Vehicle rearview mirror system with protocol detection

• US 20060132941A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blank, Rodney K., Schierbeek, Kenneth L., Dykhouse, Robert J., Smeyers, Marc A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/844
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system includes an automatic dimming mirror assembly having automatic dimming circuitry. The automatic dimming circuitry includes a mirror control and at least a first silicon-based photo sensor and a second silicon-based photo sensor. The first silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive to both visible light and infrared light. The second silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive principally to infrared light. The mirror control distinguishes headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by the first photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by the second photo sensor.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first silicon-based photo sensor and a second silicon-based photo sensor;

said first silicon-based photo sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second silicon-based photo sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first silicon-based photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second silicon-based photo sensor.

33. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a light-to-frequency converter.

34. The mirror system of claim 33 wherein said light-to-frequency converter comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

35. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a photo diode.

36. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a CMOS device.

37. The mirror system of claim 36 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

38. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein said non-headlamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

39. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

40. The mirror system of claim 32 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

41. The mirror system of claim 40 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.

42. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first photo diode sensor and a second photo diode sensor;

said first photo diode sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second photo diode sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first photo diode sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second photo diode sensor.

43. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein at least one of said first and second photo diode sensors comprises a light-to-frequency converter.

44. The mirror system of claim 43 wherein said light-to-frequency converter comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

45. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein at least one of said first and second photo diode sensors comprises silicon-based photo diode sensors.

46. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo diode sensors comprises a CMOS device.

47. The mirror system of claim 46 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

48. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein said non-head lamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

49. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

50. The mirror system of claim 42 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

51. The mirror system of claim 50 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.

52. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first light-to-frequency photo sensor and a second silicon-based light-to-frequency photo sensor;

said first light-to-frequency photo sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second light-to-frequency photo sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first light-to-frequency photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second light-to-frequency photo sensor.

53. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensors comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

54. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a silicon-based photo sensor.

55. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a silicon diode.

56. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a CMOS device.

57. The mirror system of claim 56 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

58. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein said non-headlamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

59. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

60. The mirror system of claim 52 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

61. The mirror system of claim 60 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.