Electronic device display with extended active area

Abstract

To restrict the size of a display area available for presenting visual information to a user.SOLUTION: A display may have an active area that is bordered along at least one edge by a non-active area. The active area contains pixels and displays images. The non-active area does not contain any pixels and does not display images. The non-active area may have a black ink layer or other masking material layer to block internal components from view. The active area may have an opening that contains an isolated portion of the non-active area or may contain a recess into which a portion of the non-active area protrudes. An electronic component such as a speaker, a camera, a light-emitting diode, an optical sensor, or other electronic device may be mounted in the non-active area in the recess or the opening of the active area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 233,923, filed Sep. 28, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to electronic devices having a display. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices often include a display. For example, mobile phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers include displays for presenting information to a user.

[0003] The active area of ​​a display contains the pixels that display images. The display driver circuitry, buttons, camera, and other components that do not emit light are located in the inactive border region that surrounds the active area.

[0004] If care is not taken, the size of the display borders can become larger than desired. For example, if components such as a camera or buttons are placed along the edge of the display, the border may need to be enlarged to accommodate the camera or buttons. This can limit the amount of display area available for presenting visual information to the user. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An electronic device may include a display. The display may be formed from liquid crystal display pixels, organic light emitting diode pixels, or other pixels. The display may have an active area bordered by an inactive area. The active area contains the pixels and displays an image. The inactive area does not contain any pixels and does not display an image.

[0006] The inactive area may have a black ink layer or other layer of masking material to block the internal components from view. The active area may have an opening that includes an isolated inactive area region or may include a notch or other recess through which a portion of the inactive area protrudes. Electronic components such as speakers, cameras, light emitting diodes, light sensors, proximity sensors, strain gauges, magnetic sensors, pressure sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, or other sensors, buttons, touch sensitive components, microphones, or other audio components, or other electronic devices that generate output and / or collect input may be mounted on portions of the inactive area that protrude into the recesses or are located in the openings of the active area.

[0007] The inactive area may have a main region, such as a rectangular region that displays an image, and may have one or more extension regions extending from the main region. The extension regions may include, for example, first and second elongated rectangular extension regions that lie between the main rectangular region and the inactive edge. The first and second extension regions may be located on either side of a camera or other electronic component within a protruding or island portion of the inactive area. Icons or other information may be displayed on a black background within the extension regions to provide a continuous, uninterrupted appearance.

[0008] Further features will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device, such as a laptop computer, having a display, according to one embodiment.

[0010] [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device, such as a handheld electronic device, having a display, according to one embodiment.

[0011] [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device, such as a tablet computer, a watch, or other portable device having a display, according to one embodiment.

[0012] [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device, such as a computer display, having a display structure according to one embodiment.

[0013] [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional display.

[0014] [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary display according to one embodiment.

[0015] [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram of a portion of an exemplary display according to one embodiment.

[0016] [Figure 8] FIG. 2 illustrates how an inactive area of ​​a display can have the shape of an island surrounded by an active area, according to one embodiment.

[0017] [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary display in accordance with one embodiment, where the edge region of the display includes an inactive area protrusion that extends into a notch in the active area, and includes a pair of extended active area regions on either side of the inactive area protrusion that can display icons and other information.

[0018] [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a front view of a display having an exemplary pattern of active and inactive areas according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view of a display having an exemplary pattern of active and inactive areas according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a front view of a display having an exemplary pattern of active and inactive areas according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a front view of a display having an exemplary pattern of active and inactive areas according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a front view of a display having an exemplary pattern of active and inactive areas according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The electronic device may include a display. The display may be used to display images to a user. Exemplary electronic devices that may include a display are shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.

[0020] 1 illustrates how electronic device 10 may have the shape of a laptop computer with an upper housing 12A and a lower housing 12B that include components such as a keyboard 16 and a touchpad 18. Device 10 may have a hinge structure 20 that allows upper housing 12A to rotate in direction 22 about axis of rotation 24 relative to lower housing 12B. Display 14 may be mounted within upper housing 12A. Upper housing 12A, which may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid, may be placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing 12A toward lower housing 12B about axis of rotation 24.

[0021] 2 illustrates how electronic device 10 can be a handheld device such as a mobile phone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other small device. In this type of configuration of device 10, housing 12 can have opposing front and back faces. Display 14 can be mounted to the front of housing 12. If desired, display 14 can have openings for components such as buttons 26. Openings can also be formed in display 14 to accommodate a speaker port (see, for example, speaker port 28 in FIG. 2).

[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates how electronic device 10 can be a tablet computer, a watch, or other portable device. In electronic device 10 of FIG. 3, housing 12 can have opposing flat front and back faces. Display 14 can be mounted to the front of housing 12. As shown in FIG. 3, display 14 can have an opening to accommodate button 26. If desired, button 26 can be omitted.

[0023] 4 illustrates how electronic device 10 can be a display, such as a display with an embedded computer, a display without an embedded computer, or other suitable equipment for displaying images. In this type of configuration, a housing 12 for device 10 can be mounted on a support structure, such as a stand 30, or stand 30 can be omitted (e.g., to hang device 10 on a wall). Display 14 can be mounted to the front of housing 12.

[0024] The exemplary configurations of device 10 shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are merely exemplary. The outline of display 14 may be rectangular, oval, circular, or other suitable shape. In general, electronic device 10 may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor or other display including an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a watch type device, a pendant type device, a headphone type or earphone type device, or other wearable or miniature device, a computer display or other monitor that does not include an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a kiosk or a system mounted in a vehicle that includes an electronic device including a display, an appliance that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic device.

[0025] Housing 12 of device 10, sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed from materials such as plastics, glass, ceramics, carbon fiber composites and other fiber-based composites, metals (e.g., machined aluminum, stainless steel or other metals), other materials, or combinations of these materials. Device 10 may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing 12 is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic), or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., an external housing structure mounted to an internal frame element or other internal housing structure).

[0026] Display 14 may be a touch-sensitive display that includes a touch sensor, or it may be insensitive to touch. The touch sensor of display 14 may be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, a resistive touch array, touch sensor structures based on acoustic touch, optical touch, or pressure-sensitive touch technology, or other suitable touch sensor components.

[0027] The display 14 of device 10 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, a plasma display, an electrophoretic display, an electrowetting display, a display formed from an array of crystalline semiconductor light emitting diode dies, or other types of displays formed from pixels. A display cover layer may cover the surface of display 14 or a display layer such as a color filter layer, or other portion of the display may be used as the outermost (or nearly the outermost) layer in display 14. The outermost display layer may be formed from a transparent glass plate, a perforated plastic layer, or other transparent material.

[0028] The layers of materials making up display 14 may be mounted to a chassis structure, such as a plastic chassis structure and / or a metal chassis structure, to form a display module for mounting within housing 12, and / or the layers of display 14 may be mounted directly within housing 12 (e.g., by laminating the display layers within a recessed portion of housing 12).

[0029] The display 14 may have a rectangular shape (i.e., the display 14 may have a rectangular footprint and rectangular peripheral edges extending around the rectangular footprint), an elliptical or circular footprint, or other shapes including curved and / or straight edges. The display 14 may be flat or may have a curved contour. To help accommodate electronic components along the edges of the display 14 without unduly reducing the size of the footprint of the display 14, the edges of the active area of ​​the display 14 may include locally recessed portions such as notches and / or the display 14 may include isolated inactive areas on which electronic components may be mounted.

[0030] A top view of a conventional display is shown in Figure 5. The display 200 of Figure 5 has a rectangular active area AA with four straight edges 202. A rectangular ring-shaped inactive area IA surrounds the active area AA. The width W of the top strip of inactive area IA is wide enough to accommodate a camera 202. However, the width W of this top strip of inactive area IA is larger than necessary for areas such as area 206 of the top strip of inactive area that do not include the camera 202. This leads to wasted space.

[0031] A top view of an exemplary display including a recessed portion along one of the edges of its active area is shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the display 14 may have an array of pixels 122 formed from a layer of material on a substrate, such as substrate 36. A substrate, such as substrate 36, may be formed from glass, metal, plastic, ceramic, or other substrate material. The pixels 122 may receive data signals via signal paths, such as data lines D, and one or more control signals via control signal paths, such as horizontal control lines G (sometimes referred to as gate lines, scan lines, emission control lines, etc.). There may be a suitable number of rows and columns of pixels 122 in the display 14 (e.g., tens or more, hundreds or more, or a thousand or more).

[0032] The display 14 may be formed from an array of discrete light emitting diodes, from electrowetting pixel structures, from electrophoretic pixel structures, or from other suitable display structures. In an organic light emitting diode display, the pixels 122 include a respective organic light emitting diode and pixel circuitry that controls the application of current to the light emitting diode. In a liquid crystal display, the pixels 122 include pixel circuitry that controls the application of a signal to a pixel electrode that is used to apply a controlled amount of electric field to a pixel-sized portion of a liquid crystal layer. The pixel circuitry in the pixel 122 may include a transistor having a gate controlled by a control signal, such as a gate line signal on gate line G.

[0033] Display driver circuitry 120 can be used to control the operation of pixels 122. Display driver circuitry 120 can be formed from integrated circuits, thin film transistor circuitry, or other suitable circuitry. The thin film transistor circuitry can be formed from polysilicon thin film transistors, semiconductor oxide thin film transistors such as indium gallium zinc oxide transistors, or thin film transistors formed from other semiconductors. The pixels 122 can have color filter elements or other colored structures of different colors (e.g., red, green, and blue) to provide the display 14 with the ability to display color images.

[0034] The display driver circuit 120 may include display driver circuits such as a display driver circuit 120A and a gate driver circuit 120B. The display driver circuit 120A may be formed from one or more display driver integrated circuits and / or thin film transistor circuits (e.g., timing controller integrated circuits). The gate driver circuit 120B may be formed from a gate driver integrated circuit or may be a thin film "gate-on-array" circuit. The display driver circuit 120A of FIG. 6 may include communication circuitry for communicating with a system control circuit in the device 10. This control circuitry may include a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit, memory, and other storage and processing circuitry for generating images to be displayed on the display 14. The control circuitry of the device 10 may communicate with the display driver circuit 120A via a path 32. The path 32 may be formed from traces on a flexible printed circuit or other conductive lines. In operation, the control circuitry of the device 10 may provide the circuit 120A with information regarding an image to be displayed on the pixels 122 of the active area AA of the display 14.

[0035] To display an image on display pixels 122, display driver circuit 120A may provide image data to data lines D while generating control signals to support display driver circuitry, such as gate driver circuit 120B, via paths such as path 38. Path 38 may include, for example, lines for carrying power signals, control signals such as output enable signals, clock signals, etc. Circuitry 120A may provide these signals to gate drive circuitry 120B, which may be located on one edge of display 14, on opposing left and right edges of display 14, or elsewhere within display 14.

[0036] Gate drive circuit 120B (sometimes referred to as horizontal control line control circuitry) may use signals received from path 38 (e.g., power signals, output enable signals, clock signals, etc.) to control horizontal control lines (gate lines) G. The gate lines G of display 14 may each carry a gate line signal or other signal or signals to control each row of pixels 122 (e.g., turn on transistors in the pixels 122 when loading data from data lines D into pixel storage capacitors in those pixels). In operation, a frame of image data may be displayed by asserting gate signals on each gate line G in the display in sequence. A shift register circuit (e.g., a chain of registers) in gate drive circuit 120B may be used to control the gate line signals.

[0037] The display 14 has an active area AA that includes pixels 122 and displays an image. The display 14 may also have an inactive area IA (sometimes referred to as an edge area) that includes display driver circuitry 120 and other components that do not generate an image. In some configurations, the display 14 may include an opaque masking material (e.g., a layer of black or white ink, etc.) below a display cover layer or other layer of the display 14 to hide the display driver circuitry and other components in the inactive area IA from view outside the device 10. A window may also be formed in the inactive area of ​​the display 14 (e.g., to accommodate an image sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, etc.).

[0038] In the display 14 of FIG. 6, the active area AA has a generally rectangular shape including top and bottom edges and left and right edges. The inactive area IA may have four generally strip-like edge regions (e.g., the display 14 may have a rectangular ring-like inactive border composed of top and bottom inactive area strips and left and right inactive area strips). In order to accommodate components within the inactive area IA without unduly expanding the inactive area IA (and thereby unduly reducing the size of the active area AA), the active area AA may include one or more recesses or isolated openings into which a portion of the inactive area IA may extend. For example, a notch may be formed in the active area AA, and a portion of the inactive area IA may protrude into the notch. This protruding portion of the inactive area may be used to accommodate components such as a button, a fingerprint reader, a light emitting diode status indicator, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a touch sensor, a camera (i.e., a digital image sensor), a strain gauge, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, or other sensors, buttons, touch sensitive components, a microphone or other audio components, or other electronic component(s) that generate output and / or receive input.

[0039] In the configuration of FIG. 6, for example, active area AA of display 14 can have an upper edge, such as edge 132. A recess, such as recessed portion 130, may be formed in edge 132. Recessed portion 130 creates an associated enlarged inwardly protruding region 134 of inactive area IA. The enlarged inactive area, such as inactive area IA in region 134, may be contiguous with other portions of inactive area IA or may be formed as an isolated island of inactive area IA surrounded by active area AA. In the example of FIG. 6, inactive area IA in inwardly protruding region 134 is contiguous with a horizontal upper strip of inactive area IA that forms an upper border region of display 14.

[0040] Due to the presence of the inactive area protrusion 134, there is an open location in the display 14 for a component such as component 136. Component 136 may be a sensor, a light detection device, an output device, a button, a fingerprint reader, an image sensor, or other suitable device. As an example, component 136 may be an image sensor (camera) mounted behind a camera window. The camera window may include an opening in a black ink layer and / or a non-polarizing region of a polarizing layer(s) in the material layers forming the display 14. Other light-based components (e.g., light sensors, light emitting devices such as one or more visible or infrared discrete light emitting diodes, light-based proximity sensors, etc.) may also be mounted under the window in region 134 of the inactive area IA. The use of a camera in region 134 is merely exemplary.

[0041] Because region 134 protrudes inward into active area AA, gate lines G (or other horizontal control lines) that would otherwise cross region 134 may be cut and shortened, as shown in FIG. 6. In general, control lines such as data lines D, gate lines G, and / or both data and control lines can be routed to accommodate extended inactive area 134. In the example of FIG. 6, the shortened gate lines G allow extensions of active area AA to exist on the left and right of inactive area 134. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove entire rows of pixels 122 along the top edge of active area AA to accommodate component 136. This maximizes the area consumed by active area AA.

[0042] In the example of Figure 6, the gate lines G include regular length lines that extend from the gate drive circuits 120B at the left and right edges of the display 14 to the center of the display 14. The gate lines G also include shortened lines that extend from the gate drive circuits 120B at the left and right edges of the display 14 toward the center of the display 14 like regular length lines, but terminate at the edge of the non-active area protrusion 134 so as not to extend into the protrusion 134. Similarly, the data lines D include regular length lines that extend the entire vertical extent of the display 14, and shortened data lines such as data line D' that terminate at the edge of the protrusion 134.

[0043] If desired, other data and gate line layouts can be used to route signals to pixels 122 without penetrating into non-active areas such as overhang 134. For example, the exemplary arrangement of FIG. 7 shows how gate line signals can be routed vertically to horizontal gate lines G using vertical gate line extensions G′, which may each be coupled to gate drive circuitry disposed along the bottom edge of display 14 (as an example). This layout reduces or eliminates the need for gate drive circuitry along the left and right edges of display 14, thereby allowing for a reduction in the size of edges such as the left edge region (non-active area IA) of display 14. In the exemplary configuration of FIG. 8, data lines D are folded back on ends DF allowing data lines D to load into pixels 122 that would otherwise be blocked by the presence of islands of non-active area IA such as island 134I or other isolated non-active areas. If desired, display driver circuitry can be located in blocks both above and below an island, such as island 134I (in which case data lines can extend directly from the respective blocks to pixels 122 without wrapping). Other arrangements for routing control, data, and power line signals can be used to accommodate inward protrusions of non-active areas (i.e., active area notches or other recesses) and / or islands of non-active area surrounded by active areas (i.e., non-active areas formed in isolated openings in active areas). The configurations of Figures 6, 7, and 8 are merely exemplary.

[0044] The extended inactive area regions of display 14 may make it difficult or impossible to display a complete rectangle of image content on display 14. Nevertheless, the active area increments present on display 14 may be used in displaying other information for the user.

[0045] In one exemplary approach shown in FIG. 9, a portion of the active area AA (i.e., a main rectangular portion of the active area AA, such as main portion AA-M) may be used in displaying a rectangular portion of content for a user. The rectangular main portion AA-M of the display 14 may be used to display, for example, a rectangular image, a rectangular video, a rectangular document containing text and / or graphics, or other rectangular content. Due to the presence of the inactive area protrusion 134, the horizontal top edge 140 of portion AA-M cannot be extended further upward without changing its shape. Nevertheless, extended active area regions AA-EL and AA-ER are available to the left and right of region 134. Regions AA-EL and AA-ER may be elongated rectangular regions (i.e., horizontally extending strip-like regions). Region AA-EL lies between edge 140 of active area region AA-M and an inner edge 142 of the inactive area IA portion that extends along the top edge of the display 14. Region AA-ER lies between edge 140 and inner edge 142 of active area region AA-M.

[0046] Areas such as extension areas AA-EL and AA-ER can be used to display content such as text, graphics, video, images, and the like. For example, areas AA-EL and AA-ER may be used to display information such as time and date information 144 and icons 146. This information may relate to the general status of device 10 and / or may relate to the content being displayed in areas AA-M. For example, information in areas AA-EL and AA-ER may include status bar information such as battery charge level, wireless local area network signal strength information, network connectivity information, time information, date information, message status information, display brightness information, media playback status information, and the like. If desired, the information in fields AA-EL and AA-ER may relate to the document displayed in field AA-M. For example, page count information, word count information, document magnification status, line spacing settings, and other status information about the document may be presented. In situations where area AA-M is displaying a video, areas AA-EL and AA-ER may display running time information, time remaining information, playback volume information, media title information, etc.

[0047] Information 144 and 146 may be presented on a background, such as background 148. Background 148 may have any suitable color and / or pattern. If desired, inactive area IA may include a layer of black ink or other opaque masking material to hide from view the internal components beneath the outermost layer(s) of display 14. In this type of arrangement, background 148 may be black to match the black color of the inactive area masking material. Region 134 may also be black (e.g., the underside of the display layer(s) in region 134 may be coated with black ink), or region 134 may have a contrasting appearance (e.g., region 134 may be glossy, white, colored red or other suitable color, etc.). In a configuration in which region background 148 is black to match the black of region 134, regions AA-EL and AA-ER will have the appearance of being part of an integral strip of active area (and thereby an integral extension of active area AA-M). Because the black color of region 134 blends with the black color of background 148, the visual interruption from protrusion 134 will not be noticeable to the eye.

[0048] If desired, the active area AA of the display 14 may have other shapes, including islands of inactive area IA (i.e., an opening having the shape of an isolated region in which the inactive area IA is surrounded by the active area AA), and / or a rectangular notch or other recess. In the example of FIG. 10, the active area AA of the display 14 has a rectangular shape including a relatively shallow rectangular recess 130. FIG. 11 shows how there may be multiple recesses in the active area AA (e.g., recesses such as rectangular recesses 130-1 and 130-2). In the configuration of FIG. 12, there is a recess at each of the four corners of the active area AA (i.e., recesses 130-1, 130-2, 130-3, 130-4). In FIG. 13, the active area AA has a circular outline with a smooth mousehole-like recess 130 formed therein. A rectangular active area, such as the rectangular active area AA of FIG. 14, may also include a curved recess. For example, the recess 130 of FIG. 14 may accommodate a button 26. Openings in the active area AA, such as the exemplary opening 130I in FIG. 14, can be used to accommodate speakers and / or other electronic components.

[0049] Inactive area portions such as protrusions 134 can extend into the openings and other recesses of Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, respectively. Additionally, other shapes and layouts for the active area AA and inactive area IA of display 14 can be used. The examples of Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are merely illustrative.

[0050] According to one embodiment, there is provided a display comprising an active area including pixels for displaying an image and a non-active area lacking pixels extending along at least a portion of one edge of the active area, wherein a protruding portion of the non-active area extends into the active area along a portion of the edge.

[0051] According to another embodiment, the active area includes a rectangular portion and two rectangular extension regions on either side of the inactive area.

[0052] According to another embodiment, the pixels in the active area are configured to display an icon in a rectangular expansion region.

[0053] According to another embodiment, the display includes a camera in the protruding portion.

[0054] According to another embodiment, the display includes electronic components in the protruding portion of the inactive area.

[0055] According to another embodiment, the electronic component includes an image sensor.

[0056] According to another embodiment, the protruding portion comprises a rectangular portion of the inactive area.

[0057] According to another embodiment, the protruding portion of the inactive area has a black masking layer, and the active area includes at least one portion adjacent the protruding portion that displays information on a black background.

[0058] According to another embodiment, the active area has a rectangular shape and the protruding portion comprises a rectangular portion of the inactive area.

[0059] According to another embodiment, the active area has a circular shape.

[0060] According to another embodiment, the active area has a rectangular shape and the protruding portion protrudes into at least one corner of the rectangular shape.

[0061] According to one embodiment, a display is provided that includes an active area including pixels that display an image, and an isolated non-active area without pixels formed within an opening in the active area and that does not display an image.

[0062] According to another embodiment, the display includes electronic components in a separate inactive area.

[0063] According to another embodiment, the electronic component includes a component selected from the group consisting of a speaker, a camera, a light sensor, a discrete light emitting diode, a proximity sensor, a strain gauge, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a button, and a microphone.

[0064] According to another embodiment, the pixel comprises a liquid crystal display pixel.

[0065] According to another embodiment, the pixel comprises an organic light emitting diode pixel.

[0066] According to another embodiment, the active areas include data lines, at least some of the data lines having folded ends adjacent to isolated non-active areas.

[0067] According to another embodiment, the active area has a recessed portion into which the protruding non-active area extends.

[0068] According to one embodiment, a laptop computer is provided that includes a housing having a base and a lid that rotates relative to the base, and a display supported by the lid, the display having an active area including pixels that display an image and an inactive area extending along at least one edge of the active area, the active area having a recess, the inactive area having a protruding portion that extends into the recess, and a camera mounted within the protruding portion of the inactive area.

[0069] According to another embodiment, the active area has a main rectangular region for displaying an image and has first and second rectangular extension regions between the main rectangular region and an inactive edge, the first and second rectangular extension regions being on either side of the camera.

[0070] According to another embodiment, the first and second rectangular extension regions display icons on a black background, while the main rectangular region displays a rectangular image.

[0071] The foregoing is merely illustrative, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The above embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Claims

1. an active area including pixels for displaying an image; a non-active area devoid of pixels extending along at least a portion of one edge of the active area; A display, wherein the protruding portion of the inactive area extends into the active area along the portion of the edge.

2. 2. The display of claim 1, wherein the active area includes a rectangular portion and two rectangular extension regions on either side of the inactive area.

3. The display of claim 2 , wherein the pixels of the active area are configured to display an icon in the rectangular expansion region.

4. The display of claim 3 further comprising a camera on the protruding portion.

5. The display of claim 1 further comprising electronic components on the protruding portion of the inactive area.

6. The display of claim 5 , wherein the electronic components include an image sensor.

7. The display of claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion comprises a rectangular portion of the inactive area.

8. 2. The display of claim 1, wherein the protruding portion of the inactive area has a black masking layer, and the active area includes at least one portion adjacent the protruding portion that displays information on a black background.

9. 9. The display of claim 8, wherein the active area has a rectangular shape and the protruding portion comprises a rectangular portion of the inactive area.

10. The display of claim 1 , wherein the active area has a circular shape.

11. The display of claim 1 , wherein the active area has a rectangular shape and the protruding portion protrudes into at least one corner of the rectangular shape.

12. an active area including pixels for displaying an image; an isolated inactive area having no pixels, the inactive area being formed in an opening of the active area and not displaying an image; A display comprising:

13. The display of claim 12 further comprising electronic components in the isolated inactive area.

14. 14. The display of claim 13, wherein the electronic components include components selected from the group consisting of a speaker, a camera, a light sensor, a discrete light emitting diode, a proximity sensor, a strain gauge, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a button, and a microphone.

15. 13. The display of claim 12, wherein the pixels comprise liquid crystal display pixels.

16. 13. The display of claim 12, wherein the pixels comprise organic light emitting diode pixels.

17. 13. The display of claim 12, wherein the active area includes data lines, at least some of the data lines having ends that are folded back adjacent the isolated inactive area.

18. 13. A display as claimed in claim 12, wherein the active area has a recessed portion into which a protruding non-active area extends.

19. A housing having a base and a lid that rotates relative to the base; a display supported by the lid, the display having an active area including pixels for displaying an image and a non-active area extending along at least one edge of the active area, the active area having a recess and the non-active area having a protruding portion extending into the recess; a camera mounted on the protruding portion of the inactive area; A laptop computer comprising:

20. 20. The laptop computer of claim 19, wherein the active area has a main rectangular region for displaying an image and has first and second rectangular extension regions between the main rectangular region and the inactive edge, the first and second rectangular extension regions being on either side of the camera.

21. 21. The laptop computer of claim 20, wherein the first and second rectangular extension regions display icons on a black background and the main rectangular region displays a rectangular image.

Images