The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 2019
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2016
Essential Products, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
David John Evans, V, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Xinrui Jiang, San Jose, CA (US);
Andrew E. Rubin, Los Altos, CA (US);
Matthew Hershenson, Los Altos, CA (US);
Xiaoyu Miao, Palo Alto, CA (US);
ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS, INC., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Various embodiments concern sensors and other components that can be disposed beneath a variable transparency layer of a mobile device. By modifying how much voltage is applied to the variable transparency layer, a component, such as a camera, can be readily hidden when not in use. More specifically, the variable transparency layer may be substantially opaque when the camera is not in use and at least partially transparent when the camera is in use and ready to capture an image. The opacity level of the variable transparency layer can be modified by a voltage source that is electrically coupled to the variable transparency layer. The various levels of opacity could also enable the variable transparency layer to act as an electronic aperture for the camera.