Electronic mirror and method for displaying image using the same

• US 9,163,994 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Baik, Chan Wook, Lee, Changwon, Kim, Sun il
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, Yuk
• Application Number:
  US12/385,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 345/32, 345/156, 345/104, 257/432, 398/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0821 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0837 Microantennas, e.g. bow-tie
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0896 using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface

Abstract

An electronic mirror and a method for displaying an image using the electronic mirror are provided. The electronic mirror may include a display unit, a detecting unit and a control unit. The detecting unit may receive a signal transmitted from the outside. The control unit may control the detecting unit and the display unit to display the signal received at the detecting unit on the display unit as an image. The image displayed on the display unit may be output from the electronic mirror through the detecting unit. The electronic mirror may further include a reflecting unit. A light from the outside may pass through the detecting unit and the display unit and then be reflected on the reflecting unit. The reflected light may be output from the electronic mirror through the display unit and the detecting unit.

Claims

1. An electronic mirror, comprising:

a display unit;

a detecting unit positioned in proximity to a first side of the display unit, the detecting unit including a transparent material, the detecting unit being configured to receive a signal unit including a light generating unit configured to generate light, and an array of light control elements configured to display an image by controlling an amount of light that passes from the light generating unit through the array of light control elements;

a control unit configured to control the display unit to output an image, the image being based on the signal received at the detecting unit, the detecting unit being configured such that light that is output by the display unit and corresponds to the output image is incident on, and visible through, the transparent material of the detecting unit; and

a reflecting unit which is positioned in proximity to a second side of the display unit, the electronic mirror being configured such that the reflecting unit reflects a light passing through the detecting unit and the display unit,

wherein the display unit is configured to operate while switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the image based on the signal received at the detecting unit it outputted on the display unit in the first state, and wherein the image is not outputted on the display unit in the second state, such that the light reflected by the reflecting unit is viewable through the display unit.

2. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is positioned in between the reflecting unit and the detecting unit.

3. The electronic mirror according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is made of a transparent material.

4. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit includes a substrate made of a transparent material and a plurality of detectors arranged on the substrate in an array pattern.

5. The electronic mirror according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of the detectors includes an antenna.

6. The electronic mirror according to claim 5, wherein the antenna is a spiral antenna or a log-periodic antenna.

7. The electronic mirror according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of detectors is made of a transparent conductive material.

8. The electronic mirror according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of detectors is made of at least one selected from a group including indium tin oxide, carbon nanotube, graphene, conductive polymer, nanofiber, nanocomposite, and any mixtures thereof.

9. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit includes an infrared (IR) camera or a terahertz camera.

10. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, further comprising an oscillating unit configured to generate an oscillation signal,

wherein the detecting unit is configured to transmit the oscillation signal generated by the oscillating unit to the outside, and receive the oscillation signal which is reflected from an outside object.

11. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to transmit the signal received at the detecting unit.

12. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes at least one selected from a group including a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display panel, a reflective display panel, an electrochromic display, a nano dot display, a quantum dot display or an organic light emitting diode and any combinations thereof.

13. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the signal includes a signal in an IR or terahertz band.

14. The electronic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is configured to operate while switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the image based on the signal received at the detecting unit it outputted on the display unit in the first state, and wherein the image is not outputted on the display unit in the second state such that the light reflected by the reflecting unit is viewable through the display unit.

15. A method for displaying an image, comprising:

receiving a signal at a detecting unit including a transparent material;

displaying an image corresponding to the signal received at the detecting unit on a display unit such that light that is output by the display unit and corresponds to the displayed image is incident on, and visible through, the transparent material of the detecting unit, the display unit including a light generating unit configured to generate light, and an array of light control elements configured to display an image by controlling an amount of light that passes from the light generating unit through the array of light control elements;

outputting the image displayed on the display unit through the detecting unit;

reflecting, with a reflecting unit, a light passing through the detecting unit and the display unit; and

outputting the reflected light through the display unit and the detecting unit,

wherein the displaying an image includes operating the display unit while switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the image corresponding to the received signal is outputted on the image displaying unit in the first state, and wherein the image is not outputted on the display unit in the second state, such that the light reflected by the reflecting unit is viewable through the image displaying unit.

16. The method for displaying an image according to claim 15, wherein the display unit is positioned in between the detecting unit and the reflecting unit reflecting the light passing through the detecting unit and the display unit.

17. The method for displaying an image according to claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting an oscillation signal to the outside before receiving the signal received at the detecting unit,

wherein the signal received at the detecting unit is the oscillation signal which is reflected from an outside object.

18. The method for displaying an image according to claim 15, wherein receiving the signal at the detecting unit includes converting an electromagnetic wave from the outside into an electric signal.

19. The method for displaying an image according to claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the signal received at the detecting unit.

20. The method for displaying an image according to claim 15, wherein the signal includes a signal in an IR or terahertz band.

21. A display device comprising:

a signal receiving unit including a transparent material and configured to receive a signal from an object in front of the signal receiving unit; and

an image displaying unit on one side of the signal receiving unit, the image displaying unit including a light generating unit configured to generate light, and an array of light control elements configured to display an image by controlling an amount of light that passes from the light generating unit through the array of light control elements, the image displaying unit being configured to display an image viewable through the signal receiving unit such that light that is output by the display unit and corresponds to the displayed image travels towards the object via the transparent material of the signal receiving unit, the displayed image being based on the received signal; and

a reflecting unit on one side of the image displaying unit, the display device being configured such that the reflecting unit reflects a light passing through the signal receiving unit and the image displaying unit,

wherein the image displaying unit is further configured to operate while switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the image based on the received signal is outputted on the image displaying unit in the first state, and wherein the image is not outputted on the image displaying unit in the second state, such that the light reflected by the reflecting unit is viewable through the image displaying unit.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the signal receiving unit is made of a transparent material.

23. The display device according to claim 22, wherein the signal receiving unit includes a substrate made of a transparent material and a plurality of transparent detectors arranged on the substrate, the received signal being received by the transparent detectors.

24. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the display unit is positioned in between the signal receiving unit and the image displaying unit.

25. The display device according to claim 21, further comprising an oscillating unit which generates an oscillation signal, wherein the signal receiving unit is configured to transmit the oscillation signal generated by the oscillating unit toward the front of the signal receiving unit, and receive the oscillation signal which is reflected from an object in front of the signal receiving unit.

26. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the image displaying unit is further configured to operate while switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the image based on the received signal is outputted on the image displaying unit in the first state, and wherein the image is not outputted on the image displaying unit in the second state such that the light reflected by the reflecting unit is viewable through the image displaying unit.