Electronic Devices Having Peripheral Display Regions

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display may be mounted in a housing. Electronic components may be mounted in an interior region of the device. The display may have an array of pixels configured to display an image. A border region such as a ring-shaped border may run along the outermost peripheral edge of the array of pixels. The display may be covered by a transparent display cover layer. The transparent display cover layer may have opposing inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface may face the interior region of the device. A laser-marked light-scattering structure may be embedded within an interior portion of the display cover layer between the inner and outer surfaces. The light-scattering structure may be located in the border region and may be illuminated by a light-emitting device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 an array of pixels having an outermost edge;   a border region adjacent to the outermost edge;   a display cover layer having a first portion that overlaps the array of pixels and a second portion that overlaps the border region, wherein the display cover layer includes a light-scattering structure that is embedded within the second portion of the display cover layer; and   a light-emitting device that is configured to produce light that illuminates the light-scattering structure.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the array of pixels and the light-emitting device are formed on a shared substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device defined in  claim 2 , wherein the light-emitting device is one of the pixels in the array of pixels. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the array of pixels are formed on a first substrate and the light-emitting device is formed on a second substrate that is separate from the first substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the light-scattering structure is configured to form a visual element selected from the group consisting of: an alphanumeric character and an icon. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the light-scattering structure is configured to form an abstract pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to display content on the array of pixels in coordination with controlling the light-emitting device. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to turn on the light-emitting device to produce a visual notification. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing wall coupled to the display cover layer;   a wristband coupled to the housing wall; and   wireless transceiver circuitry configured to transmit and receive wireless signals.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of: a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, and a crystalline semiconductor die. 
     
     
         11 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing;   a display in the housing; and   a display cover layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover layer overlaps the display, the display cover layer has opposing inner and outer surfaces, and a light-scattering structure is embedded within the display cover layer between the inner and outer surfaces.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the light-scattering structure is configured to be illuminated by a light source. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the display comprises an array of pixels, and the light source is adjacent to the array of pixels. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the light-scattering structure comprises a laser-marked interior portion of the display cover layer. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device defined in  claim 14 , wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode configured to emit light that is scattered by the laser-marked interior portion. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a wristband coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the display comprises an active area and an inactive area, and the light-scattering structure overlaps the inactive area. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the light-scattering structure surrounds the active area. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the light-scattering structure is one of a plurality of light-scattering structures that are formed in a ring around the active area. 
     
     
         20 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing;   an array of pixels in the housing configured to display an image;   a display cover layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover layer has a first portion that overlaps the array of pixels and a second portion that overlaps a region adjacent to the array of pixels, and the display cover layer comprises an embedded light-scattering structure in the second portion; and   a light-emitting device configured to produce light that illuminates the light-scattering structure.