Dynamically Managing Vehicle Glass Dimming

• US 20140320946A1
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Corville O., Duquene, Joel, Meli, Henri F., Tomkins, Thomas G., Tomkins, Gerald G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,409,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/275
• 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

A method, system or computer usable program product for dynamically changing transparency of portions of a vehicle transparent material including determining a location of a bright light with respect to a vehicle; determining a driver location within the vehicle; selectively changing a transparency of a selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the driver'"'"'s eyes, while allowing a majority of the vehicle transparent material to remain normally transparent; and repeating the above steps continually to adjust a location of the selected portion of the vehicle transparent material as the vehicle changes orientation with respect to the bright light.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically changing transparency of portions of a vehicle transparent material comprising:

determining a location of a bright light with respect to a vehicle;

determining a driver location within the vehicle;

selectively changing transparency of a selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the driver'"'"'s eyes, while allowing a majority of the vehicle transparent material to remain normally transparent; and

repeating the above steps continually to adjust a location of the selected portion of the vehicle transparent material as the vehicle changes orientation with respect to the bright light.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the driver location includes monitoring a head position of the driver.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a passenger location within the vehicle; and

selectively changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the passenger'"'"'s eyes;

wherein the step of repeating is also repeated for the above steps.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material in response to a second bright object.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected portion includes multiple sections, each section changed in transparency selectively, wherein one section may be changed in transparency more than another section.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the driver is wearing sunglasses, wherein the step of selectively changing transparency is affected by a positive sunglasses determination.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein an interface is provided to the driver to adjust changing transparency of the selected portion.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising changing transparency of a third and fourth selected portion of the vehicle transparent material in response to a second bright object;

determining whether the driver is wearing sunglasses, wherein the step of selectively changing transparency is affected by a positive sunglasses determination;

wherein determining the driver location includes monitoring a head position of the driver;

wherein determining the passenger location includes monitoring a head position of the passenger;

wherein each selected portion includes multiple sections, each section changed in transparency selectively, wherein one section may be changed in transparency more than another section within each selected portion; and

wherein an interface is provided to the driver to adjust changing transparency of the selected portions.

9. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for use in dynamically changing transparency of a portion of a vehicle glass, the computer usable program product comprising code for performing the steps of:

determining a location of a bright light with respect to a vehicle;

determining a driver location within the vehicle;

selectively changing transparency of a selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the driver'"'"'s eyes while allowing a majority of the vehicle transparent material to remain normally transparent; and

repeating the above steps continually to adjust a location of the selected portion of the vehicle transparent material as the vehicle changes orientation with respect to the bright light.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 9 wherein determining the driver location includes monitoring a head position of the driver.

11. The computer usable program product of claim 9 further comprising:

determining a passenger location within the vehicle; and

selectively changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the passenger'"'"'s eyes;

wherein the step of repeating is also repeated for the above steps.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 9 further comprising changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material in response to a second bright object.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 9 wherein the selected portion includes multiple sections, each section changed in transparency selectively, wherein one section may be changed in transparency more than another section.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 9 wherein an interface is provided to the driver to adjust changing transparency of the selected portion.

15. A data processing system for dynamically changing transparency of a portion of a vehicle transparent material, the data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions which when executed by the processor execute the steps of;

determining a location of a bright light with respect to a vehicle;

determining a driver location within the vehicle;

selectively changing transparency of a selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the driver'"'"'s eyes, while allowing a majority of the vehicle transparent material to remain normally transparent; and

repeating the above steps continually to adjust a location of the selected portion of the vehicle transparent material as the vehicle changes orientation with respect to the bright light.

16. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein determining the driver location includes monitoring a head position of the driver.

17. The data processing system of claim 15 further comprising:

determining a passenger location within the vehicle; and

selectively changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material to obscure the bright light from the passenger'"'"'s eyes;

wherein the step of repeating is also repeated for the above steps.

18. The data processing system of claim 15 further comprising changing transparency of a second selected portion of the vehicle transparent material in response to a second bright object.

19. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the selected portion includes multiple sections, each section changed in transparency selectively, wherein one section may be changed in transparency more than another section.

20. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein an interface is provided to the driver to adjust changing transparency of the selected portion.