U.S. Patent 9,956,854
Local Fort Lauderdale Patent Attorney reviews U.S. Patent 9,956, 854 filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Toyota found that cars have screens that can be seen from other vehicles and can cause a distraction. To avoid the safety issues along with privacy for the user of the screen, the inventor seeks to provide improved safety for a display screen that provides privacy. The crux of the system seems to be a window that can alternate states between opaque and transparent at a predetermined frequency. The term “predetermined” is not the best word to use in a patent. Instead, a more thorough explanation of how it is actually determined may provide stronger patent protection.
On May 1, 2018, Week 18, Number 1450-1, the United States Patent and Trademark Office published issued U.S. Patent Number 9,956,854. The patent describes a system for improving safety while providing privacy for a vehicle. The system includes a display screen located within the vehicle, and configured to alternate between a displaying state and a non-displaying state. The system also includes a window of the vehicle configured to alternate between an opaque state and a transparent state. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the window and the display screen. The ECU is configured to determine whether the display screen is powered on. The ECU is also configured to alternate the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on. The ECU is also configured to alternate the window between the opaque state and the transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.
Claim 1 provides:
A system for improving safety while providing privacy for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a display screen located within the vehicle, and configured to alternate between a displaying state and a non-displaying state;
a window of the vehicle configured to alternate between an opaque state and a transparent state; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the window and the display screen, the ECU configured to:
determine whether the display screen is powered on,
alternate the display screen between the displaying state and the non-displaying state at a predetermined frequency when the display screen is powered on, and
alternate the window between the opaque state and the transparent state at the predetermined frequency, the display screen being in the displaying state when the window is in the opaque state and the display screen being in the non-displaying state when the window is in the transparent state.
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