Integration of a radio frequency device and a smart tinted window device

Abstract

The invention relates to an intelligent tinted window device (1), selectively controllable between a transparent position and at least one opaque position, wherein the device (1) operates in a transparent mode in which it is continuously controlled in the transparent position and in an opaque mode in which it is alternately controlled in the opaque and transparent positions. The invention further relates to a radio frequency device (2) capable of cooperating with such a tinted window device (1) and configured to transmit when the tinted window device (1) is in the transparent position. Abstract figure: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Integration of a radio frequency device and an intelligent tinted window device. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a radio frequency device and its integration with an intelligent tinted window device. Previous technique

[0002] An intelligent tinted window device is known.

[0003] Such a tinted window device is advantageously selectively controllable between at least one transparent position and at least one opaque position, typically by electrical control. For this purpose, such a device comprises two parallel panes of glass sandwiching between them a layer containing a material that can be selectively transparent or opaque. In one embodiment, this material is a polymer containing liquid crystals, PCL.

[0004] In the absence of an applied electrical voltage, the liquid crystals are uniformly oriented in all directions, creating opacity. When an electrical voltage is applied, the liquid crystals tend to align in the same direction, allowing light to pass through and creating transparency. The voltage intensity allows the degree of organization / disorganization of the liquid crystals to be varied, thus obtaining variable opacity.

[0005] Selective control advantageously allows the opacity of a window to be changed dynamically according to the electrical control applied.

[0006] Such an intelligent tinted window device is generally used in a transparent mode where it is permanently in a transparent position when visibility is desired, for example in driving mode in a vehicle and in an opaque mode where it is permanently in an opaque position, when privacy or protection from the sun is desired.

[0007] One problem with the opacity of the tinted window device is that, while it blocks the passage of light, it also blocks the passage of radio frequency waves. The opacity causes an attenuation of up to 15 to 30 dB.

[0008] Therefore, a way to remedy this drawback is sought. Summary of the invention

[0009] To this end, the invention proposes to modify the opaque mode of the tinted window device from a permanent control in opaque position to a control alternating opaque position and transparent position.

[0010] The invention relates to an intelligent tinted window device, selectively controllable between a transparent position and at least one opaque position, where the device operates in a transparent mode in which it is permanently controlled in the transparent position and in an opaque mode in which it is alternately controlled in the opaque position and in the transparent position.

[0011] Specific features or embodiments, usable alone or in combination, are: - In opaque mode, the opaque position is controlled at a frequency of at least 12 Hz, preferably at least 15 Hz, and even more preferably at least 18 Hz. - the tinted window device is associated with a radio frequency device, where, in opaque mode, the duration of a transparent position is at least equal to the transmission duration of a frame of the radio frequency device.

[0012] According to a second aspect, a radio frequency device capable of cooperating with such a tinted window device, configured to transmit when the tinted window device is in a transparent position.

[0013] Specific features or embodiments, usable alone or in combination, are: - the radio frequency device includes an observer of the position of the tinted window device, including at least one opaque position and one transparent position, in order to know when to transmit, - the radio frequency device further includes a synchronization means capable of requesting or commanding the tinted window device to move to a transparent position before transmitting. Brief description of the drawings

[0014] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the figures in the appendix in which: [Fig.1] shows, in cross-section, an intelligent tinted window device, [Fig.2] shows, a synoptic diagram of the synchronization method between the radio frequency device and the tinted window device. Description of the implementation methods

[0015] With reference to [Fig.1], the invention relates to a tinted window device 1. This tinted window device 1 is said to be intelligent, in that it is selectively controllable between a transparent position and at least one opaque position.

[0016] To this end, according to an illustrative embodiment, the tinted window comprises two parallel panes 5, 6, made of glass or plastic, enclosing an intermediate layer 7. This intermediate layer 7 comprises a polymer in which are arranged liquid crystals. A control unit 8 completes the device 1 so as to allow a voltage to be applied to the liquid crystals of the intermediate layer 7 in order to change the state of the intermediate layer 7, and therefore of the tinted glass, between a transparent position and at least one opaque position, depending on the voltage applied.

[0017] Depending on the intensity of the applied voltage, it is possible to obtain a whole range of opacity. Therefore, the tinted glass includes a transparent position (or the most transparent possible) and one or more opaque positions.

[0018] In what follows, reference is sometimes made to an opaque position. This can be any of the opaque positions, possibly a position that varies over time between different opaque positions.

[0019] According to the prior art, an intelligent tinted window device is used in a transparent mode and in at least one opaque mode. In the transparent mode, the device 1 is permanently in a transparent position. In the at least one opaque mode, the device 1 is permanently in an opaque position, more precisely in an opaque position.

[0020] The device 1 according to the invention operates in a transparent mode and in at least one opaque mode. The transparent mode is substantially identical to the transparent mode of the prior art: the device 1 is permanently controlled in the transparent position. According to one feature, each opaque mode differs from the opaque mode of the prior art in that the device 1 is alternately controlled in the opaque position (in an opaque position) and in the transparent position.

[0021] The invention here takes advantage of retinal persistence. Retinal persistence states that the human eye does not perceive a visual variation unless its duration is less than a threshold approximately equal to 1 / 15th of a second. This threshold may vary depending on the authors.

[0022] Thus, an interruption from an opaque position to the transparent position is not detected by a human eye, provided that said interruption is not too long.

[0023] Also, according to another feature, in opaque mode, the opaque position is controlled by a sufficiently high frequency F. It follows that the transparent position is not detectable by the human eye.

[0024] For this purpose, the frequency F is at least 12 Hz, preferably at least 15 Hz, and even more preferably at least 18 Hz. It should be noted that a frequency of 15 or 18 Hz ensures compliance with the physiological threshold of 1 / 15th of a second. Conversely, a frequency of 12 Hz is theoretically somewhat low. It is assumed here that while detection is possible, it is not sensitive enough to be bothersome to a user.

[0025] The invention is advantageously used in cooperation with a radio frequency device 2. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], such a radio frequency device 2 comprises a first piece of equipment 2a, which is a transmitter, respectively a receiver, or both, and a second piece of equipment 2b, which is a receiver, respectively a transmitter, or both, tuned to the first piece of equipment 2a. The two pieces of equipment 2a, 2b are arranged on either side of the tinted glass.

[0026] Also, the tinted window device 1 presents an obstacle to the propagation of radio frequency waves. Furthermore, when the tinted window device 1 is in the opaque position, this particular position adds additional attenuation of up to 15 to 30 dB.

[0027] In transparent mode, the tinted glass exhibits standard attenuation corresponding to the prior art. Therefore, transmission is possible without modification of the radio frequency device compared to the prior art. Conversely, in opaque mode, a permanent opaque position such as in the prior art would be detrimental to transmission. Thus, the presence of transparent positions in opaque mode according to the invention is advantageously exploited to perform transmissions during these transparent positions.

[0028] In order for a transmission to be carried out in full in transparent position, in order to avoid any risk of attenuation, according to another characteristic, it is necessary that the duration of the transparent position be at least equal to the duration of an elementary transmission, i.e. to the duration Trf of transmission of a frame of the radio frequency device 2.

[0029] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a radio frequency device 2 capable of cooperating with a tinted window device 1 as described above. This radio frequency device 2 is, according to one feature, configured to transmit when the tinted window device 1 is in the transparent position.

[0030] As described above, the tinted window device 1 is either in transparent mode, where it is permanently in the transparent position, or in opaque mode, where it alternates between transparent and opaque positions. The transparent mode is easier to use because the transparent position is maintained for longer periods, thus facilitating transmissions. The opaque mode offers transparent position windows, albeit shorter ones.

[0031] In both transparent and opaque modes, the radio frequency device 2 must synchronize with the tinted window device 1 to determine whether it is in the transparent position in order to transmit. If it is in the opaque position, the radio frequency device 2 can wait for it to switch to the transparent position or trigger it.

[0032] To this end, according to another feature, the radio frequency device 2 includes a position observer 3 of the tinted window device 1. This observer is capable of determining a position of the tinted window device 1, either opaque or transparent. This is so that the radio frequency device 2 can determine when to transmit.

[0033] According to a first embodiment, the radio frequency device 2, when observing an opaque position, can simply wait while transitioning to a transparent position. If the tinted window device 1 is configured to regularly alternate to the transparent position while in opaque mode, this may be sufficient to guarantee an acceptable transmission delay.

[0034] However, if the tinted window device 1 does not pass or not quickly enough depending on the time constraints of the radio frequency device 2, into the transparent position, another embodiment may consist of having the radio frequency device 2 act as the agent of the passage of the tinted window device 1 into the transparent position.

[0035] Also, according to another feature, the radio frequency device 2 advantageously includes a synchronization means 4. It is capable of requesting or commanding the switching of the tinted window device 1 to the transparent position. For this purpose, the synchronization means 4 is typically interfaced with the radio frequency device 2 and with the tinted window device 1, typically via its processing unit 8. Thus, the radio frequency device 2 advantageously uses the synchronization means 4 to switch the tinted window device 1 to the transparent position prior to transmission.

[0036] It is indicated to request or command. It is possible to distinguish two synchronization modes. A synchronization mode where the tinted window device 1 is master relative to the radio frequency device 2 and a synchronization mode where the tinted window device 1 is slave relative to the radio frequency device 2.

[0037] In the first mode, the radio frequency device 2 requests a transition to the transparent position. The tinted window device 1 remains in control and decides if and when to execute this request, based on its own constraints. The observer 3 then remains useful to the radio frequency device 2 in determining when the transition to the transparent position is effective.

[0038] In the second mode, the radio frequency device 2 commands a switch to the transparent position. The tinted window device 1 is not the master and executes immediately. The observer 3 can still be useful, but secondarily, as a verification that the switch to the transparent position has occurred.

[0039] Given the stricter delay constraints of the radio frequency device 2, the second mode, where the radio frequency device 2 is master, is preferred.

[0040] With reference to [Fig.2], the synchronization between the tinted window device 1 and the radio frequency device 2 will now be described.

[0041] Arbitrarily, everything starts at step El when the radio frequency device 2 wishes to perform a transmission. This is materialized by a transmission request from the radio frequency device 2.

[0042] During a second step E2, the radio frequency device 2 inquires about the state of the tinted window device 1. This is done by the radio frequency device 2 by means of the observer 3. The latter returns the position, between transparent position and opaque position, of the tinted window device.

[0043] If the return is in the "transparent position", the sequence continues at step E3: transparent position. Since the tinted window device 1 is in the transparent position, the radio frequency device 2 can transmit immediately.

[0044] This is carried out in step E4: frame transmission. During this step the radio frequency device 2 can transmit at least one frame, advantageously several frames, if the transparent position is maintained.

[0045] Advantageously, as indicated in step E5, the transparent position is maintained by a request or command from the radio frequency device 2. This can be active or passive. Either the radio frequency device 2 commands the tinted window device 1 and actively maintains the transparent position, or the radio frequency device 2 is controlled by the tinted window device 1. In this case, the radio frequency device 2 knows the alternating pattern of the tinted window device 1. By means of the observer 3, it detects a transition to the transparent position and knows its minimum duration. Thus, in opaque mode, it knows the duration and recurrence of the transparent position and can therefore determine how many frames it can transmit before a possible transition to the opaque position.If transparent mode is detected, by observing an absence of opaque position for a duration exceeding a threshold, it is possible to transmit almost without constraint, before a switch to opaque mode, which is always possible and at any time.

[0046] After the transmission of one or more frames, the process returns to the initial step El.

[0047] If, at step E2, the return is "opaque position", the sequence continues to step E6: opaque position. Since the tinted window device 1 is in the opaque position, the radio frequency device 2 cannot transmit immediately, but must trigger or wait for the occurrence of a transparent position.

[0048] This is materialized by step E7: request for transparency. This, depending on the mode of relationship between the tinted window device 1 and the radio frequency device 2, can correspond to a command, a request, or even a wait, the switch to the transparent position being periodic.

[0049] When the tinted window device 1 switches to the transparent position, the radio frequency device 2 switches to transmission. This is performed in step E8: frame transmission. This step is identical in all respects to step E4. During this step, the radio frequency device 2 can transmit at least one frame, advantageously several frames, if the transparent position is maintained. As with step E4, the number of frames transmitted depends on the context.

[0050] If the tinted window device 1 is in transparent mode, there is little or no constraint, only a possible switch to opaque mode. If the tinted window device 1 is in opaque mode, the transparent position should not be maintained for too long.

[0051] To this end, step E9 implements a timer set to a period of 1 / F, where F is the minimum alternating frequency of the opaque position. This timer can be controlled by the tinted window device 1, in the case of a master tinted window device 1. Alternatively, this timer can be controlled by the radio frequency device 2, in the case of a master radio frequency device 2.

[0052] At the latest upon expiry of this timer, all transmission is stopped and the tinted window device 1 switches to opaque position, at step E10, by an opacity request or command.

[0053] Next, the sequence continues by returning to the initial step El.

[0054] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This description is to be considered illustrative and given by way of example and not as limiting the invention to this single description. Numerous embodiments are possible. List of reference signs

[0055] 1: intelligent tinted window device, 2: radio frequency device, 3: observer, 4: means of synchronization, 5, 6: window, 7: intermediate layer, 8: control unit, F: frequency of position change of the tinted window device, Trf: duration of transmission of a frame.

Claims

Demands

1. Intelligent tinted window device (1), selectively controllable between a transparent position and at least one opaque position, characterized in that the device (1) operates in a transparent mode in which it is permanently controlled in the transparent position and in an opaque mode in which it is alternately controlled in the opaque position and in the transparent position.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein, in opaque mode, the opaque position is controlled according to a frequency (F) of at least 12 Hz, preferably of at least 15 Hz, more preferably of at least 18 Hz.

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, associated with a radio frequency device (2), wherein, in opaque mode, the duration of a transparent position is at least equal to the transmission time (Trf) of a frame of the radio frequency device (2).

4. Radio frequency device (2) capable of cooperating with a tinted window device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is configured to transmit when the tinted window device (1) is in the transparent position.

5. Radio frequency device (2) according to claim 4, comprising an observer (3) of the position of the tinted window device (1), among said at least an opaque position and the transparent position, in order to know when to transmit.

6. Radio frequency device (2) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, further comprising a synchronization means (4) capable of requesting or commanding the tinted window device (1) to move into the transparent position, before transmitting.