A1 · Jun 3, 2021
Cited By (4)
US 12,219,077 US 12,238,401 US 12,272,877 US 12,641,169