The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 19, 2009
Filed:
May. 27, 2008
Donald L. Tapley, Holland, MI (US);
Robert R. Turnbull, Holland, MI (US);
Donald L. Tapley, Holland, MI (US);
Robert R. Turnbull, Holland, MI (US);
Gentex Corporation, Zeeland, MI (US);
Abstract
An electrical window control system and method thereof are provided, wherein the system includes a variable transmission window having first and second substantially transparent substrates that define an area, and a variable transmittance material that occupies at least a portion of the area. The system further includes a power source that supplies an electrical power, at least one light source that emits light towards the variable transmission window, and at least one sensor in optical communication with the light source, wherein the at least one sensor receives at least a portion of the light that propagates through at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates, and communicates a signal that corresponds to the received light. The system further includes a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, wherein the controller receives and compares the signal communicated from the at least one sensor to a reference value, and controls the electrical power supplied to the variable transmittance material, such that a transmittance of the variable transmission window is altered with respect to the light received by the at least one sensor.