Multipurpose controller for multistate windows

• US 9,454,055 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen C., Shrivastava, Dhairya, Groechel, David Walter, Pradhan, Anshu, Jack, Gordon, Mehtani, Disha, Rozbicki, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US13/049,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,022 Days
• Field of Search: 700/130, 700/276, 700/277, 700/278, 700/291, 700/299, 700/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks

Abstract

Controllers for providing functions for windows capable of undergoing reversible optical transitions. In some cases, the controllers have multiple features that can sense and adapt to local environmental conditions. The controllers can be integrated with a building management system (BMS) to greatly enhance the BMS'"'"'s effectiveness at managing local environments in a building. For example, controllers may control one or more functions such as powering a smart window, determining the percent transmittance, size, and/or temperature of a smart window, providing wireless communication between the controller and a separate communication node, etc.

Claims

1. A window controller for controlling one or more windows capable of undergoing reversible optical transitions, the window controller comprising one or more microprocessors configured to control functions comprising:

measuring transmittance of at least one of the one or more windows;

actively and reversibly powering a reversible optical transition between at least a bleached end state and a colored end state of the at least one of the one or more windows, wherein powering is based on the measured transmittance of the at least one window, wherein the at least one window comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein powering the reversible optical transition comprises applying a DC voltage to the first conductive layer and to the second conductive layer to provide an electrical potential across the electrochromic layer establishing a load, wherein the load is floated; and

communicating between the window controller and a separate communication node.

2. The window controller of claim 1,

wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control the function of measuring a size of the at least one window, and

wherein actively and reversibly powering the reversible optical transition is based on the measured transmittance and the measuring size of the at least one window.

3. The window controller of claim 2, wherein the measured size is based on current information measured at the at least one window.

4. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

determining damage to at least one window of the one or more windows based on current information; and

in response to determining damage, repairing the at least one window by sending a high voltage current through the at least one window for a period of time.

5. A building management system for controlling systems in a building to maintain a comfortable environment, the building management system comprising the window controller of claim 1.

6. The building management system of claim 5, wherein the systems are selected from the group consisting of HVAC, lighting, security, power, fire suppression and elevator control systems.

7. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

determining a wire length between the window controller and the at least one window; and

determining an amount of power used to actively and reversibly power the reversible optical transition based on the determined wire length.

8. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of determining temperature of the at least one window based on current information.

9. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of storing charge resulting from a transition of at least one of the one or more windows and/or direct such charge to a power grid.

10. An apparatus comprising:

(i) a Building Management System (BMS) for controlling systems in a building;

(ii) the window controller of claim 1 controlled by the BMS; and

(iii) a multistate electrochromic window controlled by the window controller.

11. An apparatus comprising:

(i) the window controller of claim 1; and

(ii) an electrochromic window controlled by the window controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electrochromic window is all solid state and inorganic.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electrochromic window is a multistate electrochromic window.

14. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or designed to direct or coordinate the operation of one or more other controllers, which control operations of said windows.

15. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the measured transmittance is based on current information measured at the at least one window.

16. The window controller of claim 15, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

sending an electrical pulse through the at least one window; and

determining the current information of the at least one window based on a measured response to the electrical pulse.

17. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of heating at least one of the one or more windows by passing current through one or more electrodes at the at least one window.

18. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of storing and transmitting data relating to at least one of the one or more windows via an RFID tag that is actively or passively powered or via memory.

19. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the actively and reversibly powering is configured for short transition times.

20. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to actively and reversibly power a reversible optical transition to or from one or more intermediate states.

21. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the window controller comprises a pulse width amplifier rendered as an h-bridge or a buck converter, wherein the pulse width amplifier is configured to actively and reversibly power the reversible optical transition.

22. The window controller of claim 1, wherein the actively and reversibly powering the reversible optical transition between at least the bleached state and the colored end state comprises applying a voltage to an electrochromic device of the at least one of the one or more windows while in the bleached end state.

23. A method of controlling systems in a building by a building management system, the method comprising:

using transmittance data, by a window controller, from one or more windows in the building, the one or more windows capable of undergoing reversible optical transitions between at least bleached end states and colored end states in the building, wherein the measured transmittance data is used as input for adjusting at least one other system of the building, said other system selected from the group consisting of HVAC, lighting, security, power, fire suppression and elevator control; and

actively and reversibly powering a reversible optical transition between at least a bleached end state and a colored end state of at least one of the one or more windows, wherein powering is based on the measured transmittance data of the at least one window, wherein the at least one window comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein powering the reversible optical transition comprises applying a DC voltage to the first conductive layer and to the second conductive layer to provide an electrical potential across the electrochromic layer establishing a load, wherein the load is floated.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising measuring by the window controller one or more of the following types of data about the one or more windows:

transmittance, size, temperature.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing data, in memory embedded in the one or more windows and separate from the window controller, about the one or more windows.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing power from the controller to the one or more windows, said power driving the reversible optical transitions.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

measuring transmittance of the at least one of the one or more windows;

determining temperature of at least one of the one or more windows;

communicating between the window controller and a separate communication node; and

storing and transmitting data relating to at least one of the one or more windows via an RFID tag that is actively or passively powered.

28. A window controller for controlling one or more windows capable of undergoing reversible optical transitions, the window controller comprising one or more microprocessors configured to control functions of the one or more windows, the functions comprising:

(a) measuring transmittance of at least one of the one or more windows based on current information measured at the at least one window;

(b) actively and reversibly powering a reversible optical transition between at least a bleached end state and a colored end state of the at least one window, wherein powering is based on the measured transmittance of the at least one window, wherein the at least one or more windows comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein powering the reversible optical transition comprises applying a DC voltage to the first conductive layer and to the second conductive layer to provide an electrical potential across the electrochromic layer establishing a load, wherein the load is floated; and

(c) communicating between the window controller and a separate communication node.

29. The window controller of claim 28, wherein the function of actively and reversibly powering the reversible optical transition between at least the bleached end state and the colored end state is implemented with pulse width amplifier rendered as an h-bridge or a buck converter.

30. The window controller of claim 28,

wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of determining temperature of at least one window of the one or more windows, and

wherein the function of determining temperature of the at least one of the one or more windows is implemented by algorithmically inferring temperature from current and/or voltage information from the at least one window.

31. The window controller of claim 28,

wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control a function of storing and transmitting data relating to the at least one window,

wherein the function of storing and transmitting data relating to at least one of the one or more windows comprises reading data from a controller embedded in the at least one window.

32. The window controller of claim 28, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

determining a size of the at least one window; and

determining an amount of power for powering the reversible optical transition based on the determined size.

33. The window controller of claim 28, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

sending an electrical pulse through the at least one window; and

determining the current information of the at least one window based on a measured response to the electrical pulse.

34. The window controller of claim 28, wherein the one or more microprocessors are further configured to also control functions of:

determining temperature of at least one of the one or more windows; and

storing and transmitting data relating to at least one of the one or more windows.

35. A window controller for controlling a window capable of undergoing reversible optical transitions, the window controller comprising:

a voltage regulator;

a voltage control amplifier for generating current to power the window; and

a microprocessor powered by the voltage regulator, the microprocessor configured to control the functions of;

actively and reversibly powering a reversible optical transition between at least a bleached end state and a colored end state of the window based on window data received from memory embedded in the window and separate from the window controller, wherein the window data includes measured transmittance of the window, wherein the window comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein powering comprises applying a DC voltage to the first conductive layer and to the second conductive layer to provide an electrical potential across the electrochromic layer establishing a load, wherein the load is floated;

communicating between the window controller and a separate communication node; and

storing the window data to the memory.

36. The window controller of claim 35, wherein powering the reversible optical transition comprises determining a desired tint level and powering the reversible optical transition of the window to the desired tint level.

37. The window controller of claim 35, wherein the voltage control amplifier is a pulse width modulated amplifier rendered as an h-bridge or a buck converter.

38. The window controller of claim 35, wherein the voltage control amplifier comprises a pulse width modulated amplifier rendered as a buck converter and a separate polarity switch configured to allow a load to set to a voltage or polarity between an input voltage to the window controller and ground.