Multiplex mirror

• US 20060256460A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Inventors: Dumont, Daniel, Duroux, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/123 with thermometers

Abstract

A side view mirror including a multiplexor chip, NTC thermistor within the housing. The multiplexor controls multiple functionality from the housing and provides simplified LIN bus connection to the vehicle.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A mirror having a plurality of controllable features selected from the group consisting of mirror adjustments, fold control, heating, lighting, memory, turn signals, temperature read-out, and intercom functions, said mirror comprising:

a mirror housing;

a multiplexing chip contained within said housing;

said multiplexor including a three wire serial connection to a control interface for controlling said controllable features.

11. The mirror of claim 10 wherein said three wire connection includes a positive connection, a negative (ground) connection, and a LIN serial bus connection.

12. The mirror of claim 10 wherein a thermistor is provided, said thermistor being connected to said multiplexor such that said multiplexor linearizes said thermistor and controls temperature sensitive electric functions from within said mirror.

13. The mirror of claim 10 wherein at least one motor having a rotatable shaft is provided for positioning of a mirror in a predetermined position within said housing, the rotations of said shaft being counted and stored in said multiplexor memory from at least one stop position, said multiplexor storing a predetermined mirror position and indexing to said stop position prior to moving said mirror into said predetermined position.

14. A mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror housing;

a multiplexing chip mounted in said housing;

a wiring harness connecting said multiplexing chip to a controller inside a vehicle; and

a thermistor connected to said multiplexor wherein said thermistor curve is linearized by said multiplexor and said multiplexor and the linearization is used to adjust for temperature induced fluctuations in the electronic control.

15. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said thermistor is selected from the group of NTC and PTC thermistors so the power or temperature may be controlled by pulse width modulation which is supplied by the multiplexing chip.

16. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said NTC signal and said multiplexor compensate for speed of motor in relationship to temperature for providing substantially constant speed under varying temperature conditions.

17. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said thermistor is integral with the mirror housing.

18. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said multiplexor is affixed in the mirror housing in an overmolded container.

19. The mirror of claim 18 wherein the housing is waterproof.

20. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said chip further comprises an output connector for attachment to the control inputs of a vehicle.

21-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A mirror having a plurality of controllable features selected from the group consisting of mirror adjustments, fold control, heating, lighting, memory, turn signals, temperature read-out, and intercom functions, said mirror comprising:

a mirror housing;

a multiplexing chip contained within said housing;

said multiplexor including a three wire serial connection to a control interface for controlling said controllable features;

at least one motor having a rotatable shaft for positioning of a mirror in a predetermined position within said housing along a first axis, the rotations of said shaft being counted and stored in said multiplexor memory from at least one zero position, said multiplexor storing a predetermined mirror position and indexing to said zero position prior to moving said mirror into said predetermined position along said first and second axis.

31. The mirror of claim 30 wherein said three wire connection includes a positive connection, a negative (ground) connection, and a LIN serial bus connection.

32. The mirror of claim 30 wherein a second motor having a second rotatable shaft is provided for positioning said mirror along a second axis within said housing, wherein a zero position is provided as a point along said first axis and said second axis and is indexed prior to moving said mirror to said predetermined position.