Patent · US Active

Variable transparency layers for electronic devices

US10331260B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by

2References

26Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Essential Products, Inc. · US

Inventors

David John Evans, V · Palo Alto, US
Xinrui Jiang · San Jose, US
Andrew E. Rubin · Los Altos, US
Matthew Hershenson · Los Altos, US
Xiaoyu Miao · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Oct 27, 2036

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH04N23/55
WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Various embodiments concern sensors and other components that can be disposed beneath a variable transparency layer of a mobile device. By modifying how much voltage is applied to the variable transparency layer, a component, such as a camera, can be readily hidden when not in use. More specifically, the variable transparency layer may be substantially opaque when the camera is not in use and at least partially transparent when the camera is in use and ready to capture an image. The opacity level of the variable transparency layer can be modified by a voltage source that is electrically coupled to the variable transparency layer. The various levels of opacity could also enable the variable transparency layer to act as an electronic aperture for the camera.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.