Privacy Screen via Camera-Based Content Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional privacy screens for electronic devices attenuate light, reducing brightness and battery life, and may not effectively block light at non-perpendicular angles, allowing others to view the content.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a first device with a display and a second device with a display, where the first device determines its operating mode and either displays content or transmits output data to the second device, which then displays the content based on the determined position of the first device relative to the second device, using an image sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional privacy screen is placed in front of the display, then content visibility to non-users is reduced, but the brightness perceived by the user is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera as an intermediary to capture the display content and transfer it to a second device for display. This mediator approach allows the first device to show content without a physical privacy screen, thereby maintaining full brightness while achieving privacy through controlled content transmission to the second device instead of optical filtering
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the display content by capturing it with a camera and displaying it on a second device. This copying mechanism enables the content to be viewed privately on the second device while the first device maintains full brightness without requiring a privacy screen that would attenuate light
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a privacy screen is used to block light at non-perpendicular angles, then privacy is improved, but the angles at which the user can use the device are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The camera-based intermediary system captures display content and transfers it to a second device, eliminating the need for angular light blocking. This allows users to view content on the second device from various angles without restriction, while privacy is maintained through controlled content transmission rather than optical filtering
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional display surface with angular constraints to a three-dimensional viewing solution where the second device can be positioned and viewed from multiple angles. This dimensional shift allows flexible viewing geometry without the angular restrictions imposed by traditional privacy screens
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a privacy screen blocks light in non-perpendicular directions, then visibility to side observers is reduced, but content remains observable by individuals positioned directly in front of the screen
Solution Approach 1:
The camera-based intermediary captures the display content and transfers it exclusively to the second device. This controlled transmission mechanism ensures that content is not visible to side observers of the first device, while reliability is improved because the content exists only on the second device where it can be protected with more effective privacy measures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the content display function from the first device and relocates it to the second device. By taking the content out of the first device's display system and placing it on the second device, the solution achieves more reliable content protection while eliminating the vulnerability of side-observer visibility
4Illumination intensity
If display brightness is increased to compensate for light blocked by a privacy screen, then brightness perception is improved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera-based intermediary system transfers content to a second device for display, eliminating the need to increase brightness on the first device. This approach maintains full battery life on the first device while achieving the desired brightness perception on the second device through its own display system
Solution Approach 2:
By creating a visual copy of the content on a second device, the system allows the second device to display at full brightness without affecting the first device's power consumption. The first device can maintain low brightness or sleep mode while the copy on the second device provides the necessary visual output
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively protects the content of electronic devices from non-users by ensuring that content is only displayed on a secondary device, thereby conserving power and increasing the environments in which the device can be safely operated.
Implementation Method 1
determining, using an image sensor, a position of the first display relative to the second display
Data Source
AI summary
A first electronic device with a first display produces visual output data and, while operating in a first mode, displays content on the first display corresponding to the visual output data. After detecting a request to refrain from displaying content on the first display, a second mode of the first electronic device is activated. While the first electronic device is operating in the second mode, the first electronic device refrains from displaying content on the first display corresponding to the visual output data and transmits the visual output data to a second electronic device and to a third electronic device, where the content corresponding to the visual output data is displayable by the second electronic device on a second display and by the third electronic device on a third display.