Decorative concealed audio-visual interface apparatus and method

• US 7,755,611 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Craig Barr
• Original Assignee: Craig Barr
• Inventors: Barr, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Henry N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leiby; Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US11/115,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345/710, 345/156, 345/200, 345/340, 379/435, 379/428.03
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

A decorative, disguised “mirror” interface apparatus appears to the uninformed as merely a decorative mirror, but includes an audio/visual output, the video display device of which is concealed behind a two-way mirror. So, when the video display is emitting light users of the apparatus can see the images provided by the display device through a two-way mirror material. Also, a transparent touch screen input device is associated with and overlays the two-way mirror material so that users of the interface apparatus may make inputs by simply making touches to selected locations of the “mirror.”

Claims

1. A decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus for mounting to a building wall such as in a home or office, said disguised interface apparatus providing audio/visual content to a user, and for receiving inputs from the user in response to touch inputs by the user at determined locations of a “

mirror”

while appearing to the uninformed only as a decorative wall mirror, said apparatus comprising;

a housing configured for mounting to and within a building wall;

a light emitting display device received in said housing for providing a visual display output;

a two-way mirror received in said housing and interposed between said display device and a viewer of the apparatus, so that when the interface apparatus is powered on and active, but said display device is not emitting light a viewer perceives only a wall-mounted decorative mirror and receives only a reflection as from an ordinary mirror devoid of both a visual display output image and of input location indicia, and when the display device is emitting light to provide a visual display output image the image is visible to a user of the device through the two-way mirror;

a transparent touch screen apparatus interposed between the user and the two-way mirror so that a user in response to an image provided by said display device and including input location indicia may make inputs by directly or indirectly touching or pointing at an input location of the touch screen apparatus.

2. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes a speaker for providing audio output to a user of the apparatus.

3. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 2, wherein said speaker is also disguised in decorations of the apparatus.

4. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 2, wherein said apparatus further includes;

a controller having a processor;

operating memory;

a video output driver;

an audio output driver;

signal conditioning facility for receiving input signals from selected input devices;

a network interface;

a web interface;

a touch screen interface driver;

a video output display device; and

a touch-sensitive panel overlying said video output display device.

5. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display device further includes at least one concealed activation sensor for effecting activation of the display device in response to a determined input from a user of the apparatus.

6. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one concealed activation sensor includes a mirror frame portion of said apparatus receiving said activation sensor.

7. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 6, wherein said mirror frame portion of said apparatus defines an aperture, and said activation sensor is arranged to detect a change in a level of light at said aperture.

8. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display device is substantially of rectangular configuration, and said apparatus similarly is substantially rectangular in configuration.

9. The decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further is free of visible power and of visible signal input/output cords and cables, so that when the interface apparatus is powered on and active, but said display device is not emitting light a viewer receives only a reflection as from an ordinary mirror and sees no power or signal cords or cables and perceives only a decorative wall mirror.

10. A method of providing a decorative, disguised “

mirror”

interface apparatus for providing audio/visual content to a user, and for receiving inputs from the user in response to touch inputs by the user at determined locations of a “

mirror”

while appearing to the uninformed only as a decorative mirror, said apparatus comprising;

providing a housing configured for mounting on and within a wall of a building;

within said housing providing a light emitting display device for providing a visual display output;

concealing all power and signal/data cabling for said interface apparatus within the wall of the building so that such power and signal/data cabling is not visible;

providing a two-way mirror received in said housing and interposed between said display device and a viewer of the apparatus, and when the interface apparatus is powered on and active, but the display device is not emitting light utilizing said two-way mirror to provide to a viewer only a reflection as from an ordinary mirror devoid of both a visual display output and of input location indicia; and

when the display device is emitting light to provide a visual display output image utilizing the two-way mirror to transmit the image to the user of the apparatus;

associating a transparent touch screen apparatus with and overlaying the two-way mirror so that a user in response to an image provided by the display device and including input location indicia may make inputs to the apparatus by touching the apparatus on an input location surface portion of the touch screen.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of providing a speaker for providing an audio output to a user of the apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of disguising the speaker in decorations of the apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12 further including the steps of:

providing said interface apparatus with a controller having a processor;

providing the processor with operating memory;

associating a video output driver with said processor;

associating an audio output driver with said processor;

providing a signal conditioning facility for receiving input signals from selected input devices and providing those input signals conditioned to and for said processor;

providing said processor with a network interface;

providing said processor with a web interface;

providing a touch screen interface driver;

providing a video output display device; and

providing a touch-sensitive panel overlying said video output display device for receiving touch inputs and providing location information for said touch inputs to said processor via said touch screen interface driver.

14. The method of claim 11 further including the step of selecting said display device to be of substantially rectangular shape, and configuring said interface apparatus similarly of substantially rectangular configuration to receive said display device therein.

15. A disguised interface apparatus for providing audio/visual content to a user, and for receiving inputs from the user in response to touch inputs by the user at determined locations of a “

mirror,”

said apparatus comprising;

a housing configured for mounting to and within a wall of a building, and for receiving all power and data/signal for said apparatus within said wall so that such power and data/signal cabling is not visible;

a light emitting display device received in said housing for providing a visual display output;

a half-silvered mirror received in said housing so as to be interposed between said display device and a viewer of the apparatus and to transmit said visual display output to a user, and when said interface apparatus is powered on and active, but said light emitting display device is not emitting light said half-silvered mirror providing to a user only a reflection as from a common mirror;

a touch screen apparatus associated with the half-silvered mirror so as to provide an input response to a touch or point by a user at a determined location of the touch screen apparatus as indicated by an input location indicia provided by light emitted from said light emitting display device.

16. The disguised interface apparatus of claim 15, wherein said apparatus further includes at least one concealed activation sensor for effecting activation of the display device in response to a determined input from a user of the apparatus.

17. The disguised interface apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one concealed activation sensor includes a mirror frame portion of said apparatus receiving said activation sensor.

18. The disguised interface apparatus of claim 17, wherein said mirror frame portion of said apparatus defines an aperture, and said activation sensor is arranged to detect a change in a level of light at said aperture, whereby said determined input from a user of the apparatus may include the user covering said aperture for a certain time in order to reflect light projecting from said aperture.