DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION

Abstract

The disclosure is related to an arrangement in which an electrical tinting film is arranged between the display and the cover surface to provide a dead front appearance. The electrical tinting film is opaque without an externally applied voltage and the information made available on the display is not visible, and wherein the electrical tinting film becomes transparent by the application of a voltage and the information made available on the display becomes visible.

Claims

1. A display arrangement, comprising: a display to display information; a cover surface arranged above a surface of the display; and electrical tinting film is provided between the display and the cover surface, wherein the electrical tinting film is white without an applied voltage, is transparent with an applied voltage.

2. The display arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the display is a TFT display or an LCD display or an OLED display.

3. The display arrangement according claim 1, wherein the cover surface comprises an opaque edge area.

4. The display arrangement according claim 2, wherein the cover surface comprises an opaque edge area.

5. The display arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the edge area has the shape of a rectangle or of an ellipse.

6. A method for displaying information via a display, comprising: providing a display to display information; providing a cover surface arranged above a surface of the display; and providing an electrical tinting film is provided between the display and the cover surface, in response to the display being turned off, disconnecting an externally applied voltage to the electrical tinting film; and in response to the display being turned on, connected an externally applied voltage to the electrical tinting film.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the display is made available as a TFT display or an LCD display or an OLED display.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the electrical tinting film is made available in a white color tone.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the cover surface is made available above a surface of the electrical tinting film, which surface faces away from the display.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the cover surface is made available in such a manner that it comprises a transparent, central area and an opaque edge area made available on the edge of the cover surface.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the edge area of the cover surface has an elliptical or rectangular shape.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the display and the electrical tinting film and/or the electrical tinting film and the cover surface are connected to each other using an optical bonding method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] Other details, features and advantages of embodiment of the disclosure result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference made to the associated drawings. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a basic construction of a display arrangement according to the disclosure in a lateral view,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a display arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view in a voltage-free state,

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a display arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view in a turned-on state, and

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the display arrangement with a view of information on the display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows the basic construction of the display arrangement 1 according to the disclosure in a lateral view. A transparent, electrical tinting film 3 is arranged underneath a cover surface 2 which is arranged facing an observer who is not shown. This tinting film 3 has the quality of appearing in a color, for example, white in a voltage-free state, that is, without an applied external voltage. If a voltage is applied to the tinting film 3, the displayed image of white changes into a transparent state. In order to make available the voltage required for the electrical tinting film 3, an arrangement customary from the prior art for making an output voltage available can be used. The controlling of the arrangement can take place by a central control arrangement which also controls, for example, the display.

[0036] In this case the observer of the display arrangement 1 can see through the cover surface 2 and the electrical tinting film 3.

[0037] Such electrical tinting films 3 comprise at least one layer in their construction which changes under the influence of an electrical voltage or the action of an electrical field, for example, the alignment of its constituents such as liquid crystals or liquid crystal molecules and therefore scatters or deflects the light beams striking the film in the voltage-free state and allows them to pass with an applied voltage.

[0038] A display 4 known from the prior art and for displaying or showing any information is arranged under the electrical tinting film 3. The display 4 can be constructed as a liquid crystal display, abbreviated as LCD display for English “liquid crystal display”, a TFT display for English “thin film transistor”, an OLED display operated by organic light-emitting diodes and for English “organic light-emitting diode” or as another display suitable for displaying information.

[0039] In a turned-off state the display arrangement 1 appears in a white design for the case that a white electrical tinting film 3 is arranged. If another color, for example blue is used for the electrical tinting film 3, then the display arrangement 1 appears in the turned-off state in a blue design. If information is displayed on the display 4, the information cannot be recognized through the white or blue electrical tinting film 3 dense to the view of an observer.

[0040] If a voltage is placed on the electrical tinting film 3, the film 3 changes its qualities from non-transparent to transparent. In this state the display 4 arranged under the tinting film 3 and the information displayed on the display 4 can be recognized well by an observer.

[0041] A special embodiment of the present disclosure provides shaping the cover surface 2 in such a manner that the optical qualities change from the center of the cover surface 2 outward toward the edge of the cover surface 2. Whereas the ability to see through the cover surface 2 is the greatest in the center, the ability to see through it in the direction of the edge of the cover surface 2 constantly decreases and merges into an increasingly white color tone.

[0042] As a result of this change of the optical qualities of the cover surface 2, an edge area 6 is formed which appears to be white and almost opaque. Depending on the shape of the change of the optical qualities, an edge area 6 can be formed which is elliptical or rectangular, wherein the edge area 6 does not adversely affect the information displayed on the display 4. This can be ensured, for example, in that the edge area 6 is formed in an area into which the display 4 does not extend with its dimensions.

[0043] This change of the optical qualities of the cover surface 2 along an imaginary stretch starting from the center of the cover surface 2 can take place in a linear or non-linear manner. In addition, different stretches running in rays from the center can have different changes of the optical qualities. It is advantageous to select the gradients in such a manner that the edge area 6 forms an ellipse or ideally almost a rectangle, wherein the transparent area is not greater than the dimensions of the display 4 arranged underneath it.

[0044] This quality can be used especially advantageously for the case that the electrical tinting film 3 and possibly also the display 4 are smaller in their particular dimensions than the cover surface 2, as is shown in FIG. 1.

[0045] This linear or non-linear change of the optical qualities of the cover surface 2 is made available in such a manner that the display arrangement 1 is perceived in a white color tone even outside of the dimensions of the tinting film 3. On the other hand the change of the optical qualities in the area of the display 4 is to be designed in such a manner that the display 4 can shine through the cover surface 2 sufficiently well for a qualitatively sufficient representation.

[0046] In FIG. 2 the display arrangement 1 according to FIG. 1 is shown in a perspective view in a voltage-free state. The changing optical quality is shown in the cover surface 2. Whereas the cover surface 2 appears completely transparently in the middle, the edge areas 6 of the rectangular cover surface 2 are not transparent. In the example in which a white tinting film 3 is used these edge areas 6 should assume a white color.

[0047] Under the cover surface 2 the electrical tinting film 3 can be seen at least partially, which appears white in the voltage-free state and prevents the display 4 arranged underneath it from shining through, as is shown in FIG. 2.

[0048] When an appropriate voltage is applied on the electrical tinting film 3 the tinting film 3 becomes transparent. The display arrangement 1 changes its appearance image from a purely white representation to a representation in which the display 4 can be seen by the observer. This state is shown in FIG. 3. The display arrangement 1 can also show a white frame in the outer edge area 6 while in the area of the display 4 the information displayed for the observer, such as a driver of a motor vehicle, can be displayed without a reduction of the quality of the display.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows the display arrangement 1 with a view of information 5 which is displayed by the display 4. Since an electrical field is generated on the electrical tinting film 3 by applying a voltage and the tinting film 3 therefore is transparent, the observer can recognize the information displayed on the display 4 without loss, that is, in a high optical quality in the display arrangement 1.

[0050] Various types such as an LCD display, an OLED display or a TFT display can be used as display 4. However, there is no limitation to these display types.