Electro-optical glazing structures having reflection and transparent modes of operation
AssigneeReveo, Inc.
InventorsSadeg M. Faris, Le Li, Jian-Feng Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electro-optical glazing structures having total-reflection and semi-transparent and totally-transparent modes of operation which are electrically-switchable for use in dynamically controlling electromagnetic radiation flow in diverse applications.
Claims101
An electro-optical glazing structure having reflection and transmission modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation, respectively, said electro-optical glazing structure comprising:
- an electro-optical glazing panel of laminated construction, having first and second optical states of operation;
- and
- optical state switching means for switching said electro-optical glazing panel to said first optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing structure into said reflection mode of operation, and for switching said electro-optical glazing panel to said second optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing structure into said transmission mode of operation.
An electro-optical glazing structure which has high reflection, semi-transparent and greater than 50% transparent modes of operation for improved control over the flow of electromagnetic radiation within the solar region of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e. Solar Spectrum).
A reflective electro-optical glazing structure, in which the modes of operation can be electrically-activated or switched, while avoiding the use of energy absorbing mechanisms.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of single layer electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a first linear polarization state, whereby a highly reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a first and a second electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel, the first panel reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a first linear polarization state, the second panel reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a second linear polarization state, whereby a reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over a region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-passive π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a first circularly polarized state, whereby a highly reflective state of operation and a highly transparent state of operation are provided over a region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising a pair of electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, one of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a first circularly polarized state and the other of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a second circularly polarized state, whereby a highly reflective state of operation and a highly transparent state of operation are provided over a region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure having reflection and transmission modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation, respectively, the electro-optical glazing structure comprising:
- an electro-optical panel of multilayer construction, having first and second optical states of operation;
- optical state switching means for switching the electro-optical panel to the first optical state of operation in order to induce the electro-optical glazing structure into the reflection mode of operation, and for switching the electro-optical panel to the second optical state of operation in order to induce the electro-optical glazing structure into the transmission mode of operation, and
- means for further controlling electromagnetic radiation incident on the electro-optical panel.
An electro-optical glazing structure having reflection and transmission modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation, respectively, the electromagnetic radiation having a first and a second linear polarization, the electro-optical glazing structure comprising:
- an electro-optical panel having first and second optical states of operation;
- and
- optical state switching means for switching the electro-optical panel to the first optical state of operation in order to induce the electro-optical glazing structure into the reflection mode of operation, and for switching the electro-optical panel to the second optical state of operation in order to induce the electro-optical glazing structure into the transmission mode of operation,
- wherein the electro-optical panel comprises:
- a sheet having a large plurality of pairs of layers parallel to a surface of the sheet, each pair of layers having a difference between the materials in each layer of the pair, the difference being in the index of refraction for electromagnetic radiation having the first linear polarization, wherein there is little difference in the index of refraction for electromagnetic radiation having the second linear polarization, the total thickness of each pair of layers in the large plurality of layers varying non linearly across the sheet.
An electro-optical glazing structure having total-reflection and transparent modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation without absorption, respectively, said electro-optical glazing comprising:
- an electro-optical panel of laminated construction, having first and second optical states of operation;
- and
- optical state switching means for switching said electro-optical panel to said first optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing into said total-reflection mode of operation, and for switching said electro-optical panel to said second optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing into said transmission mode of operation,
- wherein electromagnetic radiation within a first prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is totally reflected from said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
- wherein electromagnetic radiation within a second prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is transmitted through said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
An electro-optical glazing structure which has total-reflection, semi-transparent and totally transparent modes of operation for improved control over the flow of electromagnetic radiation within the solar region of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e. Solar Spectrum).
An electro-optical glazing structure, in which the modes of operation can be electrically-activated or switched, while avoiding the use of energy absorbing mechanisms.
An electro-optical glazing structure having a broad band of operation, including the IR, visible and UV portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electrically-active -phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a certain polarization state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a linear polarization state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a linear polarization state, one is parallel to other, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a linear polarization state, one is perpendicular to other, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a LHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over the electromagnetic region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a RHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, one of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the LHCP state and the other of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the RHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising an electrically-passive π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the LHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a totally transparent state of operation are provided over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical structure, comprising an electrically-passive π-phase retardation panel interposed between a pair of electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, both of which are capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the RHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a semi-transparent state of operation are provided over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An electro-optical glazing structure, comprising a pair of electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels, one of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the LHCP state and the other of which is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation of the RHCP state, whereby a totally reflective state of operation and a totally transparent state of operation are provided over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
An actively-controlled window or viewing panel constructed from the electro-optical glazing structure of the present invention, wherein the transmission of electromagnetic radiation can be dynamically controlled over a broad-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum, between 50% transmission to 100% reflection and between 100% transmission to 100% reflection.
An actively-controlled window or viewing panel constructed from an electro-optical glazing structure, wherein the transmission of electromagnetic radiation over the UV and IR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum can be totally reflected, rather than absorbed, reducing the temperature cycle range which the window structure is required to undergo.
An actively-controlled window or viewing panel constructed from an electro-optical glazing structures, wherein only UV and IR radiation is reflected at the window surface, while electromagnetic radiation over the visible band is transmitted to the interior environment being maintained under thermal control.
An intelligent window system for installation within a house or office building, or aboard a transportation vehicle such as an airplane or automobile, wherein an electro-optical glazing structure thereof is supported within a prefabricated window frame, within which are mounted:
- a electromagnetic-sensor for sensing electromagnetic conditions in the outside environment;
- a battery supply for providing electrical power;
- a electromagnetic-powered battery recharger for recharging the battery;
- electrical circuitry for producing glazing control voltages for driving the electrically-active elements of the electro-optical glazing supported within the window frame;
- and a micro-computer chip for controlling the operation of the battery recharger and electrical circuitry and the production of glazing control voltages as required by a radiation flow control program stored within the programmed microcontroller.
An electro-optical window structure which is designed for integration within the heating/cooling system of a house, office building, factory or vehicle in order to control the flow of broad-band electromagnetic radiation through the electro-optical window structure, while minimizing thermal loading upon the heating/cooling system thereof.
An intelligent pair of shutter glasses, in which each optical element is realized using an electro-optical glazing structure fashioned to the dimensions of a shutter glass frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.