Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to their electric, autonomous vehicle project known as Project Titan. More specifically, Apple’s granted patent relates to adjustable windows by allowing the vehicle windows to adjust tinting and more.
According to Apple, adjustable windows may have adjustable layers such as adjustable tint layers, adjustable reflectivity layers, and adjustable haze layers. Adjustable window layers may be incorporated into a window with one or more transparent structural layers such as a pair of glass window layers. Adjustable components such as adjustable reflectivity layers, adjustable haze layers, and adjustable tint layers may be interposed between the pair of glass window layers. Fixed partially reflective mirrors, fixed tint layers, and/or fixed haze layers may be used in place of adjustable tint, haze, and reflectivity layers and/or may be incorporated into windows in addition to adjustable tint, haze, and reflectivity layers.
Apple’s patent FIG. 1 below illustrates a rudimentary illustration of a vehicle with windows that provide adjustable tint and reflectivity layers; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how a window may have layers that modify light propagation.
While I was on the road yesterday afternoon, the snow runoff onto the pavement hit by strong sunlight created a blinding light to the point that I almost had to pull over. My wife quickly handed me my sunglasses which allowed me to see the road again. Apple’s adjustable windows would have automatically adjusted the windows based on sensor input.
Another aspect to the tinting is that it could provide the vehicle with various levels of privacy. Apple specifically states that “higher ratios of reflected external light to transmitted interior light are associated with a greater one-way mirror effect and therefore enhanced privacy.”
Apple’s patent FIG. 6 above is a table showing how a window may be configured to operate in a variety of different modes.
For finer details, review Apple’s granted patent US 11498397 B2.
Other Project Titan patents regarding window systems could be viewed here and here.
A Few of Apple’s Inventors
Clarisse Mazuir: Lighting and sensors lead at Apple SPG
Christopher Jones: Chemist/Materials Engineer
Ibuki Kamei: Product Design Engineer
James Wilson: Senior Manager, Materials Product Design
David Kingman: Product Design Engineer
