Control System for Dimmable Windows

• US 20080239451A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Bradley J., Lamoree, Bret L., Prince, Brock J., Fletcher, Henry V.R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

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 dimmable window system, comprising:

at least one window having electrically controllable opacity;

an electrical power storage device for supplying electrical power used to control the opacity of the window; and

,

a control circuit coupled with the window and the storage device for controlling the opacity of the window.

2. The dimmable window system of claim 1, further comprising a device coupled with the storage device for harvesting energy and converting the harvested energy to electrical power.

3. The dimmable window system of claim 2, wherein the energy harvesting device includes any of:

a device for converting a temperature gradient to electrical power,

a device for converting motion into electrical power,

a device for converting radiation into electrical power.

4. The dimmable window system of claim 3, wherein the device for converting radiation into electrical power includes a photovoltaic device for converting light into electrical power.

5. The dimmable window system of claim 2, wherein the control circuit includes a power conditioning circuit for conditioning electrical power from the energy harvesting device before the electrical power is stored in the storage device.

6. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power storage device is one of:

a capacitor, and

a battery.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a power conditioning circuit for conditioning the electrical power drawn from the power storage device to control the opacity of the window.

8. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a window dimming adjustment control for selecting a level of opacity of the window.

9. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a microcontroller responsive to the operation of the window dimming adjustment control for altering the electrical power applied to the window.

10. The dimmable window system of claim 9, wherein the microcontroller includes a power saving sleep state, and an awake state initiated by the operation of the window dimming adjustment.

11. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes:

a first dimming control producing control signals for selecting the level of opacity of the window,

a wireless radio transmitter for transmitting the control signals from the first dimming control to the window,

a radio receiver at the window for receiving the control signals from the transmitter, and

a processor responsive to the control signals for controlling the opacity of the window.

12. The dimmable window system of claim 11, wherein the control circuit includes a second dimming control at the window, the second dimming control being coupled with the processor and operative for selecting the level of opacity of the window.

13. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes means for sensing the level of opacity of the window.

14. The dimmable window system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a photoluminescent window dimming adjustment control for selecting a level of opacity of the associated window.

15. A dimmable window system for vehicles, comprising:

a plurality of windows on a vehicle, each of the windows having electrically controllable opacity;

at least one energy harvesting device for harvesting energy on-board the vehicle and generating electrical power;

storage means for storing electrical power generated by the harvesting device; and

,

a plurality of control circuits respectively coupled with the windows, each of the control circuits being coupled with the storage means and operative for controlling the opacity of the associated window using electrical power from the storage means.

16. The dimmable window system of claim 15, further comprising:

a controller on-board the vehicle for generating control signals used to remotely control the opacity of at least certain of the windows; and

,

a wireless communication link between the controller and the control circuits associated with the certain windows, the communication link being operative for delivering the control signals to the control circuits associated with the certain windows.

17. The dimmable window system of claim 15, wherein each of the control circuits includes:

a window dimming adjustment control for selecting a level of opacity of the associated window, and

a processor responsive to the adjustment control for controlling the delivery of electrical power from the storage means to the window.

18. The dimmable window system of claim 15, wherein the energy harvesting device includes any of:

a device for converting a temperature gradient to electrical power,

a device for converting motion into electrical power,

a device for converting radiation into electrical power.

19. The dimmable window system of claim 18, wherein the device for converting radiation into electrical power includes a photovoltaic device for converting light into electrical power.

20. The dimmable window system of claim 15, wherein each of the control circuits includes a power conditioning circuit for conditioning electrical power from the energy harvesting device before the electrical power is stored in the storage means.

21. The dimmable window system of claim 15 wherein the storage means is one of:

a capacitor, and

a battery.

22. The dimmable window system of claim 15, wherein each of the control circuits includes a window dimming adjustment control for selecting a level of opacity of the associated window.

23. The dimmable window system of claim 22 wherein the dimming adjustment control include a photoluminescent material allowing the adjustment control to be visible under low lighting conditions.

24. The dimmable window system of claim 22, wherein each of the control circuits includes a microcontroller responsive to the operation of the window dimming adjustment control for altering the electrical power applied to the window.

25. The dimmable window system of claim 24, wherein the microcontroller includes a power saving sleep state, and an awake state initiated by the operation of the window dimming adjustment.

26. The dimmable window system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication link includes:

a radio transmitter for transmitting the control signals,

a radio receiver at each of the windows for receiving the control signals from the transmitter.

27. The dimmable window system of claim 15, wherein the control circuit includes means for sensing the level of opacity of the window.

28. A method of controlling electrically dimmable windows on-board an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(A) harvesting energy on-board the aircraft;

(B) storing the energy harvested in step (A) as electrical power; and

,

(C) using the electrical power stored in step (B) to control the opacity of the windows.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein step (A) is performed by any of—

converting a temperature gradient into electrical power,

converting motion into electrical power,

converting radiation into electrical power.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein converting radiation into electrical power includes converting light into electrical power.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein step (B) includes storing the electrical power in a battery.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein step (B) includes storing the electrical power in an electrical capacitor.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

(D) controlling the opacity of the windows from a central control location.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein step (D) is performed using a wireless data link.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein step (D) includes powering a radio receiver forming part of the wireless data link using electrical power stored in step (B).

36. The method of claim 28, wherein step (C) includes:

using a processor to control the amount of stored electrical power that is used to control the opacity of the window,

placing the processor in an inactive, sleep mode,

periodically awaking the processor from the sleep mode to receive signals commanding the processor to change the amount of stored power delivered to the window.