Electrochromic Patents (Class 359/265)
  • Patent number: 11932170
    Abstract: An improved device switchable between reflective and display states comprising an optical element and a display element. The optical element comprising a liquid crystal medium disposed between first and second substrates. The optical element may further comprise a first electrode, a second electrode, an absorptive polarizer, and a reflective polarizer. The first electrode and the absorptive polarizer may be disposed in a first direction relative the liquid crystal medium. Similarly, the second electrode and the reflective polarizer may be disposed in a second direction relative the liquid crystal medium. The second direction is opposite the first direction. In some embodiments, one or more of the absorptive and reflective polarizers may be further disposed between the first and second substrates. The display may be disposed in the first direction relative the optical element. Additionally, the device may further comprise a housing. In some embodiments, the housing may not have a bezel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiaoxu Niu, David J. Cammenga, William L. Tonar
  • Patent number: 11934055
    Abstract: A privacy glazing structure may include an electrically controllable optically active material that provides controlled transition between a privacy or scattering state and a visible or transmittance state. To make electrical connections with electrode layers that control the optically active material, the privacy glazing structure may include electrode engagement regions. In some examples, the electrode engagement regions are formed as notches in peripheral edges of opposed panes bounding the optically active material. The notches may or may not overlap to provide a through conduit in the region of overlap for wiring. In either case, the notches may allow the remainder of the structure to have a flush edge surface for ease of downstream processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Cardinal IG Company
    Inventors: Eric Berner, Eric Bjergaard, Timothy Braun, Andrew DeMiglio, Chad Peters
  • Patent number: 11906868
    Abstract: Embodiments described include bus bars for electrochromic or other optical state changing devices. The bus bars are configured to color match and/or provide minimal optical contrast with their surrounding environment in the optical device. Such bus bars may be transparent bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Rozbicki, Gordon E. Jack, Disha Mehtani, Robin Friedman
  • Patent number: 11868103
    Abstract: A site monitoring system (SMS) may analyze information from one or more sites to determine when a device, a sensor, a controller, or other structure or component associated with a network of optically switchable devices has a problem. The system may, if appropriate, act on the problem. In certain embodiments, the system learns customer/user preferences and adapts its control logic to meet the customer's goals. In various embodiments, the system updates a memory component associated with one or more optically switchable windows and/or controllers. The memory component may be updated to reflect an updated control algorithm and/or associated parameters in some cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhairya Shrivastava, Stephen Clark Brown, Alexander Rumer
  • Patent number: 11852946
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrochromic device is provided. The method includes applying a constant supply current to the electrochromic device and determining an amount of charge transferred to the electrochromic device, as a function of time and current supplied to the electrochromic device. The method includes ceasing the applying the constant supply current, responsive to a sense voltage reaching a sense voltage limit and applying one of a variable voltage or a variable current to the electrochromic device to maintain the sense voltage at the sense voltage limit, responsive to the sense voltage reaching the sense voltage limit. The method includes terminating the applying the variable voltage or the variable current to the electrochromic device, responsive to the determined amount of charge reaching a target amount of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: HALIO, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Ziebarth, Howard S. Bergh
  • Patent number: 11835834
    Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure concern controllers and control methods for applying a drive voltage to bus bars of optically switchable devices such as electrochromic devices. Such devices are often provided on windows such as architectural glass. In certain embodiments, the applied drive voltage is controlled in a manner that efficiently drives an optical transition over the entire surface of the electrochromic device. The drive voltage is controlled to account for differences in effective voltage experienced in regions between the bus bars and regions proximate the bus bars. Regions near the bus bars experience the highest effective voltage. In some cases, feedback may be used to monitor an optical transition. In these or other cases, a group of optically switchable devices may transition together over a particular duration to achieve approximately uniform tint states over time during the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Jack, Sridhar K. Kailasam, Stephen C. Brown, Anshu A. Pradhan
  • Patent number: 11802440
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices that include a perovskite, where, when a first condition is met, at least a portion of the perovskite is in a first phase that substantially transmits light, when a second condition is met, at least a portion of the perovskite is in a second phase that substantially absorbs light, and the perovskite is reversibly switchable between the first phase and the second phase by reversibly switching between the first condition and the second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Lance Michael Wheeler, Joseph Matthew Luther, Jeffrey A. Christians, Joseph Jonathan Berry
  • Patent number: 11804200
    Abstract: A subtractive color change system for displaying a selected color to a viewer and a method of changing color. The system includes a layered assembly having transparent panels of primary and key colors, with a fixed-color background behind the layered assembly. The subtractive color change system may have a control unit to individually control the intensities and values of the primary color panels to render a color and to control the intensities and values of the panels in the layered assembly to reduce differences between the color rendered and the selected color and to display the selected color to a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: N. Scot Hull
  • Patent number: 11794652
    Abstract: An electro-optic element having multiple regions is disclosed. The electro-optic element comprises an electro-optic medium disposed between two electrodes. Further, the electro-optic medium is operable between activated and un-activated states based, at least in part, on exposure to an electrical potential. In some embodiments, in response to an electrical potential of a first polarity, the electro-optic medium may be substantially activated in one region and substantially un-activated in another region. In response to an electrical potential of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, the electro-optic medium may be substantially activated in both regions. In other embodiments, the electro-optic medium is operably activated such that electro-optic medium is activated in one region and un-activated in another region, regardless of polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mario F. Saenger Nayver, George A. Neuman, John S. Anderson, Yuping Lin, Eric A. Gobrogge
  • Patent number: 11798966
    Abstract: A light ray direction control element includes a base, a plurality of light transmitting layers arranged on a main surface of the base, a light absorbing layer disposed among the plurality of light transmitting layers, and a tilt prevention layer provided on the main surface of the base and disposed on an outer periphery of a region in which the plurality of light transmitting layers is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: TIANMA JAPAN, LTD., Wuhan Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Shiota, Ken Sumiyoshi, Hiroshi Haga
  • Patent number: 11794837
    Abstract: There is provided with a straddle type vehicle. A direction indicator is formed to project outward in a vehicle width direction and shows a traveling direction of the vehicle. A sensing device detects an obstacle around the vehicle using an ultrasonic wave. The sensing device is arranged in a distal end portion of the direction indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Katagiri, Yoshiyuki Kuroba, Tsuyoshi Kumasaka, Hiroshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 11796885
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a window controller that includes a command-voltage generator that generates a command voltage signal, and a pulse-width-modulated-signal generator that generates a pulse-width-modulated signal based on the command voltage signal. The pulse-width-modulated signal drives an optically-switchable device. The pulse-width-modulated signal comprises a first power component having a first duty cycle and a second power component having a second duty cycle. The first component delivers a first pulse during each active portion of the first duty cycle, and the second component delivers a second pulse during each active portion of the second duty cycle. The first pulses are applied to a first conductive layer and the second pulses are applied to a second conductive layer. The relative durations of the active portions and the relative durations of the first and second pulses are adjusted to result in a change in an effective DC voltage applied across the optically-switchable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Clark Brown
  • Patent number: 11752735
    Abstract: An improved functional element having electrically controllable optical properties includes a stack sequence formed of a first carrier film, a first surface electrode, an active layer, a second surface electrode, and a second carrier film, wherein the second carrier film is folded around the edge of the first carrier film at least at one side edge and seals an exit surface of the active layer at the side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Florian Manz, Jefferson Do Rosario, Marcel Klein, Michael Labrot, Andreas Sznerski, Sebastian Schurse, Valentin Schulz
  • Patent number: 11718067
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are engineered composite materials suitable for applications that can benefit from a composite material capable of interacting with or responding to, in a controlled or pre-determined manner, changes in its surrounding environment, such as to attenuate a compression wave. The composite material generally includes a plurality of repeating units, with each repeating unit including a first layer of particles having a first mean diameter, and a second layer of particles having a second mean diameter, and an intermediary material that allows mobility of and contact between the first particles within the first layer and mobility of and contact between the second particles within the second layer; the contact allowing momentum transfer between the particles. The first mean diameter and second mean diameter are different and are less than 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Greenhill Antiballistics Corporation
    Inventors: Zachary R. Greenhill, Joseph J. Belbruno, Yuval Avniel
  • Patent number: 11714327
    Abstract: A non-light-emitting variable transmission device can include an active stack; a transparent conductive layer overlying the active stack; an antireflective layer overlying the transparent conductive layer and defining a hole; and a bus bar comprising a conductive tape that extends into the hole and contacts the transparent conductive layer. Proper selection of materials and design of a bus bar can allow an electrical connection to be made to the transparent conductive layer without the need to cut an underlying transparent conductive layer. A method of forming the non-light-emitting variable transmission device can include patterning the antireflective layer to define the hole that extends to the transparent conductive layer. Improved control in patterning allows the antireflective layer to be relatively thin and not remove too much of the underlying transparent conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SAGE ELECTROCHROMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Marius Sarrach, Jean-Christophe Giron, Pascal Reutler, Sean Murphy, Peter Bocek
  • Patent number: 11681196
    Abstract: An electrochromic device includes: an electrochromic element operating in at least one of a first optical characteristic state and a second optical characteristic state; and a temperature measuring device configured to measure temperature, and circuitry to control voltage to be applied to the electrochromic element such that the second optical characteristic state becomes constant irrespective of the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tohru Hasegawa, Keiichiroh Yutani
  • Patent number: 11668964
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a viewing angle control element includes an electrochromic layer, a plurality of projections formed on a first base, a first area and a second area provided on each of the projections, a first transparent electrode provided on the first area, and a second transparent electrode provided on the second area, wherein the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode are electrically independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takahashi, Jin Hirosawa
  • Patent number: 11656520
    Abstract: A displayed light-adjustment device includes two light-transmitting layers which are arranged oppositely, a display module, and an adjustable light-shading layer. The display module is stacked between the light-transmitting layers. The adjustable light-shading layer is interposed between the first light-transmitting layer and the display module, and the light transmittance of the adjustable light-shading layer is adjustable. When the adjustable light-shading layer is powered off, the light transmittance of the adjustable light-shading layer is greater than 75%, and when the adjustable light-shading layer is powered on, an ultraviolet resistance value of the adjustable light-shading layer is greater than 99%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Chuan Lin, Chun Hui Tseng, Su Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 11635666
    Abstract: Window controllers and methods for controlling tinting and other functions of tinting zones of multi-zone tintable windows and multiple tinting zones of a group of tintable windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: View, Inc
    Inventors: Erich R. Klawuhn, Stephen Clark Brown, Dhairya Shrivastava, Douglas S. Silkwood, Jason Zedlitz, Trevor Frank, Charudatta Joshi, Thomas Anthony Gubiotti
  • Patent number: 11630367
    Abstract: Controllers and control methods apply a drive voltage to bus bars of a thin film optically switchable device. The applied drive voltage is provided at a level that drives a transition over the entire surface of the optically switchable device but does not damage or degrade the device. This applied voltage produces an effective voltage at all locations on the face of the device that is within a bracketed range. The upper bound of this range is associated with a voltage safely below the level at which the device may experience damage or degradation impacting its performance in the short term or the long term. At the lower boundary of this range is an effective voltage at which the transition between optical states of the device occurs relatively rapidly. The level of voltage applied between the bus bars is significantly greater than the maximum value of the effective voltage within the bracketed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Anshu A. Pradhan, Disha Mehtani, Gordon Jack
  • Patent number: 11608677
    Abstract: The smart window for the smart home and smart grid can harvest energy and supply power to the home, grid and window itself. The smart window for the smart home and smart grid has all the Electrochromic panel, Solar panel and Multimedia panel been the same full window wide view and aligned with each other in IGU. To be a home automation system, the smart window has local/remote access/control capabilities. There are several types of smart windows working as master device or slave device. The operation of smart window automation system has three modes, normal/open mode, shut/tint mode and smart phone mode. The tube of air circulation system is hidden inside the frame surrounding IGU. Most of the electronic components are integrated to be FPSOC Field Programmable System On Chip that all the electronic component is hidden in the frame surrounding IGU, too. Therefore, the smart window doesn't have any blockage of window view with the Solar panel, Electrochromic panel, Multimedia panel and air circulation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Tang System, PDcGA:Professional Disclub Golf Association
    Inventor: Min Ming Tarng
  • Patent number: 11592721
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochromic compound, and an electrochromic composition and an electrochromic device, including the same. The electrochromic compound according to the present invention may achieve excellent black coloring effects and excellent curing characteristics, and thus may be used advantageously in an electrochromic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangmo Koo, Sooyeun Kim, Koun Park, Gukhwan An, Sanggeun Cho
  • Patent number: 11569397
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hybrid transparent conducting electrode comprising reduced graphene oxide film, metal mesh and textured glass, wherein the reduced graphene oxide film is coated on the textured glass embedded with the metal mesh or the reduced graphene oxide film is sandwiched between the textured glass and the metal mesh. The present invention also relates to a process of preparing the hybrid conducting transparent conducting electrode. The said transparent conducting electrode exhibits transparency ranging from about 70% to 85% with sheet resistance ranging from about 5 ?/sq to 100 ?/sq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Shyam Kumar Choudhary, Sumitesh Das, Giridhar Udapi Rao Kulkarni, Rajashekhar Ningappa Pujar
  • Patent number: 11567383
    Abstract: A heat treated electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode layer comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide and lithium, which provides a high transmission in the fully intercalated state and which is capable of long term stability, is disclosed. Methods of making an electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SAGE ELECTROCHROMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Samuel Burdis, Douglas Glenn John Weir
  • Patent number: 11556039
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are glass articles coated on at least one surface with an electrochromic layer and comprising minimal regions of laser damage, and methods for laser processing such glass articles. Insulated glass units comprising such coated glass articles are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Moussa N'Gom, David Andrew Pastel, Garrett Andrew Piech, Robert Stephen Wagner, Chad Michael Wilcox
  • Patent number: 11556196
    Abstract: A display device includes a display and a transflective module. The transflective module is disposed at one side of the display and includes a glass substrate and a transflective structure layer. The transflective structure layer is disposed on the glass substrate and located between the glass substrate and the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Unimicron Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Ming-Chang Chan, Leng-Chieh Lin, Po-Ching Chan, Meng-Chia Chan, Kuo-Feng Cheng
  • Patent number: 11545589
    Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes a first transparent electrode layer characterized by a first sheet resistance, a second transparent electrode layer, and a photovoltaic material layer. The photovoltaic material layer is located between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer. The photovoltaic module also includes a first busbar having a second sheet resistance lower than the first sheet resistance. The first transparent electrode layer, the second transparent electrode layer, and the photovoltaic material layer have an aligned region that forms a central transparent area of the photovoltaic module. The central transparent area including a plurality of sides. The first busbar is in contact with the first transparent electrode layer adjacent to at least a portion of each of the plurality of sides of the central transparent area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: UBIQUITOUS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Miles Barr, Ian Millard, Rachel Molaro, Richa Pandey
  • Patent number: 11520208
    Abstract: A window control system includes a plurality of electro-optic devices configured to control a transmittance of light through each of the plurality of zones, and at least one sensor configured to identify an intensity of light transmitted through the at least one window. A controller k in communication with the electro-optic devices and the at least one sensor. The controller is configured to independently control the transmittance of the light through each of the zones based on at least one of a direction of the light and an intensity of the light detected in a passenger compartment of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Autumn N. Lagowski, George A. Neuman, Michael T. Stephenson, Luke A. Bomers, Barry K. Nelson, Henry A. Luten, Dennis D. Festerling, Jr., David J. Cammenga, John S. Anderson, Michael J. VanAst
  • Patent number: 11500257
    Abstract: An inorganic solid-state electrochromic module containing an inorganic transparent conductive film, including a transparent substrate and a first transparent conductive layer, a first transparent metal layer, a first transparent protective layer, an inorganic electrochromic layer, an inorganic ion conductive layer, an inorganic ion storage layer, a second transparent metal layer, a second transparent protective layer, a second transparent conductive layer, a encapsulating film and a transparent front plate successively formed on the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: XIAMEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: An Xie, Ling Zhang, Guang Cao, Yuechan Li, Dongya Sun, Minshu Zhang, Liang Yang, Chunyan Cao
  • Patent number: 11500259
    Abstract: Embodiments described include bus bars for electrochromic or other optical state changing devices. The bus bars are configured to color match and/or provide minimal optical contrast with their surrounding environment in the optical device. Such bus bars may be transparent bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Rozbicki, Gordon E. Jack, Disha Mehtani, Robin Friedman
  • Patent number: 11486033
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for ion milling, and more particularly relates to methods and apparatus for smoothing a surface using ion milling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: George A. Neuman, Henry A. Luten, G. Bruce Poe, John S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11482147
    Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods for controlling an optical transition and the ending tint state of an optically switchable device, and optically switchable devices configured to perform such methods. In various embodiments, non-optical (e.g., electrical) feedback is used to help control an optical transition. The feedback may be used for a number of different purposes. In many implementations, the feedback is used to control an ongoing optical transition. In some embodiments a transfer function is used calibrate optical drive parameters to control the tinting state of optically switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Anshu A. Pradhan, Abhishek Anant Dixit
  • Patent number: 11467401
    Abstract: A display or light blocking screen includes a liquid crystal (LC) array layer having a plurality of LC pixels, and a transparent LED layer having a plurality of LED pixels. A controller is operatively connected to the LC array layer and the transparent LED layer. The controller is configured to selectively trigger emission of light from a selection of the LED pixels, and to selectively darken a selection of the LC pixels that correspond directly to the selection of LED pixels. Therefore, the emitting LED pixels and the darkened LC pixels match and light is emitted from the LED pixels in substantially the opposite direction of the LC array layer. The display screen, or different aspects thereof, may be operatively incorporated into one or more windows of a vehicle, may be a standalone unit, or may be incorporated into a building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Richards
  • Patent number: 11467427
    Abstract: An optical device (3) comprising a light transmitting electrode layer (2) provided onto a light transmitting carrier (15), wherein a conductive layer (6) is provided on the first electrode layer (2), the conductive layer establishing a connecting area (4), the conductive layer having a thickness being significantly larger than the thickness of the electrode layer (2), and wherein the electrode layer (2) and carrier (15) show a perforation in the connecting area, the perforation being at least partially filled with a conductive material (7) which is further connected to a conductive element (1) thereby establishing an electrical connection between the electrode layer (2) and the conductive element (1) via the conductive layer (6) and the conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: MORROW N.V.
    Inventors: Jelle De Smet, Paul Wilfried Cecile Marchal, Philip Ekkels
  • Patent number: 11467460
    Abstract: An electrochromic film and an electrochromic device including the electrochromic film are disclosed. The electrochromic film includes an electrochromic layer and a passivation layer on one side of the electrochromic layer. The coloration level of the electrochromic film is different from the coloration level of the passivation layer. The film may change optical properties as a result of electrochromism according to an electrochemical reaction. The electrochromic film and the electrochromic device have improved electrochromism, excellent durability, excellent color-switching speed, and stepwise control of optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Chan Kim, Ki Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11467433
    Abstract: Described herein is a polymorphic display, which is a unitary apparatus constructed such that a wide variety of electro-optic functions are enabled. The polymorphic display, even when having multiple pixels, enables sharing of selected structures among the pixels. In a multi-pixel construction, there is a set of pixels in the display that exhibit one set of operable properties, such as particular stability, sequencing, and switching properties, and another set of pixels that are different from the first set. That is, they have different stability, sequencing, or switching properties. In such a way, a highly flexible polymorphic display may be construed to satisfy a wide range of display needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Atkinson, John Rilum, Ben Reeves
  • Patent number: 11462814
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus is described that includes a transparent pane having a first surface and a second surface. An electrochromic device (ECD) is arranged over the second surface that includes a first conductive layer adjacent the second surface, a second conductive layer, and an electrochromic layer between the first and the second conductive layers. The apparatus further includes at least one conductive antenna structure arranged over the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold Hughes, Stephen Clark Brown, Dhairya Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 11442326
    Abstract: An electrochromic device includes an optically active layer having an optical property that can be altered by application of electrical power to the optically active layer and a conductive structure that is configured to supply the electrical power to the optically active layer. The conductive structure includes patterned conductive elements that cooperate with the optically active layer to define electrochromic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Que Anh S. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11442324
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an effective optical region within a transmittance variable region, and sets the transmittance variable region and the effective optical region so that a shortest distances from a periphery of the transmittance variable region to a periphery of the effective optical region, d1 and d2, are 7.5% or more and 25% or less of a length of the transmittance variable region on a straight line including the shortest distances, L1, in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Wataru Kubo
  • Patent number: 11409178
    Abstract: A light-transmitting film and a device including the light-transmitting film are disclosed. The light-transmitting film includes an oxynitride containing two or more metals selected from Ti, Nb, Mo, Ta and W, and having light transmittance of 60% or more. The oxynitride may be represented by Formula 1, which is MoaTibOxNy where a>0, b>0, x>0, y>0, 0.5<a/b<4.0, and 0.005<y/x<0.02. The film has a light transmission characteristic, is capable of reversible color-switching depending on the applied voltage, and has excellent durability within a driving voltage range in which the film changes its color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Chan Kim, Ki Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11409176
    Abstract: A gel electrolyte precursor composition, an electrochromic device including a gel electrolyte formed from the precursor composition, and methods of forming the electrochromic device, the precursor composition including polymer network precursors including polyurethane acrylate oligomers, an ionically conducting phase, and an initiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HELIOTROPE EUROPE S.L.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Wang, Evelyn Davies, Janina Motter, Guillermo Garcia, Amir Bayati
  • Patent number: 11402720
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a chromatic device includes a transparent conductive substrate, an active layer provided on the conductive substrate, the active layer comprising a conducting polymer, an electrolyte layer in contact with the conductive substrate and the active layer, the electrolyte comprising an oxidant and a salt but not comprising an acid, and a metal element configured to be selectively placed in and out of direct electrical contact with the conductive substrate or the active layer, wherein the active layer has a color that blocks light when the metal element is not in electrical contact with the conductive substrate but changes to a translucent color that transmits light when the metal element is placed in electrical contact with the conductive substrate or the active layer, wherein the active layer changes color without applying external energy to the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
    Inventors: Manoj K. Ram, Sharan Kumar Indrakar, D. Yogi Goswami, Lee K. Stefanakos
  • Patent number: 11355655
    Abstract: A method is provided that integrates an autonomous energy harvesting capacity in vehicles in an aesthetically neutral manner. A unique set of structural features combine to implement a hidden energy harvesting system on a surface of the vehicle to provide electrical power to the vehicle, and/or to electrically-powered devices in the vehicle. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: FACE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clark D. Boyd, Bradbury R Face, Jeffrey D Shepard
  • Patent number: 11353708
    Abstract: An augmented reality eyewear device is configured to operate augmented reality applications and provides a wide-angle field view that can be utilized for low vision, vision impaired, and the blind. The software utilizes custom firmware to enable features such as greyscale viewing and the use of smart glasses in outdoors and indoors. The hardware is specifically designed to be entirely hands-free with no wires, thereby enabling easy use by the low vision community. Further, the augmented reality eyewear device is used for Glaucoma, Macular degeneration and other vision-impaired impairments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: THIRDEYE GEN, INC.
    Inventor: Nick Cherukuri
  • Patent number: 11345771
    Abstract: The invention provides novel compounds and methods that are useful in promoting reactions that proceed through an oxidative quenching pathway. In certain embodiments, the reactions comprise atom transfer radical polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of Colorado, Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Garret Miyake, Jordan Corinne Theriot, Matthew D. Ryan, Ryan Michael Pearson, Tracy Allen French, Haishen Yang, Andrew Lockwood, Charles Musgrave, Chern-Hooi Lim, Ya Du, Blaine McCarthy
  • Patent number: 11333810
    Abstract: A system of networked controllers includes one or more switchable optical filters, and the switchable optical filters are photochromic and electrochromic. The system also includes a master controller, and one or more slave controllers operably connected to the one or more switchable optical filters. At least one of the one or more slave controllers is communicatively coupled to the master controller. The master controller is configured to transmit a switching command to the at least one of the one or more slave controllers. Each slave controller is operable, in response to receiving the switching command, to cause a corresponding switchable optical filter to transition from a first state to a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Solutia Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew P. Smit
  • Patent number: 11326094
    Abstract: The invention belongs to the technical field of electrochromic devices, particularly relates to a novel electrochromic film material, and further discloses an electrochromic film device prepared by the novel electrochromic film material. According to the electrochromic film device provided by the invention, the electrochromic film material is prepared by taking a high adhesive-property composition and a redox-type liquid-state electrochromic composition as raw materials for the first time, and the redox-type liquid-state electrochromic composition is dispersed and cured between conductive substrates by a curing reaction of the high adhesive-property composition. After a test, electrochromic response time of the electrochromic film device prepared by the invention is between 7-11 seconds, number of cycles is between 14-160,000 times, and color difference b value is between ?20 and +30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN HUAKE-TEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiping Zeng, Gaili Yang
  • Patent number: 11319483
    Abstract: An organic compound represented by the following general formula is provided. In the above formula (1), R11 to R15 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyl group, an acyl group, or a halogen atom provided that at least one of R11, R13, and R15 represents the alkoxy group or the aryloxy group; and R11 to R15 may form a ring structure therebetween. R5 and R6 each independently represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group. In addition, R21 to R24 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyl group, an acyl group, or a halogen atom and may form a ring structure therebetween. The above groups except the acyl group may be substituted when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Satoshi Igawa, Wataru Kubo, Yuto Ito, Isao Kawata
  • Patent number: 11314139
    Abstract: Onboard EC window controllers are described. The controllers are configured in close proximity to the EC window, for example, within the IGU. The controller may be part of a window assembly, which includes an IGU having one or more EC panes, and thus does not have to be matched with the EC window, and installed, in the field. The window controllers described herein have a number of advantages because they are matched to the IGU containing one or more EC devices and their proximity to the EC panes of the window overcomes a number of problems associated with conventional controller configurations. Also described are self-meshing networks for electrochromic windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Brown, Dhairya Shrivastava, Erich R. Klawuhn, Trevor Frank, Douglas Silkwood
  • Patent number: 11306532
    Abstract: Thin-film devices, for example, multi-zone electrochromic windows, and methods of manufacturing are described. In certain cases, a multi-zone electrochromic window comprises a monolithic EC device on a transparent substrate and two or more tinting zones, wherein the tinting zones are configured for independent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: VIEW, INC.
    Inventors: Dhairya Shrivastava, Robin Friedman, Vinod Khosla, Rao Mulpuri