Patent ID: 8184145

Claim:
A display device, comprising: an image display device arranged to display an image; and a display switching device arranged to electrically switch between (i) an image to be seen in a single image display mode and (ii) an image to be seen in a multiple image display mode, wherein in the single image display mode, the display switching device allows an image displayed by the image display device to be seen from any direction, in the multiple image display mode, the display switching device (a) allows an image displayed by the image display device to be seen from a front direction and (b) allows an image obtained by superimposing, on an image displayed by the image display device, a pattern image formed by the display switching device to be seen from an oblique direction, and the display switching device being divided into a first region and a second region, in the single image display mode, the display switching device allows an image, displayed by the image display device, to be seen from any direction in both of the first and second regions, in the multiple image display mode, the display switching device being arranged to independently control (I) allowing an image to be seen from right and left directions, which image is obtained by superimposing, on an image displayed by the image display device, a pattern image causing the first region to be a non-transmission region, and (II) allowing an image to be seen from upper and lower directions, which image is obtained by superimposing, on an image displayed by the image display device, a pattern image causing the second region to be a non-transmission region.