Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device, which may be a handheld device, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a terminal device, or a device connected to any one of a wireless modem, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, a tablet computer, a laptop, etc. In the embodiments of the present application, a motherboard processes an electrical signal transmitted from an ambient light sensor, without requiring a software matting algorithm, and thus the computational method is relatively simple; in addition, it is not necessary to apply a black ink at a corresponding position on a transparent cover plate, thus simplifying the processing technology of the electronic device, and reducing the cost of use.

Description

An electronic device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on August 28, 2023, with application number 202311096896.3 and invention name “An Electronic Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in the embodiments of this application. Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of communication equipment, and in particular to an electronic device. Background Art

[0003] Electronic devices often include ambient light sensors. These sensors sense ambient light intensity and output an electrical signal to the device's motherboard, which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on the signal. This not only reduces device power consumption and extends device life, but also protects the eyes. For this reason, ambient light sensors are widely used in electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers.

[0004] The current mainstream development trend of electronic device displays is towards larger screen-to-body ratios, which to some extent limits the placement of ambient light sensors. Therefore, how to minimize the impact of ambient light sensors on the display area has become a major technical issue of concern to those skilled in the art.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device with simple software calculation and simple manufacturing process.

[0007] An embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device comprising a middle frame, a display screen, and an ambient light sensor, wherein the display screen is fixed to one side of the middle frame. The display screen comprises a transparent cover plate and a display module, wherein the display module comprises a plurality of stacked functional layers, and wherein the display module comprises a first main body portion and a second main body portion connected to each other, wherein the first main body portion forms a display area, and the second main body portion forms a non-display area, and the second main body portion comprises a first sub-region, wherein the sub-region comprises at least one functional layer, and wherein the sub-region has a predetermined light transmittance, that is, the first sub-region is a portion of the second main body portion having a functional layer and capable of transmitting light, and the number of functional layers in the first sub-region can be determined according to the light transmittance; the first sub-region can be a portion of the second main body portion, or the entire second main body portion.

[0008] The middle frame has a cavity, and the ambient light sensor is installed inside the cavity. The ambient light sensor is located on the side of the first sub-region facing away from the transparent cover. The ambient light sensor can detect external light that passes through the first sub-region. In other words, external light that passes through the first sub-region can enter the inner cavity and be captured by the ambient light sensor.

[0009] In the embodiment of the present application, external light from the electronic device passes through the transparent cover plate and the first sub-area and is then transmitted to the ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor converts the detected light signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the mainboard electrically connected thereto. The mainboard analyzes and processes the light signal and then issues a brightness adjustment instruction to adjust the brightness of the display screen. Because the first sub-area in the embodiment of the present application does not have a light-emitting function, it does not affect external light. The light detected by the ambient light sensor is all external light. Thus, the mainboard does not need to use a software cutout algorithm when processing the electrical signal transmitted from the ambient light sensor, and the calculation method is relatively simple. In addition, the first sub-area has a predetermined light transmittance that allows external light to pass through. This eliminates the need to remove all functional layers of the first sub-area, reducing the processing difficulty of the display module.

[0010] In addition, to a certain extent, the first sub-area can play a shielding function, and the electrical components on the back of the internal first sub-area are not easily observed from the outside of the display screen. There is no need to apply black ink on the corresponding position of the transparent cover, which simplifies the processing technology of the electronic equipment and reduces the cost of use.

[0011] Furthermore, the second main body in the embodiment of the present application does not occupy the top space of the display screen, which can reduce the width of the black border of the display screen and help increase the screen-to-body ratio. The screen-to-body ratio is the ratio of the display area of ​​the display screen to the projected area of ​​the transparent cover of the display screen. The larger the screen-to-body ratio, the better the image display effect of the electronic device.

[0012] In one example, the ambient light sensor includes a photosensor for detecting light signals, and the projection of the photosensor on the plane where the display screen is located is located within the first sub-region. In other words, the photosensor can be located within the coverage area of ​​the first sub-region, for example, the photosensor is located directly behind the first sub-region. This can increase the field of view (FOV) of the ambient light sensor and improve the reliability of the ambient light sensor's detection.

[0013] In one example, a diffuser is positioned between the second main body and the ambient light sensor. This diffuser evenly distributes ambient light entering the first sub-area toward the ambient light sensor. After entering the first sub-area, the light is first projected onto the diffuser's surface facing the display module. After passing through the diffuser, the light is evenly dispersed, resulting in a larger light-emitting surface on the side of the diffuser facing the ambient light sensor. This expands the ambient light sensor's field of view and further improves the sensor's reliability in detecting ambient light.

[0014] In one example, the diffuser includes a diffuser film, which is bonded to the midframe or display module. The film is relatively thin and occupies relatively little space, facilitating the installation of other electronic components within the device and meeting the demand for thinner and lighter designs.

[0015] In one example, the display module further includes an SCF layer, which is located on the surface of the functional layer facing away from the transparent cover. The SCF layer typically has poor light transmittance, so a first through-hole is defined in at least a portion of the SCF layer opposite the first sub-region. A diffuser is positioned between the first through-hole in the SCF layer and the ambient light sensor. This allows ambient light to pass through the first sub-region and the first through-hole to the ambient light sensor. The SCF layer facilitates rapid heat dissipation from the display module, ensuring reliable operation of the display module.

[0016] In one example, under light conditions with a wavelength of 550nm, the light transmittance of the first sub-region ranges from 2% to 4%. When the light transmittance is within this range, the ambient light sensor can detect external light while the second main body has a better overall appearance concealment function. That is, the electronic components located on the back of the second main body are not easily visible from the outside of the electronic device, and the transparent cover does not need to be coated with ink, which simplifies the processing of the electronic device, saves costs, and improves the overall appearance of the electronic device.

[0017] In one example, in addition to the SCF layer, the display module also includes several other functional layers between the SCF layer and the transparent cover plate. The portion of the second main body that does not require light transmission is defined as a second sub-area. The second sub-area includes the SCF layer and the functional layers located between the SCF layer and the transparent cover plate. In this way, the first sub-area can be obtained by removing the SCF layer, and the SCF layer in the second sub-area does not need to be removed. In this way, the area of ​​the SCF layer is relatively large, which improves the heat dissipation capacity, and the second sub-area is also more capable of shielding the electronic devices inside the electronic device.

[0018] In one example, the display module may be an OLED display module. The functional layer includes an OLED layer. The OLED layer includes a first portion and a second portion connected to each other. The first portion is provided with a plurality of light-emitting diodes to form a display area. The second portion can be provided in two ways:

[0019] The first configuration mode: the second part has no light emitting diode, the first main body includes the first part, and the second main body includes the second part, that is, the second main body has no light emitting diode.

[0020] The second setting method: the second part is also provided with a light-emitting diode, but the light-emitting diode in the second part is always in a non-luminous state, and the light-emitting diode in the second part is in a non-luminous state which can be controlled by software or hardware. The OLED display module has better performance and can realize the setting of a flexible screen. In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, by reasonably setting the first part and the second part of the OLED layer, the ambient light sensor can detect external light without changing other functional layers. The functional layers in the first main body and the second main body can be exactly the same, and only the arrangement or control of the first part and the second part of the OLED layer are slightly different, which further reduces the assembly and processing technology of the display module.

[0021] In one example, the functional layers in the first sub-region may include, but are not limited to, a polarizing layer, a touchscreen layer, a thin-film field-effect transistor layer, an encapsulation layer, and a substrate. The first sub-region may also include other layers of the display module besides the SCF layer. Of course, in some embodiments, one or more layers may be removed to account for light transmittance.

[0022] In one example, the middle frame includes a support plate, which is located between the display module and the ambient light sensor. The support plate is located on the side of the display module away from the transparent cover plate, and can serve as a warehouse wall for accommodating the display module, and can also serve as a support structure for other components such as the ambient light sensor. A second through hole is provided on the support plate, and external light entering from the first sub-area is transmitted to the ambient light sensor through the second through hole. The support plate can isolate the display screen from other electronic components in the cavity, that is, the support plate isolates the cavity into two chambers, one chamber is equipped with a display screen, and the other chamber is equipped with other electronic components of the electronic device. The display screen and other electronic components can be located in independent chambers respectively to reduce mutual influence on work.

[0023] In one example, the electronic device further includes a functional module unit, the functional module unit includes an optical device, the optical device is fixed to the cavity, the second main body further has a third sub-region, the third sub-region includes a third through hole, the third through hole is a passage for light emitted or received by the optical device, the optical device and the ambient light sensor are arranged side by side along a specified direction, and the specified direction is parallel to the plane of the transparent cover;

[0024] The electronic device further includes a light shielding member capable of blocking the light entering or exiting from the third through hole from being transmitted to the ambient light sensor.

[0025] In this embodiment of the present application, the optical components and ambient light sensor are centrally located on the back side of the second main body, minimizing the area of ​​the second main body while increasing the display area of ​​the first main body. This, in turn, improves the display capabilities of the electronic device and enhances its overall appearance. Furthermore, the provision of a light shield prevents the optical components' operating light from affecting the ambient light sensor, facilitating reliable operation of the ambient light sensor.

[0026] In one example, the optical device is a light source device, meaning it is capable of emitting light. The light source device may be a light-emitting component such as a soft light. The functional module further includes a light-guiding structure supported by the support plate and positioned between the light source device and the third through-hole. The light-guiding structure is capable of conducting light emitted by the light source device. The light-guiding structure enables the light emitted by the light source device to propagate along a predetermined optical path, thereby achieving the desired function of the electronic device.

[0027] In one example, the light-guiding structure includes a first end face, a second end face, and a circumferential side wall. The circumferential side wall is connected between the first end face and the second end face. The first end face and the second end face face the third through hole and the light source device, respectively. The light-shielding member can be a light-shielding material layer provided on the circumferential side wall. In this way, light inside the light-guiding structure cannot be projected outward through the circumferential side wall, thereby preventing the light in the light-guiding structure from affecting the operation of components such as the ambient light sensor, thereby improving the accuracy of the ambient light sensor detection. The material of the light-shielding material layer can be a metal or non-metal that can block light, such as silver or aluminum.

[0028] In this embodiment, the method of providing the light-shielding material layer on the circumferential side wall occupies a relatively small space and is light in weight, which is conducive to the lightweight design of electronic equipment.

[0029] In one example, the first end surface covers the third through hole and abuts against the display module. This abutment prevents light from leaking between the first end surface and the display module, improving the performance of the soft light while minimizing the impact on the normal operation of other electronic components in the cavity.

[0030] In one example, the cavity also includes a motherboard, to which both the ambient light sensor and the optical device are mounted, and the two can be arranged side by side. This allows the ambient light sensor and the optical device to directly transmit light signals to the motherboard circuit, eliminating the need for wires and other components, simplifying the structure.

[0031] In one example, there are two functional module units, and the optical components within the two functional module units are located on either side of the ambient light sensor. The two functional module units and the ambient light sensor are arranged side by side. For example, the two functional module units are a soft light and a front camera, respectively, and are located on either side of the ambient light sensor. The corresponding third sub-region includes two third through holes, one for allowing light emitted by the soft light and the other for light entering the front camera. In this embodiment of the application, the ambient light sensor can fully utilize the space between the two optical components, and the second main body can be minimized, further increasing the area of ​​the first main body.

[0032] In one example, the optical device is at least one of a soft light or a front camera.

[0033] In one example, the display area is located outside the non-display area. The display area can completely surround the non-display area, so that the non-display area is not located in the black border area of ​​the electronic device, which can reduce the width of the black border of the display screen and help increase the screen-to-body ratio.

[0034] In one example, the non-display area is in the shape of an oblong or rectangular shape, which improves the overall appearance of the electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in the current technology;

[0036] FIG2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing only the relative positions of the display screen and the ambient light sensor along the A'-A' direction in FIG1 ;

[0037] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG4 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of point A in the electronic device shown in FIG3 ;

[0039] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of the display module in the electronic device shown in FIG3 taken along the direction A1-A1;

[0040] FIG6 is a partial top view of the display module shown in FIG5 ;

[0041] FIG7 is a cross-sectional view of the structure at position A in the electronic device shown in FIG3 along the direction A1-A1;

[0042] FIG8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point C in the structure shown in FIG7;

[0043] FIG9 is an enlarged view of the structure at D in FIG8 , in which only some parts are shown;

[0044] FIG10 is a rear view of the SCF layer and the display module in the electronic device shown in FIG3 , viewed from the side of the SCF layer;

[0045] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure shown in FIG4 with the display screen removed;

[0046] FIG12 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG11;

[0047] FIG13 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide structure and the shielding member in FIG4 ;

[0048] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of the middle frame of the electronic device shown in FIG3 .

[0049] The one-to-one correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in Figures 1 to 14 is as follows:

[0050] 1' ambient light sensor; 2' display screen; 21' glass cover; 22' display module; 22a' light-transmitting hole;

[0051] 1 middle frame; 1a cavity; 11 metal body; 12 plastic body; 101 support plate; 101a through hole; 1-1 step surface;

[0052] 2 display screen; 21 transparent cover; 22 display module; 22-1 first main body; 22-2 second main body; 22-21 first sub-region; 22-22 second sub-region; 22-23 third sub-region; 2a boundary line; 22a first hole; 22b second hole;

[0053] 3 ambient light sensors; 31 photosensors;

[0054] 4 motherboards;

[0055] 5 functional module unit; 51 optical device; 52 light guide structure; 521 first end surface; 522 second end surface; 523 third end surface; 53 front camera module;

[0056] 6 homogeneous plates;

[0057] 7 rear cameras;

[0058] 8SCF layers;

[0059] 9 shading parts Specific embodiments

[0060] The inventors of this application have conducted extensive research on how to set up ambient light sensors in electronic devices. The research found that the current settings of ambient light sensors are roughly as follows: In the first method, the ambient light sensor is set below the display area of ​​the display screen. The mainboard calculates the current ambient light intensity based on the electrical signal received from the ambient light sensor and the pre-stored cutout algorithm, and then adjusts the brightness of the display screen. In the second method, the ambient light sensor 1' is integrated with the front soft light and / or the front camera. Please refer to Figure 1, Figure 1 and Figure 2, where Figure 1 is a structural diagram of an electronic device in the current technology, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional diagram showing only the relative positions of the display screen and the ambient light sensor in the A'-A' direction in Figure 1. In this method, the display module 22' in the display area of ​​the display screen 2' is partially cut away to open a larger light-transmitting through hole 22a'. The external light passes through the glass cover 21' of the display screen 2' and then passes through the light-transmitting through hole 22a' to be transmitted to the ambient light sensor 1'. In order to improve the appearance of the entire machine, the corresponding position of the glass cover 21' needs to be coated with black ink to shield the ambient light sensor 1' and other components, and additional components need to be added to make the ambient light sensor 1' as close to the display screen 2' as possible.

[0061] Among them, in the first method, the electrical signal of the ambient light sensor 1' needs to be combined with the software cutout algorithm to achieve brightness adjustment of the display screen 2', and the software complexity is relatively high; in the second method, the second through hole partially opened in the display module 22' is large, which affects the display function of the display screen 2', and the position of the glass cover 21' corresponding to the ambient light sensor 1' needs to be coated with black ink, which makes the process complicated.

[0062] Therefore, how to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned defects is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art.

[0063] Based on the above research findings, the inventors of the present application explored and conducted a large number of experiments, and proposed an electronic device with a simple calculation method and simple process.

[0064] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the embodiments of the present application are further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0065] The embodiments of the present application relate to an electronic device, wherein the electronic device may include a handheld device, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a terminal device, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, and may also include a cellular phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a video camera, a video recorder, a camera, a smart watch, a smart wristband, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, an in-vehicle computer, and other terminal devices. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on the specific form of the above-mentioned terminal devices. For ease of understanding, the following description is based on the example of a mobile phone as the electronic device.

[0066] The following describes the technical solutions and technical effects using a mobile phone as an example of the electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application. Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to mobile phones as well as electronic devices other than mobile phones, such as laptops.

[0067] Please refer to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of point A in the electronic device shown in Figure 3.

[0068] Referring to Figure 3 , the electronic device 100 in the embodiment of the present application includes a midframe 1 , a display screen 2 , and an ambient light sensor 3 . For a mobile phone, midframe 1 is the phone's midframe. Referring to Figure 3 , midframe 1 forms a cavity 1a . Electronic components (not shown) such as the motherboard 4 , ambient light sensor 3 , processor, internal memory, charging management module, power management module, and battery of the electronic device 100 can be installed within cavity 1a . Display screen 2 is located on one side of midframe 1 . Midframe 1 supports and protects the various electronic components.

[0069] Referring again to Figure 4 , in this embodiment of the present application, the middle frame 1 may include a metal body 11 and a plastic body 12. The plastic body 12 is formed by injection molding, and the metal body 11 may be formed by stamping. The plastic body 12 and the metal body 11 are integrated during the injection molding process. A support plate 101 is provided within the cavity 1a to support the associated electronic components of the electronic device 100.

[0070] As shown in Figure 4, the display screen 2 includes a display module 22 and a transparent cover plate 21. The display module 22 is used to display images and videos, etc. The display module 22 can adopt an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an active matrix organic light-emitting diode or an active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), a flexible light-emitting diode (FLED), a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED), an electrophoretic display technology (E-Ink), etc. The transparent cover plate 21 covers the outside of the display module and plays a role in protecting the display module 22. The transparent cover plate 21 can be a glass cover plate, or of course it can be other transparent materials that can play a protective function. For example, the transparent cover plate 21 can be a transparent polyimide. The display screen 2 can also have a touch function, that is, the display screen 2 can be a touch screen.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a cross-sectional view of the display module A1-A1 in the electronic device shown in Figure 3. The display module 22 generally includes N stacked functional layers. Taking OLED as an example, the display module 22 may include but is not limited to the following functional layers: a polarizing layer 221, a touch screen sensor (Touch Pad sensor, TP Senor) (not shown in the figure), an encapsulation layer (Thin Film Encapsulation, TFE) (not shown in the figure), an organic light emitting diode layer 222, a thin film field effect transistor (Thin Film Transistor, TFT) 223, and a back plane (BP, BP) 224. Of course, the number of functional layers of the display module 22 may be more or less than the functional layers listed above in this application. The thickness of each layer shown in Figure 5 does not represent the actual thickness of each layer, but is only for reference.

[0072] The display module 22 may be bonded to the transparent cover 21 via an optically clear adhesive (OCA) layer (not shown).

[0073] Please refer to Figures 5 and 6 for understanding. Figure 6 is a partial top view of the display module shown in Figure 5. In the structure shown in Figure 6, curve 2a represents the boundary between the first main body 22-1 and the second main body 22-2, and the portion within the circle of curve 2a is the second main body 22-2. In the embodiment of the present application, depending on whether the display module 22 is emitting light during use, the display module 22 further includes a first main body 22-1 and a second main body 22-2. The first main body 22-1 is primarily used to display images and video images, that is, the functional layer corresponding to the first main body 22-1 is provided with a light-emitting component, which can emit light under the control of a driving circuit to display an image. The second main body 22-2 does not display images and video images when in use. The corresponding functional layer of the second main body 22-2 may not have a light-emitting component, or the light-emitting component in this area may be controlled not to emit light. For an OLED display module, the OLED layer 222 corresponding to the second main body 22-2 may not have a light-emitting diode, or the diode in this area may be controlled to be in a non-emitting state. Of course, this area may be provided with a circuit or other device that does not have a light-emitting circuit. As shown in Figure 4, the OLED layer 222 includes a first part 2221 and a second part 2222. The first part 2221 is located in the first main body 22-1, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes are arranged inside it. The second part 2222 is located in the second main body 22-2. The second part 2222 is not provided with light-emitting diodes, or the second part 2222 is provided with light-emitting diodes, but the light-emitting diodes in the second part 2222 are controlled to be in a non-luminous state at all times.

[0074] The OLED display module has excellent performance and can be used to implement flexible screens. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, by properly configuring the first portion 2221 and the second portion 2222 of the OLED layer 222, the ambient light sensor 3 can detect external light without changing other functional layers. In this way, the functional layers in the first body portion 22-1 and the second body portion 22-2 can be identical, with only slight differences in the layout or control of the first portion 2221 and the second portion 2222 of the OLED layer 222.

[0075] The first main body 22-1 forms a display area on one side of the transparent cover plate 21, and the second main body 22-2 forms a non-display area on one side of the transparent cover plate 21. Curve 2a in the figure is also the dividing line between the display area and the non-display area. The display area is located outside the non-display area, that is, the non-display area is located inside the display area. The display area can completely surround the non-display area. Please refer to Figure 7. In this way, the non-display area is not located in the black border area of ​​the electronic device, which can reduce the width of the black border area of ​​the display screen, which is conducive to increasing the screen-to-body ratio. Of course, the display area can also semi-surround the non-display area. The black border area is the area located outside the display module 22.

[0076] The non-display area may be in the shape of an oblong, a circle, or a rectangle, among which the oblong shape has a more beautiful appearance.

[0077] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in the embodiment of the present application, the second main body 22-2 can be surrounded by the first main body 22-1, that is, the outer periphery of the second main body 22-2 is the first main body 22-1. The relative position of the second main body 22-2 and the first main body 22-1 is not limited to that shown in the figures of this application, and can be reasonably selected according to the specific electronic device 100. For example, the second main body 22-2 can also be located at the edge of the display module 22, that is, part of the second main body 22-2 is connected to the first main body 22-1.

[0078] The functional layer of the second main body portion 22 - 2 may be completely identical to the functional layer of the first main body portion 22 - 1 . Of course, the functional layer of the second main body portion 22 - 2 may also be a portion of the functional layer of the first main body portion 22 - 1 .

[0079] The second main body 22-2 in the embodiment of the present application further includes a first sub-area 22-21, a second sub-area 22-22, and a third sub-area 22-23. The above three areas are mainly divided based on the different light transmittances of the second main body 22-2. Among them, the light transmittance value of the third sub-area 22-23 is the highest, which is used to meet the use requirements of electronic devices with relatively high light transmittance requirements. For example, the electronic devices can be soft lights, front camera modules 53, etc. The third sub-area 22-23 has a through-hole structure, as shown in the figure, with a first hole 22a and a second hole 22b. The light transmittance value of the first sub-area 22-21 is second, and the light transmittance value of the first sub-area 22-21 only needs to meet the use requirements of the ambient light sensor 3. The light transmittance value of the second sub-area 22-22 is the lowest, and it can have all the functional layers of the display module 22 and the SCF (super clean foam, SCF) layer.

[0080] In the embodiment of the present application, the first sub-region 22-21 includes at least one functional layer, and the first sub-region 22-21 has a predetermined light transmittance, which can be reasonably selected based on the usage requirements of the ambient light sensor 3. In other words, the first sub-region 22-21 is a light-transmitting portion having a functional layer. Please refer to Figure 6 for understanding. The area within the dotted line 8a in Figure 6 is the first sub-region 22-21. The shape of the first sub-region 22-21 in Figure 6 is only schematic and can be any shape. It can be a part of the second main body 22-2, or of course, the entire second main body 22-2. In addition, the fact that the above-mentioned predetermined values ​​are not disclosed in the embodiment of the present application does not affect the understanding and implementation of the technical solutions in the embodiment of the present application by those skilled in the art.

[0081] Please refer to FIG. 7 , which is a cross-sectional view of the structure at position A in the electronic device shown in FIG. 3 taken along the direction A1 - A1 .

[0082] In the embodiment of the present application, the ambient light sensor 3 is located on the side of the first sub-region 22-21 facing away from the transparent cover 21. The ambient light sensor 3 can detect external light passing through the first sub-region 22-21. The ambient light sensor 3 can be fixed to the mainboard 4, or it can be fixed to the support plate 101 of the middle frame 1 located in the cavity 1a. The support plate 101 can be the middle plate forming the display mounting compartment.

[0083] In the embodiment of the present application, external light from the electronic device 100 passes through the transparent cover 21 and the first sub-region 22-21 and is then transmitted to the ambient light sensor 3. The ambient light sensor 3 converts the detected light signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the mainboard 4 electrically connected thereto. The mainboard 4 analyzes and processes the light signal and then issues a brightness adjustment instruction to adjust the brightness of the display screen 2. Because the first sub-region 22-2 in the embodiment of the present application does not have a light-emitting function, it does not affect the external light passing through it. The light detected by the ambient light sensor 3 is all external light. Thus, when the mainboard 4 processes the electrical signal transmitted from the ambient light sensor 3, there is no need to use a software cutout algorithm, and the calculation software is relatively simple. In addition, the first sub-region 22-21 has a predetermined light transmittance that allows external light to pass through. This eliminates the need to remove all functional layers of the first sub-region 22-21, thereby reducing the difficulty of manufacturing the display module.

[0084] In addition, to a certain extent, the first sub-area 22-21 can play a shielding function, and the electrical components on the back side of the internal first sub-area 22-21 are not easily observed from the outside of the display screen 2. There is no need to apply black ink on the corresponding position of the transparent cover 21, which simplifies the processing technology of the electronic device 100 and reduces the cost of use.

[0085] Furthermore, the second main body 22-2 in the embodiment of the present application does not occupy the top space of the display screen 2, which can reduce the width of the black border of the display screen, thereby improving the screen-to-body ratio. The screen-to-body ratio is the ratio of the display area of ​​the display screen 2 to the projected area of ​​the transparent cover 21 of the display screen 2. The larger the screen-to-body ratio, the better the image display effect of the electronic device 100.

[0086] As shown in FIG4 , in the embodiment of the present application, the ambient light sensor 3 generally includes a main body (not shown) and a photosensitive element 31. The main body supports other electronic components of the ambient light sensor 3, including the photosensitive element 31. The photosensitive element 31 may include, but is not limited to, a photoresistor, a photodiode, a phototransistor, etc. The photosensitive element 31 primarily detects light signals. Therefore, the projection of the photosensitive element 31 of the ambient light sensor 3 on the plane of the display screen 2 is located within the first sub-area 22 - 21 . This increases the field of view (FOV) of the ambient light sensor 3 and improves the detection reliability of the ambient light sensor 3. The larger the FOV of the ambient light sensor 3, the better.

[0087] Please refer to Figures 7 to 9, where Figure 8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point C in the structure shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is an enlarged schematic diagram of local components of the structure at point D in Figure 8, the purpose of which is to show the relative positional relationship between the display screen, ambient light sensor 3, and light-diffusing plate 6.

[0088] In order to further expand the field of view of the ambient light sensor 3, in an embodiment of the present application, the electronic device 100 may further be provided with a light-equalizing plate 6, which is located between the second main body 22-2 and the ambient light sensor 3. The function of the light-equalizing plate 6 is to evenly emit the external light entering the second main body 22-2 to the side of the ambient light sensor 3.

[0089] After the external light entering from the first sub-area 22-21 is projected onto the surface of the light emitting plate 6 facing the display module 22, the light emitting plate 6 will evenly disperse the external light to obtain a larger light-emitting surface on the side of the light emitting plate 6 facing the ambient light sensor 3, thereby expanding the field of view of the ambient light sensor 3 and further improving the reliability of the ambient light sensor 3 in detecting external light.

[0090] The thickness of the diffuser plate 6 can be as thin as possible to reduce the space it occupies, facilitate the installation of other electronic components within the electronic device 100, and meet the requirements of a lightweight and thin design for the electronic device 100. In one embodiment, the diffuser plate 6 is a diffuser film, which can be fixed to the middle frame 1 by bonding, which is simple and reliable. The diffuser plate 6 can be placed as close to one side of the display module 2 as possible.

[0091] Of course, the light-diffusing plate 6 can also be fixed on the back side of the display module 22 .

[0092] Please refer to Figure 9 to understand that in the embodiment of the present application, an SCF layer 225 can also be provided on the back side of the back plate 224 in the display module 22. The SCF layer 225 is a composite film formed by foam, foam and copper foil, which can quickly conduct the heat generated by the operation of the display module 22 to the display module 22. The back side of the substrate 224 refers to the side away from the transparent cover plate 21. The SCF layer 225 can be fixed to the back plate 224 of the display module 22 by adhesive. For the structure in which the SCF layer 225 is provided on the back side of the display module 22, since the light transmittance of the SCF layer 225 is relatively poor, a first through hole 8a is provided in at least a portion of the area of ​​the SCF layer 225 relative to the second main body 22-2 to allow external light to be projected onto the light emitting plate 6. The light emitting plate 6 is located between the first through hole 8a and the ambient light sensor 3.

[0093] The size and shape of the first through hole 8a can be determined according to the specific situation. Generally, the cross-section of the first through hole 8a is no larger than the projection of the second main body 22-2 on the transparent cover 21. As shown in Figure 10, Figure 10 is a view from the side of the SCF layer. Figure 10 only shows the structure near the relative position of the SCF layer 225 and the second main body 22-2, and other positions are not shown. Figure 10 can further understand the division of the first sub-region 22-21, the second sub-region 22-22 and the third sub-region 22-23 in the second main body 22-2. The first sub-region 22-21 is the area of ​​the second main body 22-2 that does not include the SCF layer 225, the second sub-region 22-22 is the area of ​​the second main body 22-2 that includes the SCF layer 225, and the third sub-region 22-23 is the location where the first hole 22a and the second hole 22b are opened. In the embodiment of the present application, if required by other electronic components of the electronic device 100, through holes can also be opened in other positions of the SCF layer 225.

[0094] Please refer to Figures 8 and 9 to understand that in this embodiment of the present application, the support plate 101 of the middle frame 1 is located between the display module 22 and the ambient light sensor 3. The support plate 101 can isolate the display screen 2 from the other electronic components in the cavity 1a. That is, the support plate 101 isolates the cavity 1a into two chambers, one chamber for installing the display screen 2, and the other chamber for installing the other electronic components of the electronic device 100. The display screen 2 and other electronic components can be located in independent chambers to reduce mutual influence on their operation. Figure 10 shows that the middle frame 1 is also provided with a stepped surface 1-1, and the transparent cover plate 21 can be supported on the stepped surface 1-1.

[0095] Please understand in conjunction with FIG. 9 that a second through hole 101 a is provided on the support plate 101 , and external light entering from the second main body portion 22 - 2 is transmitted to the ambient light sensor 3 through the second through hole 101 a .

[0096] In the embodiment of the present application, the provision of the support plate 101 facilitates the installation of other components of the electronic device 100 .

[0097] Referring again to Figures 7, 11, and 12, in the embodiment of the present application, the electronic device 100 further includes several functional modules for implementing various functions. The functional modules include optical devices. For example, the optical device in the functional module may be a front camera 53 for implementing photo or video recording functions, or the optical device in the functional module may include a soft light 51, which is primarily used to process photo light to improve photo quality. Of course, the functional modules are not limited to those described herein and may also include modules for implementing other functions.

[0098] Usually, functional module units such as the front camera 53 and the soft light 51 have relatively high requirements for the transmittance of the display screen 2, so the display module 22 needs to have a third through hole to meet the light passage requirements, that is, the display screen 2 does not have the function of displaying images in the area near the front camera 53 and the soft light 51.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present application, the positions of functional modules such as the front camera 53 and the soft light 51, as well as the position of the ambient light sensor 3, can be optimized to facilitate the design of the display screen 2. The embodiment of the present application takes the electronic device 100 having a front camera 53 and a soft light 51 as an example to further illustrate the technical solution and technical effects.

[0100] Please refer to Figures 4, 7 and 8 again. In the embodiment of the present application, the soft light 51, the front camera 53 and the ambient light sensor 3 are arranged side by side along the specified direction S. In the embodiment of the present application, the specified direction S is along the width direction of the electronic device 100 (the left and right direction is shown in Figure 3). Of course, the specified direction S can also be along other directions parallel to the plane of the display screen 2, such as the length direction of the electronic device 100, or be set at a non-90° angle to the width direction, etc.

[0101] Referring again to Figure 8 , the second main body 22-2 is provided with a first hole 22a (i.e., the aforementioned third through hole). The support plate 101 is further provided with a light guide structure 52, positioned between the first hole 22a and the soft light 51. Light emitted by the soft light 51 is transmitted to the soft light 51 through the light guide structure 52. The second main body 22-2 is also provided with a second hole 22b (i.e., the aforementioned third through hole). A front camera 53 is positioned opposite the second hole 22b. External light passes through the transparent cover 21 and the second hole 22b and enters the front camera 53 for imaging.

[0102] Compared with the soft light 51, the front camera 53 and the ambient light sensor 3 being dispersedly arranged at different positions of the electronic device 100, in the embodiment of the present application, the soft light 51, the front camera 53 and the ambient light sensor 3 are concentrated on the back side of the second main body 22-2, which can minimize the area of ​​the second main body 22-2 and increase the display area of ​​the first main body 22-1, thereby improving the display capability of the electronic device 100, and is also beneficial to improving the overall appearance of the electronic device 100.

[0103] In order to minimize the impact of the light emitted by the soft light 51 on the ambient light sensor 3 when it is working, the embodiment of the present application also makes the following settings.

[0104] Please refer to Figures 8 and 13 for further understanding. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide structure and shielding member in Figure 3. In this embodiment of the present application, the light guide structure 52 includes a first end surface 521, a second end surface 522, and a circumferential sidewall 523 connected between the first end surface 521 and the second end surface 522. The first end surface 521 and the second end surface 522 face the first aperture 22a and the soft light 51, respectively. The circumferential sidewall 523 is provided with a light shielding member 9 to block light entering or exiting the first aperture 22a from reaching the ambient light sensor 3. In this embodiment, the light shielding member 9 is a light shielding material layer coated or adhered to the circumferential sidewall 523. The light shielding material layer is positioned on the circumferential sidewall 53 so that light emitted by the soft light 51 does not reach the ambient light sensor 3. For ease of manufacturing, the light shielding material layer is provided along the entire circumferential sidewall 523 of the guide structure 52. The light shielding material layer can be made of a metal or non-metal that can block light, such as silver or aluminum. The method of providing a light-shielding material layer on the circumferential side wall 523 occupies a relatively small space and is light in weight, which is conducive to a lightweight and thin design of the electronic device 100 .

[0105] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a light-shielding material layer, the light emitted by the soft light lamp 51 can be transmitted only from the first hole 22a to the outside of the display screen 2, avoiding being transmitted to the ambient light sensor 3, and preventing the light emitted by the soft light lamp 51 from interfering with the ambient light sensor 3, thereby improving the accuracy of the ambient light sensor 3 in detecting external light, and thereby improving the accuracy of the brightness adjustment of the display screen 2.

[0106] Of course, in order to block the light emitted by the soft light lamp 51 from being transmitted to the ambient light sensor 3, the shading member 9 is not limited to the shading material layer provided on the above-mentioned light guide structure 52, and can also be other forms, such as a light baffle.

[0107] In order to facilitate the installation of the light guide structure 52 , the circumferential side wall 523 further has a protrusion 5232 , and the light guide structure 52 is supported on the support plate 101 via the protrusion 5232 .

[0108] Furthermore, the light guide structure 52 may also have an avoidance structure 5231 to avoid other structures in the cavity 1a to meet installation requirements. The specific structure of the light guide structure 52 will not be further described herein, as long as it can meet the use requirements.

[0109] In the embodiment of the present application, the material of the light-guiding structure 52 can be glass or resin. Glass has a relatively high light-guiding capability, while resin is relatively light.

[0110] Referring again to FIG8 , in order to ensure that light emitted by the soft light lamp 51 is emitted from the first hole 22a as much as possible, in the embodiment of the present application, the first end surface 521 covers the first hole 22a and abuts against the display module 22. The first end surface 521 and the display module 22 may abut directly or indirectly. FIG8 shows that the first end surface 521 abuts against the back side of the display module 22 through the SCF layer 225. The abutting contact between the first end surface 521 and the display module 22 prevents light from leaking between the first end surface 5 and the display module 22, thereby improving the operating performance of the soft light lamp 51 while reducing the impact on the normal operation of other electronic components in the cavity 1a.

[0111] Of course, in addition to the above-mentioned combination of the soft light 51, the front camera 53, and the ambient light sensor 3, two front cameras 53 and the ambient light sensor 3 can also be centrally arranged, with the ambient light sensor 3 being arranged between the two front cameras 53. Of course, it is also possible to only have a combination of the soft light 51 and the ambient light sensor 3, or a combination of the front camera 53 and the ambient light sensor 3.

[0112] In addition, the functional module unit can also be other functional module units except the soft light 51 and the front camera 53. In short, the optical devices and ambient light sensors of the two functional module units are arranged side by side, so that the ambient light sensor can make full use of the space between the two optical devices and concentrate on using the second main body 22-2 as the light-transmitting area. The second main body can be as small as possible, further increasing the area of ​​the first main body. At the same time, for the structure in which the SCF layer 225 is set on the back side of the display module 22, the first through hole 8a on the SCF layer 225 can meet the needs of one or more optical devices at the same time. Of course, the through holes on the SCF layer 225 can also correspond one-to-one with the optical devices and the ambient light sensor 3. The figure shows an embodiment in which the soft light 51 and the ambient light sensor share a first through hole 8a, and the front camera 53 corresponds to another through hole 8b separately.

[0113] Similarly, the position where the support plate 101 is relative to the optical device should also be provided with an avoidance structure. Please refer to Figure 14. For example, the support plate 101 is provided with a through hole 101b and a through hole 101c, which are used to allow the soft light and camera light to pass through respectively. In order to minimize the thickness of the electronic device, a countersunk hole can be provided on the support plate 101 for installing the light guide structure 52 and the light homogenizing plate 6. Figure 13 shows that the surface of the support plate 101 facing the display screen is provided with a first step surface 1011 for supporting the light guide structure 52. The support plate 101 is also provided with a second step surface 1012 for supporting the protrusion 5232 of the light homogenizing plate 6. In this way, the light guide structure 52 and the light homogenizing plate 6 are at least partially located inside the support plate 101, thereby reducing the installation height of the two.

[0114] The optical device is not limited to the above-mentioned soft light 51 and front camera 53, but can also be other electronic devices, such as laser focus sensor, distance sensor, etc.

[0115] The soft light 51 can be simultaneously secured to the mainboard 4 along with the ambient light sensor 3. Referring again to Figure 7 , the middle frame 1 includes a support base 102, to which the mainboard 4 is secured. The height of the support base 102 can be appropriately adjusted based on the operational requirements of the ambient light sensor 3, the soft light 51, and other design requirements of the electronic device. This allows the ambient light sensor and optical components to directly transmit optical signals to the mainboard circuitry, eliminating the need for wires and other components, simplifying the structure.

[0116] In the embodiment of the present application, under the light condition of a wavelength of 550nm (nm is the length unit of nanometer), the light transmittance range of the second main body 22-2 is approximately 2%-4%. This can not only meet the detection of external light by the ambient light sensor 3, but also the second main body 22-2 has a better overall appearance hiding function, that is, the electronic devices located on the back side of the second main body 22-2 are not easily observed from the outside of the electronic device 100, and the transparent cover 21 does not need to be coated with ink, which reduces the processing technology of the electronic device 100, saves costs, and the overall appearance of the electronic device is better.

[0117] For other structures of the electronic device 100 , please refer to the current technology.

[0118] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0119] The directional terms mentioned in the embodiments of the present application, such as "inside" and "outside", etc., are only references to the directions in the drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for better and clearer explanation and understanding of the embodiments of the present application, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0120] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the terms "comprises", "includes" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or apparatus.

[0121] In the embodiments of this application, "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0122] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present application. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An electronic device, characterized in that: Includes the following components: a middle frame, having a cavity; A display screen, comprising a transparent cover plate and a display module, wherein the display screen is fixed to one side of the middle frame, the display module comprises a plurality of stacked functional layers, the display module comprises a first main body portion and a second main body portion connected to each other, the first main body portion forms a display area, the second main body portion forms a non-display area, the second main body portion comprises a first sub-area, the first sub-area comprises at least one of the functional layers, and the first sub-area has a light transmittance of a predetermined value; An ambient light sensor is fixed to the cavity and is located at a side of the first sub-region away from the transparent cover plate, and the ambient light sensor is used to detect external light passing through the first sub-region.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least part of the projection of the photosensitive element of the ambient light sensor on the plane where the display screen is located is within the first sub-area.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a light scattering plate located between the first sub-area and the ambient light sensor, and the light scattering plate is used to evenly scatter the external light entering the first sub-area to a side of the ambient light sensor.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The light-diffusing plate includes a light-diffusing film, and the light-diffusing film is adhesively fixed to the middle frame or the display module.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The display module also includes an SCF layer, which is located on the surface of the functional layer away from the transparent cover plate. A first through hole is opened in at least a portion of the SCF layer opposite to the first sub-area, and the light averaging plate is located between the first through hole and the ambient light sensor.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Under the condition of light with a wavelength of 550 nm, the light transmittance of the first sub-region is in the range of 2%-4%.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second main body portion further includes a second sub-region, and the second sub-region includes the SCF layer and various functional layers located between the SCF layer and the transparent cover plate.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The display module is an OLED display module, the functional layer includes an OLED layer, the OLED layer includes a first part and a second part connected to each other, the first part is provided with a plurality of light emitting diodes, the first main body includes the first part, and the second main body includes the second part. The second part has no light emitting diode, or the second part is provided with a light emitting diode and the light emitting diode in the second part is always in a non-light emitting state.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The functional layer further includes one or more of a polarizing layer, a touch screen layer, a thin film field effect transistor layer, a packaging layer and a substrate.

10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The middle frame includes a support plate, the support plate is located between the display module and the ambient light sensor, a second through hole is provided on the support plate, and the external light entering from the first sub-area is transmitted to the ambient light sensor through the second through hole.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, characterized in that: Also includes: The functional module unit includes an optical device, the optical device is fixed to the cavity, the second main body also includes a third sub-area, the third sub-area includes a third through hole for allowing the light emitted or received by the optical device to pass through, the light source device and the ambient light sensor are arranged side by side along a specified direction, and the indicator A certain direction is parallel to the plane where the transparent cover plate is located; The shading member is used to block the light entering or exiting from the third through hole from being transmitted to the ambient light sensor.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The optical device is a light source device, and the functional module further includes a light guide structure, which is supported by the support plate and is located between the light source device and the third through hole for conducting light emitted by the light source device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The light-guiding structure includes a first end face, a second end face, and a circumferential side wall connected between the first end face and the second end face, the first end face and the second end face face the third through hole and the light source device respectively, and the shading member includes a shading material layer arranged on the circumferential side wall.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The first end surface covers the third through hole, and the first end surface is in abutment contact with the display module.

15. The electronic device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that: The cavity also has a mainboard, and the ambient light sensor and each of the optical devices are mounted on the mainboard.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The number of the functional module units is two, the optical devices of the two functional module units are located on both sides of the ambient light sensor, and each of the optical devices and the ambient light sensor is arranged side by side.

17. The electronic device according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that: The optical device is at least one of a soft light or a front camera.

18. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that: The display area is located at the periphery of the non-display area.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, characterized in that: The non-display area is in the shape of an oblong circle or a rectangle.

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