KR102385713B1 - Method and apparatus for controlling color change of electrochromic device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a device capable of controlling the light transmittance of an electrochromic element, and by varying and applying power according to the temperature of a place where the electrochromic element is installed, the light transmittance of the element can be freely controlled. In particular, since the light transmittance between a plurality of electrochromic elements can be uniformly controlled, or an aesthetic design pattern having different light transmittances can also be controlled, it can be usefully applied as a window glass of a building.

Description

Method and apparatus for controlling color change of electrochromic device

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus capable of controlling the coloring and discoloration of an electrochromic device, and more particularly, to rapidly color and decolor an electrochromic device with a target light transmittance without deteriorating the reliability and durability of the device. It relates to a discoloration control method and apparatus.

Electrochromism is a phenomenon in which a color is reversibly changed depending on the direction of an electric field when a voltage is applied. Devices with this characteristic are called electrochromic devices. Such an electrochromic device is formed in a structure in which a color-changing material and an electrolyte are interposed between transparent electrodes at predetermined intervals as in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2006-0092362 and 2020-0128374.

The electrochromic element has no color when there is no electron movement from the outside, but when power is applied to the transparent electrode, electrons are supplied to reduce the color-changing material or lose electrons to oxidize the color-changing material, or vice versa. In the absence of electron supply, the color-changing material has a color, but when electrons are supplied and reduced or oxidized by loss of electrons, the color disappears.

Recently, electrochromic devices are receiving great attention when applied to large areas such as window glass of buildings. As a voltage difference occurs between the central portions, there is a problem in that the light transmittance is different depending on the location.

In order to improve this, if a higher voltage is applied to the large-area electrochromic device, a large amount of charge can be supplied in a short time, but the device may be deteriorated due to the high voltage, thereby reducing the reliability and durability of the device. In this case, there is a problem in that the device is damaged.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0092362 (Title of the invention: electrochromic device and manufacturing method thereof) Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0128374 (Title of the invention: electrochromic device)

The present invention was devised to solve the above technical problem, and the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling discoloration that does not reduce reliability and durability of an electrochromic element while rapidly coloring and decolorizing an electrochromic element with a target light transmittance. There is a purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a device voltage measuring unit for measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device, a device information storage section for storing voltage information corresponding to the light transmittance of the electrochromic device for which the device voltage is measured, A discoloration voltage control unit for discoloring the electrochromic device obtained from the device information storage unit to a target light transmittance by supplying a target voltage for discoloring the electrochromic device to a target light transmittance and an applied voltage according to the difference in the measured device voltage to the electrochromic device; To provide a color change control device of an electrochromic device.

In the present invention, the color-changing voltage controller may divide a target voltage and the measured device voltage into a plurality of voltage sections, and sequentially supply the target tracking applied voltage matched to each voltage section to the electrochromic device.

In the present invention, if the device voltage measured from the electrochromic device that has reached the target voltage due to the supply of the target tracking applied voltage is different from the target voltage, the color change voltage controller may supply the target maintenance applied voltage to the electrochromic device.

In the present invention, the color-change voltage control unit may supply another target-following applied voltage matched to a voltage section including the device voltage measured after supplying the target-following applied voltage to the electrochromic device.

In the present invention, the color fading voltage control unit supplies a plurality of target tracking applied voltages sequentially decreasing in size to the electrochromic device to color with higher light transmittance, or a plurality of target tracking applied voltages sequentially increasing in size. It can be supplied to an electrochromic element to decolorize with a lower light transmittance.

In the present invention, the target-following applied voltage may be a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage is applied with a predetermined magnitude and a floating section to which no voltage is applied.

In the present invention, the target maintenance applied voltage includes a voltage application section in which a voltage equal to or smaller in absolute value than the latest applied voltage among the sequentially supplied target tracking applied voltages is supplied, and a floating section in which no voltage is supplied. It may be a square wave voltage having

In addition, the present invention provides the steps of measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device, obtaining a target voltage for discoloring to a target light transmittance from stored device information of the electrochromic device and comparing the measured device voltage with the target voltage Provided is a method for controlling discoloration of an electrochromic device comprising the step of supplying an applied voltage according to a difference in device voltage to the electrochromic device to change color to a target light transmittance.

In the present invention, it is possible to divide the target voltage and the measured device voltage into a plurality of voltage sections, and sequentially supply the target-following applied voltage matched to each voltage section to the electrochromic device.

In the present invention, after the step of discoloring the electrochromic device to the target light transmittance, the device voltage of the electrochromic device that has reached the target voltage may be measured and, if there is a difference from the target voltage, the target maintenance applied voltage may be supplied.

In the present invention, after supplying the target tracking applied voltage, the device voltage may be measured again, and another target tracking applied voltage matched to a voltage section including the measured device voltage may be supplied to the electrochromic device.

In the present invention, a plurality of target-following applied voltages sequentially decreasing in size are supplied to the electrochromic device to color with higher light transmittance, or a plurality of target-following applied voltages sequentially increasing in size are applied to the electrochromic device. It can be supplied to decolorize with a lower light transmittance.

In the present invention, a target tracking applied voltage that is a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage is applied at a predetermined level and a floating section to which no voltage is applied can be supplied.

In the present invention, the device voltage according to the target tracking applied voltage is measured in the floating section, and the device voltage may be measured after each supply of a plurality of the target tracking applied voltages.

In the present invention, after every supply of the target tracking applied voltage, another target tracking applied voltage matched to a voltage section including the device voltage measured may be supplied to the electrochromic device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the discoloration rate without degrading the durability and reliability of the electrochromic device, and it is particularly useful for large areas requiring rapid and reliable discoloration, such as window glass of a building.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a discoloration control device according to the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an electrochromic device to be discolored according to the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a square wave voltage sequentially applied when coloring an electrochromic device according to the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating a square wave voltage sequentially applied during discoloration of the electrochromic device according to the present invention.
5 is a flowchart of a discoloration control method according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those with average knowledge in the art, and the shape of elements in the drawings, the size of elements, the spacing between elements, etc. may be exaggerated or reduced for

In addition, when it is determined that the technical features of the present invention may be unnecessarily obscured as it is already obvious to a person skilled in the art, such as a known function or a known configuration related in principle in describing the embodiment, the detailed description thereof A description will be omitted.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus 100 for controlling discoloration of an electrochromic device according to the present invention, wherein the device for controlling discoloration of an electrochromic device 100 measures device voltage of the electrochromic device 10 It includes a measuring unit 110 , a device information storage unit 120 storing device information of the electrochromic device 10 , a color changing voltage control unit 130 , and a power supply unit 140 .

An electrochromic device 10 that is discolored according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, in which electrode layers 12 and 16, discoloration material layers 13 and 15, and electrolyte 14 are formed between transparent substrates 11 and 17. The secondary all-terrain electrochromic device 10 is shown. Terminals 18 and 19 are provided on the electrode layers 11 and 16, and external power is applied thereto.

As long as the electrochromic element 10 can be discolored by an external power source, various types of elements can be applied irrespective of the structure shown in FIG. A color-changing device, another type of secondary battery type device in which any one of the color-changing material layers is replaced with an ion storage layer, or a hybrid electrochromic device in which a color-changing material layer is formed only on one electrode layer and another color-changing material is mixed in an electrolyte can also be used.

The device voltage measuring unit 110 is controlled by the color-changing voltage control unit 130 to measure the voltage of the electrochromic device 10 , and is connected to the terminals 18 and 19 through the electrochromic device 10 to measure the device voltage. However, as will be described later, the device voltage is measured in a floating section to which no square wave voltage is applied. As the light transmittance varies according to the voltage level of the electrochromic element 10 , the light transmittance is determined by the measured voltage level.

The device information storage unit 120 stores information on the electrochromic device 10 that is a color change control target, that is, device identification ID, device type (solution type, secondary battery type, hybrid type, etc.), device voltage required for specific light transmittance Device information as shown in (Table 1 below) is stored.

As shown in Table 1, as the device voltage increases, the electrochromic device is colored and the light transmittance is lowered. Conversely, as the device voltage decreases, the electrochromic device is discolored and the light transmittance increases. The device voltage according to this light transmittance is Each electrochromic element is measured, and an element identification ID is assigned and stored.

The color-changing voltage control unit 130 controls the power supply unit 140 to apply a voltage so that the electrochromic element 10 changes color to a target light transmittance. At this time, the color fading voltage control unit 130 compares the current device voltage with a target voltage for discoloring to a target light transmittance, and supplies a voltage if there is a difference. At this time, the device voltage is measured from the device voltage measuring unit 110 , and the target voltage is obtained from the device information storage unit 120 .

If the obtained device voltage and the target voltage are different from each other, the color fading voltage control unit 130 generates applied voltage data supplied to the device. Here, the applied voltage data is the target following applied voltage sequentially supplied so that the currently measured device voltage reaches the target voltage, and the device voltage measured from the device reaching the target voltage due to the supply of the target tracking applied voltage is the target voltage. It is data on the magnitude of the target maintenance applied voltage that is supplied in case of deviation.

As a specific example with reference to Table 1, the color fading voltage control unit raises the device to a target voltage (2.0V) in order to color a device having a measured device voltage of 2.0V and a light transmittance of 50% with a light transmittance of 10%. 130 generates applied voltage data as shown in Table 2 below.

In the applied voltage data in Table 2, the device voltage and the target voltage are divided into a plurality of voltage sections (1st section to 3rd section: D ₁ to D ₃ . See Table 2 below), and the target tracking applied voltage for each voltage section is matched. In addition, the target maintenance applied voltage is matched to the deviation voltage section (the fourth section: D ₄ ) in which the voltage is not applied to the device that has reached the target voltage and is decreased to below the reference voltage (1.8V).

At this time, the target-following applied voltage is assigned to a value that is sequentially lowered, that is, after 5V matched to the first section D ₁ , which is the device voltage (-2.0V), is first applied to the device, the device voltage rises to the second When the second section (D ₂ ) is reached, 3V lower than the first section (D ₁ ) is applied, and as a result, the device voltage rises and reaches the third section (D ₃ ), a lower 2V than the second section (D ₂ ) is applied to reach the target voltage.

And, when the device reaches the target voltage, no more voltage is applied, and when the device voltage falls below the set reference voltage (1.8V) after reaching the target voltage, the target is maintained so that the device reaches the target voltage again. An applied voltage of 2V is supplied.

In this way, even after reaching the target voltage, the device voltage is repeatedly measured every set time, and when the device voltage deviates from the target voltage, the device is discolored to the target light transmittance as the above-described target maintenance applied voltage is repeatedly applied. this can be maintained.

Here, the target tracking applied voltage supplied to the device is a plurality of square wave voltages having different magnitudes shown in FIG. 3 . When the measured device voltage (V _D ) is the first section (D ₁ ), the first square wave voltage (V _C1 ) and the device voltage (V _D ) measured after the first square wave voltage (V _C1 ) is applied is the second If the second period (D ₂ ), the second square wave voltage (V _C2 ), similarly, after the second square wave voltage (VC2) is applied, the device voltage (V _D ) measured after the third period (D3) is the third square wave voltage ( V _C3 ) is applied respectively.

By extending this and dividing the device voltage VS and the target voltage V _D into n sections, as shown in FIG. 3 , the first square wave voltage V _C1 , the second square wave voltage V _C2 ... The nth square wave voltage (V _n ) is sequentially applied. The first square wave voltage (V _C1 ) applied first has the largest magnitude than the square wave voltages (V ₂ ,....V _n ) applied subsequently to increase the discoloration rate of the device, in which case the first square wave voltage ( If only V _C1 ) is continuously supplied, there is a risk of deterioration of the device, and after the first square wave voltage (V _C1 ) is applied, the second square wave voltage sequentially decreases in size, ... nth square wave voltage ( V _Cn ) is applied.

In addition, the square wave voltage (V _C1 ,V _C2 ,...V _Cn ) consists of a voltage application period ( _TS ) and a floating period ( _TO ) to which no voltage is applied, which is a voltage application period This is because it takes a certain time for the charge injected into the device during ( _TS ) to move to the color-changing material and completely change color.

At this time, during the floating period ( _TO ), the device voltage measuring unit 110 measures the device voltage (V _D ), through which the discoloration voltage control unit 130 is a square wave voltage (V _C1 , V _C2 ,.. Each time ..V _Cn ) is supplied, the device voltage V _D is measured, and a target tracking applied voltage matched to a voltage section including the measured device voltage V _D is subsequently supplied.

When the device reaches the target voltage through this process, the device voltage measuring unit 110 repeatedly measures the device voltage V _D in a state where no voltage is applied, and the measured value is the target voltage of the applied voltage data. When the voltage is reduced to the voltage corresponding to the reduction period, the target voltage application voltage is supplied so that the device returns to the target voltage again.

At this time, as the target voltage applied voltage, the target maintenance square wave voltage V _Cn ′ having an absolute value equal to or smaller than the nth square wave voltage V _Cn applied the latest among the previously supplied target tracking applied voltages is applied. do. Through this, discoloration of the device can be maintained at the target light transmittance without excessive impact on the device that has reached the target voltage. The supply of the target voltage application voltage is repeatedly performed.

The process of controlling the applied voltage for coloring the device has been described above. Hereinafter, the process of decolorizing the colored device will be described.

As a specific example, in order to decolor the device of Table 1 colored with a light transmittance of 10% to a light transmittance of 50%, applied voltage data as shown in Table 3 below is generated.

Compared to Table 2, which is the above-described coloring process, Table 4 is the same except that only the positive and negative signs of the voltage are different, and accordingly, the target-following applied voltage that sequentially increases in size during discoloration is supplied. After the device is bleached, the process of maintaining the bleached state is the same as the process of controlling the coloration described above, except that a negative sustain voltage (-2.0V) is applied. As described above, the square wave voltages V _B1 , V _B2 , ....V _Bn , and the target-maintaining square wave voltage V _Bn ′ sequentially applied as voltages having large magnitudes during discoloration are illustrated in FIG. 4 .

Hereinafter, a discoloration control method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . First, after measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device (S110), the measured device voltage and a target voltage for discoloring the electrochromic device to a target light transmittance are compared (S120). In this case, the light transmittance corresponding to the measured device voltage and the target voltage corresponding to the target light transmittance are obtained from the device information stored in the device information storage unit 120 .

Next, if the device voltage and the target voltage do not match and there is a difference, applied voltage data to be supplied to the device is generated ( S130 ). The applied voltage data is a target-following applied voltage that sequentially increases or decreases in size (coloring: increase, discoloration: decrease) so that the measured device voltage reaches the target voltage, and maintains the device that has reached the target voltage at the target light transmittance. It is generated by the applied voltage to maintain the target.

At this time, the target tracking applied voltage is matched with each voltage section divided into a plurality between the measured device voltage and the target voltage, and the target maintenance applied voltage is generated by matching the voltage section where the device reaching the target voltage deviates from the reference voltage do. Such an applied voltage is generated as a square wave voltage including a voltage application period TS and a floating period TO to which no voltage is applied.

Next, after applying the target tracking applied voltage matched to the measured applied voltage with reference to the applied voltage data to the device to change the color (S140), the device voltage of the discolored device in the floating section to which the target tracking applied voltage is not supplied is measured again to determine whether the target voltage has been reached (S150). When the device voltage does not reach the target voltage, as in step S140, after supplying the target tracking applied voltage, the target tracking applied voltage matched with the measured device voltage is supplied back to the device to discolor the device.

At this time, as the applied voltage changes with the device voltage measured by the voltage applied in step S140, a voltage different from the voltage applied in step S140, that is, an increased or decreased voltage is applied. Accordingly, steps S140 and S150 are repeated until the device voltage measured after the applied voltage is supplied reaches the target voltage.

When the device reaches the target voltage due to the application of the target tracking applied voltage, the device voltage is measured at regular intervals without applying a voltage to determine whether the device voltage is maintained at the target voltage (S160). If the measured device voltage deviates from the target voltage and is included in the departure voltage section generated in S130, the target maintenance applied voltage generated in step S130 is supplied to the device to return to the target voltage (S170). Step S170 is repeatedly performed during the maintenance period when the color of the electrochromic element is changed to a target light transmittance.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the discoloration rate without degrading the durability and reliability of the electrochromic device, and it is particularly useful for large areas requiring rapid and reliable discoloration, such as window glass of a building.

The present invention described above is not limited to the described embodiments, and it is apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be said that such variations or modifications fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

10: electrochromic element 11, 17: transparent substrate
12, 16: electrode layers 13, 15: color-changing material layer
14: electrolyte 18, 19: electrode terminal
100: color change control device 110: device voltage measuring unit
120: device information storage unit 130: color change voltage control unit
140: power supply D ₁ , D ₂ , D ₃ , D ₄ : voltage section
V _D : device voltage T _S : Square wave voltage application section
T _O : Square wave floating section
V _C1 : Color target tracking first square wave voltage
V _C2 : Color target tracking second square wave voltage
V _Cn : Color target tracking nth square wave voltage
V _Cn : Color target maintenance square wave voltage
V _B1 : first square wave voltage for following color loss target
V _B2 : second square wave voltage for following the color loss target
V _Bn : Color loss target tracking nth square wave voltage
V _Bn : Decolorization target maintenance square wave voltage

Claims (18)

An apparatus for controlling discoloration of an electrochromic device, comprising:
a device voltage measuring unit for measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device;
a device information storage unit for storing information on the electrochromic device including device identification ID for each of the plurality of electrochromic devices, device type, and device voltage measured for a specific light transmittance; and
A discoloration voltage control unit that controls the power unit to generate a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage of a specific magnitude is applied and a floating section to which no voltage is applied, so that the electrochromic device changes color to a target light transmittance;

The color change voltage control unit,
i) a plurality of voltage sections between the initial device voltage of the electrochromic device measured by the device voltage measuring unit and a target voltage corresponding to the target light transmittance of the corresponding electrochromic device stored in the device information storage unit compartmentalize,
ii) Matching target tracking applied voltages having the same polarity to each other, but in which the absolute value of the voltage level in the voltage application section sequentially decreases as the section is closer to the target voltage, to the voltage section,
iii) dividing a breakout voltage section in which the absolute value of the device voltage of the electrochromic device is equal to or smaller than the absolute value of the reference voltage;
iv) the target maintenance applied voltage having the same polarity as the target tracking applied voltage of the last section of the voltage section, but having the voltage level of the voltage application section having an absolute value equal to or smaller than the absolute value of the voltage level of the voltage application section Matches the escape voltage section,
ⅴ) After applying the target tracking applied voltage of the first voltage section by controlling the power supply unit,
ⅵ) The device voltage of the electrochromic device is measured in a floating section of the target tracking applied voltage through the device voltage measuring unit, and the device voltage of the electrochromic device measured by the device voltage measuring unit by controlling the power supply belongs to. Applying the target tracking voltage of the section,
ⅶ) While repeating the process vi), if the device voltage of the electrochromic device measured by the device voltage measuring section belongs to the last voltage section, control the power supply unit to apply the target tracking applied voltage of the corresponding voltage section, to stop the power supply,
viii) after stopping the application of power, repeatedly measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device through the device voltage measuring unit at predetermined time intervals;
ⅸ) when the device voltage measured by the device voltage measuring unit falls within the escape voltage section, controlling the power supply unit to apply the target maintenance applied voltage;
Discoloration control device of an electrochromic element, characterized in that. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete A method for controlling discoloration of an electrochromic device, the method comprising:
a) measuring an initial device voltage of the electrochromic device;
b) dividing the measured initial device voltage of the electrochromic device and a target voltage, which is a device voltage corresponding to the target light transmittance of the corresponding electrochromic device stored in the device information storage unit, into a plurality of voltage sections;
c) matching target tracking applied voltages having the same polarity but having an absolute value sequentially smaller in a section closer to the target voltage to the voltage section;
d) dividing an escape voltage section in which the absolute value of the device voltage of the electrochromic device is equal to or smaller than the absolute value of the reference voltage;
e) matching the target maintenance applied voltage having the same polarity as the target tracking applied voltage of the last section of the voltage section, but having an absolute value equal to or smaller than the absolute value of the target tracking applied voltage, to the departure voltage section;
f) supplying to the electrochromic device a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage having the same magnitude as the target tracking applied voltage of a first voltage section is applied and a floating section to which no voltage is applied;
g) measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device in the floating section;
h) a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage having the same magnitude as a target tracking applied voltage of a voltage section to which the device voltage of the electrochromic element measured in the floating section belongs, and a floating section to which no voltage is applied supplying it to a color-changing device;
i) measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device in the floating section;
j) While repeating steps h) and i), if the device voltage of the electrochromic device measured in the floating section belongs to the last voltage section, a voltage equal to the target tracking applied voltage of the corresponding voltage section is applied supplying a square wave voltage having a voltage application section and a floating section to which no voltage is applied to the electrochromic device and then stopping voltage application;
k) repeatedly measuring the device voltage of the electrochromic device every predetermined time after voltage application is stopped;
l) when the measured device voltage of the electrochromic device belongs to the departure voltage section, a square wave voltage having a voltage application section to which a voltage having the same magnitude as the target maintenance applied voltage is applied and a floating section to which no voltage is applied Supplying the electrochromic element to the electrochromic element; color change control method of the electrochromic element comprising the. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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