Viewing angle-controlled displays for point-of-sale terminals and methods for fabricating the same

• US 20050134575A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chelsea Trent, Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1323 Arrangements for providing a switchable viewing angle
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133524 Light-guides, e.g. fibre-optic bundles, louvered or jalousie light-guides
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133562 on the viewer side
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/005 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G

Abstract

A display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal is provided. The display assembly has a liquid crystal display and a touch screen disposed overlying the liquid crystal display. The display assembly also has a viewing angle-controlled device disposed proximate to the touch screen. The viewing angle-controlled device is configured to limit the viewing angles at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a restricted range of viewing angles.

Claims

1. A display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal, comprising:

a liquid crystal display;

a touch screen disposed overlying said liquid crystal display; and

a viewing angle-controlled device disposed proximate said touch screen, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is configured to limit viewing angles at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a restricted range of viewing angles.

2. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said touch screen.

3. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said liquid crystal display.

4. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is affixed to at least one of said liquid crystal display and said touch screen by a mechanical fastener.

5. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 4, wherein said mechanical fastener comprises at least one of screws, brackets, clamps, adhesive and adhesive tape.

6. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is interposed between said liquid crystal display and said touch screen.

7. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 6, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device comprises a light control film.

8. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is a half mirror coating that is deposited on said touch screen.

9. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 25°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

10. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 9, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

11. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

when the display is viewed from a position angle β

in the range of one of about 45°

≦

β

≦

90° and

about 270°

≦

β

≦

315°

, where β

is measured in a plane of the display assembly and about an axis perpendicular to the display assembly.

12. The display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 40°

≦

α

≦

90°

when the display is viewed from a position angle β

in the range of about 90°

≦

β

≦

270°

, where β

is measured in a plane of the display assembly and about an axis perpendicular to the display assembly.

13. A display device for a point-of-sale terminal, the display device having a periphery, wherein the display device comprises:

a liquid crystal display;

a touch screen disposed overlying said liquid crystal display; and

a viewing angle-controlled device disposed overlying said liquid crystal display;

wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is configured to limit about at least a portion of the periphery of the display device the angles at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed.

14. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said touch screen.

15. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said liquid crystal display.

16. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is affixed to at least one of said liquid crystal display and said touch screen by a mechanical fastener.

17. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 16, wherein said mechanical fastener comprises at least one of screws, brackets, clamps, adhesive and adhesive tape.

18. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is interposed between said liquid crystal display and said touch screen.

19. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 18, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device comprises a light control film.

20. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device comprises a half mirror coating that is deposited overlying said touch screen.

21. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device limits the angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of about 25°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

22. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 21, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device limits the angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

23. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein the periphery of the display device has at least two side boundaries and wherein said viewing angle-controlled device limits the angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

when the display device is viewed from a position proximate to one of said at least two side boundaries.

24. The display device for a point-of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein the periphery of the display device has at least one back boundary and wherein said viewing angle-controlled device limits the angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of about 40°

≦

α

≦

90°

when the display device is viewed from a position proximate to said at least one back boundary.

25. A point-of-sale transaction terminal comprising:

a computer device; and

a display assembly operably connected to said computer device, wherein said display assembly is configured to permit entry of data into said computer device by touching said display assembly and wherein said display assembly is configured to limit to a restricted range of viewing angles the angles at which said display assembly may be viewed.

26. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 25, wherein said display assembly comprises:

a liquid crystal display;

a touch screen disposed overlying said liquid crystal display; and

a viewing angle-controlled device disposed proximate to said touch screen, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is configured to permit the liquid crystal display to be viewed at a restricted range of viewing angles.

27. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 26, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said touch screen.

28. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 26, wherein said viewing angle-controlled film is affixed to at least one of said liquid crystal display and said touch screen by a mechanical fastener.

29. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 26, wherein said viewing angle-controlled film is interposed between said liquid crystal display and said touch screen.

30. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 29, wherein said viewing angle-controlled film comprises a light control film.

31. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 26, wherein said viewing angle-controlled film comprises a half mirror coating that is deposited on said touch screen.

32. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 25, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 25°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

33. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 32, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

34. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 25, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

when said display assembly is viewed from a position angle β

in the range of one of about 45°

≦

β

≦

90° and

about 270°

≦

β

≦

315°

, where β

is measured in the plane of said display assembly and about an axis perpendicular to said display assembly.

35. The point-of-sale transaction terminal of claim 25, wherein said restricted range of viewing angles comprises viewing angles α

in the range of about 40°

≦

α

≦

90°

when said display assembly is viewed from a position angle β

in the range of about 90°

≦

β

≦

270°

, where β

is measured in the plane of said display assembly and about an axis perpendicular to said display assembly.

36. A method for fabricating a display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal, the method comprising:

providing a liquid crystal display;

positioning a touch screen overlying said liquid crystal display; and

disposing a viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device limits viewing angles at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a restricted range of viewing angles.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said viewing angle-controlled device is integral with said touch screen and wherein the step of positioning said touch screen overlying said liquid crystal display and the step of disposing said viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display are performed at the same time.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of affixing said liquid crystal display, said viewing angle-controlled device, and said touch screen.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of affixing said liquid crystal display, said viewing angle-controlled device, and said touch screen comprises affixing said liquid crystal display, said viewing angle-controlled device, and said touch screen utilizing a mechanical fastener.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of affixing said liquid crystal display, said viewing angle-controlled device and said touch screen utilizing a mechanical fastener comprises affixing said liquid crystal display, said viewing angle-controlled device, and said touch screen utilizing at least one of screws, brackets, clamps, adhesive, and adhesive tape.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of disposing said viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display comprises interposing said viewing angle-controlled device between said liquid crystal display and said touch screen.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of disposing said viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display comprises depositing said viewing angle-controlled device on said touch screen.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of disposing a viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display comprises disposing a viewing angle-controlled device that limits viewing angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of 25°

≦

α

≦

90°

.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of disposing a viewing angle-controlled device overlying said liquid crystal display comprises disposing a viewing angle-controlled device that limits viewing angles α

at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a range of 35°

≦

α

≦

90°

.