# US 12,007,653 B2 · Glazing unit with electrically controllable optical properties having a plurality of independent switching regions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,653 B2 - Document ID: US12007653B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/263,283 - Filed: 2022-04-29 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-18 - Assignees: Saint-Gobain Glass France - Applicants: Saint-Gobain Glass France - Inventors: Richard Stelzer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007653B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - B32B 17/10036: {comprising two outer glass sheets} - B32B 17/10165: {Functional features of the laminated safety glass or glazing} - B32B 17/10192: {patterned in the form of columns or grids} - B32B 17/10211: {Doped dielectric layer, electrically conductive, e.g. SnO2:F} - B32B 17/1022: {Metallic coatings} - B32B 17/10348: {comprising an obscuration band} - B32B 17/10504: {Liquid crystal layer} - B32B 17/10532: {Suspended particle layer} - B32B 17/10761: {containing vinyl acetal} - B32B 17/1077: {containing polyurethane} - B32B 17/10788: {containing ethylene vinylacetate} - B60J 3/04: adjustable in transparency - G02F 1/1334: based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals - B32B 2605/00: Vehicles - B32B 2605/08: Cars - G02F 1/13439: {characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making} - H02M 1/0043: {Converters switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved (non-isolated DC/DC converters H02M3/1586)} - H02M 1/123: {Suppression of common mode voltage or current} - H02M 7/44: by static converters - 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 - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - 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) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A glazing unit with electrically controllable optical properties having multiple independent switching regions includes a laminated glass pane with an electrically controllable functional element and a control unit to control the optical properties of the functional element. The functional element has an active layer with electrically controllable optical properties between a first planar electrode and a second planar electrode. The first planar electrode is subdivided by at least one insulation line into at least two separate electrode segments, wherein a voltage is applicable independently between each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode in order to control the optical properties of the section of the active layer located between them. The control unit is adapted to apply an AC voltage between at least two electrode segments of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode, wherein the AC voltages are phase-shifted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A glazing unit with electrically controllable optical properties having a plurality of independent switching regions, comprising: a laminated glass pane, comprising an outer pane and an inner pane, which are connected to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer, an electrically controllable functional element which is arranged between the outer pane and the inner pane and has an active layer having electrically controllable optical properties between a first planar electrode and a second planar electrode, a control unit adapted to control the optical properties of the electrically controllable functional element, wherein the first planar electrode is subdivided by at least one insulation line into at least two separate electrode segments, wherein each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode are electrically connected to the control unit, so that an AC voltage is applicable independently between each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode in order to control the optical properties of the section of the active layer located between them, wherein the control unit is adapted to apply an AC voltage between at least two electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, wherein the AC voltages are phase-shifted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrically controllable functional element is a PDLC functional element or an SPD functional element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to either claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to a DC voltage source with a primary voltage, is optionally equipped with a DC-DC converter which is adapted to convert the primary voltage into a higher secondary voltage, and is equipped with a plurality of inverters which are adapted to convert the primary voltage or the secondary voltage into an AC voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The glazing unit according to claim 3, wherein a number of inverters corresponds to a number of electrode segments of the first planar electrode, and wherein each inverter is connected to exactly one electrode segment of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and to the second planar electrode, on the other hand. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The glazing unit according to claim 3, wherein a number of inverters exceeds a number of electrode segments of the first planar electrode by 1, and wherein each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode are connected in each case to a separate inverter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to claim 1, wherein the AC voltage is a sinusoidal voltage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first planar electrode is subdivided by at least two insulation lines into at least three separate electrode segments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second planar electrodes are formed on the basis of indium tin oxide (ITO) or silver. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The glazing unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insulation line has a width of 5 μm to 500 μm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method comprising providing a glazing unit according to claim 1 as a window pane of a vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the window pane is a windshield or roof panel. ### Claim 12 A method for controlling a glazing unit with electrically controllable optical properties having a plurality of independent switching regions, wherein the glazing unit comprises a laminated glass pane, comprising an outer pane and an inner pane, which are connected to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer, an electrically controllable functional element which is arranged between the outer pane and the inner pane and has an active layer having electrically controllable optical properties between a first planar electrode and a second planar electrode, a control unit adapted to control the optical properties of the electrically controllable functional element, wherein the first planar electrode is subdivided by at least one insulation line into at least two separate electrode segments, wherein each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode are electrically connected to the control unit, so that an AC voltage is applicable independently between each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode in order to control the optical properties of the section of the active layer located between them, the method comprising applying an AC voltage between at least two electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, wherein the AC voltages are phase-shifted. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein an AC voltage is applied in each case between n electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, wherein n is an integer, and wherein if n is an even number, an AC voltage with a first phase is applied between n/2 electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, and an AC voltage with a second phase is applied between n/2 electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, and if n is an odd number, an AC voltage with a first phase is applied between (n+1)/2 electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, and an AC voltage with a second phase is applied between (n−1)/2 electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, and wherein the first phase and the second phase have a 180° phase shift. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the AC voltages between directly adjacent electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, each have a 180° phase shift. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein an AC voltage with a separate phase is applied in each case between n electrode segments of the first planar electrode, on the one hand, and the second planar electrode, on the other hand, wherein n is an integer, and wherein the AC voltages have a phase shift of 360°/n amongst each other or an integer multiple thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein an electrical switching potential which is variable over time is applied to each electrode segment of the first planar electrode and a reference potential which is constant over time is applied to the second planar electrode in order to produce the AC voltage.