Patent ID: 8770813

Claim:
A backlight assembly, comprising: a light source configured to generate light; a display panel including a color filter system and configured for a percentage of transparency that permits an environment behind the backlight assembly to be viewed through the backlight assembly; a backlight panel configured for a percentage of transparency that permits an environment behind the backlight assembly to be viewed through the backlight assembly and configured to direct the light from the light source to illuminate the display panel; a multi-mode panel of the backlight assembly comprising an active shutter that provides variable light transmissivity based at least in part on an applied voltage and configured to prevent a section of the environment from being viewed through the backlight assembly; and light refraction features configured to refract and scatter the light, the light refraction features spaced for a percentage of transparency that permits an environment behind the backlight assembly to be viewed through the backlight assembly and to refract the light to illuminate the display panel.