Smart Glass Wireless Power Coupling for Easier Window Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for installing power and control wiring for smart glass windows are costly, labor-intensive, and prone to mechanical failure, especially when installed by untrained personnel, and do not allow for efficient integration with building infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
The use of pre-terminated, pre-manufactured building cabling with Near-Field Wireless Power Transmission (NFWPT) and wireless signaling for smart glass windows, eliminating physical connections and reducing installation complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wiring methods are used for smart glass windows, then power and control can be delivered to the window, but installation becomes costly and labor-intensive requiring skilled electricians to pull bulk wire stocks, cut to fit, and terminate by hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiring system with an electromagnetic field-based power transmission system. Instead of physically connecting wires from bulk wire stocks to the smart glass window, the invention uses a transmitting coil in the building infrastructure that creates an electromagnetic field to wirelessly transmit power and control signals to a receiving coil in the window, eliminating the need for manual wire pulling, cutting, and termination by skilled electricians
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary medium between the building's power distribution system and the smart glass window. The transmitting coil converts electrical power into an electromagnetic field that penetrates through space to the receiving coil, serving as a non-contact mediator that transfers energy and signals without requiring physical wire connections through the building structure
2Ease of operation
If wiring is installed by untrained personnel, then installation may proceed without skilled electricians, but the work is prone to mechanical failure and poor quality
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the mechanical wiring installation process with a wireless electromagnetic field-based system, the patent eliminates the skilled labor requirement entirely. The installation involves simply positioning the transmitting and receiving coils in proximity, which can be performed by untrained personnel without risk of improper wire termination or connection failures that plague traditional wiring installations by unskilled workers
3Manufacturing precision
If pre-manufactured wiring elements are used, then quality control and testing can be performed in advance, but this practice is typically reserved for aircraft and ship building where tight specifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-manufacturing the receiving coil assembly integrated with the smart glass window at the glass manufacturer's facility. The coil is precisely positioned and integrated into the window during the glass manufacturing process, allowing quality control and testing to be performed in advance before the window is installed in the building, similar to practices in aircraft and ship building but now accessible to the window industry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal solution that combines the precision of pre-manufactured components with the flexibility of wireless installation. The pre-integrated receiving coil can be adapted to various smart glass window configurations and building types, making the high-quality pre-manufacturing approach applicable across diverse applications rather than being restricted to only aircraft and ship building
4Productivity
If wireless power transmission is implemented, then installation time and complexity are reduced, but inductive coils must be integrated into the glass assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the receiving coil assembly with the smart glass window into a single integrated unit. The coil, along with its electrical connections and control components, is combined with the glass layers and electrochromic elements during manufacturing, creating a unified assembly that simplifies installation to merely positioning the complete unit in the window frame without requiring separate wiring steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes construction time, reduces material waste, optimizes space, and lowers maintenance costs by integrating power delivery and control systems wirelessly, enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of smart glass installations.
Implementation Method 1
a first inductive coil coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, the inductive coil being configured to be inductively coupled to a second inductive coil to receive AC power from the second inductive coil
Implementation Method 2
a power converter configured to convert the AC power from the first inductive coil to DC power for powering the electrochromic layer
Implementation Method 3
an electrochromic assembly with an electrochromic layer, a first electrode and a second electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A smart glass window that receives power and control signals without physical wiring connections to the window simplifies the installation procedure, reduces wiring and labor costs and enables moving windows or movable glass curtain walls.