Ultrasonic Particle Manipulation for Dynamic Window Opacity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling the appearance of glass surfaces, such as windows, are either cumbersome (like manual window coverings) or expensive and unsustainable (like electronic circuits), and do not easily adapt to legacy systems.
Innovation Solution
A system using sound waves, specifically ultrasonic sound waves, is employed to control the movement of particles near a surface, allowing for dynamic changes in appearance by varying the amplitude, phase, and frequency of the sound waves emitted by an array of sound sources, which creates forces that move particles to alter the surface's opacity or aesthetic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual window coverings are used to control light, then privacy and lighting control are achieved, but operation becomes cumbersome and requires manual manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical window coverings with an automated acoustic particle manipulation system. Sound waves generated by transducers manipulate particles in the air gap to control surface appearance, eliminating the need for physical manipulation of blinds or curtains.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service operation where the acoustic device automatically adjusts particle arrangement based on detected environmental conditions or user preferences, making the surface adapt without requiring manual intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If glass tinting is applied to control light, then privacy is improved, but the solution becomes permanent and does not readily allow for change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic system where particle arrangement can be continuously adjusted in real-time using sound waves. This allows the surface appearance to transition between different states (transparent, translucent, opaque) on demand, contrasting with permanent static tinting solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the optical parameters of the surface by manipulating particle positions through acoustic fields. By varying sound wave characteristics (frequency, amplitude, phase), the particle arrangement changes, thereby dynamically altering the surface's light transmission properties without permanent modification.
3Ease of manufacture
If electronic circuits are installed within the surface to change electrical properties, then appearance control is achieved, but the solution becomes prohibitively expensive and not easily sustainable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control mechanism from the glass surface itself and places it in the surrounding environment. Instead of embedding electronic circuits within the glass, the system uses external transducers that manipulate particles in the air gap, simplifying manufacturing and avoiding complex internal wiring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces particles in the air gap as an intermediary medium between the acoustic field and the glass surface. These particles mediate the appearance change by scattering or absorbing light, eliminating the need for complex electronic circuits within the surface while achieving similar optical modulation effects.
4Adaptability or versatility
If electronic circuits are installed to change surface appearance, then adaptability is improved, but the solution requires installation of new windows and becomes prohibitively expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal solution that can be applied to existing glass surfaces without modification. The acoustic particle manipulation system works with any transparent or translucent surface, making it universally applicable to windows, doors, and partitions without requiring custom manufacturing or installation of new components.
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 method enables flexible and sustainable control of a surface's appearance without the need for manual intervention or expensive electronic installations, allowing for real-time adjustments to suit privacy, lighting, and aesthetic needs.
Implementation Method 1
The variable ultrasonic sound waves create a force which causes particles within a region proximate the surface to move in a desired manner with respect to the surface
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic source controlled by a controller to cause the ultrasonic source to emit one or more sound pulses in a direction of a surface in order to obtain one or more reflected sound pulses that are used to determine one or more properties of the surface. The ultrasonic source receives one or more control signals based on the one or more properties of the surface that are determined. Further, the ultrasonic source emits one or more ultrasonic sound waves in the direction of the surface based upon the one or more control signals. The one or more ultrasonic sound waves exert a force which causes visible particles to move to modify an opacity of the surface.