CN113811037A

CN113811037A - Electroluminescent film for functional glass, method for manufacturing and controlling the same, functional glass and vehicle window assembly

Info

Publication number: CN113811037A
Application number: CN202011355774.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马思腾; 王璐
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Priority date: 2020-11-27
Filing date: 2020-11-27
Publication date: 2021-12-17
Also published as: WO2022111574A1

Abstract

Provided are an electroluminescent film for functional glass, a method of manufacturing and controlling the same, functional glass, and a vehicle window assembly. The electroluminescent film comprises a functional layer comprising an electroluminescent material adapted to be excited to emit light by an electrical signal of predetermined parameters; and at least one pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of the functional layer, respectively, and adapted to be selectively turned on to apply the electric signal at a predetermined region of the functional layer to cause the electroluminescent material at the predetermined region to emit light. By adopting the electroluminescent film according to the embodiment of the disclosure, large-area uniform luminescence can be realized by using the functional glass without using an additional illumination light source, so that the cost is reduced while the illumination and display effects are improved.

Description

Electroluminescent film for functional glass, method for manufacturing and controlling the same, functional glass and vehicle window assembly

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electroluminescent film, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing and controlling such an electroluminescent film, a functional glass and a vehicle window assembly using such an electroluminescent film, and the like.

Background

When a vehicle such as an automobile is running, a lighting fixture is an indispensable device. The vehicle lamp has two main functions: the illumination device has the advantages that firstly, the illumination function is provided for the interior and the exterior of the vehicle, namely, the illumination device illuminates roads, traffic signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, identification signs and barriers, and in addition, the illumination function is provided for activities such as reading and entertainment in the vehicle. And the second signal function is a signal early warning function for displaying the existence of the vehicle and transmitting the running state of the vehicle to a driver or a pedestrian. The vehicle lighting device is a component of automobile electrical appliances, not only directly influences the performance and driving safety of the whole vehicle, but also has important significance in the aspects of improving the transportation efficiency, saving energy, implementing traffic laws and regulations and the like.

Current vehicle interior lighting systems typically use light emitting diodes as light sources to provide illumination in the form of light bulbs, light strips, and light rings. Light emitting diodes may be integrated near the door handle for keyhole illumination, or turn blinkers on rear view mirrors, as well as pedal illumination and cup holder illumination, among others. The shape of the luminous indication can be very simple (direct transmission) and can also be made very complex to meet the requirement of accurate illumination.

Disclosure of Invention

Conventional lighting systems typically require a light bulb, light strip, light ring, etc. to be placed at a predetermined location within the vehicle or building to provide illumination. This approach requires space inside or outside the vehicle or building to be occupied and the light is concentrated and obtrusive. Furthermore, in the case of automobiles, in order to meet the ever-increasing demands of people for quality of life, more and more automobile manufacturers plan to use non-traditional lighting and indicator systems in vehicle interior lighting systems. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electroluminescent film and functional glass using such an electroluminescent film that solve, or at least partially solve, the above-mentioned problems and other potential problems with conventional lighting systems.

In a first aspect of the present disclosure, an electroluminescent film for functional glass is provided. The electroluminescent film comprises a functional layer comprising an electroluminescent material adapted to be excited to emit light by an electrical signal of predetermined parameters; and at least one pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the functional layer, respectively, and adapted to be selectively turned on to apply an electric signal to a predetermined region of the functional layer to cause the electroluminescent material in the predetermined region to emit light.

In some embodiments, the at least one pair of electrodes comprises a plurality of pairs of electrodes respectively disposed on both sides of the plurality of sub-regions of the functional layer.

In some embodiments, the at least one pair of electrodes is adapted to cause the electroluminescent material to emit light in a predetermined direction, and includes a first electrode arranged on one side of the functional layer in the predetermined direction and a second electrode arranged on the other side, and the electroluminescent film further includes: a dielectric layer disposed between the functional layer and the second electrode.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent film further comprises a control unit configured to control a predetermined electrode pair of the plurality of pairs of electrodes to be conductive to cause the sub-region corresponding to the predetermined electrode pair to emit light.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent film further comprises a control unit configured to control a predetermined parameter to adjust at least one of the intensity and the color of the emitted light.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent film further comprises a protective layer disposed outside the at least one pair of electrodes to encapsulate the functional layer and the at least one pair of electrodes.

In some embodiments, the first electrode and a first protective layer adjacent to the first electrode of the protective layers are made of a material having a light transmittance equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold is 95%.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent film further comprises a dimming layer disposed adjacent to the first protective layer and having a particular color, pattern, or combination of color and pattern to change the color, pattern, or combination of color and pattern of light output via the dimming layer.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent material of the plurality of sub-regions is different.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent material comprises a phosphor material doped with at least one of: mn as ZnS, Eu as CaSe, Mn as ZnS,ZnS:Tb、SrS:Ce、SrGa₂S₄Ce, SrS Ce +, ZnS Mn and Ga₂O₃:Eu。

In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a functional glass is provided. The functional glass comprises a glass substrate and an electroluminescent film according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the electroluminescent film being arranged in or on a surface of the glass substrate.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate comprises at least two glass layers, and the electroluminescent film is disposed between the at least two glass layers.

In some embodiments, the first of the at least two glass layers on the side of the electroluminescent film opposite to the predetermined direction is made of organic glass to serve as a second protective layer for the electroluminescent film.

In some embodiments, the at least one electroluminescent film comprises a plurality of stacked electroluminescent films.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent materials used in the multilayer electroluminescent film are different.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing an electroluminescent film for functional glass is provided. The method comprises providing a functional layer comprising an electroluminescent material adapted to be stimulated to emit light by application of an electrical signal of predetermined parameters; and arranging at least one pair of electrodes on both sides of the functional layer, the at least one pair of electrodes being adapted to be selectively conducted to apply an electrical signal to a predetermined area of the functional layer to cause the electroluminescent material in the predetermined area to emit light.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method of controlling an electroluminescent film for functional glass is provided. The method comprises obtaining a pattern to be displayed by the electroluminescent film and/or an intensity of light emitted by the electroluminescent film; determining a predetermined area of the functional layer of the electroluminescent film that needs to emit light based on the obtained pattern and/or intensity; and conducting the corresponding electrode of the determined predetermined area to apply an electric signal to the predetermined area to cause the electroluminescent material in the predetermined area to emit light.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises controlling a predetermined parameter of the electrical signal applied to the electrode to adjust the intensity of the emitted light.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle window assembly. The vehicle window assembly includes a functional glass according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a vehicle window assembly according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure.

According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided. The computer program comprises program code adapted to be executed by a processor to cause the processor to perform the method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure.

According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable medium is provided. The computer readable medium comprises a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising program code adapted to be executed by a processor to cause the processor to perform the method according to the fourth aspect of the disclosure.

It should be understood that this summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description.

Optionally, the lighting mode has the advantages of large light source area and soft light, and does not additionally occupy the limited space in the vehicle, so that the interior of the vehicle can be more concise.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in more detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which like reference numerals generally represent like parts throughout the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic diagram of an electroluminescent film according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic, perspective exploded view of an electroluminescent film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an electroluminescent film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show schematic views of a functional glass according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method of making an electroluminescent film for functional glass according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a method of controlling an electroluminescent film for functional glass according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a controller capable of implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure.

The same or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure will now be described with reference to several example embodiments. It should be understood that these examples are described only for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and thereby enable the present disclosure, and are not intended to set forth any limitations on the scope of the technical solutions of the present disclosure.

As used herein, the term "include" and its variants are to be read as open-ended terms meaning "including, but not limited to. The term "based on" will be read as "based at least in part on". The terms "one embodiment" and "an embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" should be understood as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "first," "second," and the like may refer to different or the same object. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. The definitions of the terms are consistent throughout the specification unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Currently, most vehicle interior lighting systems also illuminate the light emitting diodes in a direct light transmission manner through a light guide or a lamp housing. For example, a light or reading light located in the ceiling of a vehicle is typically illuminated with an led light source in addition to a lamp housing.

On the one hand, there may be some drawbacks with this way of illumination. For example, although a transmissive lamp cover is used, the light emitted by this direct transmission method is still not uniform, and the light near the light source is strong and thus is more glaring. On the other hand, with the ever-increasing pursuit of quality of life, such a vehicle interior lighting system is gradually unable to meet the demand of people.

Some disadvantages that may exist when using conventional lighting systems are described above with respect to vehicle glazing. Similar disadvantages exist with conventional lighting systems in the context of buildings, such as office buildings, other than vehicles.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electroluminescent film for functional glass that enables a portion of a lighting system to be disposed in a functional glass, such as a vehicle glass, to address or at least partially address the above or other potential problems of conventional lighting systems.

The concept of the present disclosure will be described below mainly taking a functional glass as a vehicle glass as an example. It should be understood that the functional glass is used in other scenes, such as in glass curtain walls of buildings, and the like, and will not be described in detail below.

Fig. 1 shows an electroluminescent film 100 for a functional glass 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Electroluminescence, also known as electroluminescence or electroluminescence, refers to the phenomenon of light emission when an electric current is passed through a substance or when a substance is under a strong electric field, and is sometimes referred to as luminescence. As shown in fig. 1, in general, an electroluminescent film 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a functional layer 101 and at least one pair of electrodes 102. The functional layer 101 comprises an electroluminescent material. Electroluminescent material means a material capable of being excited to emit light by an electrical signal of predetermined parameters.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent material may comprise a phosphor material having various dopants. For purposes of example only, electroluminescent materials according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include, but are not limited to, phosphor materials doped with at least one of: mn, CaSe: Eu, Mn, Tb, SrS: Ce, SrGa2S4: Ce, SrS: Ce +, ZnS: Mn and Ga2O3: Eu. Of course, it should be understood that electroluminescent materials according to embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above materials, but may also include any other suitable material capable of being excited to emit light by an electrical signal. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the electroluminescent material may also include any suitable organic light emitting material such as oxadiazoles and derivatives thereof, triazoles and derivatives thereof, rhodamines and derivatives thereof, and the like, group II-VI and group III-V compound materials, and the like.

In the case of phosphor materials, the doping and the matrix may vary the color, brightness (intensity) and efficacy of the emitted light. Table 1 below lists the luminous color, brightness, and efficacy of some of the flow material materials that can be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

TABLE 1

As can be seen from table 1, by appropriate selection of suitable materials, the electroluminescent material is capable of emitting light with a predetermined brightness (intensity of light) and color after excitation. Furthermore, the intensity and color of the emitted light can also be adjusted by controlling predetermined parameters of the electrical signal applied to the electroluminescent material, as will be further explained below.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent material may be formed by screen printing on a transparent film made of a material such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) to form the functional layer 101. For example, the electroluminescent material may be formed in a predetermined pattern or shape on the transparent conductive film by screen printing, so as to emit light in the predetermined pattern and shape to enhance the user experience. It should be understood that the embodiment of disposing the electroluminescent material on the conductive film to form the functional layer 101 by screen printing is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable means or manner is possible. For example, in some embodiments, the electroluminescent material may also be applied to the conductive or insulating film using spraying or coating, among other means.

At least one pair of electrodes 102 is disposed on either side of the functional layer 101 and can be selectively conducted to apply an electrical signal having predetermined parameters to a predetermined area of the functional layer 101, thereby causing the electroluminescent material in the predetermined area to be excited to emit light. The functional glass 200 using the electroluminescent film 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can realize active dynamic light emission, thereby obtaining good illumination and display effects. For example, the predetermined region may be selectively lighted or unlighted as needed, or the luminous intensity and color of the predetermined region may be dynamically adjusted, thereby realizing dynamic display of the predetermined pattern.

In the case where such a functional glass 200 is applied to a vehicle glass such as a roof glass, when the electroluminescent film 100 in the functional glass 200 is not excited to emit light, the functional glass 200 is transparent, and does not affect the visual field of the functional glass 200 and the lighting transmitted through the functional glass 200. When the electroluminescent film 100 in the functional glass 200 is excited to emit light, the functional glass 200 can significantly improve the lighting effect of the interior of the vehicle without using an additional lighting device. For example, by utilizing active dynamic lighting of the electroluminescent film 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, effects such as starlight flicker may be achieved in a cost-effective manner, thereby improving the user experience. In addition, by using the electroluminescent film 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, uniform light emission over a large area can be achieved without using an additional illumination light source, thereby improving illumination and display effects while reducing costs.

Furthermore, the power consumption required for the electroluminescent film 100 to emit light is very low compared to conventional illumination systems. When excited, the current required for excitation is small, typically in the range of 0.1-1mA/cm²The range of (1). For example, the area in the predetermined region is less than 10cm²The operating current required for excitation is in the order of milliamps, which results in low power consumption by the electroluminescent film 100, resulting in improved luminous efficiency and reduced power consumption.

In some embodiments, the at least one pair of electrodes 102 may include transparent conductive layers disposed on both sides of the predetermined area and electrode leads connecting the conductive layers with, for example, the control unit 104 and the power supply 107. In alternative embodiments, at least one pair of electrodes 102 may be just the electrode leads mentioned above. In such embodiments, the electrodes 102 may not necessarily be disposed on both sides of the predetermined area, but rather may be of any suitable structure or arrangement that enables the electrodes 102 to apply an electrical signal at the predetermined area. The concept of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter mainly by taking as an example at least one pair of electrodes 102 including a transparent conductive layer and an electrode lead electrically connecting the transparent conductive layer. Other arrangements are also similar and will not be described in detail below.

The transparent conductive layer may be made of any suitable material. For example, in some embodiments, the transparent conductive layer is made of a thin film made of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) material, thereby obtaining a good light emitting effect. Of course, it should be understood that the embodiment using an ITO thin film as the transparent conductive layer is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and that any other suitable material or arrangement is possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the transparent conductive layer may also include, but is not limited to: copper mesh, silver screen printed layers or layers made of conductive nanoparticles (e.g. carbon nanotubes or silver nanonets), conductive polymer materials or other doped inorganic oxides. The various choices of the transparent conductive layer allow the selection of appropriate materials for the fabrication of the transparent conductive layer for different situations, thereby increasing the flexibility of the fabrication of the electroluminescent film 100.

In some embodiments, the predetermined area of the electroluminescent film 100 may comprise a plurality of sub-areas 1011. In such an embodiment, at least one pair of electrodes 102 for the plurality of sub-regions 1011 then comprises a corresponding plurality of pairs of electrodes 102. The pairs of electrodes 102 may be arranged in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, all of the electrodes 102 in the plurality of pairs of electrodes 102 are paired. That is, both the first electrode 1021 and the second electrode 1022 for controlling the plurality of sub-regions 1011 may include the number of transparent conductive layers corresponding to the number of the sub-regions 1011.

In some alternative embodiments, one electrode (hereinafter, referred to as a first electrode 1021) of the plurality of pairs of electrodes 102 may be a common electrode, and the other electrode (hereinafter, referred to as a second electrode 1022) may be a separate electrode, as shown in fig. 2. For example, in some embodiments, in the case where the electrode 102 includes a transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer as a cathode may be disposed on one side of all the predetermined regions, and the transparent conductive layer as an anode includes a plurality of transparent conductive layers, the number of which is equivalent to the number of the predetermined regions. This arrangement simplifies the structure of the electroluminescent film 100 without affecting the control of the designated sub-areas 1011 in the predetermined area, thereby controlling the predetermined area in a cost-effective manner.

Of course, the two embodiments mentioned above are also only illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable arrangement or configuration is possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, one electrode 102 of the electrodes 102 controlling a portion of the plurality of sub-areas 1011 may be a common electrode while the other electrodes 102 are separate electrodes, to provide more flexibility in the arrangement of the electrodes 102, thereby increasing the manufacturing flexibility of the electroluminescent film 100.

Furthermore, in embodiments where the predetermined area comprises a plurality of sub-areas 1011, the plurality of sub-areas 1011 may each employ a different electroluminescent material, which allows the different sub-areas 1011 to emit light of different colors and/or intensities when excited by an electrical signal. With this arrangement, dynamic display of color patterns can be achieved. For example, the plurality of sub-areas 1011 are regularly arranged to form a predetermined pattern. Depending on the pattern to be displayed, a suitable electroluminescent material is selected for each sub-area 1011, so that the respective sub-area 1011 displays the corresponding colour in the pattern to be displayed. With this arrangement, the electroluminescent film 100 is in a transparent state without being energized to emit light, and does not affect the field of view of people through the electroluminescent film 100. When the electroluminescent film 100 of this arrangement is energized to emit light, the predetermined areas of the emitted light will display a colored pattern, thereby providing illumination while enriching the sensory experience of the individual.

In addition, in such an embodiment, further by controlling the parameters of the electrical signals of the corresponding sub-areas of the plurality of sub-areas 1011, dynamic display of the color pattern can also be achieved. The electroluminescent film 100 capable of displaying a color pattern may be used for other functional glass such as building glass to realize advertisement pattern display, etc. in addition to being applied to vehicle glass to enhance user experience. This further enriches the functionality of the electroluminescent film 100.

In some embodiments, control of the electrical signal of the predetermined area may be achieved by the control unit 104. The control unit 104 may be part of the electroluminescent film 100. That is, in some embodiments, the electroluminescent film 100 may include a control unit 104. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the control unit 104 may also be part of a control unit of the vehicle. That is, the control unit may also be integrated in the control unit of the vehicle, so that the electroluminescent film 100 can be controlled by various control means inside the vehicle. The control unit 104 may control predetermined parameters of the electrical signal to adjust at least one of the intensity and the color of the light emitted by the electroluminescent material.

In some embodiments, the electrical signal may comprise an alternating current electrical signal. In the case where the electroluminescent film 100 is applied to a vehicle, an alternating current signal may convert direct current output within the vehicle into alternating current through an inverter. In some embodiments, by way of example only, the applied electrical signal may be an alternating current having a voltage amplitude between 110 and 140V and a frequency between 50-1000 Hz. By adjusting at least one of the voltage amplitude or the frequency, the luminous intensity of the electroluminescent material can be adjusted. Generally, the magnitude of the applied voltage increases, and the intensity of the emitted light increases. Similarly, the frequency of the applied voltage increases, so does the intensity of the emitted light. But the increase in the luminous intensity gradually decreases as the frequency increases to several kilohertz. Furthermore, changing the frequency of the alternating current also changes the color of the emitted light. For example, for some electroluminescent materials, the color of the emitted light approaches blue (short wavelength) as the frequency increases. But as the frequency is reduced the color of the emitted light will be close to green (long wave). For example, for some functional layers 101, when the electrical signal is an alternating current of 115V/400HZ, the color of the emitted light is green or cyan.

With this property, by applying electrical signals of different amplitude and/or different frequency in different sub-areas 1011, a dynamic variation in brightness and/or color of the pattern displayed by the plurality of sub-areas 1011 can be achieved. When applied to building glass to display advertisements on a building, this effect is more attractive to the eye, thereby enhancing the display effect.

Of course, it should be understood that the above embodiments in which the electrical signal is an alternating current are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Any other suitable form of electrical signal is possible depending on the electroluminescent material used. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the electrical signal may also be at least one of a direct current of a predetermined voltage, a voltage rising edge, a voltage falling edge, a peak, or a valley. This makes the control of the predetermined region more diversified, so that more various controls are realized.

In addition to the control unit 104 being able to control the predetermined parameters of the electrical signal, in some embodiments, the control unit 104 is able to control the conduction of the electrode pair. In this way, some sub-areas 1011 of the plurality of sub-areas 1011 can be made to emit light while others do not, thereby realizing display of predetermined patterns and graphics. For example, in the case where the predetermined region includes n × n sub-regions 1011, by controlling the sub-regions 1011 to emit light or not to emit light, simplified control of the luminance level of light emission can be achieved. For example, when the luminance required to emit light is low, a small number of sub-regions 1011 may be emitted, and when the luminance required to emit light is high, a large number of sub-regions 1011 may be emitted. Furthermore, by controlling the light emission of the sub-regions 1011, it is also possible to realize a display such as letters or numbers by the electroluminescent film 100, which further enriches the functions of the electroluminescent film 100.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent film 100 may be arranged to enable the electroluminescent material to emit light in a predetermined direction upon excitation by an electrical signal, for example, towards the first electrode 1021. In this case, the second electrode 1022 is disposed on the side opposite to the predetermined direction. When the electroluminescent film 100 having such an arrangement is used for vehicle interior lighting, the electroluminescent film 100 can be caused to emit light in a predetermined direction within the vehicle, so that the intensity of light in the predetermined direction can be further increased, thereby further reducing power consumption.

In such an embodiment, the electroluminescent film 100 further comprises a dielectric layer 103 arranged between the functional layer 101 and the second electrode 1022, as shown in fig. 3. In some embodiments, the dielectric layer 103 may be formed on the functional layer 101 by means of screen printing. In some alternative embodiments, the dielectric layer 103 may also be disposed between the functional layer 101 and the second electrode 1022 as a separate layer by means of adhesion or the like.

In some embodiments, the electroluminescent material may further comprise a protective layer arranged on the outside of the electrode 102 in order to protect the functional layer 101 as well as the transparent conductive layer as the electrode 102. The protective layer may encapsulate the functional layer 101 and the electrode 102 while exposing only the electrode leads of the electrode 102, thereby facilitating wiring. In some embodiments, the protective layer may include a first protective layer 1051 adjacent to the first electrode 1021 and a second protective layer 1052 adjacent to the second electrode 1022, as shown in fig. 3. In some embodiments, the first protection layer 1051 and/or the second protection layer 1052, as a flexible transparent film, can be made of at least one of the following materials: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or any other material. In some alternative embodiments, the protective layer may also be made directly from a film or plate made of glass, plexiglass and/or polycarbonate material.

In order to improve light emission and display effects, in some embodiments, light transmittance of layers in a predetermined direction of light emission, for example, the first electrode 1021 and the first protective layer 1051 is greater than a predetermined threshold value such as 95%. For example, the first electrode 1021 and the first protective layer 1051 may be made of a material having a light transmittance greater than the predetermined threshold value. The higher the light transmittance, the better the light emission and display effects. By selecting appropriate materials, better lighting and display effects can be achieved in a cost-effective manner, thereby improving user experience.

In some embodiments, electroluminescent film 100 may also include a dimming layer 106. The light modulation layer 106 is arranged in a predetermined direction of light emission, for example, adjacent to the first protective layer 1051. The light modulation layer 106 may be a transparent film with a specific color and/or a specific pattern, such that the color of the light emitted after the electroluminescent material is excited, which is output after passing through the light modulation layer 106, is changed, thereby achieving a complex and varied color or pattern effect that may not be achieved by a single functional layer 101 in a cost-effective manner.

For example, in a simple example, the functional layer 101 is capable of emitting white light after being excited. In this case, by providing the dimming layer 106 to include a pattern having a rainbow, the emitted light can exhibit the rainbow pattern through the dimming layer 106 after the functional layer 101 is excited to emit light, thereby realizing an effect of a complex color in a cost-effective manner. Of course, it should be understood that the rainbow pattern mentioned above can also be implemented in a regular arrangement using a plurality of sub-areas 1011.

Furthermore, some electroluminescent materials, such as those that emit red light when excited, are often toxic and environmentally unfriendly. Still other electroluminescent materials emit light with a relatively low brightness and lifetime. In this case, by using the dimming layer 106, low-toxicity, high-luminance and/or long-life electroluminescent materials can be used instead of those having toxicity, low luminance and short life. For example, by modulating the light emitted by low toxicity, high brightness, and/or long lifetime electroluminescent materials into those that are toxic, low brightness, and short lifetime materials via the light modulating layer 106, the electroluminescent film 100 is more environmentally friendly and has the appropriate brightness and lifetime.

A functional glass 200 is also disclosed according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The functional glass 200 or glass referred to herein may include display glass or architectural glass in addition to glass for transportation means (e.g., automobile, train, ship, airplane, aircraft). The concepts of the present disclosure will be primarily described in the following description with reference to automotive glass as an example. It should be understood that glasses used in other fields, similar to automotive glasses, will not be described in detail below.

A schematic view of a functional glass 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in fig. 4 and 5. It can be seen that the functional glass 200 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the glass substrate 201 and the electroluminescent film 100 described above. As mentioned hereinbefore, the electroluminescent film 100 may be arranged on the surface of a glass substrate 201, as shown in fig. 4. In some alternative embodiments, the electroluminescent film 100 may be disposed in a glass substrate 201, as shown in FIG. 5.

For example, in some embodiments, the glass substrate 201 may include at least two glass layers 2011, 2012. The electroluminescent film 100 may be arranged between the at least two glass layers 2011, 2012 by suitable means such as bonding or the like, in order to achieve the desired lighting or display effect of the functional glass 200. In some embodiments, the glass substrate 201 or one or both of the glass layers 2011, 2012 may be included as a protective layer in the electroluminescent film 100 as previously described. For example, in some embodiments, a first glass layer 2011 of the at least two glass layers 2011, 2012 that is on a side opposite the predetermined direction may be made of plexiglass. The organic glass thus acts as the second protective layer 1052 of the electroluminescent film 100 mentioned above. This arrangement enables further reduction in the thickness of the functional glass 200 without affecting the life of the field functional film, thereby improving the user experience.

In some embodiments, multiple layers of the electroluminescent film 100 mentioned above may be included in the functional glass 200. For example, in some embodiments, the electroluminescent film 100 may be laminated in the functional glass 200. The electroluminescent films 100 may each have a different luminescent color, for example, by using different electroluminescent materials for the multilayer electroluminescent film 100. By exciting certain ones of these electroluminescent films 100, it is possible to realize superposition of the emitted colors of the excited electroluminescent films 100, and further to combine superposition of the sub-regions 1011, thereby causing the functional glass 200 to display a pattern or figure having a certain color and shape.

Further, the multi-layered electroluminescent film 100 makes it possible to adjust the luminous intensity of the functional glass 200 by adjusting the number of electroluminescent films 100 that emit light simultaneously. For example, in some embodiments, all of the electroluminescent film 100 can be made to emit light when a higher luminous intensity of the functional glass 200 is desired. In the case where the emission intensity is required to be low, only a part of the electroluminescent film 100 may be caused to emit light. This approach provides more varied control of the luminous intensity, thereby improving the user experience.

In alternative embodiments, the electroluminescent films 100 may also be arranged in sequence (rather than stacked) in the functional glass 200. This is somewhat similar to the case where the predetermined area comprises a plurality of sub-areas 1011 as mentioned above. Similarly, arranging (instead of stacking) a plurality of electroluminescent films 100 in the functional glass 200 to form, for example, an n × n matrix or a predetermined pattern and shape, may also enable dynamic display of predetermined letters, patterns or figures. This arrangement further enriches the layout scenario of the electroluminescent film 100, thereby making its applications more versatile.

A method of manufacturing the electroluminescent film 100 described above is also presented according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of the method. As shown in fig. 6, at 310, a functional layer 101 is provided. The functional layer 101 comprises an electroluminescent material adapted to be excited to emit light by application of an electrical signal of predetermined parameters. At 320, at least one pair of electrodes 102 is disposed on either side of the functional layer 101, the at least one pair of electrodes 102 being adapted to be selectively turned on to apply an electrical signal to a predetermined area of the functional layer 101 to cause the electroluminescent material in the predetermined area to emit light.

A method of controlling the electroluminescent film 100 described above is also presented according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The method may be performed by the control unit 104 controlling the vehicle inside the vehicle or by the control unit 104 of the electroluminescent film 100 to cause the electroluminescent film 100 to emit light or to display a predetermined pattern. Fig. 7 shows a flow chart of the method. As shown in fig. 7, at 410, the control unit 104 obtains the pattern to be displayed by the electroluminescent film 100 and/or the intensity and/or color of the light emitted by the electroluminescent film 100. At 420, a predetermined area of the electroluminescent film 100 where the functional layer 101 needs to emit light is determined based on the obtained pattern and/or intensity and/or color. Next, at 430, the corresponding electrode 102 of the determined predetermined area is turned on to apply an electrical signal at the predetermined area to cause the electroluminescent material at the predetermined area to emit light. In this way, control of the predetermined pattern or luminous intensity and/or color is achieved.

In some implementations, the method further includes controlling a predetermined parameter of the electrical signal applied to the electrode 102 to adjust at least one of the intensity and color of the emitted light, thereby making the color and/or intensity of the emitted light more diverse.

There is also provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle window assembly, which may include a functional glass 200 in accordance with the description hereinabove.

There is also provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle including the vehicle window assembly described above.

A computer program is also presented according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The computer program includes program code. The code is executable by a processor, such as a controller, to cause the processor to perform the method of controlling the functional glass 200 described above.

A computer-readable medium is also presented, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The computer readable medium includes a computer program stored thereon. The computer program includes program code. The code is executable by a processor, such as a controller, to cause the processor to perform the method of controlling the functional glass 200 described above.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing device 800, such as a controller, that may be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure. The apparatus 800 may be used to implement the method shown in fig. 6. As shown, device 800 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)801 that may perform various appropriate actions and processes in accordance with computer program instructions stored in a Read Only Memory (ROM)802 or loaded from a storage unit 808 into a Random Access Memory (RAM) 803. In the RAM 803, various programs and data required for the operation of the device 800 can also be stored. The CPU 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are connected to each other via a bus 804. An input/output (I/O) interface 805 is also connected to bus 804.

A number of components in the device 800 are connected to the I/O interface 805, including: an input unit 806, such as a keyboard, mouse, knobs, buttons, and/or voice input devices; an output unit 807 such as various types of displays, speakers, and the like; a storage unit 808, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or the like; and a communication unit 809 such as a network card, modem, wireless communication transceiver, etc. The communication unit 809 allows the device 800 to exchange information/data with other devices via a computer network such as the internet and/or various telecommunication networks.

The processing unit 801 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as the method 300. For example, in some embodiments, the method 300 described hereinabove in accordance with the present disclosure may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly embodied in a machine-readable medium, such as the storage unit 808. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and/or installed onto device 800 via ROM 602 and/or communications unit 809. When loaded into RAM 803 and executed by CPU 801, a computer program may perform one or more of the steps of method 300 described above. Alternatively, in other embodiments, CPU 801 may be configured to perform method 300 in any other suitable manner (e.g., by way of firmware).

The functions described herein above may be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, without limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include: a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an Application Specific Standard Product (ASSP), a system on a chip (SOC), a load programmable logic device (CPLD), and the like.

Program code for implementing methods of embodiments of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes may be provided to a processor or controller of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that the program codes, when executed by the processor or controller, cause the functions/operations specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram to be performed. The program code may execute entirely on the machine, partly on the machine, as a stand-alone software package partly on the machine and partly on a remote machine or entirely on the remote machine or server.

In the context of this disclosure, a machine-readable medium may be a tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The machine-readable medium may be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of a machine-readable storage medium would include an electrical connection based on one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Further, while operations are depicted in a particular order, this should be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Under certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Likewise, while several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the disclosure. Certain features that are described in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination.

Claims

1. An electroluminescent film (100) for functional glass comprising:

a functional layer (101) comprising an electroluminescent material adapted to be excited to emit light by an electrical signal of predetermined parameters; and

at least one pair of electrodes (102) arranged on either side of the functional layer (101) and adapted to be selectively conducted to apply the electrical signal at a predetermined area of the functional layer (101) to cause the electroluminescent material at the predetermined area to emit light.

2. The electroluminescent film (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes (102) comprises a plurality of pairs of electrodes, respectively arranged on both sides of a plurality of sub-areas (1011) of the functional layer (101).

3. The electroluminescent film (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of electrodes (102) is adapted to cause the electroluminescent material to emit light towards a predetermined direction and comprises a first electrode (1021) arranged at one side of the functional layer (101) in the predetermined direction and a second electrode (1022) arranged at the other side;

and the electroluminescent film (100) further comprises:

a dielectric layer (103) arranged between the functional layer (101) and the second electrode (1022).

4. The electroluminescent film (100) of claim 2, further comprising:

a control unit (104) configured to control a predetermined electrode pair of the plurality of pairs of electrodes to be conductive so as to make the sub-region (1011) corresponding to the predetermined electrode pair emit light.

5. The electroluminescent film (100) of claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit (104) configured to control the predetermined parameter to adjust at least one of an intensity and a color of the emitted light.

6. The electroluminescent film (100) of claim 3, further comprising:

a protective layer arranged outside the at least one pair of electrodes (102) to encapsulate the functional layer (101) and the at least one pair of electrodes (102).

7. The electroluminescent film (100) of claim 6, wherein the first electrode (1021) and a first one of the protective layers (1051) adjacent to the first electrode (1021) are made of a material having a light transmittance equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

8. An electroluminescent film (100) according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined threshold is 95%.

9. The electroluminescent film (100) of claim 7, further comprising:

a light modulation layer (106) disposed adjacent to the first protective layer (1051) and having a particular color, pattern, or combination of color and pattern to change the color, pattern, or combination of color and pattern of light output via the light modulation layer (106).

10. The electroluminescent film (100) according to claim 2, wherein the electroluminescent material of the plurality of sub-areas (1011) is different.

11. The electroluminescent film (100) according to any of claims 1-10, the electroluminescent material comprising a phosphor material of at least one of the following dopings: mn as ZnS, Eu as CaSe, Mn as ZnS, Tb as ZnS, Ce as SrS, and SrGa₂S₄Ce, SrS Ce +, ZnS Mn and Ga₂O₃:Eu。

12. A functional glass comprising:

a glass substrate (201); and

at least one electroluminescent film (100) according to any of claims 1 to 11, the electroluminescent film (100) being arranged in the glass substrate (201) or on a surface of the glass substrate (201).

13. The functional glass of claim 12, wherein the glass substrate (201) comprises at least two glass layers (2011, 2012), and

the electroluminescent film (100) is arranged between the at least two glass layers (2011, 2012).

14. The functional glass according to claim 13, wherein a first glass layer (2011) of the at least two glass layers (2011, 2012), which is located on a side of the electroluminescent film (100) opposite to the predetermined direction, is made of organic glass to serve as a second protective layer (1052) of the electroluminescent film (100).

15. The functional glass of any of claims 12-14 wherein the at least one electroluminescent film (100) comprises a plurality of stacked electroluminescent films (100).

16. The functional glass of claim 15 wherein the electroluminescent materials used for the multilayer electroluminescent film (100) are different.

17. A method of making an electroluminescent film (100) for functional glass comprising:

providing a functional layer (101), said functional layer (101) comprising an electroluminescent material adapted to be excited to emit light by application of an electrical signal of predetermined parameters; and

at least one pair of electrodes (102) is arranged on both sides of the functional layer (101), the at least one pair of electrodes (102) being adapted to be selectively conducted to apply the electrical signal at a predetermined area of the functional layer (101) to cause the electroluminescent material at the predetermined area to emit light.

18. A method of controlling an electroluminescent film (100) for functional glass comprising:

obtaining a pattern to be displayed by the electroluminescent film (100) and/or an intensity and/or color of light emitted by the electroluminescent film (100);

determining a predetermined area of the functional layer (101) of the electroluminescent film (100) that needs to emit light based on the obtained pattern, the intensity and/or the color; and

and conducting the corresponding electrode of the determined predetermined area to apply the electric signal to the predetermined area to make the electroluminescent material in the predetermined area emit light.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

controlling a predetermined parameter of an electrical signal applied to the electrodes to adjust at least one of an intensity and a color of the emitted light.

20. A vehicle window assembly characterized in that it comprises a functional glass according to any of claims 12-16.

21. A vehicle comprising a vehicle window assembly according to claim 20.

22. A computer program comprising program code adapted to be executed by a processor to cause the processor to perform the method according to claim 18 or 19.

23. A computer-readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising program code adapted to be executed by a processor to cause the processor to perform the method according to claim 18 or 19.