Smart mirror with focus control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10134370-B2
Application number	US-201514802782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device includes a display unit configured to display a plurality images, an eye tracking sensor configured to detect a eye-focused area on the display unit, a reflective layer, a reflective control layer configured to change a regional reflectivity of the reflective layer, and a processor configured to receive the eye-focused area on the display unit from the eye tracking sensor, and determine a focus image within the eye-focused area and an unfocused image out of the eye-focused area, and cause the reflective control layer to reflect the unfocused image. In some embodiment, the processor is configured to cause the reflective control layer not to reflect the focused image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a display panel;
a reflective layer;
a focus control layer, interposed between the display panel and the reflective layer, comprising a lens array including a plurality of lenses; and
a processor configured to:
determine a first area where an image is to be displayed;
identify whether the first area where the image is to be displayed is included in a designated display area, wherein information displayed within the designated display area is highlighted relative to information displayed within an area other than the designated display area;
in response to identifying that the first area is included in the designated display area, change refractive indices of lenses corresponding to the first area included in the designated display area among the plurality of lenses, based on a voltage identified based on a focal length of an object reflected on the reflective layer, wherein a focus of the first area included in the designated display area is different from a focus of a second area other than the first area; and
display, based on a focus identified based on the changed refractive indices, the image within the first area.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein respective refractive indices of the plurality of lenses of the lens array vary based on respective applied voltages.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each lens included in the lens array corresponds to each pixel included in a pixel array of the display.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each lens included in the lens array corresponds to a plurality of pixels included in a pixel array of the display.

5. A method in an electronic device, comprising:
determining a first area where an image is to be displayed;
identifying whether the first area where the image is to be displayed is included in a designated display area, wherein information displayed within the designated display area is highlighted relative to information displayed within an area other than the designated display area;
in response to identifying that the first area is included in the designated display area, changing refractive indices of lenses corresponding to the first area included in the designated display area among a plurality of lenses that are included in a lens array, based on a voltage identified based on a focal length of an object reflected on a reflective layer, wherein the lens array is included in a focus control layer interposed between a display panel of the electronic device and the reflective layer of the electronic device, and wherein a focus of the first area included in the designated display area is different from a focus of a second area other than the first area; and
display, based on a focus identified based on the changed refractive indices, the image within the first area.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Ken-Hyung
• Kim Tae-Seon
• Heo Chang-Ryong
• Kim Min-Young
• Kim Tae-Kyun

Classifications

• G09G2354/00

  Aspects of interface with display user · CPC title

• G02B30/56

  by projecting aerial or floating images · CPC title

• G09G5/003

  Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto (specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092) · CPC title

• G02B5/08

  Mirrors {(vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08)} · CPC title

• G09G5/391 Primary

  Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats · CPC title