Interior rearview mirror assembly with full screen video display

• US 10,421,404 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Larson, Mark L., Koetje, Christopher R., LaCross, Anthony J., Peterson, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/635,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head having a mirror reflective element with a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device is disposed rearward of the mirror reflective element, and a polymer reflector layer is disposed in front of the video display device. The video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle. When the video display device is operated to display video images, light emitted by the video display device passes through the polymer reflector layer and the mirror reflective element for viewing of displayed video images by a driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element. Linearly polarized light emitted by the video display device is circularly polarized as it passes through the polymer reflector layer, such that the displayed video images comprise circularly polarized light.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head pivotable about a mirror support;

wherein said mirror support is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector that at least partially reflects light incident thereon and at least partially transmits incident light therethrough;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a reflective region defined by said transflective mirror reflector;

a video display device disposed rearward of said mirror reflective element;

a polymer reflector layer disposed between said mirror reflective element and said video display device;

wherein said video display device comprises a display screen and a backlighting array of light emitting diodes for backlighting said display screen;

wherein said display screen of said video display device comprises a front display substrate and a rear display substrate, and wherein said rear display substrate extends beyond a perimeter of said front display substrate at a lower region of said display screen, and wherein a lower portion of a mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element extends over and in front of the portion of said rear display substrate that extends beyond the perimeter of said front display substrate at the lower region of said display screen;

wherein, with said mirror support attached at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, said video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said video display device is operated to display video images, light emitted by said video display device passes through said polymer reflector layer and said mirror reflective element for viewing of displayed video images by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said mirror reflective element; and

wherein said transflective mirror reflector and said polymer reflector layer allow at least 35 percent transmission of visible light emitted by said video display device and reflect at least about 35 percent of visible light incident at a front surface of said mirror reflective element.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said video display device comprises a display screen that occupies at least 75 percent of said reflective region of said mirror reflective element.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein circuitry associated with said display screen is disposed on a flexible printed circuit that is electrically connected at the portion of said rear display substrate of said display screen and that extends rearward from the portion of said rear display substrate for electrical connection to a power source of the equipped vehicle.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein a touch sensor is disposed at said lower portion of said mirror substrate and associated with circuitry at said flexible printed circuit.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display screen is optically coupled with said polymer reflector layer via an optical adhesive.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said polymer reflector layer is optically coupled with said transflective mirror reflector via an optical adhesive.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element comprises a single glass substrate having said transflective mirror reflector disposed at a rear surface of said single glass substrate.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween, and wherein said mirror substrate comprises said front substrate, and wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface and said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, said second surface and said third surface opposing said electro-optic medium, and wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface, and wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed between said fourth surface of said rear substrate and said video display device.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein linearly polarized light emitted by said video display device is circularly polarized as it passes through said polymer reflector layer, such that the displayed video images comprise circularly polarized light.

10. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head pivotable about a mirror support;

wherein said mirror support is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element, and wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector that at least partially reflects light incident thereon and at least partially transmits incident light therethrough;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a reflective region defined by said transflective mirror reflector;

a video display device disposed rearward of said mirror reflective element, wherein said video display device comprises a display screen that occupies at least 75 percent of said reflective region of said mirror reflective element;

a polymer reflector layer;

wherein said video display device comprises a backlighting array of light emitting diodes for backlighting said display screen;

wherein said display screen of said video display device comprises a front display substrate and a rear display substrate, and wherein said rear display substrate extends beyond a perimeter of said front display substrate at a lower region of said display screen, and wherein a lower portion of a mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element extends over and in front of the portion of said rear display substrate that extends beyond the perimeter of said front display substrate at the lower region of said display screen;

wherein, with said mirror support attached at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, said video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said video display device is operated to display video images, light emitted by said video display device passes through said polymer reflector layer and said transflective mirror reflector for viewing of displayed video images by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said mirror reflective element;

wherein linearly polarized light emitted by said video display device is circularly polarized as it passes through said polymer reflector layer, such that the displayed video images comprise circularly polarized light; and

wherein said transflective mirror reflector and said polymer reflector layer allow at least 35 percent transmission of visible light emitted by said video display device and reflect at least about 35 percent of visible light incident at a front surface of said mirror reflective element.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein circuitry associated with said display screen is disposed on a flexible printed circuit that is electrically connected at the portion of said rear display substrate of said display screen and that extends rearward from the portion of said rear display substrate for electrical connection to a power source of the equipped vehicle, and wherein a touch sensor is disposed at said lower portion of said mirror substrate and associated with circuitry at said flexible printed circuit.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element comprises a single glass substrate having said transflective mirror reflector disposed at a rear surface of said single glass substrate, and wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed to the rear of said transflective mirror reflector.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween, and wherein said mirror substrate comprises said front substrate, and wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface and said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, said second surface and said third surface opposing said electro-optic medium, and wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed between said fourth surface of said rear substrate and said video display device, and wherein said rear substrate has a thickness of 1.1 mm or less.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate of said electro-optic mirror reflective element.

16. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head pivotable about a mirror support;

wherein said mirror support is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element, and wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector that at least partially reflects light incident thereon and at least partially transmits incident light therethrough;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a reflective region defined by said transflective mirror reflector;

a video display device disposed rearward of said mirror reflective element, wherein said video display device comprises a display screen that occupies at least 75 percent of said reflective region of said mirror reflective element;

a polymer reflector layer;

wherein said video display device comprises a backlighting array of light emitting diodes for backlighting said display screen;

wherein said display screen of said video display device comprises a front display substrate and a rear display substrate, and wherein said rear display substrate extends beyond a perimeter of said front display substrate at a lower region of said display screen, and wherein a lower portion of a mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element extends over and in front of the portion of said rear display substrate that extends beyond the perimeter of said front display substrate at the lower region of said display screen;

wherein circuitry associated with said display screen is disposed on a flexible printed circuit that is electrically connected at the portion of said rear display substrate of said display screen and that extends rearward from the portion of said rear display substrate for electrical connection to a power source of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a touch sensor is disposed at said lower portion of said mirror substrate and associated with circuitry at said flexible printed circuit;

wherein, with said mirror support attached at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, said video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said video display device is operated to display video images, light emitted by said video display device passes through said polymer reflector layer and said transflective mirror reflector for viewing of displayed video images by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said mirror reflective element;

wherein linearly polarized light emitted by said video display device is circularly polarized as it passes through said polymer reflector layer, such that the displayed video images comprise circularly polarized light; and

wherein said transflective mirror reflector and said polymer reflector layer allow at least 35 percent transmission of visible light emitted by said video display device and reflect at least about 35 percent of visible light incident at a front surface of said mirror reflective element.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said mirror substrate of said mirror reflective element comprises a single glass substrate having said transflective mirror reflector disposed at a rear surface of said single glass substrate, and wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed to the rear of said transflective mirror reflector.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween, and wherein said mirror substrate comprises said front substrate, and wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface and said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, said second surface and said third surface opposing said electro-optic medium, and wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface.

19. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed between said fourth surface of said rear substrate and said video display device, and wherein said rear substrate has a thickness of 1.1 mm or less.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said polymer reflector layer is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate of said electro-optic mirror reflective element.