METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING AN ELECTROCHROMIC ELEMENT

摘要

Provided is an apparatus for driving an electrochromic element having an excellent operating performance, which is capable of controlling, during a transitional state in which a light transmittance changes, a speed and period of the transitional state, the apparatus for driving an electrochromic element being configured to perform, when an absorbance of an electrochromic element is to be increased from a current absorbance to a target absorbance, before normal drive of driving the electrochromic element at a duty ratio (D1) for maintaining the target absorbance, accelerated drive of driving the electrochromic element at a duty ratio (D2) larger than the duty ratio (D1).

主权项

1. An apparatus for driving an electrochromic element, the apparatus being configured to apply a continuous drive pulse to an electrochromic element, the electrochromic element including an electrochromic layer that contains an electrochromic material and is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, and to change an absorbance of the electrochromic element with use of a duty ratio of the continuous drive pulse,
the continuous drive pulse having one cycle including an applied period of a drive voltage and a stopped period of the drive voltage, the drive voltage comprising a voltage for causing at least one of an oxidation reaction of the electrochromic material and a reduction reaction of the electrochromic material, the stopped period comprising a period in which, in a closed circuit including the electrochromic element, a resistor having a resistance value larger than a resistance value of another resistor to be connected during the applied period is connected in series, the duty ratio comprising a ratio of the applied period of the drive voltage to the one cycle, the apparatus being configured to perform, when the absorbance of the electrochromic element is to be increased from a current absorbance to a target absorbance, before normal drive of driving the electrochromic element at a duty ratio D1 for maintaining the target absorbance, accelerated drive of driving the electrochromic element at a duty ratio D2 larger than the duty ratio D1.