Electro-optical glazing structures having total-reflection and transparent modes of operation for use in dynamical control of electromagnetic radiation
Electro-optical glazing structures having total-reflection and semi-transparent and totally-transparent modes of operation which are electrically-switchable for use in dynamically controlling electromagnetic radiation flow in diverse applications.
1. An electro-optical glazing structure having total-reflection and transparent modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation without absorption, respectively, said electro-optical glazing structure comprising:
an electro-optical panel of laminated construction, having first and second optical slates of operation; and
optical state switching means for switching said electro-optical panel to said first optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing into said total-reflection mode of operation, and for switching said electro-optical panel to said second optical state of operation in order to induce said electro-optical glazing into said transmission mode of operation,
wherein electromagnetic radiation within a first prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is totally reflected from said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein electromagnetic radiation within a second prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is transmitted through said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
2. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein said first prespecified bandwidth comprises the infrared (IR) portion and ultra-violet (UV) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and said second prespecified bandwidth comprises said IR portion, said UV portion and the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
3. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-passive cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel;
a second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels.
4. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 3 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
5. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 3 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP stare and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
6. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-active cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel;
a second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
an electrically-passive π-phase retardation panel interposed between said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels.
7. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 6 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
8. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 6 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
9. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-active cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
a second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel adjacent said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel.
10. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 9 ,
wherein said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel totally reflects without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) stale and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmits without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation;
wherein said second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel totally reflects without absorption electromagnetic radiation having said RHCP state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein said second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmits without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP stare and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
11. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 , which further comprises:
a window frame for mounting said electro-optical panel within a house or office building, or aboard a transportation vehicle.
12. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 11 , which further comprises:
a electromagnetic-sensor mounted on said window frame, far sensing electromagnetic conditions;
a battery supply mounted within said window frame, for providing electrical power;
a electromagnetic-powered battery recharger mounted within said window frame, for recharging the battery;
electrical circuitry mounted within said window frame, for producing glazing control voltages for switching said first and second optical states of operation; and
a programmable micro-computer chip mounted within said window frame, for controlling the operation of said battery recharger and said electrical circuitry, and the production of said glazing control voltages as required by a radiation flow control program stored within said programmable microcontroller.
13. An intelligent window system for dynamic electromagnetic radiation control which comprises:
a plurality of said electro-optical glazing structures of claim 11 , each mounted within a house or office building, or aboard a transportation vehicle; and
a central control computer for coordinating the operation of said electro-optical glazing structures.
14. An intelligent pair of sunglasses, comprising:
a frame; and
a pair of optical element supported within said frame,
wherein each said optical element is realized using said electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 .
15. An composite electro-optical glazing structure which comprises:
a plurality of said electro-optical glazing structures of claim 1 , stacked together as a composite electro-optical structure,
wherein said composite electro-optical structure has more than two said optical states of operation which permit complex levels of electromagnetic radiation control.
16. A stereoscopic 3-D viewing device in the form of eyeglasses, comprising:
a pair of optical elements positionable before the eyes of a user of said eyeglasses,
each said optical element including said electro-optical glazing structure of claim 1 ,
whereby said eyeglasses can control electromagnetic radiation during stereoscopic 3-D viewing or monoscopic 2-D viewing of displayed images (i.e. virtual world viewing), or during stereoscopic viewing of real world objects.
17. An electro-optical glazing structure having total-reflection and transparent modes of operation for selectively reflecting and transmitting electromagnetic radiation without absorption, respectively, said electro-optical glazing comprising:
an electro-optical panel of laminated construction, having first and second optical states of operation;
an electrical switching device operably coupled to said electro-optical panel;
wherein electromagnetic radiation within a first prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is totally reflected from said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein electromagnetic radiation within a second prespecified bandwidth falling incident upon said electro-optical panel is transmitted through said electro-optical panel without absorption when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
18. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 , wherein said first prespecified bandwidth comprises the infrared (IR) portion and ultra-violet (UV) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and said second prespecified bandwidth comprises said IR portion, said UV portion and the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
19. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-passive cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel;
a second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
an electrically-active π-phase retardation panel interposed between said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels.
20. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 19 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
21. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 19 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-passive CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP stare and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
22. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-active cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel;
a second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
an electrically-passive π-phase retardation panel interposed between said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels.
23. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 22 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical stale of operation.
24. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 22 ,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels totally reflect without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation,
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
25. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 , wherein said electro-optical panel comprises:
a first electrically-active cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel; and
a second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel adjacent said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel.
26. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 25 ,
wherein said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel totally reflects without absorption electromagnetic radiation having a left band circularly polarized (LHCP) state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein said first electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmits without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either a right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation;
wherein said second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panel totally reflects without absorption electromagnetic radiation having said RHCP state and a wavelength within said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation, and
wherein said second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmits without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state and/or a wavelength outside said first prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said first optical state of operation; and
wherein said first and second electrically-active CLC electromagnetic radiation polarizing panels transmit without absorption electromagnetic radiation having either said LHCP state or said RHCP state and a wavelength within said second prespecified bandwidth when said electro-optical panel is switched to said second optical state of operation.
27. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 , which further comprises:
a window frame for mounting said electro-optical panel within a house or office building, or aboard a transportation vehicle.
28. The electro-optical glazing structure of claim 27 , which further comprises:
a electromagnetic-sensor mounted on said window frame, for sensing electromagnetic conditions;
a battery supply mounted within said window frame, for providing electrical power;
a electromagnetic-powered battery recharger mounted within said window frame, for recharging the battery;
electrical circuitry mounted within said window frame, for producing glazing control voltages for switching said first and second optical states of operation; and
a programmable micro-computer chip mounted within said window frame, for controlling the operation of said battery recharger and said electrical circuitry, and the production of said glazing control voltages as required by a radiation flaw control program stored within said programmable microcontroller.
29. An intelligent window system for dynamic electromagnetic radiation control which comprises:
a plurality of said electro-optical glazing structures of claim 27 , each mounted within a house or office building, or aboard a transportation vehicle; and
a central control computer for coordinating the operation of said electro-optical glazing structures.
30. An intelligent pair of sunglasses, comprising:
a frame; and
a pair of optical element supported within said frame,
wherein each said optical element is realized using said electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 .
31. An composite electro-optical glazing structure which comprises:
a plurality of said electro-optical glazing structures of claim 17 , stacked together as a composite electro-optical structure,
wherein said composite electro-optical structure has more than two said optical states of operation which permit complex levels of electromagnetic radiation control.
32. A stereoscopic 3-D viewing device in the form of eyeglasses, comprising:
a pair of optical elements positionable before the eyes of a user of said eyeglasses,
each said optical element including said electro-optical glazing structure of claim 17 ,
whereby said eyeglasses can control electromagnetic radiation during stereoscopic 3-D viewing or monoscopic 2-D viewing of displayed images (i.e. virtual world viewing), or during stereoscopic viewing of real world objects.