A system for controlling one or more active glazing and a method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system (100) for controlling plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113…, n). The disclosed system comprises a central control unit (101) configured to communicate with one or more input interface (105a, 105b, 105c, …, m) and send instructions for controlling said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113…, n). It includes a power supply unit (102), operably configured with said central control unit (101), further configured to power up said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113…, n) based on the instructions obtained from said central control unit (101). The central control unit (101) obtains global inputs for activating, de-activating and further controlling said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113,…, n) with different output power via one or more power channels. It also includes suitable protection units to protect the active element. The disclosed system is cost effective and efficient as compared to prior art solutions.

Description

[0001] A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING ONE OR MORE ACTIVE GLAZING AND A METHOD THEREOF

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure broadly relates to construction solutions, it particularly relates to active glazing in buildings. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a solution for controlling one or more active glazing in a building.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[0006] Glazing is generally referred to as a transparent or translucent or opaque material used in windows, doors, skylights, and other building openings to allow light to enter while also providing thermal insulation, soundproofing, and visual transparency or privacy. Typical glazing materials include glass, plastic, acrylic, polycarbonate, and composite materials, such as fiberglass or carbon fiber. Glazing unit may be single, double, or triple-pane, and / or may be coated with different films or coatings to improve their functionalities such as energy efficiency, reduction in glare, or enhancing security. Some of the common types of glazing that are used in architectural applications include clear and tinted float glass, tempered glass, and laminated glass among other variety of coated glasses. A facade is generally referred to the front part or exterior of a building.

[0007] An active glazing is referred as a glazing having additional functionalities such as and not limited to privacy, thermal comfort, visual comfort and the like. Such glazing systems are integrated with respective functional units which can be electrically controlled. Active glazing may include a liquid crystal film, electrochromic film or even metal oxides layer exhibiting said functionalities. Such active glazing, either double or triple may be laminated as well and are used for both interior and exteriors. Conventional active glazing is electronically controlled either in a wired manner or in a wireless manner. For wireless control of active glazing both short range communication and long-range communication may be used. The conventionally existing controllers are simple switching units capable of single power channel-based control. Such power channels operate, i.e., only in a single voltage.

[0008] Activating a glazing refers to facilitating the system of the glazing to operate to provide the desired functionality such as and not limited to privacy, thermal comfort. It is intuitive to understand that deactivating refers to the act of activating. For instance, in case of glazing providing privacy functionality, where a polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) film is integrated between the one or more layers of the glazing, activating the glazing would mean turning on the PDLC film electrically to render transparency and de-activating would mean turning off the power supply the PDLC film, thereby turning the glazing to be opaque. It would be understood by one skilled in the art that in the present disclosure when referred to controlling of the glazing, it includes predominantly safely activating and deactivating of the glazing, however not limited to these. In other words, controlling may include, the selection of glazing, its mode operation, the selection of the power channel, supply of the power supply, control of additional functionality such as haze and the like.

[0009] One or more active glazing may be connected to form a network and the same may be electronically controlled where each glazing unit is controlled by individual separate controllers. Reference is made to FIG. 1 that depicts an instance of an architecture to electronically control one such conventional active glazing. Initial power supply to the conventional glazing may be provided via the main power supply of the building the glazing is installed at. Each individual controller is configured to control a single power channel that activates or de-activates the glazing in only one specific voltage.

[0010] Reference is made to US20170307916A1 refers to a PDLC film that comprises a pattern or a signage. Furthermore, the invention comprises a multichannel controller that enables independent control of each segment of the pattern. However, it does not talk about one or more connected active glazing and are pertinent to segmented PDLC film.

[0011] A further reference is made to WO2013144526A1 that refers to an electrically controllable liquid crystal glazing comprising a substrate carrying a liquid crystal element disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode connected to an electrical power supply, the liquid crystal element being capable of switching. The electrical power supply is adapted to apply, to the glazing, a starting voltage of which the amplitude gradually increases from zero to the operational amplitude during a starting time of at least 0.1 second starting after the electrical power supply is activated, and / or a stopping voltage (Vs(t)) of which the amplitude gradually decreases from the operational amplitude to zero, during a stopping time of at least 0.1 second starting after the electrical power supply is stopped. However, even this solution does not suggest or disclose about applying control to connected glazing units where each glazing can be operated in a different voltage.

[0012] Another reference is made to US20120194895A1 that discloses an electrochromic system comprising an electrochromic glazing or insulated glazing unit, a photovoltaic module for supplying power to the electrochromic glazing or IGU, and an electronics module in communication either the electrochromic glazing and / or photovoltaic module. The system includes a wireless controller coupled with photovoltaic cells that can reduce the cost and complexity of installation, especially for architectural retrofit applications. However, in case of connected active glazing such a controller need to be provided to each individual glazing as depicted in FIG. 1.

[0013] In view of the prior art solutions known hitherto, it has been observed that for a system of connected active glazing, each individual glazing needs to be controlled for activating and de-activating the glazing. Such an arrangement is cumbersome but also not cost effective in nature. Hence, there exists a need for a simple and cost-effective system that can control one or more connected active glazing, and said active glazing is of different power variants.

[0014] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0015] An object of the present invention is to provide a solution for overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective solution for controlling one or more connected active glazing.

[0017] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a scalable solution for controlling one or more connected active glazing.

[0018] A further object of the present invention is to provide a modular solution for controlling one or more connected active glazing.

[0019] These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the following aspects of the invention. The following disclosure presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This presents some concept of the invention in a simplified form to a more detailed description of the invention presented later. It is a comprehensive summary of the disclosure, and it is not an extensive overview of the present invention. The intent of this summary is to provide a fundamental understanding of some of the aspects of the present invention.

[0020] In an aspect of the present invention is provided a system for controlling plurality of active glazing. This system comprises a central control unit configured to communicate with one or more input interface and send instructions for controlling said plurality of active glazing. It further has a power supply unit, operably configured with said central control unit and further configured to power up said plurality of active glazing based on the instructions obtained from said central control unit. The system further has a glass interface unit operably configured to function as an intermediate correcting means between the power supply unit and the plurality of active glazing. Said central control unit is configured to obtain global inputs for activating, de-activating and further controlling said plurality of active glazing with different output power via one or more power channels. The power supply unit comprises a transformer section and one or more inverter sections configured in tandem to supply output power of a desired voltage to the plurality of active glazing. The transformer section of the power supply unit is configured to convert power of an input voltage into power of an intermediate voltage. Said transformer section further comprises rectifier units, a high frequency switch, a power transformer and one or more filter units operably coupled for converting an input alternating current AC into an output direct current DC of the intermediate voltage. The transformer section of the power supply unit comprises a first control module configured to control switching of the voltages of the input power to the intermediate voltage. The inverter section of the power supply unit is configured to convert the DC output of the transformer section to AC output power of a desired voltage. The inverter section further comprises a DC-DC converter, a DC to AC inverter, and a filter unit for converting the DC output of the transformer section to AC output of a desired voltage as the output power. The inverter section comprises a second control module configured to generate a sine wave output power. The inverter section comprises a module for Pulse-width modulation PWM configured to control the pulse width and frequency of the output power. The inverter section comprises an automatic voltage regulator AVR to control the amplitude of the voltage of the output power. The inverter section comprises a clipper unit for generating the desired output power. The transformer section is operably coupled to one or more DC power channels, each of said power channels being connected to a separate inverter section to supply output power to said one or more active glazing. The glass interface unit comprises a discharge unit configured to remove any residual charges formed in the one or more active glazing during its functioning. The glass interface unit comprises RF chokes and / or isolators configured to remove harmonics from the AC output from power supply unit. The glass interface unit comprises plurality of connectors for mechanical assembly and installation. The central control unit is configured for being connected with a network or a cloud server to store, transfer, process data received from said central control unit, wherein said connection to said central control unit is either wired or wireless or a combination thereof. The central control unit is configured to a memory unit for storing and processing data related to the system. The power supply unit comprises a protection unit coupled at an input power part of the system, wherein said input power is from a main power supply and is configured to protect the central control unit from fluctuations of current or voltage. The one or more input interfaces are configured to securely obtain input from a user and transmit the received input to the central control unit. Said one or more input interfaces being configured as integral components of the system or as auxiliary components or as a combination of both and the one or more input interfaces are coupled to the central control unit in a wired, wireless or a combinatory means thereof. The central control unit is configured to assign a sequential priority to the one or more input interfaces. The central control unit is configured to enable or disable said one or more power channels based on said sequential priority in the event of a conflict. The central control unit, power supply, memory unit, and the input interfaces are either integrated as a single unit, or provided as modular units or provided as a combination thereof. The central control unit is configured check the connections of the system for failure detection. The central control unit includes a means configured to connect to a building management system BMS.

[0021] In another aspect of the present invention is provided a method for controlling the system disclosed in the above aspect. The method includes powering the central control unit from a main power supply. This is followed by checking by the central control unit, for connections of the system, voltage and current values at critical sections. Then included in the method is obtaining and transmitting, by the central control unit, status of the one or more active glazing to the one or more input interfaces. The method then includes securely obtaining, by the central control unit, an input via the one or more input interfaces and controlling, by the central control unit, one or more active glazing based on the obtained input. The step of controlling, by the central control unit, comprises checking the voltage requirements for activating and / or de-activating the one or more active glazing. It also includes the step of selecting the power channel for activating and / or de-activating the one or more active glazing.

[0022] In the disclosed invention, a single controller unit is capable of universal input capable of powering active glazing with AC power across one or more channels. Disclosed system is configured to comprise of minimum components to generate the required AC waveform. The controller unit can provide multi-voltage support ranging in varied voltage ranges as per connected active glazing needs. The disclosed system can be advantageously configured with multiple control inputs via wireless or wired mode. It has integrated data logging unit for glass condition monitoring. The invention provides a multi-channel output which can be controlled independently with a haze control option. It has protection means at the supply output to reset the glass to zero state when there is a power outage or switching of power. The significant features of the present invention and the advantages of the same will be apparent to a person skilled in the art from the detailed description that follows in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

[0023] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0024] The following briefly describes the accompanying drawings, illustrating the technical solution of the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, for assisting the understanding of a person skilled in the art to comprehend the invention. It would be apparent that the accompanying drawings in the following description merely show some embodiments of the present invention, and persons skilled in the art can derive other drawings from the accompanying drawings without deviating from the scope of the disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a solution for controlling one or more connected as generally known in the art.

[0026] FIG. 2A illustrates a broad overview of the system for controlling one or more active glazing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2B illustrates a detailed view of the system for controlling one or more active glazing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3A illustrates a detailed view of the transformer section of the power supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 3B illustrates a detailed view of the inverter section of the power supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3C illustrates different waveforms of current in inverter section according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 4A illustrates a modular integrated architecture of the control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 4B illustrates a fully integrated architecture of the control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4C illustrates a hybrid integrated architecture of the control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates a method for controlling the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the disclosure.

[0035] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED INVENTION

[0036] The present disclosure is now discussed in more detail referring to the drawings that accompany the present application. It would be appreciated by a skilled person that this description is to assist in the understanding of the invention, but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.

[0037] The terms and words used in the following description are not limited to the bibliographical meanings and the same are used to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, the terms / phrases are to be read in the context of the disclosure and not in isolation. Additionally, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0038] The present invention discloses a system of connected active glazing with a multichannel control unit. The control unit is configured to function as a single smart control interface to select the individual channels or glazing and thereby capable of powering glazing of different variants. Such a system of connected glazing finds varied application inclusive and not limited of being integrated to the building management system (BMS). In the disclosed system, a single controller unit is configured to take universal input and is configured to power one or more active glazing connected in a system with AC power across 2 or more power channels. Said single control unit is a smart interface configured to take input across multiple control inputs modes such as and not limited to wireless fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Long range (LoRa) and the like. The disclosed system incorporates suitable memory devices for integrated data logging for monitoring the system. The disclosed invention includes a multi-channel output configured to be controlled independently with a haze control option. The system incorporates a bleeder circuit or a discharge circuit at the supply output to reset the glass to zero state when there is a power outage or switching of power.

[0039] Reference is made to FIG. 2A that discloses a comprehensive block diagram of the key elements of the system (100) disclosed herein and FIG. 2B depicts a detailed diagram of the system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Said system (100) for controlling plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, ....n) comprises a central control unit (101). The central control unit (101) is smart and is configured to communicate with one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,....m) and send instructions for controlling said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, ... n). The system further includes a power supply unit (102), operably configured with said central control unit (101) which is further configured to power up said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, ... n) based on the instructions obtained from said central control unit (101). The system includes a glass interface unit (103) operably configured to function as an intermediate correcting means between the power supply unit (102) and the plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, ... , n). Said central control unit (101) is configured to obtain global inputs for activating and / or de-activating said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, ... , n) with different output power via one or more power channels. The central control unit (101) is configured to perform other control operations on said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113,... n) with different output power via one or more power channels.

[0040] In an implementation, the central control unit is configured to include a haze control option. Said global inputs may include instructions for controlling the different glazing units such as instruction for haze control. Haze control is relevant for PDLC based switchable glazing. In cases of electrochromic glazing, tinting or colour control may be exhibited and controlled by the central control unit. The central control unit (101) may also be configured check the connections of the system for failure detection. It would be understood by one skilled in the art, that control options may be specific to the kind of active glazing. However, the central control unit may be configured to perform it in a manner not deviating from the scope of the present invention.

[0041] Global input refers to the instructions received from any input devices (106, 107) securely connected to the system and securely communicate with the central control unit (101). The input devices may include mobile or tablet having suitable interface such a dedicated application for a user to provide input. In an implementation, the disclosed system may be an internet of things (loT) based system with secure protocol for communication. The system is alternate current (AC) powered system for powering the AC power active glazing operating in varied voltage ranges. The inputs may be provided to the system remotely as well. The other instances of input devices may include portable devices like remote, and the like or wall mounted switches like Radio Frequency switches, kinetic switches and the like.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, the central control unit (101) is configured to a memory unit (109) for storing and processing data related to the system as shown in FIG.2B. The central control unit (101) may also connect the system to the internet or cloud server to store, transfer and process data received from the controller or any of the peripheral devices. This advantageously facilitates for integrated data logging for monitoring glass or glazing condition. Data logging of the power channel and active glass status for monitoring of the functioning of the active glass unit. This is achieved by means of programming the microcontroller to sample the electrical parameters on a timely manner. The unit is responsible for interfacing the smart control devices (input devices) to a control unit. In an implementation, said control unit may a microprocessor. It provides the necessary control signals or instructions to the power supply unit. The smart interfaces may utilize any of the wireless communication means.

[0043] Reference is made FIG. 2B that discloses a detailed diagram of the system architecture. As depicted in the diagram, in an implementation, the system may include two input interface (105a) and (105b) for accessing the central control unit (101) and thereby the glazing. Said interface (105a) may operate for short range communication-based input. These are interfaces configured to allow activation / deactivation of the active glazing from within a room or a building. These are generally placed in the proximity of the active glazing or central control unit (101). The communication method may be wired with physical switches or wireless means using Bluetooth, infrared or radio frequency protocols, however, not limited to these. Such short-range communication mode is generally unidirectional in nature. There may be another interface (105b) that is configured for long range communication. These are interfaces which are generally connected over the internet or over longer ranges and does not have the limitation of being in proximity to the system. This may be considered as interfaces or protocols which can enable glazing control remotely. Instances of such interfaces include loT module, GSM-LTE module (wherein GSM is for Global System for Mobile Communication and LTE is for long-term evolution), WiFi, LoRA, satellite communication and so on. The interface may also be connected via. Local area network (LAN) or ethernet interface to the internet. The input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105 c) may be part of the system or part of input device as the use case may be.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a power supply unit (102). This unit is responsible for powering the glazing units as per control instructions received from the central control unit (101). The power supply unit (102) comprises a transformer section (1021) and one or more inverter sections (1022) configured in tandem to supply output power of a desired voltage to the plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, > , n). FIG. 3A depicts a block diagram of the transformer section (1021) of the power supply unit (102) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transformer section (1021) is configured to convert power of an input voltage into power of an intermediate voltage. Said transformer section (1021) further comprises rectifier modules (121, 124), a high frequency switch (122), a power transformer (123), and one or more filter unit (121a, 124a) operably coupled for converting an input alternating current (AC) into an output direct current (DC) of the intermediate voltage. The transformer section (1021) comprises a first control module (125) configured to control switching of the voltages of the input power to the intermediate voltage.

[0045] In an implementation of the present invention, the transformer section (1021) may be a switched power supply. Said switched power supply is an electronic power supply that incorporates a switching regulator to convert electrical power efficiently. Said switched power supply is configured to step down or convert the input voltage to the different voltages required by the each of the active glazing connected glass and the central control unit (101). In this implementation, this section may include an input rectifier (121), a high frequency switch (122), a power transformer (123), and a final rectifier (124) for DC output. Said input rectifier (121) and final rectifier (124) may be operably coupled with filter circuits (121a, 124a). The switching control is performed by means of a control circuit / module (125). Such a control circuit may be a dedicated hardware circuit operably configured with the final rectifier (124) output and the high frequency switch (122). In an alternate implementation, said control module (125) is included in the central control unit (101).

[0046] Reference is made to FIG. 3B that depicts a block diagram of the inverter section (1022) of the power supply unit (102) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Said inverter section (1022) is configured to convert the DC output of the transformer section (1021) to AC output power of a desired voltage. The inverter section (1022) further comprises a DC-DC converter (126), a DC to AC inverter (127), and a filter unit (128) for converting the DC output of the transformer section (1021) to AC output of a desired voltage as the output power. The inverter section (1022) comprises a second control module (129) configured to generate a sine wave output power. The inverter section (1022) comprises a module for Pulse-width modulation (PWM) configured to control the pulse width and frequency of the output power. In this embodiment, said inverter section (1022) further comprises an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) to control the amplitude of the voltage of the output power. Additionally, the inverter section (1022) comprises a clipper unit for generating the desired output power. In an implementation, said clipper unit may be operational amplifier (op-amp) based clipper. The transformer section (1021) is operably coupled to one or more DC power channels, each of said power channels being connected to a separate inverter section (1022) to supply output power to said one or more active glazing (111, 112, 113, . , n).

[0047] In an implementation of the present invention, the inverter section (1022) is configured to convert the switched power supply output back to the required AC output voltage for the active glazing. The inverter section (1022) may include a DC-DC converter (boost) (126), DC to AC inverter (127), filter unit (LC circuit) (128), and the control circuit / module (129) to generate a sine wave output. Such a control circuit may be a dedicated hardware circuit operably configured with the DC to AC inverter (127) and the filter unit (128). In an alternate implementation, said control module (129) is included in the central control unit (101).

[0048] In another implementation of the present invention, a fast-switching pulse-width modulator (PWM) may be used to control the pulse width and frequency of the voltage. An automatic voltage regulator (AVR) may be used to control the amplitude of the voltage. Alternatively, a trapezoidal waveform may be generated using an inverter to create a square waveform followed by an OpAmp clipper circuits combination. This advantageously reduces the complexity of the circuit. The PWM is configured for controlling switching frequencies and this advantageously facilitates in creating the required alternating voltage frequency. In the disclosed embodiment of the disclosed invention, it advantageously uses minimum components to generate the required AC waveform. FIG. 3C provides an example of the different waveforms of the different waveforms.

[0049] In an alternate implementation, the power supply unit (104) may generate a pure sine wave form by means of a transformer with multiple tap points for the different channels. In this case, it is possible to have similar or different output voltages but for a particular channel the voltage may be fixed. The individual channel control is enabled by means of a relay unit, however, not limited to this.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a glass interface unit (103). The glass interface unit (103) comprises a discharge unit configured to remove any residual charges formed in the one or more active glazing (111, 112, 113, . , n) during its functioning. The glass interface unit (103) comprises RF chokes and / or isolators configured to remove harmonics from the AC output from power supply unit. The glass interface unit (103) comprises plurality of connectors for mechanical assembly and installation. The mechanical assembly is such that it is capable to withstand the harsh environment which the glazing and the system would be exposed to at the installation sites.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, the glass interface unit (103) is configured to act as a connection between power supply and the active glazing. It may include the bleeder or discharge circuit to remove the residual charge in the active glazing. This is essential, when there is a power shut off during regular operation or sudden power off when the main power supply faces issues. The glass interface unit operably configured to function as an intermediate correcting means between the power supply unit and the one or more active glazing and ensures safety of the system. The glass interface is an additional protection provided in the system that functions beyond the regular means for protections. Provided further in the system are various connectors configured to allow for quick assembly of cables during installation. This section may also include radio frequency chokes or isolators configured to remove harmonics from the AC output from power supply unit.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present invention, the power supply unit (102) of the system may include a protection unit (130) coupled at an input power part of the system. This input power is from a main power supply and is configured to protect the central control unit (101) from fluctuations of current or voltage. Such a protection module may be a fuse for instance. In the disclosed system, the one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b) are configured to securely obtain input from a user and transmit the received input to the central control unit (101). Said one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c) being configured as integral components of the system or as auxiliary components or as a combination of both. The one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c) are coupled to the central control unit (101) in a wired, wireless or a combinatory means thereof. The central control unit (101) is configured to assign a sequential priority to the one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b) and the central control unit (101) is configured to enable or disable said one or more power channels based on said sequential priority in the event of a conflict. The central control unit (101) is configured to check the connections of the system for failure detection. The sequential priority for each interface to enable decision making in case of conflicts or simultaneous activation or instruction signal received from different interface devices. The wireless interfaces advantageously assist users to manage the active glazing remotely and thereby, provide a means to monitor the condition of the glazing and sent triggers or control signals as per a user’s interest.

[0053] The central control unit (101) is configured for being connected with a network or a cloud server to store, transfer, process data received from said central control unit (101), wherein said connection to said central control unit (101) is either wired or wireless or a combination thereof. The central control unit (101) is configured to a memory unit (109) for storing and processing data related to the system.

[0054] It may be understood by a person skilled in the art that even though the key elements of the electronic system of the present invention are detailed here, there may be components required as well for full functioning of the system. Such additional components are use case specific in nature and are suitably incorporated without divulging from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0055] In an implementation of the present invention, various means may be provided for integrating the input devices with the central control unit. FIGs. 4A-4C disclose three possible architectures for such integration. As has been detailed in one of the embodiments above, the input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c) may be part of the system or part of input device as the use case may be. In an implementation is disclosed a modular integration of the system as seen in FIG. 4A. Here, the central control unit or wireless communication devices is a modular unit. The configuration may have one or more combination of the different wireless interfaces. For instance, one combination may be WiFi unit or WiFi and Bluetooth unit, or radio frequency and infrared switch, with Long Range communication and the like. Such a configuration facilitates variability to be achieved on the central control unit, which allows for using any communication protocol suitable for a specific application and can be integrated into an existing building control system. In another implementation of the present invention is provided a fully integrated system, as seen in FIG. 4B, in which the central control unit (101) and power supply unit (104) are integrated on a single board or designed to be an integral unit. This advantageously reduces the number of components used in the board. With such an integration, the size of the overall system reduces and so does the cost. In another implementation of the present invention is provided a hybrid system that is a combinatorial architecture wherein the central control unit on board or board / integrated and has a provision to interface with more input interface units or other switching techniques. For instance, the system may have a Bluetooth unit integrated to the power supply unit on-board as part of the minimum system configuration. The system may have a multi-channel switch / connector interface to connect an external device for input. Such system provides flexibility of application.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed a method (200) for controlling the system disclosed in the present invention as depicted in FIG. 5. The method includes a step of powering (S201) the central control unit from a main power supply. Once the system central control is power, the step of checking (S202) for connections of the system, voltage and current values at critical sections is performed by the central control unit. This method further includes the step of the central control unit obtaining (S203) and transmitting, status of the one or more active glazing to the one or more input interfaces. The method still further includes step of securely obtaining (S204) an input via the one or more input interfaces. The central control unit is configured to include suitable protocols to ensure secure communication between the control unit and the input devices. The method further includes central control unit executing controlling (S205) one or more active glazing based on the obtained input. In an implementation, said step of controlling (S205), may include the central control unit to execute the step of checking (S2051), by the central control unit, the voltage requirements for activating and / or de-activating the one or more active glazing. This step may be followed by selecting (S2052) the power channel for activating and / or deactivating the one or more active glazing. The method may further include steps for controlling of the active glazing such as steps for haze control.

[0057] Example: In an implementation of the present invention, the central control unit may have one or more means configured to connect to a building management system (BMS). Such means for connection may be ports, or other suitable connectors. There may be provided cables and connectors suitable for that may have standard pigtail connectors with a provision for mechanical locking. Input means via wireless interfaces facilitates for managing the active glazing remotely. This advantageous provides a provision to monitor the condition of the active glasses and sent triggers or control signals as per user’s requirement. The central controller unit is configured to provide multi-voltage support ranging from 0-200 V as per connected active glazing needs. The disclosed system is provided with a port to connect to the building management system using a communication protocol which may be used as an integral part of the regular building automation systems. The memory unit is configured to store data and / or intermediate control instructions and event-based information. The central control unit may include a main processor (like a microprocessor or microcontroller) configured to manage all the other units in the system, like the power supply unit, the memory unit, and interface units. Also, the central control unit is configured to efficient manage power between the different sections of the system.

[0058] The proposed system provides low form factor and low-cost design. The embodiment on fully integrated, partially integrated and hybrid configurations provide means for multiple input interfacing capability for wireless and wired control of the glasses. In an implementation the disclosed multi-channel controller designed for a multi-voltage and multi-channel controller unit support all different versions of active glasses requiring AC power (with different voltage rating). The disclosed design (with equivalent electronic components) is capable of integrating the safety features such as data logging, protection circuits, filtering circuits and the like. The multi - channel system is configured to control multiple glazing units and control based on number of glasses plugged in rather than a limitation of size of the glass. The disclosed system improves the safety and provides extended life to the glazing. The disclosed system is capable of improving the longevity by discharging power when in off condition (provided by discharge circuit). The disclosed system provides easy service because it is capable of a data logging which can be accessed during failure and service. The disclosed solution primarily reduces the need for multiple versions of controller unit. It is capable of controlling the Glass input power requirements to increase active glass life.

[0059] Some advantages of the present invention are enlisted in the following:

[0060] • With the disclosed system for active glazing, the control unit is capable of providing support and control options to connected glazing system, where the glazing may support for multi-voltage ranges. For instance, for a connected glazing system having active glazing operational different voltages, a single glazing is able to provide control option.

[0061] • The disclosed system has means for data logging and is provided with minimal component requirements.

[0062] • The disclosed system is capable of catering to all active glazing in varied power rating.

[0063] • The protection circuit such as Glass interface unit provide protection to prevent any pulsed or DC spike which can reduce the life of the active component in the glazing unit like PDLC. The disclosed system is cost effective and efficient.

[0064] Features that are described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and / or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

[0065] It would be appreciated by the skilled person that present invention includes various combinations of mechanical elements and features. It is understood that the invention may be practiced with various combinations of elements or features, and that such combinations are within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Although embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the system and method described herein. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

[0066] Many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. It is to be understood that the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the personally preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.

[0067] List of reference numerals appearing in the accompanying drawings and the corresponding features: 100: system

[0068] 111, 112, 113...., n: active glazing

[0069] 101: central control unit

[0070] 102: power supply unit 103: glass interface unit

[0071] 105a, 105b, 105c... , m: input interfaces

[0072] 106, 107: input devices

[0073] 1021 : transformer section

[0074] 1022: inverter sections 121, 124: rectifiers

[0075] 122: high frequency switch

[0076] 123: transformer

[0077] 126: DC-DC converter

[0078] 127: DC to AC inverter (127), and 121a, 124a, 128: filter unit

[0079] 130: protection unit

[0080] 200: method

[0081] S201-S205, S2051, S2052: method steps 1

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 14 July 2025 ( 14.07.2025)CLAIMS1. A system (100) for controlling plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113.... ,n) comprising: a central control unit (101) configured to communicate with one or more input interface (105a, 105b, 105c,....m) and send instructions for controlling said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113... , n); a power supply unit (102), operably configured with said central control unit (101) comprising a transformer section (1021) and one or more inverter sections (1022) configured in tandem to supply output power of a desired voltage to the plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113, n). based on the instructions obtained from said central control unit (101); a glass interface unit (103) operably configured to function as an intermediate correcting means between the power supply unit (102) and the plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113,... , n); characterized in that, wherein said central control unit (101) is configured to obtain global inputs for activating, de-activating and further controlling said plurality of active glazing (111, 112, 113,... , n) with different output power of desired voltage via one or more power channels.

2. The system of Claim 1 , wherein the desired voltage and power output from the power supply unit (102) selectively activates the functioning of the plurality of active glazings (111, 112, 113,... , n), wherein the plurality of active glazings is selected from the group of liquid crystal films, electrochromic films or even metal oxides layers exhibiting desired functionalities.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transformer section (1021) of the power supply unit (102) is configured to convert power of an input voltage into power of an intermediate voltage.

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said transformer section (1021) further comprises rectifier units (121, 124), a high frequency switch (122), a power transformer (123), and one or more filter units (121a, 124a) operably coupled for converting an input alternating current (AC) into an output direct current (DC) of the intermediate voltage.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transformer section (1021) of the power supply unit (102) comprises a first control module (125) configured to control switching of the voltages of the input power to the intermediate voltage.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inverter section (1022) of the power supply unit (102) is configured to convert the DC output of the transformer section (1021) to AC output power of a desired voltage.

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inverter section (1022) further comprises a DC-DC converter (126), a DC to AC inverter (127), and a filter unit (128) for converting the DC output of the transformer section (1021) to AC output of a desired voltage as the output power.

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inverter section (1022) comprises a second control module (129) configured to generate a sine wave output power.

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inverter section (1022) comprises a module for Pulse- width modulation (PWM) configured to control the pulse width and frequency of the output power.

10. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inverter section (1022) comprises an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) to control the amplitude of the voltage of the output power.

11. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inverter section (1022) comprises a clipper unit for generating the desired output power.

12. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transformer section (1021) is operably coupled to one or more DC power channels, each of said power channels being connected to a separate inverter section (1022) to supply output power to said one or more active glazing (111, 112, 113, . , n).

13. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass interface unit (103) comprises a discharge unit configured to remove any residual charges formed in the one or more active glazing (111, 112, 113, , n) during its functioning.

14. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass interface unit (103) comprises RF chokes and / or isolators configured to remove harmonics from the AC output from power supply unit.

15. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass interface unit (103) comprises plurality of connectors for mechanical assembly and installation.

16. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101) is configured for being connected with a network or a cloud server to store, transfer, process data received from said central control unit (101), wherein said connection to said central control unit (101) is either wired or wireless or a combination thereof.

17. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101) is configured to a memory unit (109) for storing and processing data related to the system.

18. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply unit (102) comprises a protection unit (130) coupled at an input power part of the system, wherein said input power is from a main power supply and is configured to protect the central control unit (101) from fluctuations of current or voltage.

19. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,... m) are configured to securely obtain input from a user and transmit the received input to the central control unit (101); said one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,... .m) being configured as integral components of the system or as auxiliary components or as a combination of both; and the one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,....m) are coupled to the central control unit (101) in a wired, wireless or a combinatory means thereof.

20. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101) is configured to assign a sequential priority to the one or more input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,... ,,m); and the central control unit (101) is configured to enable or disable said one or more power channels based on said sequential priority in the event of a conflict.

21. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101), power supply (102), memory unit (109), and the input interfaces (105a, 105b, 105c,....,m) are either integrated as a single unit, or provided as modular units or provided as a combination thereof.

22. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101) is configured to check the connections of the system for failure detection.

23. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit (101) includes a means configured to connect to a building management system (BMS).

24. A method (200) for controlling the system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising: powering (S201) the central control unit from a main power supply; checking (S202), by the central control unit, for connections of the system, voltage and current values at critical sections; obtaining (S203) and transmitting, by the central control unit, status of the one or more active glazing to the one or more input interfaces; securely obtaining (S204), by the central control unit, an input via the one or more input interfaces; and characterized in that, wherein controlling (S205), by the central control unit, comprises: checking (S2051), by the central control unit, the voltage requirements for activating and / or de-activating the one or more active glazing; and selecting (S2052), by the central control unit, the power channel for activating and / or de-activating the one or more active glazing.

25. The method of Claim 24, wherein the desired voltage and power output from the power supply unit (102) selectively activates the functioning of the plurality of active glazings (111, 112, 113,... , n), wherein the plurality of active glazings is selected from the group of liquid crystal films, electrochromic films or even metal oxides layers exhibiting desired functionalities.

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