Photovoltaic powering and control system for electrochromic windows
First Claim
1. A device for modulating the transmission of light from a light source, comprising:
- an electrochromic element having light transmissivity that is variable in response to an electrical current; and
at least one photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said electrochromic element for providing said electrical current to said electrochromic element in response to light from the light source incident on said cell;
said photovoltaic cell located on a side of said electrochromic element opposite said light source, whereby light transmitted through said electrochromic element comprises at least a part of said light incident on said photovoltaic cell, and whereby said electrical current provided by said photovoltaic cell is decreased as said transmissivity of said electrochromic element is reduced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sealed insulated glass unit is provided with an electrochromic device for modulating light passing through the unit. The electrochromic device is controlled from outside the unit by a remote control electrically unconnected to the device. Circuitry within the unit may be magnetically controlled from outside. The electrochromic device is powered by a photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells may be positioned so that at least a part of the light incident on the cell passes through the electrochromic device, providing a form of feedback control. A variable resistance placed in parallel with the electrochromic element is used to control the response of the electrochromic element to changes in output of the photovoltaic cell.
305 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A device for modulating the transmission of light from a light source, comprising:
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an electrochromic element having light transmissivity that is variable in response to an electrical current; and at least one photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said electrochromic element for providing said electrical current to said electrochromic element in response to light from the light source incident on said cell; said photovoltaic cell located on a side of said electrochromic element opposite said light source, whereby light transmitted through said electrochromic element comprises at least a part of said light incident on said photovoltaic cell, and whereby said electrical current provided by said photovoltaic cell is decreased as said transmissivity of said electrochromic element is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A device for modulating the transmission of light from a light source, comprising:
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an electrochromic element having light transmissivity that is variable in response to an electrical current; and at least one photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said electrochromic element for providing said electrical current to said electrochromic element in response to light from said light source incident on said cell; said photovoltaic cell being manually mounted with respect to a side of said electrochromic element opposite said light source, whereby the amount of light transmitted through said electrochromic element comprising a portion of said light incident on said photovoltaic cell is variable. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling the transmissivity of an electrochromic element in response to a change in intensity of a light beam comprising:
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passing at least a part of the light beam through the electrochromic element to form a modulated light beam, said modulated light beam changing in intensity in response to a change in transmissivity of the electrochromic element; producing an electrical current from said modulated light beam using a photovoltaic cell and applying said electrical current to said electrochromic element using said photovoltaic cell, said electrical current changing in magnitude in response to a change in intensity of said modulated light beam; whereby the transmissivity of the electrochromic element changes in response to said change in magnitude of said electrical current. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A device for modulating the transmission of light, comprising:
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an electrochromic element for varying transmission of light, said element having a first lead and a second lead; at least one photovoltaic cell for providing electrical current in response to incident light from said light source, said at least one photovoltaic cell having a first lead connected to said first lead of said electrochromic element, and a second lead connected to said second lead of said electrochromic element; and a shunt resistor connected to said first and second leads of said electrochromic element whereby a portion of said current from said photovoltaic cell flows through said shunt resistor without flowing through said electrochromic element. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A device for modulating the transmission of light, comprising:
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an electrochromic element for varying transmission of light, said element having first and second leads; at least one photovoltaic cell for providing electrical current in response to incident light, said at least one photovoltaic cell having first and second leads, said first lead of said at least one photovoltaic cell connected to said first lead of said electrochromic element; a first switch for selectively connecting said second lead of said electrochromic element with one of said second lead of said photovoltaic cell and said first lead of said electrochromic element. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A device for modulating the transmission of light, comprising:
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an insulated glass unit having a sealed interior; at least one photovoltaic cell mounted in said interior of said insulated glass unit for providing electrical current in response to incident light; a modulating circuit in said interior of said insulated glass unit connected to said at least one photovoltaic cell for modulating an output of said photovoltaic cell; an electrochromic element mounted in said interior of said insulated glass unit and connected to said modulating circuit, for varying the transmission of light through said insulated glass unit in response to an output from said modulating circuit; and a remote control system for remotely varying the output of said modulating circuit, said remote control system comprising a user input unit outside said insulated glass unit and electrically unconnected to said modulating circuit, for user control of said electrochromic element. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification