WINDOW CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20080234893A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Bradley J., Laib, Trevor M., Fletcher, Henry V.
• Application Number:
  US11/862,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20080234893A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1484 Windows B64C1/1492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1492 Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0061 Windows displaying outside view, artificially generated
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways

Abstract

Electrically dimmable windows for aircraft are powered by energy harvesting devices on-board the aircraft. The harvested energy is stored and used to control the opacity of the windows based on individual window opacity settings selected either by passengers or a cabin attendant. Each window has an associated control circuit that controls the electrical power applied to the window based on the selected opacity setting. The control circuit includes a low energy usage processor that remains in a sleep mode until a change in the opacity setting is detected. Each control circuit may include a radio transceiver that receives control signals from a transmitter operated by the cabin attendant in order to simultaneously remotely control the opacity settings of multiple windows.

Claims

1. A system for controlling windows on-board an aircraft, comprising:

a central controller, including a wireless transmitter for transmitting window control signals;

at least a first wireless repeater on-board the aircraft for receiving and retransmitting the window control signals; and

,

at least a first group of window controllers respectively associated with and proximal to a first group of the windows for controlling the operation of the associated windows, each of the controllers in the first group including a wireless receiver for receiving the retransmitted window control signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second group of window controllers respectively associated with and proximal to a second group of the windows for controlling the operation of the associated windows, each of the controllers in the second group of controllers including a wireless receiver for receiving the window control signals transmitted by the central controller.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the window controllers in the second group of controllers may receive window control signals from the central controller.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a second wireless repeater for receiving window control signals from the first wireless repeater and for retransmitting the received control signals

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third group of window controllers respectively associated with and proximal to a third group of the windows for controlling the operation of the associated windows, each of the controllers in the third group of controllers including a wireless receiver for receiving the window control signals transmitted by the second wireless repeater.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein at least certain of the window controllers in the second group of controllers includes a wireless transmitter for retransmitting window control signals transmitted by the first wireless repeater.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least certain of the controllers in the first group thereof include a control circuit coupled with the associated window for controlling the opacity of the window.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a group of electrical power storage devices respectively associated with and proximal to the first group of the windows for supplying electrical power to the associated window controllers.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a group of energy harvesting devices respectively coupled with the power storage devices for harvesting energy and converting the harvested energy to electrical power.

10. A system for controlling a plurality of spatially distributed devices on-board an aircraft, comprising:

a central controller, including a wireless transmitter for transmitting device control signals; and

,

a plurality of local controllers respectively associated with and proximal to the plurality of devices for controlling the operation of the devices, each of the local controllers including a wireless receiver for receiving device control signals, and wherein at least one of the local controllers includes a wireless transmitter for retransmitting control signals received from the central controller.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one wireless repeater on-board the aircraft for receiving and retransmitting the received device control signals.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the local controllers includes a wireless transmitter for retransmitting device control signals received from the central controller or from one of the local controllers.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the devices are dimmable windows, and each of the local controllers includes a control circuit coupled with a window for controlling the opacity of the window.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of electrical power storage devices respectively associated with and proximal to the windows for supplying electrical power to the associated local controller.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of energy harvesting devices coupled with the power storage devices for harvesting energy and converting the harvested energy to electrical power.

16. A method for centralized control of spatially distributed devices located on-board a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(A) wirelessly transmitting device control signals from a central control location on-board the vehicle;

(B) receiving the device control signals transmitted in step (A) at a first node on-board the vehicle;

(C) wirelessly retransmitting the device control signals from the first node; and

,

(D) receiving device control signals at a device location either transmitted in step (A) or retransmitted in step (C).

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(E) receiving the device control signals retransmitted in step (C) at a second node; and

,

(F) wirelessly retransmitting the device control signals from the second node.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(E) receiving the device control signals transmitted in step (A) at each of a first group of device locations; and

(F) receiving the device control signals retransmitted in step (C) at a second group of device locations.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(E) receiving the device control signals retransmitted instep (C) at a first device location; and

,

(F) retransmitting the device control signal from the first device location to a second device location.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein steps (E) and (F) are performed using a wireless transceiver.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein step (B) and (C) are performed using wireless transceiver.

22. The method of claim 16, including the step of:

(E) generating data uniquely identifying the device location intended to receive a device control signal; and

,

(F) incorporating the unique data in the device control signals transmitted in step (A).

23. A method of controlling electrically operated windows on an aircraft from a central location on-board the aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(A) transmitting wireless window control signals from the central location to a repeater on-board the aircraft;

(B) receiving the window control signals at the repeater;

(C) retransmitting the window control signals received in step (C);

(D) receiving the window control signals retransmitted in step (C) at a first window location; and

,

(E) controlling a window at the first window location using the control signals received in step (D)

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

(F) receiving the window control signals transmitted in step (A) at a second window location; and

,

(G) controlling a window at the second window location using the window control signal received in step (F).

25. The method of claim 23, wherein steps (E) and (G) each include changing the opacity of the window.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

(H) harvesting energy on-board the aircraft;

(I) storing the energy harvested in step (H) as electrical power; and

,

(J) using the electrical power stored in step (I) to control the opacity of the window.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

(F) encoding the window control signals with information identifying the intended window destination of each of the signals.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein step (E) includes changing the opacity of the window.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein step (E) includes producing an opacity gradient across the window.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein step (E) includes displaying an image in the window.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein step (E) includes displaying a color in the window.