DIGITAL SUNSHADE FOR AUTOMOTIVE GLASS

• US 20150097389A1
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: DRYSELIUS, Joakim, OLSSON, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,776,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/96.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels

Abstract

A sunscreen system includes a control unit and a sunscreen having a first nonplanar glass layer and a nonplanar display layer having a first side and an opposite second side. The first side is adhered to the glass layer. The display layer includes multiple display subareas covering the overall surface of the display layer. Each separate display subarea may be controlled by the control unit to change the subarea'"'"'s transmittance. A nonplanar design allows integration in a vehicle body and multiple display subareas allows partial area-wise blocking of light. All electronic components can be provided in or adjacent to the sunscreen or be arranged at another location in the vehicle, leading to a flexible design which allows a larger area panoramic roof due to reduction of mechanical components in the roof structure.

Claims

1. A sunscreen system for automotive use, comprising:

a control unit; and

a sunscreen comprising a first nonplanar glass layer, and a nonplanar display layer having a first side and an opposite second side, the first side being adhered to the glass layer, wherein the display layer comprises a plurality of display subareas covering the overall surface of the display layer, wherein each separate display subarea is controllable by the control unit for changing the transmittance of the subarea.

2. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the sunscreen further comprises a second nonplanar glass layer being adhered to the second side of the display layer.

3. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the first glass layer has a first side being adhered to the first side of the display layer, and an opposite second side, and wherein the sunscreen further comprises a second glass layer being adhered to the second side of the first glass layer.

4. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein each one of the display subareas is controllable simultaneously with one or more of the other display subareas, or is controllable individually.

5. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the display subareas comprise at least one display pixel.

6. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the nonplanar display layer is a nonplanar at least semi-transparent LCD.

7. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 further comprising a user control interface arranged to provide input to the control unit for controlling the transmittance of the plurality of display subareas.

8. The sunscreen system according to claim 7 wherein the user control interface comprises a touch sensitive transparent layer being nonplanar and forming an innermost layer of the sunscreen.

9. The sunscreen system according to claim 8 wherein the touch sensitive layer comprises surface areas arranged so that each display subarea has a corresponding touch sensitive surface area, so that the transmittance of each of the subareas may be controlled by the associated corresponding surface area on the touch sensitive layer.

10. The sunscreen system according to claim 7 wherein the user control interface comprises at least one sensor arranged to detect contactless interaction with the sunscreen.

11. The sunscreen system according to claim 7 wherein the control unit is arranged to detect if a first user input represents an encircling edge, defining a first figure, and further arranged to associate at least one of the display subareas with the first figure, based on a position and an extension of the encircling edge, so that the transmittance of each display subarea associated to the first figure may be controlled simultaneously.

12. The sunscreen system according to claim 7 wherein the control unit is arranged to detect if a first user input represents a moving motion defining at least a first direction and further arranged to associate at least one of the display subareas with the first direction, based on a position and an extension of the first direction, so that the transmittance of each display subarea associated to the first direction may be controlled simultaneously.

13. The sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the nonplanar layers are double-curved.

14. A vehicle comprising a sunscreen system according to claim 1 wherein the sunscreen is at least one of a windscreen, sunroof, panoramic roof, side window or rear window.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14 wherein the sunscreen system further comprises a user control interface arranged to determine a seating position of a user, and wherein the control unit is further arranged to associate a predetermined subset of the display subareas based on the seating position, wherein the transmittance of the subset may be controlled by the user.

18. The sunscreen according to claim 1 further comprising a user control interface arranged to provide input to the control unit for controlling the transmittance of the plurality of display subareas.

19. The sunscreen according to claim 18 wherein the user control interface comprises a touch sensitive transparent layer forming an innermost layer of the sunscreen.

20. The sunscreen according to claim 18 wherein the user control interface comprises at least one sensor arranged to detect contactless interaction with the sunscreen.

16. A sunscreen for automotive use, comprising:

a first nonplanar glass layer; and

a nonplanar display layer having a first side and an opposite second side, the first side being adhered to the glass layer, wherein the display layer comprises a plurality of display subareas, wherein each separate display subarea is controllable by a control unit for changing the transmittance of the subarea.

17. The sunscreen according to claim 16 wherein the nonplanar display layer comprises an at least semi-transparent LCD.