Cellular telephone and personal viewing mirror combination

• US 20080013021A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eleni E. Gugliotta
• Original Assignee: Eleni E. Gugliotta
• Inventors: Gugliotta, Eleni E.
• Application Number:
  US11/293,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013021A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

An improvement to an otherwise conventional cellular telephone is provided in which a one-way mirror, sometimes referred to as a ‘half-silvered’ mirror, is place directly over the outer LCD screen surface. This one-way mirror reflects only some of the incident light back as reflected, and when the LCD is powered the light transmitted overtakes the intensity of the reflected image, and the screen appears as a conventional LCD screen. However, with the screen off and no light transmitted, the reflected light prevails and the incident image can be clearly seen with enough utility for purposes of checking or maintaining one'"'"'s appearance while on the run.

Claims

1. In combination:

an otherwise conventional cellular telephone having a display means formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) having an outer surface; and

a personal viewing mirror integrated to said outer surface.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said personal viewing mirror is formed by said liquid crystal display having a semi-reflective outer surface which is capable of reflecting enough incident light when said LCD is not transmitting to reflect the incident image.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said semi-reflective outer surface has a transmittance between 30% and 70%.

8. The combination of claim 2, further comprising:

illumination means to allow for better lighting of the users face in poorly lit environments.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said illumination means comprises a light emitting diode.

10. The combination of claim 9, further comprising:

manual switching means to initiate switching said LCD display to the “

off”

position while simultaneously, or subsequently powering said illumination LED.

4. In an otherwise conventional cellular telephone in which a liquid crystal display is used as a display means, the improvement comprising:

applying a semi-mirrored or one-way mirror panel directly over an outer surface of said LCD screen such as to form a personal viewing mirror when said LCD is not illuminated.

5. In the otherwise conventional cellular telephone of claim 4, the improvement further comprising layering a semi-mirrored or semi-silvered film onto an outer surface of said LCD screen such as to form a personal viewing mirror when said LCD is not illuminated.

6. In the otherwise conventional cellular telephone of claim 4, the improvement further comprising depositing a partial covering of a reflective molecule onto an outer surface said LCD screen such as to form a personal viewing mirror when said LCD is not illuminated.

7. In the otherwise conventional cellular telephone of claim 4, the improvement further comprising coating a sparse coating of a reflective substance onto an outer surface of said LCD screen such as to form a personal viewing mirror when said LCD is not illuminated.

11. In the otherwise conventional cellular telephone of claim 4, the improvement further comprising illumination means to allow for better lighting of the users face in poorly lit environments.

12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein said illumination means comprises a light emitting diode.

13. A method for providing a personal viewing mirror, said method comprising the steps:

a. Obtaining a cellular telephone having a display means formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) having an outer surface; and

b. Forming a semi-reflective outer surface onto said LCD which is capable of reflecting enough incident light when said LCD is not transmitting to reflect the incident image.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps:

a. Forming said semi-reflective outer surface to a transmittance of between 30% and 70%.

15. In the method of claim 13, wherein said semi-reflective outer surface is formed by applying a semi-mirrored or one-way mirror panel directly over said outer surface of said LCD screen.

16. In the method of claim 13, wherein said semi-reflective outer surface is formed by layering a semi-mirrored or semi-silvered film onto an outer surface of said LCD screen.

17. In the method of claim 13, wherein said semi-reflective outer surface is formed by depositing a partial covering of a reflective molecule onto an outer surface said LCD screen.

18. In the method of claim 13, wherein said semi-reflective outer surface is formed by coating a sparse coating of a reflective substance onto an outer surface of said LCD screen.

19. In the method of claim 13, wherein said cellular telephone further has illumination means to allow for better lighting of the users face in poorly lit environments.

20. In the method of claim 19, wherein said said illumination means comprises a light emitting diode.