US 12,284,481 B2
Audio speaker and proximity sensor with piezoelectric polymer technology
Jessica Liu Strohmann, Cupertino, CA (US); Hrishikesh Vijaykumar Panchawagh, Cupertino, CA (US); Nicholas Ian Buchan, San Jose, CA (US); Yipeng Lu, Davis, CA (US); and Kostadin Dimitrov Djordjev, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to QUALCOMM Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by QUALCOMM Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on May 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/302,714.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/704,825, filed on May 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0377670 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H04R 17/00 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01); H04R 1/02 (2006.01); H04R 17/02 (2006.01); H10N 30/857 (2023.01); G06V 40/13 (2022.01)
CPC H04R 17/005 (2013.01) [B06B 1/0692 (2013.01); H04R 1/028 (2013.01); H04R 17/02 (2013.01); H10N 30/857 (2023.02); G06V 40/1306 (2022.01); H04R 2499/11 (2013.01); H04R 2499/15 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
13. A mobile device comprising:
a platen;
a display underlying the platen;
a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer underlying the display, wherein the TFT layer comprises an array of pixel electrodes, wherein each of the pixel electrodes has one or more voids or one or more filled voids with flexible material;
a first piezoelectric polymer layer adjacent to and coupled to the TFT layer;
an electrode layer adjacent to and coupled to the first piezoelectric polymer layer, wherein the first piezoelectric polymer layer is positioned between the electrode layer and the TFT layer, wherein the TFT layer, and the first piezoelectric polymer layer form an ultrasonic sensor configured to operate in a d33 stretching mode;
a second piezoelectric polymer layer underlying the display, wherein the second piezoelectric polymer layer is configured to operate in a d31 bending mode in a second frequency range between about 20 kHz and about 1 MHz to function as a contactless proximity or gesture detector; and
a stiff epoxy adhesive layer between the TFT layer and the display, wherein the stiff epoxy adhesive has a Young's modulus equal to or greater than about 1.0 GPa.