Interior rearview mirror system with compass

• US 20060132939A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R., Blank, Rodney K., Schierbeek, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/838
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/38 Testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a casing having a reflective element, a compass sensor and a control. The compass sensor is disposed within the mirror casing and has a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element. The control receives a first signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by the first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by the second magnetoresponsive sensing element. The control determines that the casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle in response to a change in the first and second signals being indicative of an abrupt movement of the casing about the mounting structure by an occupant of the vehicle. The control is operable to enter a rapid compensating mode to compensate for the mirror adjustment.

Claims

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

a casing having a reflective element;

said casing being adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;

a compass sensor having a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element, said compass sensor being disposed within said mirror casing;

a control, said control receiving a first signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said first magnetoresponsive sensing element, said control receiving a second signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said second magnetoresponsive sensing element;

said control determining a directional heading of the vehicle based on said first and second signals, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle; and

said control determining that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle in response to a change in said first and second signals being indicative of an abrupt movement of said casing about said mounting structure by an occupant of the vehicle, said control being operable to enter a rapid compensating mode to compensate for the mirror adjustment in response to said control determining that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle.

2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output.

3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor is disposed at the rear of said reflective element and is supported thereby.

4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said compass sensor is disposed at or near a lower region within said mirror casing to locate said compass sensor remotely from a roof of the vehicle and any wiring positioned at the roof of the vehicle, in order to reduce the effect of such items on the performance of said compass sensor.

5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to discern between a change in said first and second signals that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said first and second signals that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, said control entering said rapid compensating mode when the change in said first and second signals is indicative of a mirror adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle.

6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 5, wherein said control discerns changes in said first and second signals via at least one of an algorithmic processing of said first and second signals and an output of a sensor element that senses movement of at least one of said compass sensor and said mirror casing.

7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to enter said rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the vehicle.

8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 7, 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.

9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 8, wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle.

10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror adjustment.

11. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

a casing having a reflective element;

said casing being adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;

a compass sensor having a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element, said compass sensor being disposed within said mirror casing;

a control, said control receiving a first signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said first magnetoresponsive sensing element, said control receiving a second signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said second magnetoresponsive sensing element;

said control determining a directional heading of the vehicle based on said first and second signals, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle;

said control being operable to enter a rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the vehicle;

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.

12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output.

13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said compass sensor is disposed at the rear of said reflective element and is supported thereby.

14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said compass sensor is disposed at or near a lower region within said mirror casing to locate said compass sensor remotely from a roof of the vehicle and any wiring positioned at the roof of the vehicle, in order to reduce the effect of such items on the performance of said compass sensor.

15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said control discerns changes in said first and second signals via at least one of an algorithmic processing of said first and second signals and an output of a sensor element that senses movement of at least one of said compass sensor and said mirror casing.

16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said control determines that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle in response to a change in said first and second signals being indicative of an abrupt movement of said casing about said mounting structure by an occupant of the vehicle.

17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said control is operable to enter said rapid compensating mode to compensate for the mirror adjustment in response to said control determining that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle.

18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since determination of the mirror adjustment.

19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to discern between a change in said first and second signals that is indicative of a mirror adjustment and a change in said first and second signals that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, said control entering said rapid compensating mode when the change in said first and second signals is indicative of a mirror adjustment by the occupant of the vehicle.

20. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

a casing having a reflective element;

said casing being adjustable relative to a mounting structure that mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;

a compass sensor having a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element, said compass sensor being disposed at the rear of said reflective element and supported thereby;

a control, said control receiving a first signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said first magnetoresponsive sensing element, said control receiving a second signal indicative of a magnetic field sensed by said second magnetoresponsive sensing element;

said control determining a directional heading of the vehicle based on said first and second signals, said control automatically compensating for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle;

said control determining that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle in response to a change in said first and second signals being indicative of an abrupt movement of said casing about said mounting structure by an occupant of the vehicle;

said control receiving a third signal indicative of an ignition cycle of the vehicle; and

said control being operable to enter a rapid compensating mode to compensate for the mirror adjustment in response to at least one of (a) said control determining that said casing is adjusted by an occupant of the vehicle and (b) said control receiving said third signal indicative of an ignition cycle of the vehicle.

21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 20, wherein said compass sensor is oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of a mirror adjustment on the compass sensor output.

22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 20, wherein said compass sensor is disposed at or near a lower region within said mirror casing to locate said compass sensor remotely from a roof of the vehicle and any wiring positioned at the roof of the vehicle, in order to reduce the effect of such items on the performance of said compass sensor.

23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 20, 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.

24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 23, wherein said control automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since at least one of (a) determination of the mirror adjustment;

and (b) receiving said third signal indicative of an ignition cycle.