IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0370043
(2009-02-12)
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등록번호 |
US-7600878
(2009-10-28)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Blank, Rodney K.
- Schierbeek, Kenneth L.
- Lynam, Niall R.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
87 인용 특허 :
65 |
초록
▼
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror casing, a reflective element, an information display, a compass sensor and control circuitry. The compass sensor is disposed in the mirror casing and has at least a first magnetoresponsive sensin
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror casing, a reflective element, an information display, a compass sensor and control circuitry. The compass sensor is disposed in the mirror casing and has at least a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element. The information display is disposed behind the reflective element whereby information displayed by the information display is viewable through the transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when the information display is displaying information. The control circuitry determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to the sensing by the first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and the control circuitry automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generates a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle. The information display displays the directional heading of the vehicle.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly; a mirror casing and a reflective element, said reflective element comprising a transflective reflective element having a transflectiv
The invention claimed is: 1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly; a mirror casing and a reflective element, said reflective element comprising a transflective reflective element having a transflective reflector that is partially transmitting of light therethrough and partially reflecting of light incident thereon; wherein said reflective element is at least 15 percent transmissive of visible light incident at a rear of said reflective element; an information display disposed behind said reflective element whereby information displayed by said information display is viewable through said transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle and when said information display is displaying information, and wherein said information display is substantially non-viewable through said tansflective reflector by the driver of the vehicle when said information display is not displaying information; wherein said reflective element provides a field of view rearward of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mirror casing being adjustable to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; a compass sensor disposed behind said reflective element and in said mirror casing, said compass sensor comprising a sensing element and control circuitry established thereon, said sensing element comprising at least a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element; wherein said control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said first magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said second magnetoresponsive sensing element; wherein said control circuitry determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, said control circuitry automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle; and wherein said information display displays said directional heading of the vehicle. 2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said information display comprises a video display, and wherein said video display is operable to display video images captured by a rearward facing camera of the vehicle. 3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element, (b) said compass sensor is disposed behind and is supported by said reflective element, and(c) said first magnetoresponsive sensing element is oriented generally horizontally and generally along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle when said reflective element is adjusted to provide a rearward field of view to the driver of the vehicle. 4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor comprises one of a Hall effect sensor and a magnetoinductive sensor. 5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said compass sensor comprises circuitry for operation of said compass sensor when a power source is connected to said compass sensor, (b) said sensing element and said control circuitry of said compass sensor are established on a semiconductor substrate and wherein said semiconductor substrate of said compass sensor has an area of less than two square centimeters, and (c) said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) a microprocessor, (iv) memory, (v) signal processing circuitry, (vi) filtering circuitry, (vii) a display driver and (viii) a bus interface. 6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor includes circuitry for receiving an output of a temperature sensor, said circuitry converting said output signal to a temperature reading and providing said temperature reading to a temperature display for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. 7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said sensing element and said control circuitry are established on a semiconductor substrate of said compass sensor. 8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said transflective reflective element comprises a transflective electrochromic reflective element and wherein said compass sensor includes driver circuitry for controlling the dimming of said electrochromic reflective element. 9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output, (b) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements That is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, (c) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and wherein said control circuitry enters a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of a mirror adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror adjustment, (d) said control circuitry is operable to enter an initial rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the vehicle to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode and enters a less aggressive calibration mode that distinguishes the Earth's magnetic field from magnetic anomalies and non-abrupt changes in the vehicle magnetic signature, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle, and (e) said control circuitry is operable in an automatic compensation mode to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and wherein the automatic compensation does not require the vehicle to turn through a 360 degree circle to compensate for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle. 10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises a pivot mounting structure, and wherein electrical wiring passes through a pivot element of said pivot mounting structure. 11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said information display comprises at least one of (a) a vacuum fluorescent display, (b) a light emitting diode display, (c) an electroluminescent display, (d) a liquid crystal display, (e) a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display and (f) a video screen display. 12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein an illumination source of said interior rearview mirror system is controlled via a pulse width modulation control. 13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor comprises a three-axis compass sensor, said sensing element comprising first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements. 14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system is in communication with at least one other accessory of the vehicle via a network bus of the vehicle. 15. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly; a mirror casing and a reflective element, said reflective element comprising a transflective reflective element having a transflective reflector that is partially transmitting of light therethrough and partially reflecting of light incident thereon,. and wherein said transflective reflective element comprises a transflective electrochromic reflective element; wherein said reflective element is at least 15 percent transmissive of visible light incident at a rear of said reflective element; an information display disposed behind said reflective element whereby information displayed by said information display is viewable through said transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in-the vehicle and when said information display is displaying information, and wherein said information display is substantially non-viewable through said transflective reflector by the driver of the vehicle when said information display is not displaying information; wherein said reflective element provides a field of view rearward of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally-mounted in the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mirror casing being adjustable to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; a compass sensor disposed behind said reflective element and in said mirror casing, said compass sensor comprising a sensing element and control circuitry established thereon, said sensing element comprising at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements; wherein said compass sensor comprises one of a Hall effect sensor, a magnetoinductive sensor and a magnetoresistive sensor; wherein said compass sensor is disposed behind and is supported by said reflective element; wherein said compass sensor includes driver circuitry for controlling the dimming of said electrochromic reflective element; wherein said control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements; wherein said control circuitry determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, said control circuitry automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle; and wherein said information display displays said directional heading of the vehicle. 16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15, wherein said information display comprises a video display and wherein said video display displays video images representative of image data captured by a rearward facing camera of the vehicle. 17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15, wherein said first magnetoresponsive sensing element is oriented generally horizontally and generally along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle when said reflective element is adjusted to provide the rearward field of view to the driver of the vehicle. 18. The interior rearview-mirror system of claim 15, wherein at least one of (a) said compass sensor comprises circuitry for operation of said compass sensor when a power source is connected to said compass sensor, (b) said sensing element and said control circuitry of said compass sensor are established on a semiconductor substrate and wherein said semiconductor substrate of said compass sensor has an area of less than two square centimeters, and (c) said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) a microprocessor, (iv) memory, (v) signal processing circuitry, (vi) filtering circuitry, (vii) a display driver and (viii) a bus interface. 19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15, wherein said compass sensor includes circuitry for receiving an output of a temperature sensor, said circuitry converting said output signal to a temperature-reading and providing said temperature reading to a temperature display for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. 20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15, wherein at least one of (a) said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output, (b) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, (c) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and wherein said control circuitry enters a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensing by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of a mirror adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror adjustment, (d) said control circuitry is operable to enter an initial rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the vehicle to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode and enters a less aggressive calibration mode that distinguishes the Earth's magnetic field from magnetic anomalies and non-abrupt changes in the vehicle magnetic signature, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle, and (e) said control circuitry is operable in an automatic compensation mode to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and wherein the automatic compensation does not require the vehicle to turn through a 360 degree circle to compensate for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle. 21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15, wherein said mounting structure comprises a double pivot m6unting structure and wherein said compass sensor comprises a three-axis compass sensor, said sensing element comprising first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements. 22. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly; a mirror casing and a reflective element, said reflective element comprising a transflective reflective element having a transflective reflector that is partially transmitting of light therethrough and partially reflecting of light incident thereon; wherein said reflective element is at least 15 percent transmissive of visible light incident at a rear of said reflective element; an information display disposed behind said reflective element whereby information displayed by said information display is viewable through said transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle and when said information display is displaying information, and wherein said information display is substantially non-viewable through said transflective reflector by the driver of the vehicle when said information display is not displaying information; wherein said reflective element provides a field of view rearward of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mirror casing being adjustable to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; a three-axis compass sensor disposed behind said reflective element and in said mirror casing, said compass sensor comprising a first magnetoresponsive sensing element, a second magnetoresponsive sensing element and a third magnetoresponsive sensing element; wherein control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said first magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said second magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said control circuitry is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said third magnetoresponsive sensing element; wherein said control circuitry determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensings by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements, said control circuitry automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle; and wherein said information display displays said directional heading of the vehicle. 23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said information display comprises a video display, and wherein said video display displays video images representative of image data captured by a rearward facing camera of the vehicle. 24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said first magnetoresponsive sensing element is oriented generally horizontally and generally along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle when said reflective element is adjusted to provide the rearward field of view to the driver of the vehicle. 25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein at least one of (a) said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements are established on a semiconductor substrate having an area of less than two square centimeters, and (b) said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) a microprocessor, (iv) memory, (v) signal processing circuitry, (vi) filtering circuitry, (vii) a display driver and (viii) a bus interface. 26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said control circuitry receives an output of a temperature sensor, said control circuitry converting said output signal to a temperature reading and providing said temperature reading to a temperature display for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. 27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein at least one of (a) said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output, (b) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensing by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensing by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, (c) said control circuitry is operable to discern between a change in said sensing by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said sensing by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and wherein said control circuitry enters a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensing by said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of a mirror adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror adjustment, (d) said control circuitry is operable to enter an initial rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the vehicle to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode and enters a less aggressive calibration mode that distinguishes the Earth's magnetic field from magnetic anomalies and non-abrupt changes in the vehicle magnetic signature, and wherein said control circuitry automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle, and (e) said control circuitry is operable in an automatic compensation mode to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and wherein the automatic compensation does not require the vehicle to turn through a 360 degree circle to compensate for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle. 28. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said mounting structure comprises a double pivot mounting structure and wherein said first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise first, second and third magnetoinductive sensing elements. 29. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28, wherein electrical wiring passes through a pivot element of said double pivot mounting structure.
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