Vehicle display screen safety and privacy system

• US 9,956,854 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Chelian, Suhas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Briggs, Nathanael R
• Application Number:
  US15/208,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20180015810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1313 specially adapted for a particular application
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/137 characterised by the electro-optical or magneto-optical effect, e.g. field-induced phase transition, orientation effect, guest-host interaction or dynamic scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13756 the liquid crystal selectively assuming a light-scattering state G02F1/1334, G02F1/13718 take precedence

Abstract

A system for improving safety while providing privacy for a vehicle. The system includes a display screen located within the vehicle, configured to alternate between a displaying state and a non-displaying state. The system includes a window configured to alternate between an opaque state and a transparent state. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine whether the display screen is powered on. The ECU is configured to alternate the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on. The ECU is configured to alternate the window between the opaque state and the transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.

Claims

1. A system for improving safety while providing privacy for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a display screen located within the vehicle, and configured to alternate between a displaying state and a non-displaying state;

a window of the vehicle configured to alternate between an opaque state and a transparent state; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the window and the display screen, the ECU configured to;

determine whether the display screen is powered on,

alternate the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on, and

alternate the window between the opaque state and the transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined frequency exceeds a value such that the alternating of the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state and the alternating of the window between the opaque state and the transparent state are undetectable using human vision.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the window is made of LCD glass configured to transition between the transparent state and the opaque state based on a voltage applied to the window.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen is for a device integrated into the vehicle and configured to communicate, to the ECU, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen is for a device separate from the vehicle and configured to communicate, to the ECU via a transceiver, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is further configured to determine whether the display screen is turned off, and set the window to the transparent state when the display screen is turned off.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the window is a rear window of the vehicle, such that view of the display screen is obscured to an outside viewer located behind the vehicle.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a display screen located within a passenger cabin and configured to alternate between a displaying state and a non-displaying state;

a vehicle window configured to alternate between an opaque state and a transparent state; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the window and the display screen, the ECU configured to;

determine whether the display screen is powered on,

alternate the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on, and

alternate the window between the opaque state and the transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the predetermined frequency exceeds a value such that the alternating of the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state and the alternating of the window between the opaque state and the transparent state are undetectable using human vision.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the window is made of LCD glass configured to transition between the transparent state and the opaque state based on a voltage applied to the window.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display screen is for a device integrated into the vehicle and configured to communicate, to the ECU, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display screen is for a device separate from the vehicle and configured to communicate, to the ECU via a transceiver, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the ECU is further configured to determine whether the display screen is turned off, and set the window to the transparent state when the display screen is turned off.

14. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the window is a rear window of the vehicle, such that view of the display screen is obscured to an outside viewer located behind the vehicle.

15. A method for improving safety while providing privacy for a vehicle having a display screen located within a passenger cabin of the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by an electronic control unit (ECU), whether the display screen is powered on;

alternating, by the display screen, between a displaying state and a non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on; and

alternating, by the window, between an opaque state and a transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined frequency exceeds a value such that the alternating of the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state and the alternating of the window between the opaque state and the transparent state are undetectable using human vision.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the window is made of LCD glass and wherein alternating, by the window, between the opaque state and the transparent state comprises transitioning the LCD glass between the transparent state and the opaque state based on a voltage applied to the window.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the display screen is for a device integrated into the vehicle and the method further comprises communicating, from the display screen to the ECU, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the display screen is for a device separate from the vehicle and the method further comprises communicating, from the device to the ECU via a transceiver of the device, an indication that the display screen is powered on.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining, by the ECU, whether the display screen is turned off, and transitioning, by the window, to the transparent state when the display screen is turned off.