Adjustable viewing angle for a computer privacy filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11475172-B2
Application number	US-201916354387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2019
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A privacy filter includes a plurality of micro louvers. Each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers is a same size. Each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are laid flat on top of each other to form the privacy filter. The plurality of micro louvers includes a first micro louver and a set of micro louvers. The first micro louver is in a fixed position. The set of micro louvers has a first piezo element at a first end of each micro louver and a second piezo element at a second end of each micro louver. The first end is opposite the second end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A privacy filter, the privacy filter comprising:
a plurality of micro louvers, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are a same size, and wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are laid flat on top of each other to form the privacy filter, and wherein the plurality of micro louvers includes a first micro louver and a set of micro louvers;
wherein the first micro louver is in a fixed position;
wherein each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a separate piezo element, and each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a first piezo element at a first end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers and a second piezo element at a second end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers, wherein the first end is opposite the second end, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers includes a plurality of holes and a plurality of lines between the first piezo element and the second piezo element.

2. The privacy filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein each line of the plurality of lines is between each hole of the plurality of holes.

3. The privacy filter of claim 2 , further comprising:
wherein each line of the plurality of lines is evenly spaced between the first end and the second end of each micro louver.

4. The privacy filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein each first piezo element increases in size in response to a first voltage and each corresponding second piezo element decreases in size in response to a second voltage.

5. The privacy filter of claim 4 , further comprising:
wherein when the first voltage and the second voltage are applied, each micro louver of the set of micro louvers shifts position relative to the first micro louver.

6. The privacy filter of claim 4 , further comprising:
wherein the first voltage and the second voltage applied to each micro louver of the set of micro louvers is different.

7. The privacy filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the privacy filter is integrated into a computer display, and wherein the privacy filter communicates with the computer display, and wherein the privacy filter receives power from the computer display.

8. The privacy filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first integrated circuit, wherein the first integrated circuit is connected to each first piezo element; and
a second integrated circuit, wherein the second integrated circuit is connected to each second piezo element.

9. The privacy filter of claim 8 , further comprising:
wherein a first voltage is applied to the first integrated circuit, and wherein the first integrated circuit applies a plurality of voltages to each first piezo element in response to the first voltage; and
wherein a second voltage is applied to the second integrated circuit, and wherein the second integrated circuit applies a plurality of voltages to each second piezo element in response to the second voltage.

10. The privacy filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply; and
an adaptor, wherein the adaptor allows connectivity between the privacy filter and a computing device.

11. The privacy filter of claim of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of micro louvers includes five micro louvers.

12. A method for an adjustable privacy filter, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more computer processors, an input, wherein the input is a viewing angle;
determining, by one or more computer processors, a voltage based on the input; and
applying, by one or more computer processors, the voltage to a privacy filter,
wherein the privacy filter includes a plurality of micro louvers, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are a same size, and wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are laid flat on top of each other to form the privacy filter, and wherein the plurality of micro louvers includes a first micro louver and a set of micro louvers;
wherein the first micro louver is in a fixed position;
wherein each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a separate piezo element, and each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a first piezo element at a first end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers and a second piezo element at a second end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers, wherein the first end is opposite the second end, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers includes a plurality of holes and a plurality of lines between the first piezo element and the second piezo element.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the privacy filter is integrated into a computer display.

14. A computer program product for an adjustable privacy filter, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage medium, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive an input, wherein the input is a viewing angle;
program instructions to determine a voltage based on the input; and
program instructions to apply the voltage to a privacy filter,
wherein the privacy filter includes a plurality of micro louvers, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are a same size, and wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers are laid flat on top of each other to form the privacy filter, and wherein the plurality of micro louvers includes a first micro louver and a set of micro louvers;
wherein the first micro louver is in a fixed position;
wherein each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a separate piezo element, and each micro louver of the set of micro louvers has a first piezo element at a first end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers and a second piezo element at a second end of each micro louver of the set of micro louvers, wherein the first end is opposite the second end, wherein each micro louver of the plurality of micro louvers includes a plurality of holes and a plurality of lines between the first piezo element and the second piezo element.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the privacy filter is integrated into a computer display.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Adachi Yuta
• Miwa Yohichi
• Kawai Yutaka

Classifications

• G02F1/133524

  Light-guides, e.g. fibre-optic bundles, louvered or jalousie light-guides · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F21/84 Primary

  output devices, e.g. displays or monitors · CPC title

• G06F21/6245

  Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes · CPC title

• G06F1/1609 Primary

  to support filters or lenses · CPC title