Mirror with built in display

• US 7,551,354 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2004
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Herk, Johannes Johanna, Lazeroms, Markus Cornelis Jakobus, Horsten, Jan B. A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fineman; Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/545,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 359/839, 359/849
• US Class Current: 359/485.07
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2007/195 Virtual display of clothes on the wearer by means of a mirror, screen or the like
• 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: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/12 using a transparent mirror or other light reflecting surface transparent to transmitted light whereby a sign, symbol, picture or other is visible only when illuminated

Abstract

A mirror device which can be simultaneously used for display purposes, based on e.g. an LCD display with a polarizing mirror placed in front of it. The polarizing mirror has the characteristics that it does not disturb the transmission of the light from the display, but does reflect the light from outside the area of the screen. The polarizing mirror is embedded in a conventional mirror.

Claims

1. A mirror comprising:

an at least partly reflecting layer,

a polarizing mirror in a first area of the mirror through which a display device can be viewed, and

an aperture in the reflecting layer at the first area of the mirror,

wherein the reflecting layer covers a second area of the mirror, and the first area is configured to transmit light from the polarizing mirror.

2. The mirror of claim 1, including the display device, wherein:

the polarizing mirror includes a first plane for reflecting light of a first kind of polarization to a viewing side, the polarizing mirror passing light of a second kind of polarization, and

the display device is situated at a non-viewing side of the polarizing mirror and provides light of the second kind of polarization.

3. The mirror of claim 1, including a transflective layer within the aperture.

4. The mirror of claim 3, including the display device.

5. The mirror of claim 1, wherein reflectivity of the reflective layer at an edge of the aperture increases in a direction away from the aperture.

6. The mirror of claim 1, including, at a viewing side of the mirror, a semi-transparent mirror.

7. The mirror of claim 1, wherein an edge of the aperture is hidden.

8. The mirror of claim 1, including the display device.

9. A mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate,

a reflective layer on a surface of the substrate,

an aperture in the reflective layer,

a polarizing mirror situated at the aperture, and

a display device that is configured to be viewed through the polarizing mirror;

wherein;

the polarizing mirror is configured to reflect light having a first polarization and pass light having a second polarization, and

the display device is configured to provide light of the second polarization.

10. A mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate,

a reflective layer on a surface of the substrate,

an aperture in the reflective layer,

a polarizing mirror situated at the aperture, and

a display device that is configured to be viewed through the polarizing mirror;

wherein the reflective layer is configured to provide a reflectivity at an edge of the aperture that increases in a direction away from the aperture.

11. The mirror of claim 10, including a transflective layer at the aperture.

12. The mirror of claim 10, including a semi-transparent mirror that is situated at a surface of the substrate opposite the surface that includes the reflective layer.

13. A mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate,

a reflective layer on a surface of the substrate,

an aperture in the reflective layer, and

a polarizing mirror situated at the aperture,

wherein the reflective layer is configured to provide a reflectivity at an edge of the aperture that increases in a direction away from the aperture.

14. The mirror of claim 13, including a transflective layer at the aperture.

15. A mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate,

a reflective layer on a surface of the substrate,

a semi-transparent mirror that is situated at a surface of the substrate opposite the surface that includes the reflective layer,

an aperture in the reflective layer, and

a polarizing mirror situated at the aperture.

16. A mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate,

a first reflective layer on a surface of the substrate,

an aperture in the reflective layer,

a second reflective layer in the aperture that is substantially thinner than the first reflective layer; and

a polarizing mirror situated at the aperture.