Convex rearview mirror and monitor with reversible back/socket mount
First Claim
1. A convex rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within or exterior to a bus or public transit vehicle comprising:
- a convex rear-view mirror mounted forward of the vehicle operator, the convex rear-view mirror having a first area with a first reflectivity not less than about 20% and a second area with a second reflectivity not less than about 20%;
a housing supporting said convex rear-view mirror and including a monitor attachment area aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror;
at least one monitor module removably connectable and disposed on a rear side of the rear-view mirror and aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror having the first reflectivity and adapted to be attached in a sloping configuration to the monitor attachment area of said housing; and
a first image capture device mounted at a first location on the vehicle and configured to capture and transmit at least a first image to said monitor module, the first image being displayable on said monitor module through the first area of said convex rear-view mirror,wherein;
said monitor module comprises one of a first size monitor or a second size monitor,said housing includes structural supports, first connection posts and second connection posts, the first connection posts configured to be used to attach the first size monitor to said housing and the second connection posts configured to be used to attach the second size monitor, andthe first size monitor is a different size than the second size monitor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system and method include an interior mirror that embeds a modular monitor behind see-through mirror glass. In some embodiments, the system includes multiple cameras, some in the vehicle, bus and/or truck, as well as some cameras outside the vehicle, bus and/or truck, advantageously providing the driver an opportunity to view what is happening, for example, in the back rows of the bus and/or cabin, while also using the mirror to look at objects in the bus and/or cabin that are visible using the mirror. The rear-view mirror and modular monitor system is configured to be easily assembled and/or disassembled when necessary for maintenance and/or to replace parts.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A convex rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within or exterior to a bus or public transit vehicle comprising:
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a convex rear-view mirror mounted forward of the vehicle operator, the convex rear-view mirror having a first area with a first reflectivity not less than about 20% and a second area with a second reflectivity not less than about 20%; a housing supporting said convex rear-view mirror and including a monitor attachment area aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror; at least one monitor module removably connectable and disposed on a rear side of the rear-view mirror and aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror having the first reflectivity and adapted to be attached in a sloping configuration to the monitor attachment area of said housing; and a first image capture device mounted at a first location on the vehicle and configured to capture and transmit at least a first image to said monitor module, the first image being displayable on said monitor module through the first area of said convex rear-view mirror, wherein; said monitor module comprises one of a first size monitor or a second size monitor, said housing includes structural supports, first connection posts and second connection posts, the first connection posts configured to be used to attach the first size monitor to said housing and the second connection posts configured to be used to attach the second size monitor, and the first size monitor is a different size than the second size monitor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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20. A convex rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within or exterior to a bus or public transit vehicle comprising:
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a convex rear-view mirror mounted forward of the vehicle operator, the convex rear-view mirror having a first and second areas with the same or substantially same reflectivity not less than about 20%; a housing supporting said convex rear-view mirror and including a monitor attachment area aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror; at least one monitor module removably connectable and aligned with the first area of the convex rear-view mirror having the reflectivity and adapted to be attached to the monitor attachment area of said housing; and a first image capture device mounted at a first location on the vehicle and configured to capture and transmit at least a first image to said monitor module, the first image being displayable on said monitor module through the first area of said convex rear-view mirror, wherein said at least one monitor module is adapted to be attached to the monitor attachment area at either one of a sloping or parallel configuration with respect to a horizontal plane associated with one of said convex rear-view mirror or said housing. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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27. A method of displaying an image on a convex rear-view mirror mounted forward of a vehicle operator using a modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within or exterior to a bus or public transit vehicle, the convex rear-view mirror having a first area with a first reflectivity not less than about 20% and a second area with a second reflectivity not less than about 20%, comprising:
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capturing, by a first image capture device mounted at a first location in or on the vehicle at least a first image; transmitting, by the first image capture device, the first image to a monitor module removably connectable and disposed on a rear side of a housing supporting the convex rear-view mirror in a sloping configuration, the first image being displayable on the monitor module through a first area of the convex rear-view mirror and aligned with the first area of the rear-view mirror having the first reflectivity and configured to provide a substantially similar visual reflectivity with respect to the second area with the second reflectivity when the first image is transmitted to monitor module and when viewed at least from a position at or near the vehicle operator, wherein said housing includes a reversible ball and socket mechanism mount configured to provide dual position options by enabling rotation of the rear-view mirror and modular monitor system on either the left or right side when viewing from the horizontal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification