Electronic device including display and method for controlling operation of display in electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10157591-B2
Application number	US-201615291493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Nov 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for improving the visibility of a display in an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a mirror configured to project or reflect light, a display panel disposed on a first surface of the mirror, and a controller, according to a mirror mode or a display mode, configured to control so as to output a control signal for adjusting an amount of external light incident on a second surface opposite to a first surface of the mirror.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display configured to:
be exposed to at least one of a first surface of the housing or a second surface opposite to the first surface, and
selectively provide a first mode which reflects or transmits light emitted by at least one external device in a deactivated state, or a second mode which displays a screen in an activated state;

a processor electrically connected to the display; and
a memory electrically connected to the processor,
wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control to:
transmit, to at least one external device configured to at least one of emit or adjust light radiated to the display, a request for emitting or transmitting a first amount of light by the at least one external device when the display provides the first mode, and
transmit, to the at least one external device, a request for emitting or transmitting a second amount of light by the at least one external device when the display provides the second mode,

wherein the display comprises:
a mirror configured to reflect or transmit light incident on the first surface from the at least one external device, and mirror shapes of external objects, wherein a front surface of the mirror is exposed to the first surface; and
a display panel disposed on or over a surface of the mirror which is opposite to the front surface of the mirror.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
output a control signal for adjusting an amount of light incident on the front surface of the mirror to the at least one external device based on a visibility table configured for each of the first mode and the second mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control to:
determine a user's proximity to the display; and
based on the determination, selectively provide the first mode or the second mode.

4. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display configured to:
be exposed to at least one of a first surface of the housing or a second surface opposite to the first surface, and
selectively provide a first mode which reflects or transmits an external light in a deactivated state, or a second mode which displays a screen in an activated state;

at least one light source exposed to an outside of the housing and disposed adjacent to the display so as to face at least a part of the display,
wherein the display comprises:
a mirror configured to reflect or transmit an external light incident on the first surface from the at least one light source, and mirror shapes of external objects, wherein a front surface of the mirror is exposed to the first surface; and
a display panel disposed on or over a surface of the mirror which is opposite to the front surface of the mirror;

a processor electrically connected to the display and the at least one light source; and
a memory electrically connected to the processor,
wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control to:
emit a first amount of light to the front surface of the mirror by the at least one light source when the display provides the first mode, and
emit a second amount of light to the display by the at least one light source when the display provides the second mode.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to output a control signal for adjusting an amount of light to be emitted by the at least one light source based on a visibility table configured for each of the first mode and the second mode.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
detect light intensity of light emitted by the at least one light source on the surface of the mirror; and
output a control signal for adjusting an amount of light be emitted by the at least one light source based on the detected light intensity.

7. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
for the first mode, control the display panel to be deactivated, and control so that a brightness of the display panel is darker than a brightness outside;
control to activate a partial area of the display panel corresponding to a partial area of the mirror in the first mode state; and
control so as to display a content on the partial area of the display panel.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to, for the second mode, control the display panel to be activated, and control so a brightness of the display panel is brighter than a brightness outside.

9. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to
selectively provide first mode
or the second mode based on situation recognition information collected for a predetermined period.

10. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to selectively provide the first mode or the second mode based on a distance between the display and a user.

11. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
selectively providing a first mode which reflects or transmits light emitted by at least one external device in a deactivated state, or a second mode which displays a screen of a display in an activated state;
transmitting, to at least one external device configured to at least one of emit or adjust light radiated to the display, a request for emitting or transmitting a first amount of light by the at least one external device when the display provides the first mode; and
transmitting, to the at least one external device, a request for emitting or transmitting a second amount of light by the at least one external device when the display provides the second mode,
wherein the display is exposed to at least one of a first surface of the housing or a second surface opposite to the first surface,
wherein the display comprises a mirror configured to reflect or transmit light incident on the first surface from the at least one external device, and mirror shapes of external objects, and
wherein a front surface of the mirror is exposed to the first surface and a display panel disposed on or over a surface of the mirror which is opposite to the front surface of the mirror.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:
detecting light intensity of light emitted by at least one light source on the surface of the mirror; and
outputting a control signal for adjusting an amount of light to be emitted by the at least one light source based on the detected light intensity.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectively providing the first mode or the second mode comprises:
deactivating the display panel; and
providing the first mode so that a brightness of the display panel is darker than a brightness outside.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectively providing the first mode or the second mode comprises:
activating the display panel; and
providing the second mode so that a brightness of the display panel is brighter than a brightness outside.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:
activating a partial area of the display panel corresponding to a partial area of the mirror in a state of being switched to the first mode; and
displaying a contents on the partial area of the display panel.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectively providing the first mode or the second mode comprises switching to at l

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Tae-Seon

Classifications

• G02B5/08 Primary

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

• G09G2320/0633

  by amplitude modulation of the brightness of the illumination source · CPC title

• G09G2360/144

  the light being ambient light · CPC title

• G09G5/10 Primary

  Intensity circuits · CPC title

• G09G2370/16

  Use of wireless transmission of display information · CPC title