A new patent filing was recently spotted coming from Microsoft in which it showed somewhat a similar concept of Apple's "privacy mode." With Apple's invention, only the user in front of the display can see the content on the screen. Others in different angles cannot view the same content. The same invention idea was filed by Microsoft in the past week.

Microsoft's invention would allow users to make their contents they are viewing as private from those sitting close to them or those who are looking over their shoulder in places such as an airplane cabin, a library, or a café.

The company's invention "generally relates to operating a display in private and non-private modes via a backlight system configured to selectively emit light having two or more angular intensity profiles."

One example of how this is done is by a method that includes brightening the screen with light having a "first angular intensity profile," to output an image. The image is produced while brightening or illuminating the screen with light that has a "first angular intensity profile." After outputting the image, the method would then illuminate the display with light having the "second angular intensity profile," which is different than the "first angular intensity profile." While the display is being brightened this way (with the "second angular intensity profile"), it would produce an inverse image of the image previously outputted by the display lighted with a "first angular intensity profile." Hence, images would be produced depending on the light intensity profile, either first angular or second angular.

Further, the invention reportedly relates to notebooks, smartphones, tablets, and desktops. This can be incorporated in Microsoft's upcoming devices such as Lumia 940, Lumia 940 XL, and Surface Pro 4.

Microsoft's invention would also enable users to switch quickly between non-private mode and private viewing modes. The company reportedly said that a screen may "include a backlight that emits light having different intensity profiles, such that backlighting with a narrow angular band may be used for private viewing while backlighting with a wider angular band may be used for shared viewing."

The company would also ensure the privacy mode by a method that displays an image and an inverse image in a "time multiplexed manner at intensities selected to produce a combined image viewable from within a first range of angles and not viewable in a second range of angles."

It is still uncertain if this would be included in the Lumia 940, Lumia 940 XL, and Surface Pro 4 as Microsoft filed this patent application back in Q4 2013. Nevertheless, this would be a killer feature for the successors of these devices.

How do you find Microsoft's invention? Send in your comments to let us know.