# US 11,307,477 B2 · Anti-peep screen with dynamically adjustable optical screen

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- Number: US 11,307,477 B2
- Document ID: US11307477B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/136,700
- Filed: 2020-12-29
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-09
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Yin Xia; Ting Yin; Dong Chen; Ting Ting Bj Zhan; Xiang Juan Meng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307477B2

## CPC

- G02F 1/167: by electrophoresis
- G02F 1/172: {based on a suspension of orientable dipolar particles, e.g. suspended particles displays}
- G02F 1/0121: {Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass}
- G02F 1/1677: Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
- G02F 2201/44: Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

An anti-peep screen is provided. The anti-peep screen includes a casing, a plurality of microspheres within the casing, wherein each of the microspheres includes a colorless transparent fluid fill and a plurality of charged particles, and a base electrode within the casing adjacent to the plurality of microspheres.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An anti-peep screen, comprising:
a casing;
two or more stacked monolayers of microspheres within the casing, wherein each of the microspheres includes a colorless transparent fluid fill and a plurality of charged colored particles; and
a base electrode within the casing adjacent to the plurality of microspheres, wherein the base electrode is configured to cause the plurality of charged colored particles to migrate to a region in the microspheres such that a range of angles at which a view through the stacked monolayers is at least partially obscured is increased due to an overlapping of opaque screens on different monolayers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, wherein the microspheres have an outside diameter in a range of about 5 micron (um) to about 300 um.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, wherein an oblique angle of the opaque screen is about 30° to about 75°.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, wherein the casing has a thickness in a range of about 10 microns (um) to about 500 um, and is configured to attach to a display.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, further comprising an upright electrode perpendicular or oblique to the base electrode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, further comprising two upright electrodes perpendicular or oblique to the base electrode, wherein the upright electrodes are on opposite ends of the plurality of microspheres, and wherein the base electrode is a transparent electrode made of a transparent conductive material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO) and doped zinc oxide (ZnO).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, wherein the two or more stacked monolayers of microspheres is two stacked monolayers of microspheres.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, wherein the base electrode includes a plurality of electrode segments.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The anti-peep screen of claim 1, further comprising electronic components, wherein the base electrode segments are individually addressable by the electronic components.

### Claim 10

A method of controlling a viewing angle of an anti-peep screen, comprising:
applying a first voltage to a base electrode and a second voltage to an upright electrode that creates an electric field across two or more stacked monolayers of microspheres, wherein a plurality of charged particles within the microspheres migrate under the force of the electric field to a position within the microspheres to form an opaque screen that interferes with the viewing of an image on an opposite side of the anti-peep screen from a viewer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first voltage is the opposite polarity as the electric charge on the plurality of charged particles.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the second voltage to one or more upright electrodes to change the viewing angle, wherein an oblique angle of the opaque screen is about 30° to about 75°.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the second voltage is opposite the polarity of the first voltage.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the base electrode is a transparent electrode made of a transparent conductive material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO) and doped zinc oxide (ZnO).

### Claim 15

A device with an anti-peep screen, comprising:
a device display;
the anti-peep screen on the device display, wherein the anti-peep screen includes two or more stacked monolayers of microspheres, the microspheres including a colorless transparent fluid fill and a plurality of charged colored particles;
electronic components electrically coupled to the device display and to the anti-peep screen; and
a power supply electrically coupled to the electronic components, wherein the anti-peep screen, electronic components, and power supply are electrically coupled and configured to cause the plurality of charged particles to migrate to a region in the microspheres to interfere with the viewing of an image on the display device through the anti-peep screen outside a predetermined viewing angle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the anti-peep screen is incorporated into the device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the anti-peep screen is affixed to the device display.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the power supply is a rechargeable battery.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the two or more stacked monolayers of microspheres, and a base electrode are within a casing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The device of claim 19, wherein the base electrode is a transparent electrode made of a transparent conductive material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO) and doped zinc oxide (ZnO).