Vehicular brightness limiting system

A method for reducing a perceived brightness of a light source to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• sensing, with a first sensor coupled to the vehicle, light from a light source external to the vehicle, the vehicle coupled to a brightness control layer, wherein the brightness control layer is positioned such that light from the light source incident on a window of the vehicle passes through the brightness control layer, and wherein the brightness control layer has a plurality of pixels;
• determining a position of the light source relative to the vehicle based on the sensed light;
• identifying a brightness control area of the brightness control layer to be dimmed based on the determined position of the light source, the brightness control area corresponding to a location of the brightness control layer between the light source and an occupant of the vehicle;
• and
• controlling at least one of the pixels within the brightness control area based on the light sensed by the sensor such that the brightness control area is dimmed.

A system for limiting brightness of light passing through a window of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a first sensor configured to provide a light source measurement signal;
• a brightness control layer adjacent to the window for receiving a brightness control signal to limit a brightness level of light at a brightness control area of the brightness control layer based on a brightness threshold;
• memory for storing light source measurement information, user location information, and brightness threshold information;
• a second sensor configured to provide a user location signal;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, the brightness control layer and the memory, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to:
• monitor the light source measurement signal from the first sensor for a first brightness level and a first light source position;
• determine that the first brightness level exceeds a first brightness threshold based on a comparison of the first brightness level with the first brightness threshold;
• provide a first brightness control signal to the brightness control layer to limit the first brightness level based on the first brightness threshold at a first brightness control area of the brightness control layer;
• monitor the user location signal for a user position and a user eye location;
• and
• identify the first brightness control area based on the first light source position and the first user eye location.

A system for limiting brightness of light passing through a window of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a camera configured to provide a light source measurement signal comprising an image indicating a first light source position;
• a brightness control layer adjacent to the window for receiving a brightness control signal to limit a brightness level of light at a brightness control area of the brightness control layer based on a brightness threshold, wherein the first brightness control area corresponds to the first light source position;
• memory for storing light source measurement information and brightness threshold information;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the first sensor, the brightness control layer and the memory, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to:
• monitor the light source measurement signal from the first sensor for a first brightness level and the first light source position;
• determine that the first brightness level exceeds a first brightness threshold based on a comparison of the first brightness level with the first brightness threshold;
• and
• provide a first brightness control signal to the brightness control layer to limit the first brightness level based on the first brightness threshold at a first brightness control area of the brightness control layer.