Polarizing privacy system for use with a visual display terminal

• US 6,262,843 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marx, Adam N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US09/002,260
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 109/1.R, 109/2, 109/10, 109/11, 52/27, 52/361, 345/32, 348/834, 348/835, 348/841, 348/842, 348/832, 359/483, 359/485, 359/493, 359/501, 359/601, 359/900, 349/16
• US Class Current: 359/490.02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2229/8905 Direction sensitive devices for controlled viewing angle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

The privacy system apparatus and method of the present invention allow users of a publicly accessible terminal to privately access information displayed on a visual monitor of the terminal. In one embodiment, the privacy system 10 is implemented with a terminal 20 having a visual monitor 22 being disposed within a user area 50. The user area 50 provides a space for users 2 to privately access the terminal 20 and is at least partially separated from an external area 30 by a barrier assembly 40. A first filter 60 receives radiation 24 from the visual monitor 22 and transmits linearly polarized radiation 62 into the user area 50. A second filter 44 disposed between the user area 50 and the external area 30 transmits linearly polarized radiation 46. By selecting first and second filters, 60 and 44, respectively, with orthogonal transmission axes, radiation 24 emitted by the visual monitor 22 is substantially blocked from transmission to the external area 30.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing privacy comprising:

a computer terminal which includes a visual monitor for displaying information, wherein said visual monitor includes a first polarizing means for selectively passing a first radiation from said visual monitor having a first polarization state, said first polarizing means being disposed proximate to and extending across at least a portion of said monitor;

a barrier assembly within which a user area is defined and the visual monitor and first polarizing means are locatable, wherein the barrier assembly is substantially opaque and includes at least one substantially transparent window which allows for viewing of the user area from outside the barrier assembly;

a second polarizing means disposed proximate to and extending across the window for selectively passing a second radiation and blocking the first radiation emitted from the visual monitor, wherein said second radiation is employable to illuminate the user area as viewed through the second polarizing means from the outside of the enclosure; and

wherein said first radiation having said first polarization state is transmittable to the user located within said user area to allow information from said visual monitor to be privately accessed and said second radiation having said second polarization state is transmittable within said user area for allowing the user to see the outside observers and the outside observers to see the user.

2. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first radiation transmitted by said first polarizing means has a first axis of polarization and said second radiation transmitted by said second polarizing means has a second axis of polarization, said first axis of polarization being substantially orthogonal to said second axis of polarization.

3. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first radiation transmitted by said first polarizing means has a first axis of polarization and said second radiation transmitted by said second polarizing means has a second axis of polarization, said first axis of polarization being at an angle greater than about 30 degrees relative to said second axis of polarization.

4. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first polarizing means comprises first filter for filtering radiation transmitted through said first filter into said first polarization state, said first filter being constructed of one of linearly polarizing glass and linearly polarizing plastic.

5. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said visual monitor is configured for predetermined interactive uses, said predetermined interactive uses selected from a group of uses consisting of completing financial transactions, playing video games, accessing the Internet, viewing movies, viewing television, viewing financial information, accessing personal records, displaying pay phone transactions, and accessing medical information.

6. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, said apparatus further comprising:

means, associated with at least one of said first and second polarizing means, for selectively switching said at least one of said first and second polarizing means from a first to a second operating state;

wherein said first operating state allows visible radiation emitted from said visual monitor to be transmitted into said external area to the outside observers and said second operating state substantially blocks visible radiation from said visual monitor from being transmitted to said external area.

7. An apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein said means for selectively switching comprises means for positioning said at least one of said first and second polarizing means between a first position selected so that radiation emitted from said visual monitor is transmitted to said external area via a first path that traverses no more than one of said first and second polarizing means and a second position wherein radiation is transmitted from said visual monitor to said external area via a second path that traverses both said first and second polarizing means.

8. A method of providing privacy comprising:

positioning a first polarizing means proximate to and extending across at least a portion of a visual monitor included in a computer terminal, for selectively passing a first radiation from said visual monitor having a first polarization state;

enclosing the visual monitor in a barrier assembly so as provide a user area within said barrier assembly for viewing the visual monitor;

incorporating a window in the barrier assembly such that the user area is viewable from outside the barrier assembly; and

providing a second polarizing means interposed proximate to and extending across the window for selectively passing a second radiation not emitted from the visual monitor and having a second polarization state different from said first polarization state, said second polarizing means being interposed between the user area and the outside of the barrier assembly.

9. A method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said first radiation transmitted by said first polarizing means has a first axis of polarization and said second radiation transmitted by said second polarizing means has a second axis of polarization, said first axis of polarization being substantially orthogonal to said second axis of polarization.

10. A method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said first radiation transmitted by said first polarizing means has a first axis of polarization and said second radiation transmitted by said second polarizing means has a second axis of polarization, said first axis of polarization being at an angle greater than about 30 degrees relative to said second axis of polarization.

11. A method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said first polarizing means comprises a first filter for filtering radiation transmitted through said first filter into said first polarization state, said first filter being constructed of one of linearly polarizing glass and linearly polarizing plastic.

12. A method, as recited in claim 11, wherein said barrier assembly comprises a second filter for filtering radiation transmitted through said second filter into said second polarization state, said second filter being constructed from one of linearly polarizing glass and linearly polarizing plastic.

13. An apparatus for providing privacy comprising:

a computer terminal which includes a computer display, where the computer display includes a first polarizing means for selectively polarizing light emitted from the computer display according to a first polarization state;

a barrier assembly which includes an enclosure within which the computer display is positioned and which defines a user area therein; and

a second polarizing means incorporated into the barrier assembly which provides for selective transmission of light having a second polarization state so that said user area is viewable from outside the barrier structure, wherein said first polarizing means has a first axis of polarization and said second polarizing means has a second axis of polarization where said first axis of polarization is substantially orthogonal to said second axis of polarization.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said first polarizing means comprises a first filter for filtering radiation through said first filter into said first polarization state, said first filter being constructed of one of linearly polarizing glass and linearly polarizing plastic.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said barrier assembly comprises a second filter for filtering radiation transmitted through said second filter into said second polarization state, said second filter being constructed from one of linearly polarizing glass and linearly polarizing plastic.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said barrier assembly is substantially transparent to allow a user positioned within said enclosure to see through said barrier assembly and to allow outside observers positioned outside the barrier assembly to see through said barrier to see the user within said enclosure.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising means, associated with at least one of said first and second polarizing means, for selectively switching said at least one of said first and second polarizing means from a first to a second operating state:

wherein said first operating state allows visible radiation emitted from said computer display to be transmitted outside the barrier assembly and said second operating state substantially blocks visible radiation from said computer display from being transmitted to the outside.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said means for selectively switching comprising means for positioning said at least one of said first and second polarizing means from a first position selected so that radiation emitted from said computer display is transmitted to the outside via a first path that traverses no more than one of said first and second polarizing means and a second position wherein radiation is transmitted from said computer display to said external area via a second path that traverses said first and second polarizing means.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the computer display is configured for predetermined interactive uses, said predetermined interactive users selected from a group of users consisting of completing financial transactions, playing video games, accessing the Internet, viewing movies, viewing television, viewing financial information, accessing personal records, displaying payphone transactions, and accessing medial information.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the computer display comprises one of a cathode ray tube device, a liquid crystal display device, a passive matrix device, an active matrix device, and a flat screen display device.