Transparent display assembly

• US 9,007,277 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleck, Rod G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/914,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 12, 345/3.1, 345 4- 6
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

In embodiments of a transparent display assembly, a display device includes a display panel system that is located between a first display surface and a second display surface, and the display panel system displays an image. The image is viewable through the first display surface and through the second display surface, where the second display surface and the first display surface are viewable from opposite sides of the display device. The display device also includes a multi-mode panel located between the first display surface and the second display surface. The multi-mode panel is operable to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, and further operable to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first display surface through which an image is viewable;

a second display surface through which the image is viewable, the second display surface and the first display surface viewable from opposite sides of the display device;

a display panel system located between the first display surface and the second display surface, the display panel system configured to display the image; and

a multi-mode panel located between the first display surface and the second display surface, the multi-mode panel operable to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, the multi-mode panel further operable to prevent the image from being viewable through at least one of the first display surface or the second display surface, and including an active reflector configured to switch off for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

2. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the active reflector is further configured to switch on to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface.

3. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-mode panel further comprises an active diffuser configured to switch on to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface, and further configured to switch off for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

4. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-mode panel further comprises an active shutter configured to close to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface, and further configured to open for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

5. A display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the display panel system comprises at least one of an LCD panel, or an OLED panel.

6. A display device as recited in claim 5, further comprising a light source configured to illuminate the display panel system for image display.

7. A display device as recited in claim 5, further comprising a color filter system configured for a percentage of transparency that permits the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, the color filter system configured as at least one of an active color filter system or a passive color filter system.

8. A display device as recited in claim 5, further comprising a polarizer of the LCD panel configurable for a percentage of transparency that permits the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, the polarizer configured as at least one of an active polarizer or a passive polarizer.

9. A display device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display panel controller configured to invert a viewable perspective of the image when the image is viewable through the second display surface.

10. A display device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display panel controller operable to control the multi-mode panel for transparency based on at least one of all of a display, a section of the display, a pixel of the display, or a set of pixels of the display.

11. A display device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a touch screen located between the first display surface and the second display surface, the touch screen configured to sense a touch input to either of the first display surface or the second display surface.

12. A display device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first touch screen proximate the first display surface and a second touch screen proximate the second display surface, the first and second touch screens configured to sense touch inputs to the respective first and second display surfaces.

13. A transparent display, comprising:

a display panel system located between a first display surface and a second display surface, the first display surface and the second display surface viewable from opposite sides of the transparent display, the display panel system configured to display an image that is viewable through the first display surface and viewable through the second display surface; and

a multi-mode panel operable to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, the multi-mode panel further operable to prevent the image from being viewable through at least one of the first display surface or the second display surface, and including an active diffuser configured to switch off for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

14. A transparent display as recited in claim 13, wherein the multi-mode panel further comprises an active reflector configured to switch on to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface, and further configured to switch off for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

15. A transparent display as recited in claim 13, wherein the display panel system comprises at least one of an OLED panel, or an LCD panel with a light source configured to illuminate the LCD panel for image display.

16. A transparent display as recited in claim 13, further comprising a display panel controller configured to invert a viewable perspective of the image when the image is viewable through the second display surface.

17. A method, comprising:

displaying an image that is viewable through a first display surface of a display device, and viewable through a second display surface of the display device in a direction opposite to the first display surface; and

controlling display transparency through use of a multi-mode panel located between the first display surface and the second display surface operable to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, the multi-mode panel including an active reflector or an active diffuser configured to switch off for transparency to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising illuminating an LCD panel configured to display the image that is viewable through the first and second display surfaces.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising inverting a viewable perspective of the image when the image is viewable through the second display surface.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said controlling display transparency further comprises preventing the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface.