Patent Application
20240400084
The present disclosure is directed to a glass composition, a glass substrate formed from the glass composition, a vehicle comprising the glass substrate, and a method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a system comprising the glass composition.
Transparencies are included in vehicles to allow a user inside to see out and to allow light to enter the inside of the vehicle. As such, the visible light transmission of the transparencies is often a design consideration when developing transparencies used in vehicles. However, with the increasing prevalence of vehicles using sensors to sense their surroundings, such as in autonomous vehicles, transmission of certain wavelengths outside of the visible spectrum is becoming increasingly important. For example, certain radiation sources and sensors may emit and/or detect radiation in certain bands of the infrared region, and these sensors may be positioned behind transparencies, such that the emitted and/or detected radiation may be incident to the transparencies. Thus, high transmission of these select wavelengths may also be a design consideration when developing transparencies used in vehicles.
According to some non-limiting aspects of the disclosure, a glass composition includes: from 65 to 75 weight % SiO2; from 10 to 20 weight % Na2O; from 5 to 15 weight % CaO; from 0 to 5 weight % MgO; from 0 to 5 weight % Al2O3; from 0 to 5 weight % K2O; from greater than 0 and up to 0.030 weight % total iron (Fe2O3); and from greater than 0 and up to 0.003 weight % FeO.
In some non-limiting aspects, the glass composition may include from 0.002 to 0.025 weight % total iron. The glass composition may include a sum of colorants less than 1 weight %, where the sum of colorants include iron-containing, manganese-containing, and chromium-containing compounds. The glass composition may include a redox ratio (FeO/Fe2O3) of up to 0.35. The glass composition may include from 0.0001 to 0.0075 weight % Cr2O3 and/or from 0.0005 to 0.2 weight % MnO2. The glass composition may include from 0.0001 to 0.0075 weight % Cr2O3 and from 0.0005 to 0.2 weight % MnO2. The glass composition may form a colorless glass. The glass composition may form a glass having an L* value of at least 85; an a* value from −2.5 to +5.0; and a b* value from −1.0 to +5.0. A glass substrate formed from the glass composition may have a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%. A glass substrate formed from the glass composition may have a TVis of at least 85% using CIE standard illuminant A. A glass substrate formed from the glass composition may have a TIR of at least 85%, as determined by ISO 13837. A glass substrate formed from the glass composition may have a TVis/TIR of at least 0.9, TVis determined using CIE standard illuminant A and TIR determined by ISO 13837. The glass composition may be substantially free of a vanadium-containing compound. The glass composition may include from 0.15 to 0.40 weight % SO3.
According to some non-limiting aspects of the disclosure, a glass substrate is formed from a glass composition described herein. At least a portion of the glass substrate may be free of a coating layer.
According to some non-limiting aspects of the disclosure, a vehicle may include a glass substrate formed from a glass composition described herein.
In some non-limiting aspects, the glass substrate may include: a first glass panel including a No. 1 surface and an opposing No. 2 surface; a second glass panel including a No. 4 surface and an opposing No. 3 surface; and an interlayer positioned between the first glass panel and the second glass panel, where the interlayer contacts the No. 2 surface and the No. 3 surface. The interlayer may include polyvinyl butyral (PVB). The glass substrate may at least partially enclose an infrared radiation source positioned to emit near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm through the glass substrate. The vehicle may further include an infrared radiation detector positioned to detect reflected near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm, where the reflected near-infrared radiation includes at least a portion of the near-infrared radiation emitted by the infrared radiation source. The glass substrate may have a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%. The glass substrate may include a windshield.
According to some non-limiting aspects of the disclosure, a method of operating an autonomous vehicle includes: emitting near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm from an infrared radiation source mounted on the vehicle, where the emitted near-infrared radiation is transmitted through a glass substrate on the vehicle formed from the glass composition according to claim 1; and detecting near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm reflecting off an object with an infrared radiation detector mounted on the vehicle, where the reflected near-infrared radiation includes at least a portion of the near-infrared radiation emitted by the infrared radiation source.
In some non-limiting aspects, the glass substrate may have a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%. The method may further include determining, with at least one processor, at least one condition of the vehicle's surroundings based on the detected near-infrared radiation. The method may further include modifying, with at least one processor, at least one operation of the vehicle based on the determined at least one condition.
The disclosure will be described with reference to the following drawing figures wherein like reference numbers identify like parts throughout.
As used herein, spatial or directional terms, such as “left”, “right”, “inner”, “outer”, “above”, “below”, and the like, relate to the disclosure as it is shown in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure can assume various alternative orientations and, accordingly, such terms are not to be considered as limiting. Further, as used herein, all numbers expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, processing parameters, quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and the like, used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical values set forth in the following specification and claims may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical value should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass the beginning and ending range values and any and all subranges subsumed therein. For example, a stated range of “1 to 10” should be considered to include any and all subranges between (and inclusive of) the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less, e.g., 1 to 3.3, 4.7 to 7.5, 5.5 to 10, and the like. “A” or “an” refers to one or more.
Any reference to composition amounts, unless otherwise specified, is “by weight percent” based on the total weight of the final glass composition. The “total iron” content of the glass compositions disclosed herein is expressed in terms of Fe2O3 in accordance with standard analytical practice, regardless of the form actually present. Likewise, the amount of iron in the ferrous state is reported as FeO, even though it may not actually be present in the glass as FeO. The terms “redox”, “redox ratio”, or “iron redox ratio” mean the amount of iron in the ferrous state (expressed as FeO) divided by the amount of total iron (expressed as Fe2O3 and including iron amounts in the ferrous states and ferric state).
Iron can be found in glass in two different oxidation states: Fe2+, as ferrous oxide (FeO) and Fe3+, as ferric oxide (Fe2O3). Each ion confers different properties. The ferrous ion has a broad and strong absorption band centered at 1050 nm, which translates into a decrease in infrared radiation. In addition, this band extends to the visible region decreasing the transmission of light and imparting a bluish coloration on the glass. The ferric ion has a strong absorption band located in the ultraviolet region, which avoids its transmission through the glass and, in addition, it has two weak bands in the visible region located between 420 and 440 nm, which causes a slight decrease in light transmission and a yellowish coloration in the glass.
The balance between ferrous and ferric oxide has a direct effect on the characteristics of the color and transmittance of the glass.
The term “iron redox ratio” means the amount of iron in the ferrous state (expressed as FeO) divided by the amount of total iron (expressed as Fe2O3).
Further, as used herein, the terms “formed over”, “deposited over”, “arranged over”, or “provided over” mean formed, deposited, arranged, or provided on but not necessarily in contact with the surface. For example, a coating layer “arranged over” a substrate does not preclude the presence of one or more other coating layers or films of the same or different composition located between the formed coating layer and the substrate.
Additionally, all documents, such as, but not limited to, issued patents and patent applications, referred to herein are to be considered to be “incorporated by reference” in their entirety.
The present disclosure is directed to a glass composition, comprising: from 65 to 75 weight % SiO2; from 10 to 20 weight % Na2O; from 5 to 15 weight % CaO; from 0 to 5 weight % MgO; from 0 to 5 weight % Al2O3; from 0 to 5 weight % K2O; from greater than 0 and up to 0.030 weight % total iron (Fe2O3); and from greater than 0 and up to 0.003 weight % FeO.
Non-limiting examples of suitable glass materials formed from the glass composition include conventional soda-lime-silicate glass, borosilicate glass, or leaded glass. The glass can be clear glass. By “clear glass” is meant non-tinted or non-colored glass. The glass can be annealed or heat-treated glass. As used herein, the term “heat treated” means tempered or at least partially tempered. The glass can be of any type, such as conventional float glass, and can be of any composition having any optical properties, e.g., any value of visible transmission, ultraviolet transmission, infrared transmission, and/or total solar energy transmission. By “float glass” is meant glass formed by a conventional float process in which molten glass is deposited onto a molten metal bath and controllably cooled to form a float glass ribbon. Examples of float glass processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,466,562 and 4,671,155.
Table 1 lists the major components and their respective ranges in weight percent for non-limiting embodiments of glass compositions prepared according to the present disclosure.
While iron may not be intentionally added to the glass composition, it may also be present in the glass composition as ferrous iron, ferric iron, or a combination of ferrous and ferric iron.
The glass composition may comprise ferrous iron (FeO) in an amount of from greater than 0 and up to 0.003 weight %, such as from greater than 0 and up to 0.0025 weight %, from greater than 0 and up to 0.002 weight %, from greater than 0 and up to 0.0015 weight %, or from greater than 0 and up to 0.001 weight %.
The glass composition may comprise an amount of total iron (Fe2O3) in an amount of from greater than 0 and up to 0.030 weight %, such as from 0.02 to 0.025 weight %, from 0.002 to 0.02 weight %, from 0.002 to 0.015 weight %, from 0.002 to 0.01 weight %, or from 0.006 to 0.025 weight %.
The glass composition may comprise a redox ratio (FeO/Fe2O3) of up to 0.35, such as up to 0.30, up to 0.25, up to 0.20, or up to 0.10.
The glass composition may comprise SO3 in an amount of up to 0.40 weight %, such as up to 0.38 weight %, up to 0.35 weight %, or up to 0.30 weight %. The glass composition may comprise SO3 in an amount of from 0.15 to 0.40 weight %, such as from 0.15 to 0.38 weight %, from 0.15 to 0.35 weight %, from 0.15 to 0.30 weight %, or from 0.20 to 0.38 weight %.
Table 2 lists iron-containing components and their respective ranges in weight percent, as well as the redox ratio, for non-limiting embodiments of glass compositions prepared according to the present disclosure. Table 2 also lists SO3 and its weight percent for non-limiting embodiments of glass compositions prepared according to the present disclosure.
The glass composition may further comprise oxidizing components that may oxidize the ferrous and/or ferric iron in the glass composition. Non-limiting examples of oxidizing components include chromium (III) oxide (Cr2O3) and manganese dioxide (MnO2). The glass composition may comprise Cr2O3, MnO2, or both Cr2O3 and MnO2.
If Cr2O3 is present, the glass composition may comprise from 0.0001 to 0.0075 weight % Cr2O3, such as from 0.0001 to 0.007 weight %, from 0.0001 to 0.005 weight %, or from 0.0003 to 0.007 weight %.
If MnO2 is present, the glass composition may comprise from 0.0005 to 0.20 weight % MnO2, such as from 0.0005 to 0.10 weight %, from 0.0005 to 0.08 weight %, or from 0.0009 to 0.15 weight %. In some non-limiting embodiments, the MnO2 is present in the glass composition in an amount up to 0.2 weight %, such as up to 0.1 weight %, up to 0.08 weight %, or up to 0.05 weight %.
If Cr2O3 and MnO2 are both present in the glass composition, they may be included in amounts described in the foregoing ranges.
It is noted that weight % of metal oxide components is based on the total weight of the metal oxide compound (and not just on the weight of the metal of the metal oxide compound).
Table 3 lists oxidizing components and their respective ranges in weight percent for non-limiting embodiments of glass compositions prepared according to the present disclosure.
Fe2O3 (including FeO), Cr2O3, and MnO2 disclosed herein may also be considered colorants. The sum of these colorants in the glass composition may be less than 1.0 weight %, such as up to 0.15 weight %, or up to 0.10 weight %. The sum of these colorants in the glass composition may range from 0.005 to 1.0 weight %, such as 0.005 to 0.2 weight %, 0.008 to 1.0 weight %, 0.008 to 0.2 weight %, 0.008 to 0.18 weight %, 0.008 to 0.15 weight %, or 0.008 to 0.10 weight %.
Table 4 lists the sum of the following colorants: Fe2O3 (including FeO), Cr2O3, and MnO2 and their range in weight percent for non-limiting embodiments of glass compositions prepared according to the present disclosure.
The glass composition may be substantially free of a vanadium-containing compound. The glass composition may be substantially free of a cobalt-containing compound. The glass composition may be substantially free of a copper-containing compound. The glass composition may be substantially free of a selenium-containing compound. The glass composition may be substantially free of a rare earth element-containing compound (e.g., CeO2, Er2O3, and the like). The glass composition being substantially free of a compound may mean that the compound is not intentionally added to the glass composition and may only be present in incidental amounts up to 0.005 ppm. The glass composition may be completely free of each of these compounds, thus containing 0 weight % of each of these compounds.
The glass composition may optionally comprise titania (TiO2). The amount of titania contained in the glass composition may depend on the sand used to form the glass composition, since titania can be an impurity in the sand introduced into the glass composition. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of titania may be intentionally added to be within a predetermined range. If present, the amount of titania in the glass composition may be up to 0.06 weight %, such as up to 0.025 weight %, up to 0.02 weight %, up to 0.015 weight %, up to 0.01 weight %. If present, the amount of titania in the glass composition may range from 0.005 to 0.06 weight %, such as from 0.005 to 0.025 weight %, from 0.005 to 0.02 weight %, or from 0.005 to 0.01 weight.
The glass composition described herein may be formed into a glass substrate. The glass composition of the present disclosure may be melted and refined in a continuous, large-scale, commercial glass melting operation and formed into flat glass sheets of varying thickness by the float method in which the molten glass is supported on a pool of molten metal, usually tin, as it assumes a ribbon shape and is cooled in a manner well known in the art to form the glass substrate. It will be appreciated that alternative methods of forming glass substrates from glass compositions are also within the scope of this disclosure.
With the glass substrate formed from the glass composition described herein comprising colorants in the low amounts described herein, the glass composition may form a colorless glass. The colorless glass may have the following CIE color properties:
Color (e.g., L*, a*, b*) and spectral (e.g., transmission) properties are based on a reference thickness of the glass of 3.85 mm. Further, color and spectral properties reported herein are of an uncoated glass substrate.
Glass color in terms of L*, a* and b*, are calculated from the tristimulus values (X, Y, Z) and identify the characteristics of lightness and hue, respectively, in the system commonly referred to as the CIELAB color system. The lightness, or L* value, distinguishes the degree of lightness or darkness and indicates the lightness or darkness of the color and represents the lightness plane on which the color resides. Hue distinguishes colors such as red, yellow, green and blue. The symbol “a*” indicates the position of the color on a red (+a*) green (−a*) axis. The symbol “b*” indicates the color position on a yellow (+b*) blue (−b*) axis. It should be appreciated that color can be characterized in any suitable color systems. The L*, a*, and b* values are determined using the reference illuminant (D65) and a Lambda 1050 spectrophotometer, commercially available from Perkin-Elmer Corporation. A detailed discussion of color calculations is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,559. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,559 in its entirety is incorporated herein by reference.
The glass substrate formed from the glass composition may have the following spectral properties.
The glass substrate may have a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 90%, such as at least 90.3%, at least 90.5%, or at least 91%, as measured using a Lambda 1050 spectrophotometer.
The glass substrate may have a visible transmission Tvis of at least 75%, such as at least 80%, at least 85%, or at least 90%, determined using the conventional CIE Illuminant A and a 2-degree observer angle.
The glass substrate may have an infrared transmission TIR of at least 85%, such as at least 90% or at least 91%, as determined by ISO 13837.
The glass substrate may have a Tvis/TIR of at least 0.8, such as at least 0.9 or at least 1.0, with Tvis and TIR determined as previously described.
Glass substrates having these color and spectral properties may be sufficiently transparent in the visible region for a user (e.g., a vehicle driver) to see through the glass, while also being sufficiently transparent in the infrared region (or subregions thereof) so as to not obstruct radiation detectors and sources emitting or detecting radiation in the infrared region.
At least a portion of the glass substrate may be free of a coating. In some non-limiting embodiments, the glass substrate may be coated with a coating, and at least a portion of the applied coating may be removed such that a first portion of the glass is coated, while a second portion of the glass is uncoated. The uncoated region may be a region of the glass substrate configured to be incident with infrared radiation emitted or detected by a radiation source or detector, as described herein.
The coating may comprise any glass coating known in the art, such as solar control coatings that block (e.g., by reflection and/or fluorescence) at least a portion of the solar radiation incident to the coating, so as to regulate the temperature of the environment enclosed by the glass substrate, such as the interior of a vehicle. As used herein, the term “solar control coating” refers to a coating comprised of one or more layers or films that affect the solar properties of the coated glass substrate, such as, but not limited to, the amount of solar radiation, for example, visible, infrared, or ultraviolet radiation, reflected from, absorbed by, or passing through the coated article; shading coefficient; emissivity, etc. The solar control coating can block, absorb, or filter selected portions of the solar spectrum, such as, but not limited to, the IR, UV, and/or visible spectrums, or portions thereof. Non-limiting examples of solar control coatings are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,345,499; 10,358,384; 10,539,726; 10,703,673; 11,078,718; 11,267,752; 11,402,557.
The coating may be deposited directly over the glass substrate or another coating layer by any suitable method, such as, but not limited to, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods. Examples of CVD processes include spray pyrolysis. Examples of PVD processes include electron beam evaporation and vacuum sputtering (such as magnetron sputter vapor deposition (MSVD)). Other coating methods could also be used, such as, but not limited to, sol-gel deposition. In one non-limiting embodiment, a coating layer is deposited by MSVD. Examples of MSVD coating devices and methods will be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,040; 4,861,669; 4,898,789; 4,898,790; 4,900,633; 4,920,006; 4,938,857; 5,328,768; and 5,492,750.
Alternatively, the entire glass substrate may be free of a coating.
The glass substrate may be of any desired dimensions, e.g., length, width, shape, or thickness. In some non-limiting embodiments in which the substrate is a vehicle (e.g., automotive) transparency, the glass substrate may be 1-10 mm thick, such as 1-8 mm thick, such as 2-8 mm, such as 3-7 mm, such as 5-7 mm, such as 4-6 mm thick.
Referring to
Referring to
In broad practice, the plies 102, 104 can be of the same or different materials. The plies 102, 104 can each comprise, for example, clear float glass. Although not limiting, examples of glass suitable for the first ply 102 and/or second ply 104 are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,746,347; 4,792,536; 5,030,593; 5,030,594; 5,240,886; 5,385,872; and 5,393,593.
The transparency 100 of
The transparency 100 may be mounted in a vehicle body of the vehicle. Non-limiting examples of the vehicle body include: an automobile roof in the case of a sunroof, an automobile door or frame in the case of an automobile windshield or window, or a fuselage of an airplane. The transparency 100 may be affixed to a mechanism by which the transparency 100, such as a car window or sunroof, can be opened and closed, as is broadly known in the vehicular arts.
With continued reference to
With continued reference to
The coated surface (e.g., the third major surface 110) may have an uncoated region 118 not coated by the coating 116. The uncoated region 118 may have never been contacted with the coating 116 (e.g., coating via a masking process) or the coating 116 applied to the uncoated region 118 may subsequently be removed to form the uncoated region 118. The uncoated region 118 may be a region of the transparency 100 though which radiation (e.g., infrared radiation) from a radiation source and/or detected by a radiation detector may transmit without being reflected and/or fluoresced to the same degree as the coating 116 designed to reflect and/or fluoresce the same radiation to a higher degree.
Referring to
The transparency 200 of
Referring to
While the coating 316 is shown shaded for illustration purposes, it will be appreciated that the coating 316 and the uncoated region 318 may both appear visibly transparent and indistinguishable or nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye, as both may be highly transparent in the visible region, while having different transmission properties in at least one region outside the visible spectrum (e.g., in the infrared region or a portion thereof).
The coating 316 may be a solar control coating in order to control the amount of solar radiation entering the interior of the vehicle, and to prevent the interior of the vehicle from excessive heating. The area of uncoated region 318 not containing the solar control coating may be selected so as to be large enough to not interfere with a radiation source 320 and a radiation detector 322 of the vehicle, while being small enough to minimize the area not protecting the interior of the vehicle from excessive heating.
With continued reference to
The radiation detector 322 may be arranged proximate the uncoated region 318 and may be arranged to detect radiation at the predetermined wavelength(s) transmitted through the uncoated region 318. The radiation detector 322 may be positioned in the interior of the vehicle, such as being mounted on a rearview mirror. For example, the radiation detector 322 may detect radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm transmitted through the uncoated region 318. Non-limiting examples of predetermined wavelengths that may be detected by the radiation detector 322 include 905 nm, 1550 nm, or other wavelength determined as a standard wavelength for use in autonomous vehicle navigation. The radiation detector 322 may detect at least a portion of the radiation emitted by the radiation source 320 that has been reflected off an object and back at the vehicle (e.g., reflected radiation).
As shown in
The detection system 530 may further comprise a second vehicle 536, as an object detected by the first vehicle 532. The radiation source 520 may emit the emitted radiation 534 through the transparency 500 and directed at the second vehicle 536. At least a portion of the emitted radiation 534 may reflect off of the second vehicle 536 as reflected radiation 538. At least a portion of the reflected radiation 538 may transmit through the transparency 500 of the first vehicle 532 and be detected by the radiation detector 522. Based on the reflected radiation 538 detected by the radiation detector 522, the first vehicle 532 may modify at least one operation of the first vehicle 532 as described herein.
While the emitted radiation 534 in
While
Referring to
The control system 640 may comprise the radiation source 620 and the radiation detector 622 as previously described. The control system 640 may comprise a vehicle control processor (VCP) 644, a braking system 646, an acceleration system 648, and/or a steering system 650. Each of these components may comprise at least one processor. Each of these components may be separate computing components, or certain of these components may be integrated into the same computing component.
The radiation source 620 and/or the radiation detector 622 may be in communication with the VCP 644. The VCP 644 may be in communication with the braking system 646, the acceleration system 648, and/or the steering system 650. As used herein, the terms “communication” and “communicate” may refer to the reception, receipt, transmission, transfer, provision, and/or the like of information (e.g., data, signals, messages, instructions, commands, and/or the like). For one unit (e.g., a device, a system, a component of a device or system, combinations thereof, and/or the like) to be in communication with another unit means that the one unit is able to directly or indirectly receive information from and/or send (e.g., transmit) information to the other unit. This may refer to a direct or indirect connection that is wired and/or wireless in nature. Additionally, two units may be in communication with each other even though the information transmitted may be modified, processed, relayed, and/or routed between the first and second unit. For example, a first unit may be in communication with a second unit even though the first unit passively receives information and does not actively transmit information to the second unit. As another example, a first unit may be in communication with a second unit if at least one intermediary unit (e.g., a third unit located between the first unit and the second unit) processes information received from the first unit and transmits the processed information to the second unit. In some non-limiting embodiments or aspects, a message may refer to a network packet (e.g., a data packet and/or the like) that includes data.
With continued reference to
The radiation detector 622 mounted on the autonomous vehicle may detect infrared radiation reflected off an object incident to the emitted radiation. The radiation detected by the radiation detector 622 may comprise at least a portion of the radiation emitted by the radiation source 620 (after said radiation reflects off the object incident to the emitted radiation). The radiation detector 622 may communicate data to the VCP 644 regarding the detected radiation, such as the timing of the detection of the radiation, the wavelength(s) of the detection, the intensity of the detection, the timing of the cessation of the detection, and the like.
In response to receiving data from the radiation source 620 and/or the radiation detector 622, the VCP 644 may determine at least one condition of the vehicle's surroundings. The at least one condition may be based on the detected radiation from the radiation detector 622. The at least one condition may include, for example, a speed of travel and/or direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle, a speed of travel and/or direction of travel of the object in the path of the autonomous vehicle, a distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object in the path of the autonomous vehicle, a shape of the object in the path of the autonomous vehicle, whether current operation of the autonomous vehicle will result in a collision or avoid a collision with the object in the path of the autonomous vehicle, weather and/or road conditions, and the like.
Based on the at least one determined condition, the VCP 644 may modify at least one operation of the autonomous vehicle. The VCP 644 may modify the operation of the autonomous vehicle automatically without requiring a user operator intervention. The VCP 644 may modify the operation of the autonomous vehicle to avoid a collision with the object in the path of the autonomous vehicle. The VCP 644 may modify the operation of the autonomous vehicle by sending a control signal to at least one of the braking system 646, the acceleration system 648, and the steering system 650.
For example, the VCP 644 may send a control signal to the braking system 646 to cause the brake of the autonomous vehicle to automatically be applied or released. The control signal may indicate the degree to which the brake should be applied or released, the duration of the application or release of the brake, and the like.
For example, the VCP 644 may send a control signal to the acceleration system 648 to cause the accelerator of the autonomous vehicle to automatically be applied or released. The control signal may indicate the degree to which the accelerator should be applied or released, the duration of the application or release of the accelerator, and the like.
For example, the VCP 644 may send a control signal to the steering system 650 to cause steering of the autonomous vehicle to automatically be adjusted. The control signal may indicate a direction to steer (e.g., left or right), the degree to which the steering should be adjusted, the duration of the adjustment to the steering, and the like.
While the VCP's 644 control of the braking system 646, acceleration system 648, and steering system 650 have been described herein, it will be appreciated that the VCP 644 may send a control signal to other components of the autonomous vehicle to effect control thereof based on the data received from the radiation source 620 and/or the radiation detector 622.
The following numbered clauses are illustrative of various aspects of the disclosure:
Clause 1: A glass composition, comprising: from 65 to 75 weight % SiO2; from 10 to 20 weight % Na2O; from 5 to 15 weight % CaO; from 0 to 5 weight % MgO; from 0 to 5 weight % Al2O3; from 0 to 5 weight % K2O; from greater than 0 and up to 0.030 weight % total iron (Fe2O3); and from greater than 0 and up to 0.003 weight % FeO.
Clause 2: The glass composition of clause 1, comprising from 0.002 to 0.025 weight % total iron.
Clause 3: The glass composition of clause 1 or 2, wherein the glass composition comprises a sum of colorants less than 1 weight %, wherein the sum of colorants comprise iron-containing, manganese-containing, and chromium-containing compounds.
Clause 4: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-3, comprising a redox ratio (FeO/Fe2O3) of up to 0.3.
Clause 5: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-4, comprising from 0.0001 to 0.0075 weight % Cr2O3 and/or from 0.0005 to 0.2 weight % MnO2.
Clause 6: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-5, comprising from 0.0001 to 0.0075 weight % Cr2O3 and from 0.0005 to 0.2 weight % MnO2.
Clause 7: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the glass composition forms a colorless glass.
Clause 8: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the glass composition forms a glass having: an L* value of at least 85; an a* value from −2.5 to +5.0; and a b* value from −1.0 to +5.0.
Clause 9: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-8, wherein a glass substrate formed from the glass composition has a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%.
Clause 10: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-9, wherein a glass substrate formed from the glass composition has a TVis of at least 85% using CIE standard illuminant A.
Clause 11: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-10, wherein a glass substrate formed from the glass composition has a TIR of at least 85%, as determined by ISO 13837.
Clause 12: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-11, wherein a glass substrate formed from the glass composition has a TVis/TIR of at least 0.9, TVis determined using CIE standard illuminant A and TIR determined by ISO 13837.
Clause 13: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-12, wherein the glass composition is substantially free of a vanadium-containing compound.
Clause 14: The glass composition of any of clauses 1-13, comprising from 0.15 to 0.40 weight % SO3.
Clause 15: A glass substrate formed from the glass composition of any of clauses 1-14, wherein at least a portion of the glass substrate is free of a coating layer.
Clause 16: A vehicle comprising a glass substrate formed from the glass composition of any of clauses 1-14.
Clause 17: The vehicle of clause 16, wherein the glass substrate comprises: a first glass panel comprising a No. 1 surface and an opposing No. 2 surface; a second glass panel comprising a No. 4 surface and an opposing No. 3 surface; and an interlayer positioned between the first glass panel and the second glass panel, wherein the interlayer contacts the No. 2 surface and the No. 3 surface.
Clause 18: The vehicle of clause 17, wherein the interlayer comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB).
Clause 19: The vehicle of any of clauses 16-18, wherein the glass substrate at least partially encloses an infrared radiation source positioned to emit near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm through the glass substrate.
Clause 20: The vehicle of clause 19, further comprising an infrared radiation detector positioned to detect reflected near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm, wherein the reflected near-infrared radiation comprises at least a portion of the near-infrared radiation emitted by the infrared radiation source.
Clause 21: The vehicle of any of clauses 16-20, wherein the glass substrate has a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%.
Clause 22: The vehicle of any of clauses 16-21, wherein the glass substrate comprises a windshield.
Clause 23: A method of operating an autonomous vehicle comprising: emitting near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm from an infrared radiation source mounted on the vehicle, wherein the emitted near-infrared radiation is transmitted through a glass substrate on the vehicle formed from the glass composition according to any of clauses 1-14; detecting near-infrared radiation in a range of 800 nm to 2500 nm reflecting off an object with an infrared radiation detector mounted on the vehicle, wherein the reflected near-infrared radiation comprises at least a portion of the near-infrared radiation emitted by the infrared radiation source.
Clause 24: The method of clause 23, wherein the glass substrate has a transmission at 905 nm and/or at 1550 nm of at least 91%.
Clause 25: The method of clause 23 or 24, further comprising: determining, with at least one processor, at least one condition of the vehicle's surroundings based on the detected near-infrared radiation.
Clause 26: The method of clause 25, further comprising: modifying, with at least one processor, at least one operation of the vehicle based on the determined at least one condition.
The glass compositions of Examples 1-27 were prepared to have the composition shown in Tables 5A-5C below. The glass compositions further comprise the soda lime glass composition major components within the ranges provided in Table 1. Tables 5A-5C further report the color and spectral properties of glass substrates formed from the glass compositions. Examples 3-10 are examples of float glass. The remaining examples were prepared in an electric furnace. All glass samples were prepared to a thickness of 3.85 mm.
The glass substrates formed from the low iron, low redox glass compositions of Examples 1-27 exhibit good color and spectral properties and are suitable for use in glass substrates through which high infrared transmittance is desired, such as in autonomous vehicles having infrared sources and/or detectors.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the particular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative only and are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/505,733 filed Jun. 2, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63505733 | Jun 2023 | US |
