Systems, apparatus, and methods to adjust dimming associated with dual panel sunroofs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027599-B2
Application number	US-201916359137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2019
Priority date	Mar 20, 2019
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods to adjust dimming associated with dual panel sunroof are disclosed. A disclosed sunroof dimming system for a vehicle includes a first dimmable panel of a sunroof and a second dimmable panel of the sunroof. The first dimmable panel is moveable relative to the second dimmable panel to open or close the sunroof. The sunroof dimming system also includes a controller operatively coupled to the first and second dimmable panels. The controller is configured to adjust dimming associated with the first and second dimmable panels to maintain a brightness of an external light associated with a vehicle cabin that is experienced by a vehicle occupant when the sunroof changes between a closed state and an open state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sunroof dimming system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first dimmable panel of a sunroof including first dimming bands;
a second dimmable panel of the sunroof including second dimming bands, the first dimmable panel moveable relative to the second dimmable panel to open or close the sunroof; and
a controller operatively coupled to the first dimmable panel and the second dimmable panel, the controller configured to
adjust dimming of the first dimmable panel and the second dimmable panel to maintain a light intensity of an external light of a vehicle cabin when the sunroof changes between a closed state and an open state,
determine a position of the first dimmable panel,
determine overlapping dimming bands of the first dimming bands and the second dimming bands based on the position, and
adjust an electrical parameter applied to the overlapping dimming bands maintain the light intensity.

2. The sunroof dimming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
control one or more of the first dimming bands to change a visual characteristic associated with the first dimmable panel, and
control one or more of the second dimming bands to change a visual characteristic associated with the second dimmable panel.

3. The sunroof dimming system of claim 2 , wherein the first dimming bands or the second dimming bands are rectangular.

4. The sunroof dimming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to increase a transparency associated with the first panel or a transparency associated with the second panel in response to the sunroof changing from the closed state to the open state.

5. The sunroof dimming system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to decrease a transparency associated with the first panel or a transparency associated with the second panel in response to the sunroof changing from the open state to the closed state.

6. An apparatus, comprising:
a sunroof controller configured to:
control dimming of a first panel of a sunroof of a vehicle cabin and a second panel of the sunroof of the vehicle cabin,
move, via a motor, the first panel relative to the second panel from a first position to a second position in which the first panel at least partially overlaps with the second panel, each of the first and second panels in a first visual state when the first panel is in the first position,
adjust dimming of the first and second panels such that, when the first panel is in the second position, each of the first and second panels is in a second visual state different relative to the first visual state,
determine an overlapping portion of the first panel and the second panel when in the second position, and
adjust an electrical parameter applied to the overlapping portion maintain a light intensity of an external light of the vehicle cabin.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the sunroof controller is configured to:
detect the light intensity within the vehicle cabin via a sensor when the first panel is in the first and second positions; and
adjust a first electrical parameter applied to the first panel and a second electrical parameter applied to the second panel based on the light intensity to maintain the light intensity.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the sunroof controller is configured to:
calculate a first adjustment associated with increasing a transparency of the first panel;
calculate a second adjustment associated with increasing a transparency of the second panel; and
control the first panel and the second panel based on the respective first and second adjustments to maintain the light intensity within the vehicle cabin in response to the sunroof changing from a closed state to an open state.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first adjustment includes increasing a first voltage applied to the first panel, and wherein the second adjustment includes increasing a second voltage applied to the second panel.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the sunroof controller is configured to:
determine a first area of the first panel and a second area of the second panel that are to overlap with each other when the first panel is in the second position; and
adjust a first electrical parameter applied to the first area and a second electrical parameter applied to the second area to maintain the light intensity in response to the sunroof changing from a closed state to an open state.

11. A tangible machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
control dimming of a first panel of a sunroof of a vehicle cabin and a second panel of the sunroof of the vehicle cabin;
move, via a motor, the first panel relative to the second panel from a first position to a second position in which the first panel at least partially overlaps with the second panel, each of the first and second panels in a first visual state when the first panel is in the first position;
adjust dimming of the first and second panels such that, when the first panel is in the second position, each of the first and second panels is in a second visual state different relative to the first visual state;
determine an overlapping portion of the first panel and the second panel when in the second position, and
adjust an electrical parameter applied to the overlapping portion maintain a light intensity of an external light of the vehicle cabin.

12. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
detect the light intensity within the vehicle cabin via a sensor when the first panel is in the first and second positions; and
adjust a first electrical parameter applied to the first panel and a second electrical parameter applied to the second panel based on the light intensity to maintain the light intensity.

13. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
calculate a first adjustment associated with increasing a transparency of the first panel;
calculate a second adjustment associated with increasing a transparency of the second panel; and
control the first panel and the second panel based on the respective first and second adjustments to maintain the light intensity within the vehicle cabin in response to the sunroof changing from a closed state to an open state.

14. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first adjustment includes increasing a first voltage applied to the first panel, and wherein the second adjustment includes increasing a second voltage applied to the second panel.

15. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
determine a first area of the first panel and a second area of the second panel that are to overlap with each other when the first panel is in the second position; and
adjust a first electrical parameter applied to the first area and a second electrical parameter applied to the second area to maintain the light intensity associated with the vehicle cabin when the first panel is in the first and second positions.

Assignees

• Aisin Technical Ct America Inc

Inventors

• Katsura Shintaro

Classifications

• E06B2009/2464

  featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels · CPC title

• B60J3/04 Primary

  adjustable in transparency · CPC title

• B60J7/0007

  moveable head-liners, screens, curtains or blinds for ceilings · CPC title

• B60J7/043

  Sunroofs (B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedence){e.g. sliding above the roof} · CPC title