Controlling method of dimming film and controlling circuit thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to a control method and control circuit for a dimming film. The control method mainly involves controlling the changes in voltage difference generated on the first and second transparent electrodes in two adjacent periods of multiple cycles through the changes in the first and second control voltage signals. This controls an active optical material layer sandwiched between the first and second transparent electrodes to adjust the light transmittance of the dimming film. Since the light transmittance can be adjusted, the user can choose to partially or completely block the light from the dimming film, thereby reducing power consumption.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a dimming film, wherein the dimming film comprises an active optical material layer sandwiched between a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode; wherein the control method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a first control voltage signal to the first transparent electrode layer during a plurality of periodic time intervals, wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal is not the same in two adjacent periodic time intervals; and (b) providing a second control voltage signal to the second transparent electrode layer during the plurality of periodic time intervals, wherein the periodic time intervals include a first time interval and a second time interval, and the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal occurs in the same first time interval or the same second time interval in each of the periodic time intervals, so as to control the voltage difference change between the first control voltage signal and the second control voltage signal in two adjacent periodic time intervals to adjust the transmittance of the active optical material layer.

2. The control method for the dimming film as described in claim 1, wherein: In step (a), the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal falls within a first time interval of each cycle, and the lowest voltage value of the first control voltage signal falls within a second time interval of each cycle; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal is different in the two first time intervals of adjacent two cycles; and in step (b): the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls within the second time interval of each cycle, and the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls within the first time interval of each cycle and is the same as the lowest voltage value of the first control voltage signal; wherein, in each cycle, the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal in the second time interval is the same as the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time interval.

3. The control method for the dimming film as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cycle times includes a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, the control method further comprising: In step (a): the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of the first cycle time is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the first time period of the second cycle time, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of the first cycle time is lower than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the second time period of the second cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the first time period of the second cycle time is the same as the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the second time period of the second cycle time; and in step (b): the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls in the second time period of each cycle time, and the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls in the first time period of each cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of the first cycle time is the same as the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of the first cycle time is the same as the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal.

4. The control method for the dimming film as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cycle times includes a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, the control method further comprising: In step (a): the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of the first cycle time is lower than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the first time period of the second cycle time, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of the first cycle time is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the second time period of the second cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the first time period of the second cycle time is the same as the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the second time period of the second cycle time; and in step (b): the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls in the second time period of each cycle time, and the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls in the first time period of each cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of both the first and second cycle times is higher than the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of both the first and second cycle times is lower than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal.

5. The control method for the dimming film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cycle times includes a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, the control method further includes: in step (a), the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of the first cycle time is different from the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of the second cycle time, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of the first cycle time is different from the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of the second cycle time; and in step (b): the second control voltage signal is a DC fixed voltage signal, which includes a fixed voltage value greater than 0V, wherein the highest voltage values ​​of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of both the first and second cycle times are higher than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal, and the highest voltage values ​​of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of both the first and second cycle times are lower than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal.

6. A control circuit for a dimming film, the dimming film comprising an active optical material layer sandwiched between a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode; The control circuit includes: a multi-voltage signal generating unit electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode; and a drive control unit electrically connected to the multi-voltage signal generating unit, which controls the multi-voltage signal generating unit to output a first control voltage signal to the first transparent electrode layer and output a second control voltage signal to the first transparent electrode layer during multiple periodic times; wherein each periodic time includes a first time period and a second time period; wherein: the drive control unit controls the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the multi-voltage signal generating unit in two adjacent periodic times to be different; and the drive control unit controls the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal output by the multi-voltage signal generating unit to appear in the same first time period or the same second time period in each periodic time, so as to control the voltage difference change between the first control voltage signal and the second control voltage signal in two adjacent periodic times to adjust the transmittance of the active optical material layer.

7. The control circuit for the dimming film as described in claim 6, wherein the multi-voltage signal generating unit comprises: a variable DC voltage source electrically connected to the drive control unit and including a variable DC voltage terminal and a voltage level terminal; and a bridge circuit electrically connected to the variable DC voltage source, the bridge circuit including a first upper bridge switch, a first lower bridge switch, a second upper bridge switch and a second lower bridge switch, the first upper bridge switch and the second upper bridge switch being connected to the variable DC voltage terminal of the variable DC voltage source, the series connection node of the first upper bridge switch and the first lower bridge switch being connected to a second transparent electrode, and the series connection node of the second upper bridge switch and the second lower bridge switch being connected to a first transparent electrode, and the first lower bridge switch and the second lower bridge switch being connected to the voltage level terminal of the variable DC voltage source; wherein the first upper bridge switch, the first lower bridge switch, the second upper bridge switch and the second lower bridge switch are electrically connected to the drive control unit.

8. The control circuit for the dimming film as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multi-voltage signal generating unit comprises: a first variable DC voltage source electrically connected to the drive control unit and the first transparent electrode, wherein the drive control unit controls the first variable DC voltage source to output the first control voltage signal; and a second variable DC voltage source electrically connected to the drive control unit, wherein the drive control unit controls the second variable DC voltage source to output the second control voltage signal.

9. The control circuit for the dimming film as described in claim 8, wherein the plurality of cycle times include a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, and the drive control unit controls the first and second variable DC voltage sources as follows: The highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the first variable DC voltage source during the first time period of the first cycle is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring during the first time period of the second cycle, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal during the second time period of the first cycle is lower than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring during the second time period of the second cycle; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring during the first time period of the second cycle is the same as the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring during the second time period of the second cycle; and the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal output by the second variable DC voltage source falls within the second time period of each cycle, and the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls within the first time period of each cycle; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal during the first time period of the first cycle is the same as the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal during the second time period of the first cycle is the same as the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal.

10. The control circuit for the dimming film as described in claim 8, wherein the plurality of cycle times include a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, and the drive control unit controls the first and second variable DC voltage sources as follows: During the first time period of the first cycle time, the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the first variable DC voltage source is lower than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output during the first time period of the second cycle time, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output during the second time period of the first cycle time is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output during the second time period of the second cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the first variable DC voltage source during the first time period of the second cycle time is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output during the second time period of the second cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the first variable DC voltage source during the first time period of the second cycle time is higher than the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output during the second time period of the second cycle time. The highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal occurring in the second time period is the same; and the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal output by the second variable DC voltage source falls within the second time period of each cycle time, and the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal falls within the first time period of each cycle time; wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the first time period of both the first and second cycles time is higher than the lowest voltage value of the second control voltage signal, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal in the second time period of both the first and second cycles time is lower than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal.

11. The control circuit for the dimming film as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multi-voltage signal generating unit comprises: a variable DC voltage source electrically connected to the drive control unit, wherein the drive control unit controls the variable DC voltage source to output the first control voltage signal according to the periodic time, such that the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal falls within a first time period of each periodic time and is variable, and its lowest voltage value falls within a second time period of each periodic time and is variable; and a fixed DC voltage source electrically connected to the drive control unit, wherein the drive control unit controls the fixed DC voltage source to output the second control voltage signal having a fixed voltage value greater than 0V.

12. The control circuit for the dimming film as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of cycle times include a first cycle time and a second cycle time, and the first cycle time and the second cycle time are two adjacent cycle times, and the drive control unit performs the following control on the variable DC voltage source and the fixed DC voltage source: The highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the variable DC voltage source in the first time period of the first cycle is different from the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output in the first time period of the second cycle, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output in the second time period of the first cycle is different from the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output in the second time period of the second cycle; and the second control voltage signal output by the fixed DC voltage source is a DC fixed voltage signal, which includes a fixed voltage value greater than 0V, wherein the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the variable DC voltage source in the first time period of both the first and second cycles is higher than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal output by the fixed DC voltage source, and the highest voltage value of the first control voltage signal output by the variable DC voltage source in the second time period of both the first and second cycles is lower than the highest voltage value of the second control voltage signal output by the fixed DC voltage source.

13. The control circuit for the dimming film as described in claim 7, 11, or 12, wherein: The drive control unit is a processor (MCU) with a built-in waveform data storage unit that stores different voltage waveform data. The processor selects one of the voltage waveform data and outputs it to the connection interface. The variable DC voltage source includes: a waveform data temporary storage unit (FIFO) electrically connected to the processor to receive and temporarily store the voltage waveform data transmitted from the drive control unit; and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller electrically connected to the waveform data temporary storage unit. A pulse-width modulation (PWM) boost converter is electrically connected to the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to output a variable DC voltage signal corresponding to the voltage waveform data; and an analog-to-DC converter (ADC) is electrically connected to the output terminal of the PWM boost converter and connected to the input terminal of the PID controller through a subtractor to detect the voltage value of the DC voltage output by the PWM boost converter, and output information to the PWM boost converter after correcting the deviation, thereby adjusting the variable DC voltage signal output by the PWM boost converter.

14. The control circuit for the dimming film as described in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The drive control unit is a processor (MCU) with a built-in waveform data storage unit for storing different voltage waveform data. The processor selects one of the voltage waveform data and outputs it to the connection interface. The first and second variable DC voltage sources each include: a waveform data temporary storage unit (FIFO) electrically connected to the processor to receive and temporarily store the voltage waveform data transmitted from the drive control unit; and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller electrically connected to the waveform data temporary storage unit. A pulse-width modulation (PWM) boost converter is electrically connected to the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and the waveform data storage unit to output a variable DC voltage signal corresponding to the voltage waveform data through the PID controller; and an analog-to-DC converter (ADC) is electrically connected to the output terminal of the PWM boost converter and to the input terminal of the PID controller through a subtractor to detect the DC voltage value output by the PWM boost converter, and output information to the PWM boost converter after correcting the deviation, thereby adjusting the variable DC voltage signal output by the PWM boost converter.

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