DIMMING MIRROR

• US 20090244679A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khazeni, Kasra
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/238
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect

Abstract

A dimming mirror comprises an array of interferometric light modulators is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, the dimming mirror comprises a plurality of interferometric light modulators and a control circuit adapted to configure the plurality of interferometric light modulators to at least one of a plurality of predefined states, including a first state having a substantially reflective appearance and a second state having a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state. Additional features may include additional states having an appearance with a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state and a reflective appearance as contrasted with the second state.

Claims

1. A dimming mirror, comprising:

a plurality of interferometric light modulators; and

a control circuit adapted to configure the plurality of interferometric light modulators to at least one of a plurality of predefined states, including a first state having a substantially reflective appearance and a second state having a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predefined states further includes a third state having an appearance that has a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state and a reflective appearance as contrasted with the second state.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input device which allows a user to instruct the control circuit to set the plurality of interferometric light modulators to one of the plurality of predefined states.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the input device is a slider, a dial, or at least one button.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor to detect the amount of light striking the mirror.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the amount of light striking the sensor controls the number of modulators in the reflective state.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the state is changed to indicate information.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the state is repeatedly changed to indicate information.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor that is configured to communicate with the plurality of interferometric light modulators, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

13. A dimming mirror, comprising:

a plurality of interferometric light modulators; and

a control circuit adapted to change the plurality of interferometric light modulators from a first state with a dimming value to a second state having a different dimming value.

14. A method of using a dimming mirror, comprising:

receiving an signal indicative of one of a plurality of predefined states, including a first state having a substantially reflective appearance and a second state having a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state; and

setting a plurality of interferometric light modulators into the indicated state.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indicative signal indicates one of the plurality of predefined states with respect to the current state.

16. A dimming mirror, comprising:

means for receiving a signal indicative of one of a plurality of predefined states, including a first state having a substantially reflective appearance and a second state having a dimmed visual appearance as contrasted with the first state; and

means for setting a plurality of interferometric light modulators into the indicated state.

17. The dimming mirror of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving or means for setting comprises a control circuit.

18. The dimming mirror of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving or means for setting comprises a processor.