Semi-transparent display apparatus

• US 8,054,391 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gitzinger, Thomas, Ishikawa, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/058,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 349/115, 345/173
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133557 Half-mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133602 Direct backlight
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13478 based on selective reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13718 based on a change of the texture state of a cholesteric liquid crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/10 OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/50 OLEDs integrated with light modulating elements, e.g. with electrochromic elements, photochromic elements or liquid crystal elements

Abstract

A semitransparent display (100), suitable for use with an electronic device (700), is provided. The semitransparent display (100), in one embodiment, includes a cholesteric liquid crystal display layer (101) and a translucent electroluminescent layer (102), such as an organic light emitting diode device. Control circuitry (109) is coupled to each layer, and is configured to selectively actuate each layer. The cholesteric liquid crystal display layer (101) can be operated in any of a planar mode (201), a focal conic mode (202), or a homeotropic mode (203). Segments of the cholesteric liquid crystal display layer (101) can be selectively actuated so as to hide and reveal user actuation targets. Capacitive sensors (620,621) can be included so that the semitransparent display (100) works as a touch sensitive user interface. A user can see an object, such as a hand (105) or stylus, from above the semitransparent display (100) when the hand (105) or stylus is placed beneath the semitransparent display (100).

Claims

1. A touch sensitive user interface for an electronic device comprising:

a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and a translucent electroluminescent layer, wherein an object is visible from above the touch sensitive user interface when the object is positioned beneath the touch sensitive user interface; and

a capacitive touch sensor disposed along the touch sensitive user interface, wherein the touch sensitive user interface comprises a top display section and a bottom display section, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is at least configured to detect objects contacting the bottom display section.

2. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, further comprising at least one capacitive sensor configured to detect a proximate position of an object any of above the touch sensitive user interface, beneath the touch sensitive interface, or combinations thereof.

3. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is configured to selectively hide or reveal one or more actuation targets to a user.

4. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry coupled to and configured to selectively actuate each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the translucent electroluminescent layer.

5. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is configured to operate in one of at least a planar mode, a focal-conic mode, or a homeotropic mode.

6. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 5, further comprising control circuitry coupled to each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the translucent electroluminescent layer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in one of the homeotropic mode or the focal-conic mode when the translucent electroluminescent layer is OFF.

7. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 5, further comprising control circuitry coupled to each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the translucent electroluminescent layer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in the planar mode, and other portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in one of the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode when the translucent electroluminescent layer is ON.

8. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 5, further comprising control circuitry coupled to each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the translucent electroluminescent layer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in the planar mode, and other portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in one of the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode when the translucent electroluminescent layer is OFF.

9. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 8, wherein the touch sensitive user interface comprises a top display section and a bottom display section, further wherein when the translucent electroluminescent layer is ON, light from the translucent electroluminescent layer projects through the bottom display section and through portions of the top display section where the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is in one of the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode.

10. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the translucent electroluminescent layer comprises an organic light emitting diode display.

11. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the translucent electroluminescent layer comprises a transparent and segmented electroluminescent display.

12. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive user interface comprises a transmissivity in a display region of at least twenty-five percent.

13. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a single cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a pitch associated therewith configured to reflect a predetermined spectrum of light.

14. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a plurality of transparent electrodes disposed upon a substrate, wherein at least some of the plurality of transparent electrodes are configured as user actuation targets.

15. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is matrix addressable.

16. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, further comprising an ambient light detector coupled to control circuitry operable with the translucent electroluminescent layer, wherein when ambient light detected by the ambient light detector is above a predetermined threshold, the control circuitry is configured to deactuate the translucent electroluminescent layer.

17. The touch sensitive user interface of claim 1, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a single layer cholesteric liquid crystal display layer having a transmissivity of fifty percent or more when the cholesteric liquid crystal display is in a focal-conic mode or a homeotropic mode.

18. A user interface comprising:

a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and a translucent electroluminescent layer;

wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is configured to operate in one of at least a planar mode, a focal-conic mode, or a homeotropic mode; and

control circuitry coupled to each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the translucent electroluminescent layer;

wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in the planar mode, and other portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in one of the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode when the translucent electroluminescent layer is OFF;

wherein when the translucent electroluminescent layer is ON, light from the translucent electroluminescent layer projects through a first side of the user interface and through portions of a second side of the user interface where the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is in one of the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode.

19. The user interface of claim 18, further comprising at least one capacitive sensor configured to detect a proximate position of an object one or more of above the user interface, beneath the user interface, or combinations thereof.

20. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the user interface comprises a transmissivity in a display region of at least twenty-five percent.

21. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a plurality of transparent electrodes disposed upon a substrate, wherein at least some of the plurality of transparent electrodes are configured as user actuation targets.

22. The user interface of claim 18, further comprising an ambient light detector coupled to the control circuitry, wherein when ambient light detected by the ambient light detector is above a predetermined threshold, the control circuitry is configured to deactuate the translucent electroluminescent layer.

23. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a single layer cholesteric liquid crystal display layer having a transmissivity of fifty percent or more when the cholesteric liquid crystal display is in the focal-conic mode or the homeotropic mode.