# US 10,479,172 B2 · Window tinting system and method for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,172 B2 - Document ID: US10479172B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/903,311 - Filed: 2018-02-23 - Published: 2019-08-29 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-23 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Joseph Jabour; Michael Ames - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479172B2 ## CPC - B60J 3/04: adjustable in transparency - B60N 2/0025: {by using weight measurement} - B60R 16/037: for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} - G02B 5/208: {for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation} - G02F 1/153: Constructional details - G02F 1/163: Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor - B60N 2/0033: {mounted on or in the foam cushion} - B60N 2210/40: Force or pressure sensors - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract One general aspect includes a system for an activation or deactivation of one or more electrochromic windows of a vehicle, the system including: a memory configured to include one or more executable instructions; a controller configured to execute the executable instructions; a vehicle including one or more electrochromic windows, where upon receiving an activation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a dimmed state and upon receiving a deactivation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a transparent state; and where the executable instructions enable the controller to: receive dimming information; analyze the dimming information; based on the dimming information analysis, generate the activation or deactivation for at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows; transmit the activation or deactivation to at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for an activation or deactivation of one or more electrochromic windows of a vehicle, the system comprising: a memory configured to comprise one or more executable instructions; a controller configured to execute the executable instructions; a vehicle comprising one or more electrochromic windows, wherein upon receiving an activation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a dimmed state and upon receiving a deactivation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a transparent state; and wherein the executable instructions enable the controller to: receive dimming information; analyze the dimming information; based on the dimming information analysis, generate the activation or deactivation for at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows; and transmit the activation or deactivation to at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows; a data center remotely located from the vehicle and remotely located from a tint restriction data module; the tint restriction data module configured to produce window tint restriction data for a select location; wherein the vehicle is further configured to generate vehicle location data, the vehicle is further configured to transmit the vehicle location data to the data center; wherein, upon receiving the vehicle location data, the data center will: receive restriction output data, compressed in a binary form, from the tint restriction data module, to identify one or more window tint restrictions at the vehicle location; and based on the one or more window tint restrictions at the vehicle location, produce restriction output information; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the restriction output information and provided by the data center; wherein the controller analyzes the dimming information to determine whether the restriction output information is present; and wherein the controller will generate the deactivation when the restriction output information is present. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the activation or deactivation is transmitted to the one or more electrochromic windows by way of a Body Control Module (BCM). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle further comprises a thermometer configured to detect a temperature of a vehicle environment; the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the temperature of the vehicle environment and provided by the thermometer; wherein the controller analyzes the dimming information to determine if the temperature exceeds a threshold temperature; wherein the controller will generate the activation if the temperature exceeds the threshold temperature; and wherein the controller will generate the deactivation if the temperature falls below the threshold temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle further comprises a seat weight sensor located in one or more vehicle seats, the seat weight sensor configured to provide vehicle seat occupancy information; the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the vehicle seat occupancy information and provided by the seat weight sensor; wherein the controller analyzes the dimming information to determine whether one or more vehicle seats are adequately occupied; and wherein the controller will generate the activation when one or more vehicle seats are occupied. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle further comprises one or more collision sensors, the one or more collision sensors configured to provide vehicle collision information; the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the vehicle collision information and provided by the one or more collision sensors; wherein the controller analyzes the dimming information to determine whether the vehicle has adequately encountered a vehicle collision event; and wherein the controller will generate the deactivation if the vehicle has encountered the vehicle collision event. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a data center remotely located from the vehicle; wherein the vehicle is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the data center; the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by a remote activation request or remote deactivation request and provided by the data center; wherein the controller analyzes the dimming information to determine whether a remote activation request or remote deactivation request is present; wherein the controller will generate the activation when the remote activation request is present; and wherein the controller will generate the deactivation when the remote deactivation request is present. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising: an emergency services dispatch center in communication with the data center; and wherein the dispatch center causes the data center to produce the dimming information that is, at least in part, defined by the remote deactivation request. ### Claim 10 A method for an activation or deactivation of one or more electrochromic windows of a vehicle, the method comprising: (a) providing a memory configured to comprise one or more executable instructions; (b) providing a controller configured to execute the executable instructions; (c) providing a vehicle comprising one or more electrochromic windows, wherein upon receiving an activation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a dimmed state and upon receiving a deactivation the one or more electrochromic windows will be in a transparent state; (d) receiving, at the controller, dimming information; (e) analyzing, via the controller, the dimming information; (f) based on the dimming information analysis, via the controller, generating the activation or deactivation for at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows; and (g) transmitting, via the controller, the activation or deactivation to at least one of the one or more electrochromic windows; (h) providing a data center remotely located from the vehicle and remotely located from a tint restriction data module; (i) providing the tint restriction data module configured to produce window tint restriction data for a select location; wherein the vehicle is further configured to generate vehicle location data, the vehicle is further configured to transmit the vehicle location data to the data center; (j) generating, via the vehicle, vehicle location data; (k) transmitting, via the vehicle, the vehicle location data to the data center; (l) receiving restriction output data, compressed in a binary form, from the tint restriction data module, to identify one or more window tint restrictions at the vehicle location and, based on the one or more window tint restrictions at the vehicle location, produce restriction output information; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the restriction output information and provided by the data center; wherein step (e) is further defined by the controller determining whether the restriction output information is present; and wherein step (f) is further defined by the controller generating the deactivation when the restriction output information is present. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: wherein the activation or deactivation is transmitted to the one or more electrochromic windows by way of a Body Control Module (BCM); and (h) causing, via the BCM, the activation or deactivation of the one or more electrochromic windows. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: (h) providing a thermometer located at the vehicle, the thermometer configured to detect a temperature of a vehicle environment; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the temperature of the vehicle environment and provided by the thermometer; wherein step (e) is further defined by the controller determining if the temperature exceeds or falls below a threshold temperature; and wherein step (f) is further defined by the controller generating the activation if the temperature exceeds the threshold temperature and the controller generating the deactivation if the temperature falls below the threshold temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: (h) providing a seat weight sensor located in one or more vehicle seats, the seat weight sensor configured to provide vehicle seat occupancy information; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the vehicle seat occupancy information and provided by the seat weight sensor; wherein step (e) is further defined by the controller determining whether the vehicle seat occupancy information is present; and wherein step (f) is further defined by the controller generating the activation when one or more vehicle seats are occupied. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: (h) providing one or more collision sensors located around the vehicle, the one or more collision sensors configured to provide vehicle collision information; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by the vehicle collision information and provided by the one or more collision sensors; wherein step (e) is further defined by the controller determining whether the vehicle collision information is present; and wherein step (f) is further defined by the controller generating the deactivation if the vehicle has encountered the vehicle collision event. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: (h) providing a data center remotely located from the vehicle; wherein the vehicle is further configured to be in communication with the data center; wherein the dimming information is, at least in part, defined by a remote activation request or remote deactivation request and provided by the data center; wherein step (e) is further defined by the controller determining whether a remote activation request or remote deactivation request is present; and wherein step (f) is further defined by the controller generating the activation when the remote activation request is present and deactivation when the remote deactivation request is present. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: (i) providing an emergency services dispatch center in communication with the data center; and (j) causing, via the emergency services dispatch center, the data center to produce the dimming information that is, at least in part, defined by the remote deactivation request.