Abstract:
A display device can include a housing, a processor, and a display assembly. The processor can be arranged within the housing. The display assembly can be operably coupled to the processor and arranged within the housing. The display assembly can include a first display, a privacy filter, and a second display. The first display can output a first portion of the display. The second display can output a second portion of the display. The privacy filter and the first and second displays can be arranged such that the first portion of the display assembly is filtered by the privacy filter to be viewable in a first viewable arc. The second portion of the display assembly can be viewable in a second viewable arc that is different than the first viewable arc. The first and second displays can be LCD&#39;s.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a privacy display and related techniques for using a privacy display on a mobile device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. 
     A “user device” refers to a computing device that typically includes a user interface, a display, and a processor. User devices may include non-portable or stationary devices such as a desktop computer. User devices may also include mobile devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, and tablet computers. Mobile devices may selectively communicate via one or more networks, such as a mobile telephone network, the Internet, and the like. 
     Privacy filters have been used on viewing screens for protecting sensitive information. Specifically, a privacy filter is used to darken side viewing of the display to prevent others from reading information displayed. Privacy filters, however, are often bulky and cumbersome such that they are not incorporated on mobile devices. Further, in some instances, it may be desirable to protect or hide sensitive information that is displayed on only portions of the viewable screen. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a display device is disclosed. The display device can include a housing, a processor, and a display assembly. The processor can be arranged within the housing. The display assembly can be operably coupled to the processor and arranged within the housing. The display assembly can include a first display, a privacy filter, and a second display. The first and second displays can comprise first and second LCD&#39;s, respectively. The first LCD can output a first portion of the display assembly. The second LCD can output a second portion of the display assembly. The privacy filter and the first and second LCD&#39;s can be arranged such that the first portion of the display assembly is filtered by the privacy filter to be viewable in a first viewable arc. The second portion of the display assembly can be viewable in a second viewable arc that is different than the first viewable arc. In one example, the display device may be incorporated on a mobile computing device such as a mobile phone, tablet computer or laptop computer for example. 
     In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, a display device is disclosed. The display device can include a housing, a first display, a privacy filter, and a second display. The housing can have a user interface portion. The first and second displays can comprise first and second LCD&#39;s, respectively. The first LCD can be disposed in the housing. The second LCD can be disposed relative to the privacy filter such that the privacy filter is interposed between the first and second LCD&#39;s. The first LCD can be configured to display a first output. The second LCD can be configured to display a second output. The first output can be displayed on the first LCD and be viewable through the second LCD only within a viewable arc of the privacy filter. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a mobile device incorporating a privacy display according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the mobile device of  FIG. 1  illustrating a user viewing the display through a first viewable arc and a pair of bystanders viewing the display through a second viewable arc; 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of the mobile device of  FIG. 1  according to some implementations of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the display of the mobile device of  FIG. 1  illustrating a first field “bank.example.com” and a second field “Account Number:” both displayed on a second or public liquid crystal display (hereinafter “LCD”) and a third field “123456789” displayed on a first or private LCD, wherein all of the first, second, and third fields are viewable by the user through the first viewable arc; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the display of  FIG. 4  illustrating the third field as being obscured as viewed through the second viewable arc; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a technique for using the privacy display according to some implementations of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With initial reference now to  FIG. 1 , a display device constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure is shown and generally identified at reference numeral  10 . The display device  10  may be a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or the like. The display device  10  generally includes a housing  12  that incorporates a user interface  14 . The user interface  14  includes a viewable screen or display assembly  20  and a plurality of buttons  22 , as well as a microphone  24  and a speaker  26 . The display assembly  20  may be a touch display as shown, such as a capacitive sensing display. The display device  10  may additionally or alternatively include a physical character layout, e.g., a partial QWERTY-based keyboard. The display assembly  20  may display information to, and receive input from, a user  30  ( FIG. 2 ). For example, the user  30  may input information to the display device  10  via the user interface  14  including the display assembly  20 , the buttons  22 , and/or the microphone  24 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1  and additional reference now to  FIG. 2 , the display assembly  20  will be further described. The display assembly  20  generally incorporates a first or private display  32 , a privacy filter  34 , a one-way mirror  36 , and a second or public display  38 . According to the examples shown, the private display  32  may be an LCD display such as a transmissive LCD that incorporates a backlight, however other LCD configurations are contemplated. Moreover, other display types may be additionally or alternatively incorporated such as, but not limited to, LED displays including OLED and AMOLED displays. The privacy filter  34  may include a polarized filter having a material that only permits light to pass through in a limited range of directions, thereby limiting visibility of the information displayed on the private display  32  to a limited viewable arc, as will be described in greater detail herein. 
     The one-way mirror  36  may be arranged to include or cooperate with a light source  40  disposed in the housing  12  generally adjacent to the one-way mirror  36 . The light source  40  may be configured to scatter light off of the one-way mirror  36 . In one example, the light source  40  may be a set of solid state light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed around the inner housing  12 . In another example, the light source  40  may be an electroluminescent material that may be configured to illuminate upon application of a voltage. Other configurations are contemplated. The public display  38  may be a transmissive LCD, for example. Other LCD configurations are contemplated. As will become appreciated from the following discussion, the display assembly  20  may be configured to display some information on the public display  38  and other information on the private display  32 . The display assembly  20  is configured to only allow the information displayed on the private display  32  to be viewable through a first viewable arc  46  by the user  30 . Other information displayed on the public display  38  may be viewable through a second viewable arc  48  such as by bystanders  52  and  54 . In this way, the display assembly  20  of the display device  10  may be configured to display sensitive information such as bank account numbers, passwords, and the like on the private display  32  such that the information may only be viewable by the user  30  through the first viewable arc  46 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an example of the display device  10  is shown in more detail. The display device  10  may include a user interface module  60 , a processor  62 , a communication module  64 , and a memory  66 . The user interface module  60  can include and control the display assembly  20 . Specifically, the user interface module  60  may generate or manipulate the information to be displayed to the user  30  via the display assembly  20 . The user interface module  60  may receive information from and communicate information to the processor  62  and the communication module  64 . While the display device  10  is shown as generally including the user interface module  60 , the processor  62 , the communication module  64 , and memory  66 , the display device  10  may also include other suitable computing components. 
     In general, a user  30  may communicate with the display device  10  via the user interface  14  including the display assembly  20  and the buttons  22 . In particular, the display assembly  20  may display information to the user  30  and receive input from the user  30 . The processor  62  may control most operations of the display device  10 . The processor  62 , therefore, may communicate with each of the user interface module  60 , the communication module  64 , and the memory  66 . For example, the processor  62  may perform tasks such as, but not limited to, loading/controlling an operating system of the display device  10 , loading/configuring communication parameters for the communication module  64  and controlling various parameters of the user interface module  60 . The processor  62  may also perform the loading/controlling of software applications, the controlling of memory storage/retrieval operations, e.g., for loading of the various parameters. 
     The processor  62  may interpret information input by the user  30  through the user interface  14 . The processor  62  may determine a public display portion and a private display portion. The processor  62  may communicate a public display signal  70  to the public display  38  and communicate a private display signal  72  to the private display  32 . In this regard, the processor  62  sends some information identified as suitable for public viewing to be displayed on the public display  38  while sending other information identified as sensitive or private for viewing only by the user  30  to be displayed on the private display  32 . As used herein the term “information” may be characters including letters, numbers, signs and the like. The information may also include graphics, pictures, symbols and the like. 
     According to one example of the present disclosure, the processor  62  may determine whether certain information is dedicated for sending to the public display  38  as compared to other information that is dedicated to sending to the private display  32  based upon an indicator associated with such information. The indicator may be a tag associated with a given field of information that may identify a password or other protected entry field (HTML5, etc.) that may be associated with protected or otherwise sensitive data. It is contemplated that a user  30  may additionally or alternatively assign information to be displayed on the private display  32  manually. Such information may also be associated with a private indicator through the settings of the display device  10 . In this regard, a privacy setting manager may be incorporated that provides a user with options for assigning a private indicator to certain information. The content of the information can be contact information, location information, account information, browser information or any other information the user deems as private. In other examples, a user may assign a private indicator to individual applications. For example, a user may identify particular applications, such as banking applications for example, that can be selected for all or partial display on the private display  32 . Additionally, the privacy settings manager may include a privacy setting mode that a user can select to associate subsequent information for display on the private display  32 . 
     The communication module  64  controls communication between the display device  10  and other devices. For example only, the communication module  64  may provide for communication between the display device  10  and other users via a cellular telephone network, and/or between the display device  10  and a wireless network. Examples of wireless networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, a satellite network, a telecommunications network, a private network, and combinations of these. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , one example of using the display assembly  20  according to the present disclosure will be described. At the outset,  FIG. 4  illustrates the display assembly  20  as viewed by the user  30  through the first viewable arc  46  ( FIG. 2 ). Specifically, the display assembly  20  includes a first field  80 , a second field  82 , and a third field  84 . The first field  80  includes “bank.example.com” communicated by the processor  62  through the public display signal  70  to the public display  38 . Similarly, the second field  82  includes “Account Number:” communicated through the public display signal  70  to the public display  38 . The third field  84  includes “123456789” communicated through the private display signal  72  to the private display  32 . Notably, the third field  84  is still viewable by the user  30  through the first viewable arc  46 . Explained further, the user  30  is able to view through the privacy filter  34  to the private display  32  when the user  30  is in a position within the first viewable arc  46  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . It will be appreciated that the public display  38  will be transparent in corresponding areas directly above the third field  84 , or more generally in areas above fields dedicated for private viewing. 
     With particular attention now to  FIG. 5 , the display assembly  20  is configured to display all of the first, second, and third fields  80 ,  82 , and  84  as explained above with respect to  FIG. 4 . However, in  FIG. 5 , the resulting view is of a viewable arc outside of the first viewable arc  46 . For example, the view that results in  FIG. 5  may be that of the second viewable arc  48 , outside of the first viewable arc  46  as viewed by one of the bystanders  52  or  54 . In this regard, the information viewable by another bystander that is occupying a position outside of the first viewable arc  46  will view the third field  84  as blacked out or otherwise obscured. The information displayed in the third field  84  (“123456789”) is not viewable by anyone looking toward the display assembly  20  from a viewing angle outside of the first viewable arc  46 . As can be appreciated, the privacy filter  34  disposed intermediate the public display  38  and the private display  32  will preclude viewing of any information displayed on the private display  32  (or in this case, the third field  84 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an example of a technique  100  for using the display device  10  according to one example of the present disclosure is illustrated. At  102 , the processor  62  receives information to display from the user interface module  60 . At  104 , the processor  62  determines from the information, a public display portion and a private display portion. At  106 , the processor  62  communicates the public display signal  70  to the public display  38 . At  108 , the processor  62  communicates the private display signal  72  to the private display  32 . 
     Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known procedures, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
     Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments. 
     As used herein, the term module may refer to, be part of, or include: an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); an electronic circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor or a distributed network of processors (shared, dedicated, or grouped) and storage in networked clusters or datacenters that executes code or a process; other suitable components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-chip. The term module may also include memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the one or more processors. 
     The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, byte-code and/or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, and/or objects. The term shared, as used above, means that some or all code from multiple modules may be executed using a single (shared) processor. In addition, some or all code from multiple modules may be stored by a single (shared) memory. The term group, as used above, means that some or all code from a single module may be executed using a group of processors. In addition, some or all code from a single module may be stored using a group of memories. 
     The techniques described herein may be implemented by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer programs include processor-executable instructions that are stored on a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer programs may also include stored data. Non-limiting examples of the non-transitory tangible computer readable medium are nonvolatile memory, magnetic storage, and optical storage. 
     Some portions of the above description present the techniques described herein in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or by functional names, without loss of generality. 
     Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
     Certain aspects of the described techniques include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the described process steps and instructions could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems. 
     The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored on a computer readable medium that can be accessed by the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a tangible computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability. 
     The algorithms and operations presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatuses to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will be apparent to those of skill in the art, along with equivalent variations. In addition, the present disclosure is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present disclosure as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention. 
     The present disclosure is well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks comprise storage devices and computers that are communicatively coupled to dissimilar computers and storage devices over a network, such as the Internet. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.