OPTICAL PANEL CAPABLE OF SWITCHING BETWEEN REFLECTIVE AND TRANSMISSIVE STATES

摘要

A DEVICE (8), COMPRISING A SWITCHABLE OPTICAL PANEL (10) AND MEANS (19,21,23) FOR SWITCHING THE PANEL BETWEEN A REFLECTING STATE AND A TRANSMITTING STATE. THE SWITCHABLE OPTICAL PANEL INCLUDES A TRANSPARENT OPTICALLY ACTIVE LAYER (12) HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND MAJOR SURFACE, A FIRST REFLECTIVE POLARIZER (32) DISPOSED ON THE FIRST MAJOR SURFACE AND A SECOND REFLECTIVE POLARIZER (34) DISPOSED ON THE SECOND MAJOR SURFACE. THE OPTICALLY ACTIVE LAYER PREFERABLY COMPRISES A LIQUID CRYSTAL DEVICE AND THE SWITCHING MEANS PREFERABLY COMPRISES A SYSTEM OF DRIVING ELECTRONIC FOR APPLYING VOLTAGE ACROSS THE LIQUID CRYSTAL DEVICE. THE INVENTION ALSO INCLUDES A SWITCHABLE WINDOW (62, 114) AND A TRANSFLECTIVE OPTICAL DISPLAY (128).