Vehicle mirror system with light piping element
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Abstract
A vehicle rearview mirror system includes a rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element and, preferably, at least a first and a second photo-sensor, both facing generally in a common direction. The system further includes a light piping element that pipes light to the first photo-sensor from a light environment different from the light environment to which the second photo-sensor is exposed. The first photo-sensor comprises a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation. A spectral filter is disposed in front of the first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident thereat. The spectral filter preferably comprises at least one of a) a filter element having at least about 60% visible light transmission and having less than about 10% transmission in the near-infrared spectral region; and b) an infrared attenuating dye in a polymer material.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A vehicle rearview mirror system, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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a rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element;
said mirror assembly comprising at least a first and a second photo-sensor, both facing generally in a common direction;
said mirror assembly comprising a light piping element;
said light piping element piping light to said first photo-sensor from a light environment different from the light environment to which said second photo-sensor is exposed;
said first photo-sensor comprising a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation;
a spectral filter disposed in front of said first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident at said first photo-sensor;
said spectral filter comprising at least one chosen from;
(a) a filter element having at least about 60% visible light transmission and having less than about 10% transmission in the near-infrared spectral region; and
(b) an infrared attenuating dye in a polymer material. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A vehicle rearview mirror system, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element;
said mirror assembly comprising at least a first photo-sensor and a light piping element;
said light piping element piping light to said first photo-sensor;
said first photo-sensor comprising a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation;
said semiconductor photo-sensor comprising one of a photo-diode and a photo-transistor;
a spectral filter disposed in front of said first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident at said first photo-sensor;
said spectral filter comprising a filter element having at least about 60% visible light transmission and having less than about 10% transmission in the near-infrared spectral region;
said filter element comprising a near-infrared attenuating dye incorporated in an optical polymer; and
wherein said optical polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a polycarbonate, an acrylic, a polystyrene, an acrylate, a polyester, CR39 and a COC polyolefin.
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42. A vehicle rearview mirror system, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element;
said mirror assembly comprising at least a first photo-sensor and a light piping element;
said light piping element piping light to said first photo-sensor;
said first photo-sensor comprising a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation;
said semiconductor photo-sensor comprising one chosen from a photo-diode and a photo-transistor;
a spectral filter disposed in front of said first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident at said first photo-sensor;
said spectral filter comprising an infrared attenuating dye in a polymer material; and
wherein said polymer material comprises a light-transmitting lens disposed in front of said first photo-sensor.
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Specification