Abstract: A magnetic assembly for use in a housing of an electronic device can include a first and a second magnet and a magnetic shield. The magnetic shield can reduce magnetic flux density from the first and the second magnets that can appear on the outside of the housing. A magnetic hinge assembly can include magnets configured to correlate with the first and second magnets. The magnetic hinge can magnetically attach to the housing by cooperating with the first and second magnets with magnets that can be included in the magnetic hinge.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a display. The display may have an active region in which display pixels are used to display images. The display may have one or more openings and may be mounted in a housing associated with the electronic device. An electronic component may be mounted in alignment with the openings in the display. The electronic component may include a camera, a light sensor, a light-based proximity sensor, status indicator lights, a light-based touch sensor array, a secondary display that has display pixels that may be viewed through the openings, antenna structures, a speaker, a microphone, or other acoustic, electromagnetic, or light-based component. One or more openings in the display may form a window through which a user of the device may view an external object. Display pixels in the window region may be used in forming a heads-up display.

Abstract: A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments where the first segment includes a first plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and where a second segment includes a second plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge.

Abstract: Flexible electronic devices may be provided. A flexible electronic device may include a flexible display, a flexible housing and one or more flexible internal components configured to allow the flexible electronic device to be deformed. Flexible displays may include flexible display layers, flexible touch-sensitive layers, and flexible display cover layers. The flexible housing may be a multi-stable flexible housing having one or more stable positions. The flexible housing may include a configurable support structure that, when engaged, provides a rigid support structure for the flexible housing. The flexible internal components may include flexible batteries, flexible printed circuits or other flexible components. A flexible battery may include flexible and rigid portions or may include a lubricious separator layer that provides flexibility for the flexible battery.

Abstract: A magnetic assembly for use in a housing of an electronic device can include a first and a second magnet and a magnetic shield. The magnetic shield can reduce magnetic flux density from the first and the second magnets that can appear on the outside of the housing. A magnetic hinge assembly can include magnets configured to correlate with the first and second magnets. The magnetic hinge can magnetically attach to the housing by cooperating with the first and second magnets with magnets that can be included in the magnetic hinge.

Abstract: A tablet device determines a spatial relationship between the tablet device and a protective cover. The tablet device operates in accordance with the spatial relationship.

Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display may include display layers characterized by an active area and backlight structures that provide backlight to the active area. To accommodate components such as a button, an edge portion of a light guide plate in the backlight structures that does not overlap the active area is bent out of the plane of the light guide plate. The bent edge portion of the light guide plate may be formed by molding clear plastic in a die or by bending a flexible sheet of clear polymer. Flared structures may be formed on the flexible sheet of clear polymer to help guide light from light-emitting diodes into the flexible sheet of clear polymer. The flared structures may be formed by applying resin coating layers to the flexible sheet of clear polymer.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for generating an authentication key are provided. Two or more communications devices can generate an authentication key by monitoring a physical stimulus that is experienced by both devices (e.g., a common physical stimulus). Each device can then use an identical, predetermined algorithm to generate a common authentication key based on the stimulus. The devices can use the common authentication key to establish a secure network.

Abstract: A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments where the first segment includes a first plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and where a second segment includes a second plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a display. The display may have an active region in which display pixels are used to display images. The display may have one or more openings and may be mounted in a housing associated with the electronic device. An electronic component may be mounted in alignment with the openings in the display. The electronic component may include a camera, a light sensor, a light-based proximity sensor, status indicator lights, a light-based touch sensor array, a secondary display that has display pixels that may be viewed through the openings, antenna structures, a speaker, a microphone, or other acoustic, electromagnetic, or light-based component. One or more openings in the display may form a window through which a user of the device may view an external object. Display pixels in the window region may be used in forming a heads-up display.

Abstract: Electronic devices that contain flexible displays and one or more display-based speaker structures may be provided. The speaker structures may be positioned under the flexible display. Portions of the flexible display may be used as speaker membranes for the speaker structures. The speaker structures may be driven by transducers that convert electrical audio signal input into sound. Piezoelectric transducers or transducers formed from coils and magnets may be used to drive the speaker structures. Speaker membranes may be formed from active display areas of the flexible display. Some, all, or substantially all of the flexible display may be used as a speaker membrane for one or more display-based speaker structures. An optional cover layer may be provided with speaker openings so that sound may pass from the display-based speaker structures to the exterior of the device.

Abstract: Flexible electronic devices may be provided. A flexible electronic device may include a flexible display, a flexible housing and one or more flexible internal components configured to allow the flexible electronic device to be deformed. Flexible displays may include flexible display layers, flexible touch-sensitive layers, and flexible display cover layers. The flexible housing may be a multi-stable flexible housing having one or more stable positions. The flexible housing may include a configurable support structure that, when engaged, provides a rigid support structure for the flexible housing. The flexible internal components may include flexible batteries, flexible printed circuits or other flexible components. A flexible battery may include flexible and rigid portions or may include a lubricious separator layer that provides flexibility for the flexible battery.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for machining an exterior surface of a metal alloy casing of a portable electronic device to form a combination of a flat edge surface, a curved edge surface and a flat bottom surface is disclosed. The flat edge surface is abraded by contacting a first flat section of a rotating cutting tool along a first circuit of a pre-determined continuous spiral path. The curved edge surface is abraded by contacting a convex section of the rotating cutting tool along additional circuits of the first pre-determined continuous spiral path. The pitch of vertical movement of the cutting tool is adjusted for each circuit of the continuous spiral path based on a resulting curvature of the metal alloy casing. The bottom surface is abraded by contacting a flat section of the cutting tool along a second pre-determined alternating direction linear path.

Abstract: A flat-panel display (such as a liquid crystal display) includes one or more features that reduce temperature changes in an array of light valves disposed on a substrate. In particular, heat generated in a light source and/or electronics is conducted away from the light values. For example, a light-source holder, which contains the light source, may include holes that increase the thermal resistance between the light source and the substrate. Alternatively, the light-source holder may include a material having a thermal conductivity that is higher than that of stainless steel. In addition, the flat-panel display may include materials and/or a geometry that increases the thermal resistance along a direction in a plane of the substrate. By reducing temperature changes in the flat-panel display, these features can reduce or eliminate color changes and other visual artifacts that can degrade the quality of displayed images.

Abstract: An electronic device contains electrical circuits. The circuits may include circuitry on printed circuit boards and components such as a touch screen display and buttons. Signal paths for routing signals between the electrical circuits may be formed from metal traces on flexible printed circuit cables. The flexible printed circuit cables may be bent around one or more bend axes. A flexible printed circuit cable may be formed from a flexible polymer substrate having one or more layers of polymer. Upper and lower ground layers may be supported by the flexible polymer substrate. The metal traces for the signal paths may lie between the upper and lower ground layers. Longitudinal slits within the flexible printed circuit may be formed that pass through the ground layers and the polymer layers. Vias may be formed that couple the ground layers together. The vias may run along the edges of the slits.

Abstract: A tablet device determines a spatial relationship between the tablet device and a protective cover. The tablet device operates in accordance with the spatial relationship.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for generating an authentication key are provided. Two or more communications devices can generate an authentication key by monitoring a physical stimulus that is experienced by both devices (e.g., a common physical stimulus). Each device can then use an identical, predetermined algorithm to generate a common authentication key based on the stimulus. The devices can use the common authentication key to establish a secure network.

Abstract: The described embodiment relates generally to the field of press-fit technology. Press-fit technology results in deformation of one component to lock another component in place. This deformation commonly causes surface strain to occur on the deforming component. When a component is anodized surface strain can result in anodization cracking; this ruins the finished appearance of cosmetic surfaces, generally resulting in ghosting lines and splotches appearing on the surface of a component. The described embodiment achieves a careful balance between component deformation and surface strain. By utilizing specific press-fit geometries and assembly methods, surface strain can be sufficiently limited to eliminate anodization cracking while also achieving a durable press-fit joint.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display with backlight structures. The backlight structures may produce backlight that passes through the display layers in the display. The display layers may include a layer of liquid crystal material interposed between a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. The backlight structures may include a light guide plate. A plurality of light-emitting diodes mounted on a flexible printed circuit may be coupled to an edge of the light guide plate. The flexible printed circuit may be curled into a spring element to bias the light-emitting diodes against the edge of the light guide plate. A plurality of gaps may be formed in the flexible printed circuit and may be used to separate and mechanically decouple adjacent light-emitting diodes. Individual light-emitting diodes may independently register to the light guide plate to maximize optical efficiency in the display.

Abstract: A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include a single piece housing formed from a radio opaque material with a cover formed from a radio transparent material. To implement a wireless interface, an antenna stack-up can be provided that allows an antenna to be mounted to a bottom of the cover. Methods and apparatus are provided for improving wireless performance. For instance, in one embodiment, a metal housing can be thinned to improve antenna performance. As another example, a faraday cage can be formed around speaker drivers to improve antenna performance.