Patent ID: 8760415

Claim:
An electronic device with overlayed electronic skin comprising: an electronic device including a display having an outer transparent display screen, wherein said display is placed in a dark state or in a bright state and is not a cholesteric liquid crystal display; electronic skin that overlays said outer display screen, said electronic skin being in a form of a writing tablet, said electronic skin comprising: a) an electro-optic layer comprising electro-optic material; b) transparent, unpatterned electrically conductive layers on each side of said electro-optic layer; c) a transparent substrate or polymer layer that forms a writing surface on a side of said electro-optic layer that is more proximal to a viewer, wherein said substrate or polymer layer is flexible so as to reduce a gap between said electrically conductive layers when writing pressure is applied to said writing surface, wherein said writing pressure applied to said writing surface forms an image by changing said liquid crystal material to a reflective state or a substantially transparent state where said writing pressure is applied; and d) electronic circuitry for applying voltages to said electrically conductive layers, wherein said voltages enable said electro-optic material to be placed into various states of reflectance including a substantially transparent state and a reflective state; wherein said image is displayed on said electronic skin while light passing through said electronic skin is absorbed by said display in said dark state, and wherein when said display is in said bright state, said display is seen through said electronic skin.