Glare reduction system and method

• US 6,646,801 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Sley
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Sley
• Inventors: Sley, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Audrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Curtis, Craig
• Application Number:
  US09/591,586
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 359/493, 359/494, 359/485, 359/489, 359/501, 359/599, 359/601, 359/240
• US Class Current: 359/488.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/281 used for attenuating light intensity, e.g. comprising rotatable polarising elements

Abstract

A system and method for reducing glare is provided in accordance with the present invention. The system may include a first polarizer transmitter for filtering light from a source, and a second polarizer analyzer for viewing the light received from the first polarizer. The first polarizer provides an unmatched polarization characteristic with the second polarizer to mitigate glare. The first polarizer may include a linear polarizer and the second polarizer may include at least one of a circular polarizer and/or an elliptical polarizer.

Claims

1. A system for reducing glare, comprising:

a light source associated with a first polarizer transmitter disposed in proximity to the light source, the first polarizer transmitter filtering light from the source; and

a second polarizer analyzer associated with a viewing device and positioned at a location remote from the first polarizer transmitter to view the light received from the first polarizer transmitter;

the first polarizer and the second polarizer are adapted to at least one of a first configuration and a second configuration to mitigate glare;

in accordance with the first configuration, the first polarizer is a linear polarizer and the second polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer;

in accordance with the second configuration, the first polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer, and the second polarizer is a linear polarizer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer is associated with a headlight.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer is associated with at least one of a light and a bulb.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first polarizer is associated with at least one of a computer, television, and DVD screen.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second polarizer is associated with at least one of an automobile'"'"'s visor, rearview mirror, front window, side window, and rear window.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second polarizer is associated with at least one of a window, goggles, glasses, and clip-ons.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the circular and elliptical polarizer further comprises a birefringent wave retarder.

8. The system of claim 7, the birefringent wave retarder being configured such that the wave retarder introduces a retardation of at least one of a quarter wavelength and a half wavelength.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the circular and elliptical polarizer further comprises a linear polarizer component, the birefringent wave retarder positioned between the linear polarizer and the linear polarizer component.

10. A method for reducing glare, comprising:

associating a first polarizer with a light source to transmit light from the source, the first polarizer disposed in proximity to the light source filtering light from the source;

positioning a second polarizer associated with a viewing device at a location remote from the first polarizer to view the light received from the first polarizer; and

adapting the first polarizer and the second polarizer to at least one of a first configuration and a second configuration to mitigate glare;

in accordance with the first configuration, the first polarizer is a linear polarizer and the second polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer;

in accordance with the second configuration, the first polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer, and the second polarizer is a linear polarizer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising at least one of:

associating the first polarizer with at least one of a headlight, a bulb, a light, a computer, a television screen and a DVD screen; and

associating the second polarizer with at least one of goggles, glasses, clip-on'"'"'s, a window, an automobile'"'"'s visor, a rear view mirror, a front windshield, a side window and a rear window.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring the at least one of the circular and elliptical polarizer with a birefringent wave retarder, the wave retarder being configured such that the wave retarder introduces a retardation of at least one of a quarter wavelength and a half wavelength.

13. A system for reducing glare from a rearview mirror, comprising:

a light source associated with a first polarizer transmitter disposed in proximity to the light source, the first polarizer transmitter filtering light from the source;

a second polarizer filter for a rearview mirror, and

a third polarizer analyzer associated with a viewing device to view the light received from the first polarizer reflected back from the rearview mirror with the second polarizer, the third polarizer positioned at a location remote from at least one of the first polarizer and the second polarizer;

the first polarizer and the third polarizer are adapted to at least one of a first configuration configuration and a second configuration to mitigate glare;

in accordance with the first configuration, the first polarizer is a linear polarizer and the third polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer;

in accordance with the second configuration, the first polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer, and the third polarizer is a linear polarizer.

14. A method for reducing glare from a rearview mirror, comprising:

associating a first polarizer with a light source to transmit light from the source, the first polarizer disposed in proximity to the light source filtering light from the source;

providing a second polarizer affixed on or about the rearview mirror;

providing a third polarizer associated with a viewing device to view the light received from the first polarizer as reflected by the rearview mirror with the second polarizer so affixed, the third polarizer positioned at a location remote from at least one of the first polarizer and the second polarizer; and

adapting the first polarizer and the third polarizer to at least one of a first configuration and a second configuration to mitigate glare;

in accordance with the first configuration, the first polarizer is a linear polarizer and the third polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer;

in accordance with the second configuration, the first polarizer is at least one of a circular polarizer and an elliptical polarizer, and the third polarizer is a linear polarizer.