Display Construct with Integrated Switchable Mirror and Corresponding Systems and Methods

• US 20170285403A1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dao, Kevin, Yang, Sen
• Granted Patent: US 10,585,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133302 Rigid substrates, e.g. inorganic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133541 Circular polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/09 transflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/62 Switchable arrangements whereby the element being usually not switchable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

A display device includes a liquid crystal display operable to selectively transmit light. The display device also includes a switchable mirror that is operable to switch from a pellucid state to a reflective state. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal layer disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate. To preserve color integrity, a color filter and a switchable mirror is also disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display, operable to selectively transmit light; and

a switchable mirror, operable to switch from a pellucid state to a reflective state;

the liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal layer disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;

wherein the switchable mirror is also disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a color filter disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

3. The display device of claim 2, the liquid crystal layer disposed between the color filter and the switchable mirror.

4. The display device of claim 3, the color filter defining a plurality of colored pixel filters.

5. The display device of claim 4, the switchable mirror operable to, when in the reflective state, reflect light through a selfsame colored pixel from which the light was received.

6. The display device of claim 4, the first substrate to transmit light within an optic cone defined by a predefined minimum angle of incidence at which the first substrate will transmit the light, wherein an area of a conic section of the optic cone taken at any one colored pixel filter is less than another area of the any one colored pixel filter.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the color filter and the switchable mirror are separated by a distance less than fifty microns.

8. The display device of claim 3, further comprising a thin film transistor circuit layer operable to control the liquid crystal layer.

9. The display of claim 8, the thin film transistor circuit layer disposed along a surface of the switchable mirror.

10. The display device of claim 8, wherein both the thin film transistor circuit layer and the switchable mirror are disposed along the second substrate.

11. The display device of claim 8, further comprising an intermediate substrate disposed between the thin film transistor circuit layer and the switchable mirror.

12. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor and one or more processors, the one or more processors operable to switch the switchable mirror from the pellucid state to the reflective state when an amount of light received by the light sensor exceeds a predefined threshold.

13. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a backlight to transmit light through the switchable mirror when in the pellucid state.

14. The display device of claim 13, further comprising one or more processors to turn OFF the backlight when the switchable mirror is in the reflective state.

15. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a first polarizer and a second polarizer, the first polarizer disposed on a first side of the first substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer, the second polarizer disposed on a second side of the second substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a display, operable with the one or more processors, the display comprising;

one or more substrates consisting essentially of a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate;

a color filter; and

a switchable mirror, operable with the one or more processors to selectively transition between a pellucid state and a reflective state;

the switchable mirror and the color filter disposed between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, the display further comprising a liquid crystal layer and a thin film transistor circuit layer to control the liquid crystal layer, the thin film transistor circuit layer and the switchable mirror disposed along a common glass substrate.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, the display further comprising a liquid crystal layer and a thin film transistor circuit layer to control the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal layer disposed between the color filter and the thin film transistor circuit layer, the thin film transistor circuit layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the switchable mirror.

19. A method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

switching, with one or more processors, a switchable mirror disposed between a front substrate and a rear substrate of a liquid crystal display from a pellucid state to a reflective state;

driving, with the one or more processors, the liquid crystal display in a range less than its operable range when the switchable mirror is in the reflective state; and

reflecting light received from a colored pixel of a color filter disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate off the switchable mirror through the colored pixel.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

switching the switchable mirror to the pellucid state;

driving the liquid crystal display in the operable range when the switchable mirror is in the pellucid state; and

transmitting other light from a backlight through the switchable mirror.