Selectively reducing reflectivity of a display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart devices, such as smart mirrors, lack creative and realistic methods for users to communicate messages, especially in a seamless and integrated manner with everyday activities, as existing interfaces are not intuitive or visually engaging.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that selectively reduce the reflectivity of a display to create a visual effect of steam, allowing users to input messages through gestures or voice, with the display altering its reflective properties to simulate steam, enabling messages to appear as if written in steam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a smart mirror display maintains high reflectivity for realistic mirror appearance, then visual realism is improved, but message visibility and user input capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically adjusts its reflectivity based on operational mode. When in message input mode, the display reduces reflectivity in specific regions to allow users to see their reflections and provide gestures. When in normal mirror mode, the display maintains high reflectivity for realistic appearance. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between maintaining mirror realism and enabling message input capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The display applies different reflectivity properties to different regions of the display surface. When message input is required, only specific local regions reduce reflectivity to create input zones, while other regions maintain normal mirror reflectivity. This localized adjustment allows message input functionality without compromising the overall mirror appearance and realism.
2Loss of information
If a smart mirror display reduces reflectivity to enable message input, then message visibility is improved, but visual realism and mirror appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically controls reflectivity reduction only when message input or display is required. After message input is complete, the display returns to normal reflectivity levels to maintain mirror appearance. This temporal dynamic control ensures message visibility when needed while preserving visual realism during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The display reduces reflectivity only in specific local regions where messages are displayed or input is required, rather than across the entire display surface. This localized reflectivity adjustment maintains message visibility while preserving the mirror appearance in other regions, minimizing the impact on visual realism.
3Illumination intensity
If a smart mirror provides traditional mirror reflection, then visual realism is improved, but creative communication methods deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically switches between traditional mirror reflection mode and enhanced communication mode. In communication mode, the display reduces reflectivity and enables gesture recognition, voice input, and message display capabilities. This dynamic adaptability allows the same device to provide both realistic mirror reflection and creative communication methods depending on user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart mirror display is designed to perform multiple functions: traditional mirror reflection, message display, gesture recognition, and voice input. By integrating these diverse functionalities into a single device, the system achieves versatility in communication methods while maintaining the core mirror reflection capability, resolving the contradiction between realism and adaptability.
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
Provides a creative and natural method for users to input and display messages, enhancing user interaction by mimicking the effect of writing in steam, while maintaining a clean and mark-free interface, and allowing for intuitive communication.
Implementation Method 1
causing the display to selectively reduce a reflectivity of the display by reducing the reflectivity of a first portion of the display relative to a second portion of the display such that the display provides the message
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for displaying messages by reducing a reflectivity of a display. A display, such as a smart mirror, provides reflective properties and digital information. The reflectivity of some portions of the display may be altered such that the display provides the visual effect of steam. By varying the reflectivity in different portions of the display, messages may be provided via the display so as to appear written in the steam. Trigger actions, such as a user entering the vicinity, the detected sound of miming water, and/or the like, may cause the visual effect of steam or display of the message. A user may provide a message by a hand gesture, or writing the message in the air and see the message at is provided via a display. Users may transmit messages to other users, and may view received messages in the display.