Apple has won another Patent regarding the placement of their Face ID Cameras set under a device's display
In September 2024, Patently Apple posted a supply chain report titled "Apple continues to struggle replacing the iPhone's dreaded notch with Face ID Cameras Under-the-Display." The report noted "It will take time to place both the receiver and transmitter of the under-panel face ID under the panel on the iPhone. They added that "It is difficult to predict the timing of the application of the under-panel face ID at this time." Some rumors have suggested that it could take until 2026 before this desired feature comes to market.
Over the years, Patently Apple has covered several patents relating to a future iPhone with a camera under the display (01, 02, 03 and 04). Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple another patent on this subject matter that Apple once abandoned and has since resurrected.
Methods And Configurations For Improving The Performance Of Sensors Under A Display
Apple's granted patent covers an electronic device (iPhone, MacBook, iMac, smartglasses, an Apple Watch) that could include a display and an optical sensor formed underneath the display.
A pixel removal region on the display may at least partially overlap with the sensor. The pixel removal region may include a plurality of non-pixel regions each of which is devoid of thin-film transistors. The plurality of non-pixel regions is configured to increase the transmittance of light through the display to the sensor. In one suitable arrangement, half of all display subpixels in the pixel removal region may be removed to increase the transmittance of light through the display to the sensor. In general, 10-90% of all display subpixels in the pixel removal region may be removed to increase the transmittance of light through the display to the sensor.
(8) The electronic device may further include a conductive touch sensor mesh formed over the display. In one suitable arrangement, the conductive touch sensor mesh is not removed from the pixel removal region. In another suitable arrangement, the conductive touch sensor mesh is completely removed from the pixel removal region. In yet another suitable arrangement, the conductive touch sensor mesh is only partially removed from the pixel removal region.
The display may further include a blanket layer that is selectively patterned in the pixel removal region to increase the transmittance of light through the display to the sensor. The blanket layer may be a display layer selected from the group consisting of: a substrate protection layer, a gate dielectric layer, an inorganic passivation layer, and an organic pixel definition layer.
Apple's patent FIGS. 7A-7F below are front views of an electronic device display showing how the display may have one or more localized regions in which the pixels are selectively removed using a scheme described in the granted patent.
Apple's patent FIG. 8A above is a top layout view showing how subpixel transistors may be selectively removed to increase transmittance; FIG. 8C is a top layout view showing how the horizontal and vertical routing lines may be rerouted to provide a larger continuous opening to reduce optical diffraction; FIG. 9A is a top layout view showing illustrative touch conductive mesh circuitry formed over the pixel removal region in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 9B is a top layout view showing how the touch conductive mesh circuitry may be partially removed over the pixel removal region.
To review the full details of this invention, check out granted patent 12201004.