Variable reflectance mirror system

Abstract

A window is provided that includes a first substrate, a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, an intermediate substrate between the first and second substrate and having a first transparent electrode on a surface proximal to the first substrate and second transparent electrode on a surface proximal to the second substrate, a first electrode on a surface of the first substrate proximal to the intermediate substrate, a second electrode on a surface of the second substrate proximal to the intermediate substrate, a light absorbing layer comprising an electrochromic medium between the first substrate and the intermediate substrate, and a light scattering layer comprising a liquid crystal material between the intermediate substrate and the second substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mirror comprising:
 a first substrate with a first surface and a second surface,   at least one reflective polarizer on at least one surface of the first substrate;   wherein the at least one reflective polarizer is operable to transmit light having a first polarization and reflect light having a second polarization, the second polarization comprising a different polarization from the first polarization.   
     
     
         2 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a prism. 
     
     
         3 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein an electro optic medium is positioned proximate to the reflective polarizer. 
     
     
         4 . The mirror of  claim 4 , wherein the electro optic medium is an electrochromic material. 
     
     
         5 . The mirror of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first electrode disposed on a surface of the first substrate;   a second substrate located proximate to the first substrate and placed in a spaced-apart relationship to define a gap therebetween;   a second electrode disposed on a surface of the second substrate; and   an electrochromic medium disposed in the gap, the electrochromic medium operable to change a transmittance level of light therethrough in response to a voltage applied to one or more of the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         6 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein optical distortions corresponding to surface distortions measured from a front of the mirror are characterized by metrics Wa, Wb, and We of a wave-scan dual scale, the metrics quantifying surface distortions with frequencies corresponding to 0.1 to 0.3 mm, 0.3 to 1.0 mm, and 1 to 3 mm, respectively, and at least one of the Wa, Wb, and We values is less than 7. 
     
     
         7 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein an optical distortion caused by a surface distortion of the reflective polarizer when measured from a front of the mirror comprises one or more of:
 (a) curvature units of ONDULO phase-shifting deflectometry that quantify surface distortions and that do not exceed about 0.04; and   (b) an optical power value, the optical power value measured in reflection and which does not exceed 1,000 millidiopters.   
     
     
         8 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective polarizer is selected from at least one of a linear polarizer, circular polarizer, or a wire grid polarizer 
     
     
         9 . The mirror of  claim 6 , wherein the reflective polarizer comprises a wire grid polarizer, and the first electrode comprises the reflective polarizer. 
     
     
         10 . The mirror of  claim 1 , further comprising a display, the display disposed distal to the mirror relative to a viewer. 
     
     
         11 . The mirror of  claim 1 , further comprising a depolarizing element. 
     
     
         12 . The mirror of  claim 1 , further comprising a reflection enhancement layer (REL) 
     
     
         13 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of intensity of light transmitted from the display towards the front to intensity of ambient light incident onto the proximal surface and reflected by the mirror system is greater than 1. 
     
     
         14 . The mirror of  claim 9 , wherein the linear reflective polarizer comprises an APBF material. 
     
     
         15 . The mirror of  claim 17 , wherein the APBF material comprises a multi-layer plastic film. 
     
     
         16 . The mirror of  claim 11 , wherein the display is bonded to the reflective polarizer. 
     
     
         17 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein the mirror further comprises opacifying means. 
     
     
         18 . The mirror of  claim 1 , wherein the mirror further comprises an OREL.