Apparatuses and methods for providing a vanishing viewing window within a mirror

An apparatus to provide reflection and information, comprising:

• a mirror, the mirror has a front side and a backside, the mirror further comprising:
• a glass layer, the glass layer has an area and a first reflectivity;
• a reflective layer, the reflective layer is adhered to the backside;
• a protective layer, the protective layer is adhered to the reflective layer;
• a vanishing viewing window, the vanishing viewing window is a region within the area, wherein a reflectivity of the vanishing viewing window is reduced through a process comprising:
• illuminating the backside with a laser beam;
• moving the mirror during the illuminating;
• wherein at least a part of the protective layer is removed from the vanishing viewing window to provide a second reflectivity for the vanishing viewing window, wherein the first reflectivity is greater than the second reflectivity;
• and
• a data display, the data display is positioned behind the vanishing viewing window, such that when a user views the front side, the user sees a reflection in the mirror when the data display is in an off state and when the data display is in an on state the user sees a reflection in the mirror and data in the vanishing viewing window.

A method to create a vanishing viewing window in a mirror, comprising:

• inputting an image for the vanishing viewing window into a processor;
• rendering a halftone dot pattern for the image with the processor to create a sequence of control instructions to a laser;
• and
• operating a laser with the control instructions to illuminate a backside of the mirror with a laser beam to remove at least a part of the backing layer from the mirror, wherein the halftone dot pattern is created in the mirror.

A method to create a vanishing viewing window in a mirror, the mirror having a first reflectivity, comprising:

• illuminating a backside of the mirror with a laser beam;
• moving the mirror during the illuminating;
• wherein at least a part of a protective layer of the mirror is removed from the vanishing viewing window to provide a second reflectivity for the vanishing viewing window, wherein the first reflectivity is greater than the second reflectivity;
• and
• a data display, the data display is positioned behind the vanishing viewing window, such that when a user views a front side of the mirror, the user sees a reflection in the mirror when the data display is in an off state and when the data display is in an on state the user sees a reflection in the mirror and data in the vanishing viewing window.

A system for providing information within a hospitality environment, comprising:

• a hospitality network;
• a plurality of mirrors, each mirror of the plurality has a first reflectivity, each mirror further comprising:
• a vanishing viewing window, at least a part of a protective layer has been removed from the vanishing viewing window to provide a second reflectivity for the vanishing viewing window, wherein the first reflectivity is greater than the second reflectivity;
• an information display, the information display is positioned behind the vanishing viewing window;
• and
• a communications interface, the communications interface is electrically coupled to the information display, the communications interface to receive a signal, the signal is used to provide data to the information display such that when a user views a front side of a mirror, from the plurality of mirrors, the user sees a reflection in the mirror when an information display, which is coupled to the mirror, is in an off state and when the information display is in an on state the user sees a reflection in the mirror and information in a vanishing viewing window of the mirror.