DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WITH MIRROR FUNCTION

• US 20100231607A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: HSIEH, KUAN-HONG, LI, XIAO-GUANG, CHOU, CHENG-HAO, TSAI, MING-FENG
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 42/08 Shaving mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/02 Mirrors used as equipment hand, pocket, or shaving mirrors A45D42/00; optical viewing means for vehicles B60R1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/16 Digital picture frames

Abstract

A digital photo frame (DPF) includes a power source, a power management unit, a display panel, a backlight unit, a touch sensing unit and a processing unit. The display panel includes a reflective structure. The power management unit is used to manage the power supply from the power source to the DPF. The touch sensing unit is used to produce a touch signal when detecting the DPF is touched by a user. The processing unit receives the touch signal, and controls the management unit to discontinue the power from the power source to the backlight unit, therefore display panel reflects images via the reflective structure.

Claims

1. A digital photo frame (DPF) comprising:

a power management unit connected to a power source, configured for distributing power from the power source to the DPF;

a display panel comprising a reflective structure;

a backlight unit connected to the power management unit, configured for illuminating the display panel after being turned on;

a touch sensing unit configured for detecting whether the DPF is touched by a user and producing a touch signal when the DPF is touched by the user; and

a processing unit connected to the touch sensing unit, configured for controlling the power management unit to discontinue power from the power source to the backlight once receiving the touch signal.

2. The DPF of claim 1, wherein the processing unit controls the power management unit to resume the power to the backlight unit after a predetermined time has elapsed after having received the touch signal and turned off the backlight unit.

3. The DPF of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises a multilayer structure, and the reflective structure is one layer excepting the surface of the display panel plated with reflective material.

4. The DPF of claim 3, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, bronze, and silver.

5. The DPF of claim 1, wherein the reflective structure is a reflective film covering the display panel, and the reflective film comprises a multilayer structure and one layer excepting the surface of the reflective film is plated with reflective material.

6. The DPF of claim 5, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, bronze, and silver.

7. The DPF of claim 2, wherein the touch sensing unit comprises at least one touch sensor, and the touch sensor is selected from the group consisting of a capacitive touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, a force-based touch sensor, and a surface acoustic wave touch sensor.

8. A method of changing the display state of a digital photo frame (DPF), the DPF comprising:

a power management unit;

a display panel comprising a mirror film;

a touch sensing unit;

a processing unit,

the method comprising;

detecting whether the DPF is touched by a person via the touch sensing unit;

producing a touch signal when the touch sensing unit detects a person touch the DPF; and

controlling the power management unit to discontinue the power from a power source to the backlight unit when the processing unit receives the detection signal, therefore, the backlight unit is turned off and the display panel reflects image.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the duration of turning off the backlight unit after the processing unit receives the touch signal; and

controlling the power management unit to resume power to the backlight unit when the duration of turning off the DPF exceeds a predetermined time.