Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Lear Corporation

Jp Morgan Chase Bank

Kenneth Edward Nietering

Jeffrey Thomas Remillard

Willes H Weber

Michael Anthony Marinelli

Hulya Demiryont

David James Scholl

Rick H Wykoff

Charles J Amberger

Clay Wesley Maranville

Victoria Leigh Schein

Mark Edward Nichols

Timothy Jay Potter

James W Proscia

Christopher Michael Seubert

Bala Chander

Cynthia Mowery Flanigan

Kenneth J Gajewski

John Michael Galan Ferrer

Richard Lee Crawley

Ronald R Hymore

Richard H Wykoff, Ii

A computing device in a vehicle can determine an occupant type, location and orientation and determine intensity and direction of sunlight. The computing device can tint one or more portions of vehicle windows based on the occupant type, location and orientation and the strength and direction of sunlight.

Vehicle window tinting

A computer is programmed to modify an electrical property to adjust an opacity of a sensor cover window. The computer is programmed to actuate an excitation source to emit electro-magnetic beams toward the cover window.

Self-defrosting sensor

A window assembly includes a first polarizing windowpane, and a second polarizing windowpane. The first and second polarizing windowpanes are each independently moveable between a first position that blocks an opening to an interior of a vehicle, and a second position that does not block the opening. A window operating method includes moving first and second polarizing windowpanes of a window assembly from respective first positions that block an opening to an interior of a vehicle to respective second positions that do not block the opening.

Vehicle window assembly with polarized windowpanes and method of operating same

A moon roof module includes a first transparent panel, a second transparent panel and a third transparent panel packaged in a compartment between the first transparent panel and the second transparent panel. The moon roof module also includes an actuator configured to displace the third transparent panel between a first position and a second position. A related method of switching a moon roof module between a transparent state and an opaque state is also disclosed.

Variable transmission moon roof module with multiple transparent panels

A vision system () for a vehicle () includes a light source () that generates an illumination beam (). A receiver () generates a first image signal and a second image signal. The first image signal is generated in response to a reflected portion of the illumination beam (). A controller is coupled to the light source () and the receiver (). The controller generates an image in response to the first image signal and the second image signal.

Active night vision image intensity balancing system

A thermal control system () for a light source () of a vision system () includes a heater () that is thermally coupled to the light source (). A thermal sensor () is thermally coupled to the light source () and generates a temperature signal. A controller () is coupled to the heater () and to the thermal sensor () . The controller () operates the heater () when the temperature signal is below a maximum temperature limit. The minimum and maximum temperature limits are obtained from the light-source wavelength-temperature characteristic.

Active night vision thermal control system using wavelength-temperature characteristic of light source

A thermal control system () for a light source () of a vision system () includes a heater () that is thermally coupled to the light source (). A thermal sensor () is thermally coupled to the tight source () and generates a temperature signal. A controller () is coupled to the heater () and to the thermal sensor (). The controller () operates the heater () when the temperature signal is below a maximum temperature limit. The minimum and maximum temperature limits are obtained from the light-source wavelength-temperature characteristic.

A thermal control system () for a light source () of a vision system () includes a heater () that is thermally coupled to the light source (). A thermal sensor () is thermally coupled to the light source () and generates a temperature signal. A controller () is coupled to the heater () and to the thermal sensor (). The controller () operates the heater () when the temperature signal is below a maximum temperature limit. The minimum temperature limit corresponds to the wavelength-temperature characteristic of the light source.

A color-corrected lighting system for night vision applications includes a near infrared light source and a thin-sheet optical element disposed a distance from the near infrared source. The optical element includes an input surface for receiving light from the near infrared source and an output surface for emitting the received light in a desired emission pattern. The system also includes a visible, non-red light source in the form of a plate having a plurality of non-red LEDs arranged thereon. The plate is proximate a surface of the optical element such that the output surface of the optical element emits the visible light to mask the emitted near infrared light. A camera is adapted to receive the near infrared light from the near infrared light source reflected off an object within a camera field of view, and a display images objects detected within the camera field of view.

Color-corrected laser illumination system for night vision applications

This invention is directed to a glass substrate having deposited thereon an electroconductive coating useful for defrosting the glass. The coating comprises three layers. The first layer deposited on the glass is selected from the group consisting essentially of: (a) silicon oxide and (b) silicon nitride and it is deposited on at least a portion of a surface of the glass substrate. The second layer comprises an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting essentially of (a) aluminum doped zinc oxide and (b) gallium doped zinc oxide. It is deposited on at least a portion of the first layer in a thickness of at least 1 micron. This second layer has a sheet resistance of less than 20 ohms per square. A third layer comprising a protective material is deposited on and is at least coextensive with the second layer. It is deposited in a thickness of at least 10 microns and is selected from the group of materials consisting essentially of: (a) fluorine doped tin oxide, and (b) silicon nitride. This third layer has a refractive index within 10% of that of the second layer.

Multilayer coating for defrosting glass

A method of making a glazing unit comprises sputter coating surface of a substrate ply with a first film of dielectric material and then a substantially transparent, electrically conductive coating, and then laminating the coated surface of the substrate ply to a laminating ply of polymeric material. The first film of dielectric material is sputtered onto the surface of the substrate followed by sputtering, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, an electrically conductive film of silver metal over the first dielectric film. An adhesion film of copper or zinc is sputtered over the silver metal film in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. A film of tantalum pentoxide is then sputtered over the adhesion film. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.

Method of making laminating glazing unit

A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on the laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising an electrically conductive film of silver metal covered by a tantalum pentoxide dielectric film immediately adjacent the laminating ply. Between the silver film and the tantalum pentoxide film is an adhesion film of metal selected from zinc and copper. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.

Laminated glazing unit having improved interfacial adhesion

A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on a laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising a film of electrically conductive material covered by a film of dielectric material. The film of dielectric material immediately adjacent the laminating ply comprises a layer of silicon dioxide immediately adjacent the laminating ply and a layer of dielectric material of refractive index greater than 1.5 between the silicon dioxide and the conductive material. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.

Laminated glazing unit

An anti-reflective coating employing silicon as a high refractive index material in a film pair together with silicon dioxide as a low refractive index material is found to be substantially transparent to visible light and to provide good anti-reflectance where the silicon film is ultra-thin, preferably less than about 50 Angstroms and the thickness of the silicon dioxide film is matched to that of the silicon film. Laminated glazing units having such anti-reflective film can be used, for example, even in applications requiring high transmittance of visible light, such as motor vehicle windshields, in view of the substantial transparency of the coating.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Kenneth Edward Nietering