Selectively Steer Light from Display
In one embodiment, a computing device dynamically determines a current viewing direction with respect to a display of the computing device; the computing device also dynamically directs at least some light emitted by at least a portion of the display toward the current viewing direction.
1 . A method comprising:
by a computing device, dynamically determining a current viewing direction with respect to a display of the computing device; and
by the computing device, dynamically directing at least some light emitted by at least a portion of the display toward the current viewing direction.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current viewing direction comprises determining an inclination and an azimuth of the current viewing direction.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the light comprises orienting a viewing cone of the display toward the current viewing direction.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
software on the computing device determines the current viewing direction; and
a device driver of the computing device directs the light toward the current viewing direction.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the software is an operating system of the computing device.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the light is directed without changing an orientation of the computing device.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the light comprises changing orientation of one or more components of the display that:
are one or more sources of the light;
the light passes through; or
the light reflects off of.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the light comprises collimating the light.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the current viewing direction is determined at least in part based on a current orientation of the computing device.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a user viewing the display comprises eyes; and
the current viewing direction is determined at least in part based on a location of the eyes of the user.
11 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed by a computing device to:
dynamically determine a current viewing direction with respect to a display of the computing device; and
dynamically direct at least some light emitted by at least a portion of the display toward the current viewing direction.
12 . The media of claim 11 , wherein to determine the current viewing direction, the software if operable when executed by the computing device to determine an inclination and an azimuth of the current viewing direction.
13 . The media of claim 11 , wherein to direct the light, the software is operable when executed by the computing device to orient a viewing cone of the display toward the current viewing direction.
14 . The media of claim 11 , wherein:
the software determines the current viewing direction; and
a device driver of the computing device directs the light toward the current viewing direction.
15 . The media of claim 14 , wherein the software is an operating system of the computing device.
16 . The media of claim 11 , wherein the light is directed without changing an orientation of the computing device.
17 . The media of claim 11 , wherein to direct the light, the software is operable when executed by the computing device to change orientation of one or more components of the display that:
are one or more sources of the light;
the light passes through; or
the light reflects off of.
18 . The media of claim 11 , wherein to direct the light, the software is operable when executed by the computing device to collimate the light.
19 . The media of claim 11 , wherein the current viewing direction is determined at least in part based on a current orientation of the computing device.
20 . The media of claim 11 , wherein:
a user viewing the display comprises eyes; and
the current viewing direction is determined at least in part based on a location of the eyes of the user.