IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0575726
(2009-10-08)
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등록번호 |
US-7726822
(2010-06-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Blank, Rodney K.
- Schierbeek, Kenneth L.
- Lynam, Niall R.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
88 인용 특허 :
67 |
초록
▼
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and a control having control circuitry. An information display is disposed behind a transflective reflective element to display information that is viewable through the transflective reflector by a driver
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and a control having control circuitry. An information display is disposed behind a transflective reflective element to display information that is viewable through the transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when the information display is displaying information. A mounting structure mounts the mirror casing to an interior portion of the vehicle, and the mirror casing is adjustable relative to the interior portion of the vehicle via at least one pivot element of the mounting structure. The control circuitry includes a photosensor and the control controls dimming of the electrochromic medium responsive to detection of light by the photosensor. Electrical wiring connects to at least a portion of the control circuitry that is disposed within the mirror casing. The electrical wiring passes through the pivot element of the mounting structure.
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 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 a mounting structure mounts said mirror casing to an interior portion of the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to the interior portion of the vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a compass sensor; said compass sensor comprising at least one magnetoresponsive sensing element; wherein said transflective reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element having an electrochromic medium sandwiched between two substrates; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a control, and wherein said control comprises control circuitry; wherein at least a portion of said control circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and behind said reflective element; wherein (i) said control is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said at least one sensing element and (ii) said control circuitry comprises a photosensor; wherein said control determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensing by said at least one sensing element, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field; wherein said control controls dimming of said electrochromic medium responsive to detection of light by said photosensor; wherein said information display displays the directional heading of the vehicle; wherein electrical wiring connects to at least the portion of said control circuitry that is disposed within said mirror casing and wherein said electrical wiring passes through said at least one pivot element of said mounting structure; and wherein said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) memory, (iv) signal processing circuitry, (v) filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a bus interface. 2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor is disposed in said mirror casing and behind and supported by said reflective element. 3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said control is operable to discern between a change in said sensing by said at least one sensing element that is indicative of an adjustment of said mirror casing by the occupant of the vehicle and a change in said sensing by said at least one sensing element that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and wherein said control enters a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensing by said at least one sensing element is indicative of an adjustment of said mirror casing by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror casing adjustment. 4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein another portion of said control circuitry is disposed at said mounting structure. 5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot element comprises two pivot elements that are part of a double pivot mounting structure. 6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 5, wherein said electrical wiring passes through both of said pivot elements of said double pivot mounting structure. 7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises a mount for mounting said mirror assembly to a mirror mounting button attached at an interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle. 8. 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, and (b) said at least one sensing element and at least a portion of said control circuitry are established on a semiconductor substrate having an area of less than two square centimeters. 9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor comprises one of a Hall effect sensor and a magnetoinductive sensor. 10. 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 casing adjustment on the compass sensor output, (b) said at least one sensing element comprises at least a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said control is responsive to sensings of a magnetic field by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein said control determines the directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein said control is operable to discern between a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror casing 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 at least one sensing element comprises at least a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said control is responsive to sensings of a magnetic field by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein said control determines the directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein said control is operable to discern between a change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a mirror casing 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 enters a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensings by said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of a mirror casing adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror casing adjustment, (d) said control 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 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 automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle, and (e) said control 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. 11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor comprises a three-axis compass sensor, said at least one sensing element comprising first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements. 12. 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, and wherein said video display comprises a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display. 13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said video display is operable to display a compass heading. 14. 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. 15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said controls an illumination source via pulse width modulation. 16. 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. 17. 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; a video display disposed behind said reflective element whereby images displayed by said video display are 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 video display is displaying images, and wherein said video display is substantially non-viewable through said transflective reflector by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying images; wherein said video display comprises a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display; wherein said video display is operable to display video images captured by a rearward facing camera of the vehicle; 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 a mounting structure mounts said mirror casing to an interior portion of the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to the interior portion of the vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; wherein said transflective reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element having an electrochromic medium sandwiched between two substrates; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a control, and wherein said control comprises control circuitry; wherein at least a portion of said control circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and behind said reflective element; wherein said control circuitry comprises a photosensor; wherein said control controls dimming of said electrochromic medium responsive to detection of light by said photosensor; wherein said video display displays images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the vehicle; wherein electrical wiring connects to at least the portion of said control circuitry that is disposed within said mirror casing and wherein said electrical wiring passes through said at least one pivot element of said mounting structure; and wherein said interior rearview mirror system connects with a network bus of the vehicle. 18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said control is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by at least one magnetoresponsive sensing element of a compass sensor, and wherein said control determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensing by said at least one sensing element, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field. 19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 18, wherein said video display is operable to display a compass heading responsive to said control determining a directional heading of the vehicle. 20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said compass sensor comprises a three-axis compass sensor, said at least one magnetoresponsive sensing element comprising first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements. 21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein another portion of said control circuitry is disposed at said mounting structure. 22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said at least one pivot element comprises two pivot elements that are part of a double pivot mounting structure, and wherein said electrical wiring passes through both of said pivot elements of said double pivot mounting structure. 23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) memory, (iv) signal processing circuitry, (v) filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a bus interface. 24. 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 a mounting structure mounts said mirror casing to an interior portion of the vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable relative to the interior portion of the vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a compass sensor; said compass sensor comprising magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein said compass sensor comprises a three-axis compass sensor, said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprising first, second and third magnetoresponsive sensing elements; wherein said transflective reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element having an electrochromic medium sandwiched between two substrates; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a control, and wherein said control comprises control circuitry; wherein at least a portion of said control circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and behind said reflective element; wherein (i) said control is responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said sensing elements and (ii) said control circuitry comprises a photosensor; wherein said control determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to said sensing by said sensing elements, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field; wherein said control controls dimming of said electrochromic medium responsive to detection of light by said photosensor; wherein said information display displays the directional heading of the vehicle; wherein electrical wiring connects to at least the portion of said control circuitry that is disposed within said mirror casing and wherein said electrical wiring passes through said at least one pivot element of said mounting structure; wherein said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) memory, (iv) signal processing circuitry, (v) filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a bus interface; and 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. 25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein another portion of said control circuitry is disposed at said mounting structure. 26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said at least one pivot element comprises two pivot elements that are part of a double pivot mounting structure, and wherein said electrical wiring passes through both of said pivot elements of said double pivot mounting structure. 27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, 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, and wherein said video display comprises a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display. 28. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 27, wherein said video display is operable to display a compass heading.
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