Patent ID: 8232958

Claim:
A display assembly, comprising: a backlight layer; an electrochromic layer formed over the backlight layer, where the electrochromic layer is switchable between a substantially transparent state and a substantially reflective state upon application of a switching voltage to the electrochromic layer; a surface layer formed over the electrochromic layer and including at least one substantially translucent graphical element thereon; a power supply; a light sensor; and a processor configured to: compare an amount of ambient light received by the light sensor with a predetermined threshold level; determine whether the amount of ambient light received by the light sensor meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold level; determine a current state of the electrochromic layer; and perform at least one of the following steps: in response to determining both the amount of ambient light received by the light sensor meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold level and the current state of the electrochromic layer is the substantially transparent state, initiate application of a first voltage to the electrochromic layer to switch the electrochromic layer to the substantially reflective state; and in response to determining both the amount of ambient light received by the light sensor does not meet or exceed the predetermined threshold level and the current state of the electrochromic layer is the substantially reflective state, initiate application of a second voltage to the electrochromic layer to switch the electrochromic layer to the substantially transparent state.