Variable transmission window system
First Claim
1. An electrical control system for controlling a variable transmittance window, comprising:
- a slave window control circuit coupled to the variable transmittance window; and
a user input mechanism coupled to said slave window control circuit, wherein said user input mechanism is configured to supply control signals representing desired transmittance levels for the variable transmittance window to said slave window control circuit, said slave window control circuit controls the transmittance of the variable transmittance window in response to control signals received from said user input mechanism, said user input mechanism includes lights coupled to said slave window control circuit, said lights providing information to system users, including at least one of;
current transmittance state of the variable transmittance window, selected transmittance state of the variable transmittance window, whether the variable transmittance window is currently changing transmittance states, whether said user input mechanism is being overridden, and whether the system is operating properly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical control system is disclosed for controlling a plurality of variable transmittance windows. The electrical control system comprises a master control circuit and user input circuits for supplying control signals representing transmittance levels for the variable transmission windows, and a plurality of slave window control circuits coupled to the master control circuit, user input circuits and the variable transmittance windows. Each slave window control circuit controls the transmittance of at least one of the variable transmission windows in response to control signals received from the master control circuit and/or user input circuits. Also disclosed are novel methods for the manufacture of an electrochromic device used in variable transmittance windows. Novel structural features for improving heat transfer away from the windows, shielding the window from external loads, and improving the electrical performance of the windows are also disclosed.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An electrical control system for controlling a variable transmittance window, comprising:
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a slave window control circuit coupled to the variable transmittance window; and a user input mechanism coupled to said slave window control circuit, wherein said user input mechanism is configured to supply control signals representing desired transmittance levels for the variable transmittance window to said slave window control circuit, said slave window control circuit controls the transmittance of the variable transmittance window in response to control signals received from said user input mechanism, said user input mechanism includes lights coupled to said slave window control circuit, said lights providing information to system users, including at least one of;
current transmittance state of the variable transmittance window, selected transmittance state of the variable transmittance window, whether the variable transmittance window is currently changing transmittance states, whether said user input mechanism is being overridden, and whether the system is operating properly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrical control system for controlling a plurality of variable transmittance windows, comprising:
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a plurality of slave window control circuits each for controlling a transmittance of one or more of the plurality of variable transmittance windows; a plurality of user input mechanisms each coupled to one or more of said slave window control circuits; and a master control circuit coupled to said plurality of slave window control circuits, wherein; said master control circuit and said user input mechanisms are configured to supply transmittance state signals representing transmittance levels for the variable transmittance windows to said slave window control circuits; each slave window control circuit controls the transmittance of at least one of the variable transmittance windows in response to the transmittance state signals supplied by said master control circuit and/or one of said user input mechanisms; said master control circuit and slave window control circuits are configured such that when a transmittance state signal is provided to a slave window control circuit by said master control circuit, the transmittance state signal provided by said master control circuit is used by said slave window control circuit to determine the transmittance level of any variable transmittance window to which said slave window control circuit is coupled while overriding any transmittance state signal received from a user input mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrical control system for controlling a plurality of variable transmittance windows, comprising:
a slave window control circuit coupled to one or more of the variable transmittance windows, wherein said slave window control circuit comprises dropout detection circuitry to determine if power has been lost, determine for how long power has been lost, and return the one or more of the variable transmittance windows to its most recent state if power has been lost for less than a predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An electrical control system for controlling a plurality of variable transmittance windows within a vehicle, comprising:
a slave window control circuit coupled to one or more of the variable transmittance windows and coupled to receive power from a vehicle power source, said slave window control circuit comprises protection circuitry including circuitry to protect the system against voltage spikes from −
500V to +500V.- View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
Specification