Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an adaptive vehicle windshield system that is developed to improve visibility and driving comfort by reducing intense light disturbances during vehicle operation, thereby enhancing road safety and minimizing distraction for the vehicle operator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Headlight glare from oncoming vehicles, streetlights, and reflective road surfaces poses a significant challenge for drivers, especially during night-time or low-visibility conditions. The intense brightness from headlights overwhelms the eyes, creating a temporary blindness effect or "dazzle," which severely impacts a driver’s ability to see the road ahead. This reduced visibility increases the risk of accidents, as drivers may fail to detect obstacles, pedestrians, or other vehicles in time to avoid collisions. Additionally, glare causes eye strain and fatigue, making long drives more uncomfortable and mentally exhausting. Reflective surfaces, such as wet roads or road signs, further amplify the problem by redirecting light toward the driver's eyes. As driving at night or in challenging light conditions becomes more common, it is crucial to address this issue to improve overall road safety, prevent accidents, and enhance the driving experience by providing a more comfortable and less straining environment for drivers.

[0003] Several systems currently attempt to mitigate headlight glare, such as manual and automatic anti-glare rearview mirrors, electrochromic rearview mirrors, and polarized or tinted windshields. Electrochromic mirrors automatically dim in response to bright light, but their effect remains limited to the rearview and fails to address glare from front-facing light sources like oncoming headlights or streetlights. Polarized visors and glasses provide some relief but require the driver to wear them continuously and often reduce overall visibility. Tinted windshields block glare but also darken the field of view, which hinders visibility in low-light conditions. These existing solutions lack adaptability, real-time response, and comprehensive coverage of all glare sources, which limits their overall effectiveness in enhancing driver comfort and safety.

[0004] CN107209389B discloses a windshield and a head-up display system comprising the windshield. The windshield includes a projected image display portion for displaying a projected image by projected light, and sequentially includes a second glass plate, an intermediate layer, and a first glass plate from the incident side of the projected light, the intermediate layer having a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape, at least in the above The projected image display unit includes a half mirror film, and the half mirror film includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer. According to the windshield of the present invention, it is possible to display a projected image with reduced ghosting and high brightness.

[0005] KR101241494B1 discloses a windshield glass for a display and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to form a pattern portion formed by a combination of lines and blanks between an outer glass plate and an inner glass plate to prevent an image of a double phase on an incident image. It is about technology that enables easy manufacturing and guarantees a certain level of transparency. Wind shield glass for display of the present invention (external glass plate); A pattern part configured to combine at least one line and a blank part to reflect an incident image by using the line; And an inner glass plate bonded to the front surface of the pattern portion.

[0006] Conventionally, many systems exist for mitigating glare during night-time driving, but these solutions often come with limitations that reduce their overall effectiveness. Manual and automatic anti-glare rearview mirrors help in dimming glare from behind the vehicle, but they fail to address the glare from oncoming headlights or streetlights. Electrochromic mirrors, which automatically adjust based on light intensity, are similarly limited to only addressing glare in the rearview mirror and do not provide a solution for the front-facing glare. These existing solutions lack the adaptability and comprehensive coverage necessary to tackle all glare sources effectively, leading to a need for a more advanced and integrated system that can continuously adjust to various lighting conditions in real-time and across the entire windshield.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a dynamic and intelligent glare-reducing system that requires to provide full coverage across the entire windshield. Additionally, the developed system also needs to automatically detect level and direction of light from different sources, and dynamically adjust the opacity or polarization of the windshield to counteract glare while maintaining optimal visibility for the driver. Furthermore, The developed system also requires to provide enhanced comfort for the driver by reducing eye strain and fatigue without compromising safety, along with self-cleaning feature, and resistant to wear and tear, ensuring minimal maintenance and long-term performance.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a system that provides an automated anti-glare solution to enhance night driving safety, reduce driver fatigue, and improve overall driving comfort.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a system that is capable of reducing baseline glare while maintaining high optical clarity, ensuring only the bright glare zones are dimmed and the rest of the windshield remains transparent.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a system that is made from durable, self-cleaning, and scratch-resistant materials, ensuring longevity and minimal maintenance.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to an adaptive vehicle windshield system that provides an automated solution aimed at addressing the visibility challenges caused by intense light sources during driving, by means of an adjusting anti-glare to improve clarity and ensuring safer and more comfortable road experiences.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an adaptive vehicle windshield system, comprising a shielding member composed of a first layer, a second layer and a third layer as a substrate on which the first layer and the second layer are installed, the member adapted to be installed with a vehicle, the first layer is combination of a nano-structure light diffusing hydrophobic coating to impart a self-cleaning property to the member and a self-healing polymer for dynamic healing of scratches on the first layer, the coating is of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), the polymer reacts to an applied heat to expand and fill scratches on the first layer, the second layer is a pneumatically sealed enclosure filled with an electrochromic material for dynamically changing opacity of the member as per requirement based on ambient light conditions, the electrochromic material is Vanadium Dioxide (VO₂), a control arrangement is configured with the second layer to enable dynamic control of opacity of the second layer, a light sensor embedded on the member, and configured with the control arrangement, for detecting incident light level to accordingly impart a voltage in accordance with the light level, to the second layer to maintain visibility level of the second layer at a predetermined visibility level, the third layer is of tempered glass for imparting rigidity to the member.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control arrangement comprises an operational amplifier integrated with a trans-impedance configuration to amplify voltage signal generated from the light sensor from incident light, an analog-to-digital converter digitising the amplified voltage signal based on which the electrochromic material is actuated to adjust opacity, a sliding button is provided on the member, connected with the second layer to enable a user to manually adjust opacity of the second layer to pre-set levels, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit, is installed on the member and integrated with a processor for recording and processing images in a vicinity of the member, to determine deposits on the member including water and dirt to trigger a microcontroller to actuate a pair of motorised wipers installed with the member for wiping away the deposits, a set of channels is formed over the first layer, each of the channels configured with heating elements, for guiding heated air towards central region of the member, for removal of ice build-up and drying of deposited liquids, wherein air is pushed into the channels via a compressor connected with the channels, an AR (augmented reality) display is mounted with the member for displaying navigational data received from a GPS (global positioning system) linked with the microcontroller, and an infrared camera is installed with the member for tracking eyes of driver to detect the driver being distracted to actuate a speaker provided on the member to generate an audio alert regarding focusing on road.

[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of an adaptive vehicle windshield system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0019] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0020] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0021] The present invention relates to an adaptive vehicle windshield system that is developed for improving driver safety and experience by minimizing visual disruption from external light sources by means of a responsive system which selectively manages light entry, enabling better control of brightness levels in real time under varying external conditions.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of an adaptive vehicle windshield system is illustrated, comprises of a system 100 having a shielding member 101 101 composed of a first layer 102, a second layer 103 and a third layer 104, a control arrangement 105 is configured with the second layer 103, a light sensor 106 embedded on the member 101 and configured with the control arrangement 105, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 is installed on the member 101, a pair of motorised wipers 108 installed with the member 101, an AR (augmented reality) display 109 is mounted with the member 101, an infrared camera 110 is installed with the member 101, and a speaker 111 provided on the member 101.

[0023] The present 100 is an anti-glare windshield that enhance night driving safety, reduce driver fatigue, and improve overall driving comfort by providing an automated, seamless, and durable anti-glare solution.

[0024] The present system 100 includes a shielding member 101 to be installed with a vehicle and made up of three layers, named as a first layer 102, a second layer 103 and a third layer 104. The third layer 104 acts as a substrate on which the first layer 102 and the second layer 103 are installed. The system 100 is linked with the vehicle’s electronic control unit (ECU) that is activated by the user upon starting of the vehicle. Upon activation, an inbuilt microcontroller interlinked with the system 100 is activated that processes the signal received from the system 100 and generates a signal to initiate the required action.

[0025] The first layer 102 herein is a combination of a nano-structure light diffusing hydrophobic coating to impart a self-cleaning property to the member 101. The hydrophobic coating is a nano-structured light-diffusing hydrophobic transparent coating of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). These nanostructures mimic the physical texture of a lotus leaf for reducing the contact area between water droplets and the surface. As a result, water has difficulty spreading out and instead forms nearly spherical droplets. These nanostructures are treated or coated with a hydrophobic chemical compound like a fluorinated or silicon-based substance, that further repels water.

[0026] The first layer 102 also includes a self-healing polymer for dynamic healing of scratches on the first layer 102. The polymer coating used herein is of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) that reacts to an applied heat to expand and fill scratches on the first layer 102. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is a thermally responsive polymer that changes its properties when heat is applied. These polymers are engineered with reversible chemical bonds or physical chain mobility, allowing them to rearrange and "fill in" damage like scratches or abrasions. When exposed to light such as UV or infrared, TiO₂ absorbs the energy and converts it into localized heat. Due to the heat, TiO₂ assists in initiating cross-linking reactions in the polymer, helping reform the original surface.

[0027] After the first layer 102, the second layer 103 is a pneumatically sealed enclosure filled with an electrochromic material for dynamically changing opacity of the member 101 as per requirement based on ambient light conditions. Two transparent, rigid or flexible substrates (like thin sheets of glass or polycarbonate) are taken. A sealant material (such as epoxy resin, silicone, or UV-curable adhesive) is applied along the edges of the substrates. These layers are then pressed together in a controlled environment using pneumatic pressure (air pressure) to ensure an even seal and eliminate air bubbles. Before final sealing, an inert gas (like nitrogen or argon) is filled to stabilize the electrochromic material and prevent oxidation or degradation. The adhesive is cured (using heat, UV light, or pressure) to harden and form a permanent airtight seal, ensuring that the electrochromic material inside stays uncontaminated and responsive over time.

[0028] The electrochromic material used herein is Vanadium Dioxide (VO₂). Vanadium Dioxide is used as the electrochromic material because of its characteristic feature of dynamically changing the opacity of the glare surface in response to electrical signals generated based on ambient light conditions. The VO2 is thermodynamically unstable and is easily oxidized by the oxygen and moisture in the ambient air. Hence, the sealed environment helps to prevent the oxidization of the VO2.

[0029] The second layer 103 is configured with a control arrangement 105 that enables the dynamic control of opacity of the second layer 103. The control arrangement 105 includes a light sensor 106 embedded on the member 101 for detecting incident light level. The light sensor 106 used herein is a photodiode, activated by the microcontroller to detect the intensity of incident light (sunlight, headlights, or streetlamps) falling on the windshield. The sensor converts this light into an analog electrical signal. This analog signal is sent to the control arrangement 105, which includes an operational amplifier, activated by the microcontroller that is set up in a trans-impedance configuration that converts the small current into a usable voltage signal.

[0030] After that, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes the signal so the system’s 100 microcontroller determines the light intensity. Based on the digitized signal, the microcontroller compares the detected light intensity with a pre-set visibility threshold. If the incoming light exceeds the threshold (e.g., glare from oncoming headlights), the microcontroller calculates the voltage needed to adjust the electrochromic layer’s opacity. Based on the detected light intensity, a trans-impedance configuration is activated by the microcontroller to apply a precise voltage across the electrochromic material in the second layer 103 to adjust opacity.

[0031] There is a sliding button provided on the member 101 to allow the user to access the button for manually adjusting opacity of the second layer 103 to pre-set levels. The sliding button is typically a small, movable component installed on or near the vehicle's windshield, often integrated into the dashboard or center console of the vehicle. The button moves along a defined path for allowing the user to shift it along this path to adjust settings. The user slides the button along the track to increase or decrease the opacity of the second layer 103 of the windshield. By moving the button, the user selects one of the pre-set opacity levels. When the user moves the button, it triggers a potentiometer (a variable resistor) connected to the button means.

[0032] The potentiometer translates the position of the slider into an electrical signal. As the button is moved, the resistance of the potentiometer changes, generating a corresponding voltage signal. The voltage signal from the potentiometer is sent to the microcontroller, which interprets the signal and determines the required opacity level. The microcontroller adjusts the electrochromic material accordingly by sending the appropriate voltage to the electrochromic material, causing it to change opacity.

[0033] The third layer 104 is of tempered glass for imparting rigidity to the member 101. The tempered glass is treated through a heating and cooling process to increase its strength. This treatment puts the outer surface of the glass into compression, making it significantly stronger than regular glass. The tempered glass provides structural rigidity, meaning it prevents the member 101 from bending or flexing easily under pressure. The glass also maintains optical clarity that provides clear and does not distort the view, which is essential for safe driving.

[0034] The member 101 is further installed with an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 to determine deposits on the member 101 including water and dirt. The imaging unit 107 includes a camera that captures images of the member 101 to gather comprehensive visual information. The imaging unit 107 is linked with a processor that preprocesses the captured images which involves noise reduction to clean the distortions followed by adjusting brightness, contrast, and color balance to make the images more uniform.

[0035] Then, the feature extraction is done using artificial intelligence protocol to identify and extract key features or patterns from the images to highlight significant elements within the image. Artificial intelligence protocols involve deep learning models that are trained to recognize and classify objects, detect anomalies, or segment images into different regions. At last, the processed images are sent to the microcontroller that determines the presence of water or dirt over the member 101.

[0036] Based on the detected water and dirt, the microcontroller actuates a pair of motorised wipers 108 installed with the member 101 for wiping away the deposits. The wipers 108 are connected to a DC motor that drives the wiper 108 blades to move back and forth across the surface, wiping away water, dirt, and other contaminants. The motorized wipers 108 are connected to a mechanical linkage system 100, which controls the wiper 108 arms’ movement. This system 100 ensures that the wipers 108 move in a coordinated back-and-forth motion, effectively clearing the surface. The motor powers the wiper 108 blades, causing them to move across the member 101’s surface, removing water or debris. The wiper 108 blades, made of flexible, durable materials (like rubber or silicone), press against the surface to remove water, dirt, and other unwanted deposits.

[0037] The system 100 enhances the safety of the user by automatically detecting ice build-up over the member 101 via the imaging unit 107. The imaging unit 107 work in the same manner as described earlier. Upon detection of the ice, a set of channels equipped with the first layer 102 and configured with heating elements for removal of ice build-up and drying of deposited liquids. Based on the detected ice and deposits, the microcontroller activates the heating elements.

[0038] Once activated, the heating elements such as nichrome wire) are embedded within the channels that generate heat that is transferred to the surface of the member 101, specifically targeting the areas covered with ice or liquid. As the heating elements warm up, they raise the temperature of the surface, causing the ice to melt and the liquid to evaporate or dry. The channels that house the heating elements guide heated air towards the central region of the member 101, ensuring that the heat is applied evenly across the surface, effectively removing any ice and helping to dry any accumulated water or moisture to impair visibility or affect the operation of the member 101.

[0039] The system 100 also provides assistance in navigation by a GPS (global positioning system) linked with the microcontroller that keeps track of the navigation. The GPS (Global Positioning System) module working in sync with a magnetometer provides enhanced positioning and orientation information of the vehicle. The GPS module receives signals from multiple satellites in orbit around the Earth. These satellites transmit precise timing and position information of the vehicle.

[0040] The GPS module receives these signals and uses the time delay between transmission and reception to calculate the distance between the GPS module and each satellite. By triangulating the distances from multiple satellites, the GPS module determines its own position on the Earth's surface. This position is typically given in latitude and longitude coordinates. The magnetometer provides information about the direction of the Earth's magnetic field, which is compared with the band position information obtained from the GPS module. The outputs of the GPS module and the magnetometer are combined and processed by the microcontroller in order to provide navigational data to the user.

[0041] The navigational data is displayed over an AR (augmented reality) display 109 is mounted with the member 101 to assist the user. The microcontroller receives data from the GPS and processes this information to generate relevant navigational data (such as directions, distance to the next turn, speed limits, upcoming intersections, etc.) in real-time that is then sent to the AR system to be displayed.

[0042] The AR display 109 uses a transparent screen that overlays virtual navigational data, like arrows, directions, and distance markers, onto the real-world view of the road to allow the user to see their surroundings and simultaneously receive useful information integrated with the environment. As the vehicle moves, the AR system continuously updates the information based on the vehicle’s current location. The AR display 109 could show the next turn or provide real-time traffic updates. The microcontroller adjusts the display 109 as the driver progresses through their route, ensuring that the information remains accurate and helpful.

[0043] Furthermore, the safety of the user is ensured via an infrared camera 110 is installed with the member 101 that tracks eyes of driver during the driving of the vehicle. The IR camera 110 emits infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye, toward the driver's face that hits the driver’s face, specifically their eyes, and reflects back toward the camera 110. Since the eyes are highly reflective to infrared light, this allows the camera 110 to capture detailed information about the position and movement of the eyes. The camera 110 tracks various aspects of the driver’s eye movements, such as gaze direction and blinking patterns to detect whether the driver is looking at the road or is distracted by something else, such as a phone or other activities inside the vehicle. The camera 110 also detects eye closure, which could indicate drowsiness or fatigue. The data captured by the infrared camera 110 is transmitted to the microcontroller that analyse the eye movements in real-time to assess the driver’s focus and alertness.

[0044] In case the driver is found to be distracted, the microcontroller activates a speaker 111 provided on the member 101 to generate an audio alert regarding focusing on road. The speaker 111 works by taking the input signal from the microcontroller, it then processes and amplifies the received signal through a series of equipment in a specific order within the speaker 111, and then sends the output signal in form of audio notification through the speaker 111 for alerting the user for focusing on road during driving the vehicle.

[0045] The present system works best in the following manner, where the system 100, includes the shielding member 101 that consists of the three layers: the first layer 102, the nano-structure light diffusing hydrophobic coating combined with the self-healing polymer, provides the self-cleaning feature and dynamically repairs scratches through heat application. The second layer 103, the pneumatically sealed enclosure filled with electrochromic material such as Vanadium Dioxide (VO₂), allows dynamic opacity adjustment based on ambient light conditions. The control arrangement 105, powered by the operational amplifier and analog-to-digital converter, processes signals from the light sensor 106 to adjust the opacity of the second layer 103, maintaining the predetermined visibility level. The manual sliding button also allows users to adjust opacity levels manually. The third layer 104, made of tempered glass, imparts rigidity to the system 100. To further enhance functionality, the system 100 includes the artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 linked to the processor to detect and remove deposits like dirt and water through motorized wipers 108. Additionally, the channels with heating elements guide heated air to the windshield to remove ice and dry liquid deposits. The system 100 also includes the augmented reality (AR) display 109 linked to the GPS, providing navigational data to the driver, and the infrared camera 110 that tracks the driver’s eyes to detect distractions, activating the audio alert when necessary.

[0046] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) An adaptive vehicle windshield system, comprising:

i) a shielding member 101 composed of a first layer 102, a second layer 103 and a third layer 104 as a substrate on which the first layer 102 and the second layer 103 are installed, the member 101 adapted to be installed with a vehicle;
ii) the first layer 102 is combination of a nano-structure light diffusing hydrophobic coating to impart a self-cleaning property to the member 101 and a self-healing polymer for dynamic healing of scratches on the first layer 102;
iii) the second layer 103 is a pneumatically sealed enclosure filled with an electrochromic material for dynamically changing opacity of the member 101 as per requirement based on ambient light conditions;
iv) a control arrangement 105 is configured with the second layer 103 to enable dynamic control of opacity of the second layer 103; and
v) a light sensor 106 embedded on the member 101, and configured with the control arrangement 105, for detecting incident light level to accordingly impart a voltage in accordance with the light level, to the second layer 103 to maintain visibility level of the second layer 103 at a predetermined visibility level;
vi) the third layer 104 is of tempered glass for imparting rigidity to the member 101.

2) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating is of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2).

3) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer reacts to an applied heat to expand and fill scratches on the first layer 102.

4) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochromic material is Vanadium Dioxide (VO₂).

5) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control arrangement 105 comprises an operational amplifier integrated with a trans-impedance configuration to amplify voltage signal generated from the light sensor 106 from incident light, an analog-to-digital converter digitising the amplified voltage signal based on which the electrochromic material is actuated to adjust opacity.

6) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sliding button is provided on the member 101, connected with the second layer 103 to enable a user to manually adjust opacity of the second layer 103 to pre-set levels.

7) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107, is installed on the member 101 and integrated with a processor for recording and processing images in a vicinity of the member 101, to determine deposits on the member 101 including water and dirt to trigger a microcontroller to actuate a pair of motorised wipers 108 installed with the member 101 for wiping away the deposits.

8) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein a set of channels is formed over the first layer 102, each of the channels configured with heating elements, for guiding heated air towards central region of the member 101, for removal of ice build-up and drying of deposited liquids, wherein air is pushed into the channels via a compressor connected with the channels.

9) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein an AR (augmented reality) display 109 is mounted with the member 101 for display 109ing navigational data received from a GPS (global positioning system) linked with the microcontroller.

10) The system 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein an infrared camera 110 is installed with the member 101 for tracking eyes of driver to detect the driver being distracted to actuate a speaker 111 provided on the member 101 to generate an audio alert regarding focusing on road.