Patents by Inventor Martin Hainfellner

Martin Hainfellner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11726379
    Abstract: Described herein are liquid crystal (LC) assemblies that are dimmable and techniques for manufacturing LC assemblies. In some embodiments, an LC assembly includes a Guest-Host (GH) liquid crystal layer containing nematic liquid crystals, dye molecules, and a chiral dopant. The GH liquid crystal layer is located between a pair of substrates. The LC assembly is a film assembly, with each of the substrates including a flexible film and a conductive layer formed on the flexible film. The substrates are separated by spacers that define a cell gap. The GH liquid crystal layer is configured to transition the LC assembly between darkened and lightened states depending on the voltage across the conductive layers. The flexible films allow the LC assembly to conform to the surface of a window or other rigid surface to which the LC assembly is attached. The LC assembly can be attached via a liquid or film-based adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Wicue USA Inc.
    Inventors: Fenghua Li, Martin Hainfellner
  • Patent number: 11635664
    Abstract: In one example, a liquid crystal (LC) assembly includes a first curved glass layer and a second curved glass layer. The LC assembly further includes a film-based, flexible LC stack structure between the first curved glass layer and the second curved glass layer. The film-based, flexible LC stack structure includes Guest-Host (GH) liquid crystals. The film-based, flexible LC stack structure is configured to provide both a display operation for displaying content to one or more user and a dimming operation for reducing a transmittance level of light passing through the LC assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Wicue, Inc.
    Inventors: Fenghua Li, Martin Hainfellner
  • Publication number: 20220413330
    Abstract: Described herein are liquid crystal (LC) assemblies that are dimmable and techniques for manufacturing LC assemblies. In one example, an LC assembly comprises: a first curved glass panel, a second curved glass panel, and a liquid crystal panel having a first outer surface and a second outer surface, a layer of a liquid adhesive attaching the first curved glass panel and the first outer surface of the liquid crystal panel, and a film adhesive attaching the second curved glass panel and the second outer surface of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Martin HAINFELLNER, Fenghua LI
  • Publication number: 20220179251
    Abstract: In one example, a liquid crystal (LC) assembly includes a first curved glass layer and a second curved glass layer. The LC assembly further includes a film-based, flexible LC stack structure between the first curved glass layer and the second curved glass layer. The film-based, flexible LC stack structure includes Guest-Host (GH) liquid crystals. The film-based, flexible LC stack structure is configured to provide both a display operation for displaying content to one or more user and a dimming operation for reducing a transmittance level of light passing through the LC assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Fenghua LI, Martin HAINFELLNER
  • Publication number: 20220163836
    Abstract: Described herein are liquid crystal (LC) assemblies that are dimmable and techniques for manufacturing LC assemblies. In some embodiments, an LC assembly includes a Guest-Host (GH) liquid crystal layer containing nematic liquid crystals, dye molecules, and a chiral dopant. The GH liquid crystal layer is located between a pair of substrates. The LC assembly is a film assembly, with each of the substrates including a flexible film and a conductive layer formed on the flexible film. The substrates are separated by spacers that define a cell gap. The GH liquid crystal layer is configured to transition the LC assembly between darkened and lightened states depending on the voltage across the conductive layers. The flexible films allow the LC assembly to conform to the surface of a window or other rigid surface to which the LC assembly is attached. The LC assembly can be attached via a liquid or film-based adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Fenghua LI, Martin HAINFELLNER
  • Publication number: 20200230920
    Abstract: Adaptive laminated panel element for a vehicle window to reduce the effect of glare of a light source comprising a first panel and a second panel, a liquid crystal layer, and at least one connecting layer for connecting the first panel and the second panel with a spacing with respect to one another, wherein the liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first panel and the second panel or is applied to a surface of one of the first panel or the second panel, and wherein transparency of the adaptive laminated panel element is varied by controlling the liquid crystal layer via electrodes, and wherein the connecting layer is a birefringence-free adhesive layer and the laminated panel element is configured as safety glass for use as a vehicle window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: AM7VISION GMBH
    Inventors: Leo KELLER, Martin HAINFELLNER
  • Patent number: 10598970
    Abstract: A device comprising a dimmable panel comprising a plurality of individually dimmable cells attached to a window glass, an optical sensor to detect an image of one or more objects, a computation unit, communicably coupled to the dimmable panel and the optical sensor, to: i) cause to darken one or more cells of the plurality of individual dimmable cells of the dimmable panel, ii) cause the optical sensor to capture an image of the one or more objects, and, iii) determine, based on the image, whether a shadow is cast on the one or more objects due to the one or more darkened cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: AM7VISION GMBH
    Inventor: Martin Hainfellner