Apple Inc.

Yong Seok Choi

Rong Liu

Yu P Sun

Victor H Yin

Jun Qi

Kurt R Stiehl

Clarisse Mazuir

Xiaofeng Tang

Joshua A Spechler

Christopher P Child

Bryce E Wallis

Tao Zhan

A system may have an exterior display. The exterior display may display symbols that correspond to intended actions for the system or instructions for nearby viewers. The exterior display may include an array of light-emitting diodes, a collimator, a one-way filter to prevent sunlight from washing out the display, and a cover layer. The one-way filter may include a microlens array and a masking layer. The collimator is configured to collimate light from the array of light-emitting diodes and provide the collimated light to the one-way filter. The microlens array receives the collimated light and focuses the collimated light through a plurality of holes in the masking layer. In this way, the majority of display light is passed through the one-way filter towards a viewer. However, the majority of ambient sunlight is blocked by the masking layer, thus preserving a high contrast for the exterior display even in bright sunlight.

System with one-way filter over light-emitting elements

A system may have a display that includes a plurality of light sources such as light-emitting diodes. The display may be an exterior display that is routinely operated in daytime conditions where ambient light levels are very high. To increase contrast in an exterior display, the display may include a sunlight blocking element. A static sunlight blocking element may include a louver film with asymmetric light blocking portions. The system may include an ambient light sensor that is configured to determine ambient light levels. Based on the detected ambient light level, control circuitry in the system may adjust one or more adjustable components in the display. The display may include an adjustable diffuser that has at least two states with different haze levels. The display may include an adjustable tint layer that has at least two states with different transmission levels.

Adaptive exterior display

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Yong Seok Choi