Vehicle Rearview Assembly Including a Display for Displaying Video Captured by a Camera and User Instructions

• US 20090096937A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bauer, Frederick T., VanVuuren, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US12/193,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20090096937A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/739
• 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: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An inventive rearview assembly (10) for a vehicle may comprise a mirror element (30) and a display (100) including a light management subassembly (101b). The subassembly may comprise an LCD placed behind a transflective layer of the mirror element. Despite a low transmittance through the transflective layer, the inventive display is capable of generating a viewable display image having an intensity of at least 250 cd/m² and up to 6000 cd/m². The rearview assembly may further comprise a trainable transmitter (910) and a graphical user interface (920) that includes at least one user actuated switch (902, 904, 906). The graphical user interface generates instructions for operation of the trainable transmitter. The video display selectively displays video images captured by a camera and the instructions supplied from the graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a housing for attachment to the vehicle;

a mirror element disposed in said housing;

a trainable transmitter disposed in said housing;

a graphical user interface coupled to said trainable transmitter that includes at least one user actuated switch, said graphical user interface generates instructions for operation of said trainable transmitter; and

a video display disposed in said housing for selectively displaying video images captured by a camera and the instructions supplied from said graphical user interface.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said video display is positioned behind said mirror element to project the video images through said mirror element.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said trainable transmitter is configured to operate as a universal garage door opener.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said graphic user interface includes a plurality of user actuated switches each for causing said trainable transmitter to transmit a signal having characteristics to which said trainable transmitter has previously been trained during programming with respect to each of said user actuated switches.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the instructions include programming instructions for said trainable transmitter.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said graphic user interface causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches for said trainable transmitter has not yet been trained.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said graphic user interface causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches for at least a predetermined time period.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said graphic user interface also causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches for at least a predetermined time period.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the instructions prompt the user to actuate one or more of said user actuated switches designated by the instructions.

10. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a housing for attachment to the vehicle;

a mirror element disposed in said housing;

a trainable transmitter disposed in said housing, wherein said trainable transmitter is configured to operate as a universal garage door opener;

a graphical user interface coupled to said trainable transmitter that includes a plurality of user actuated switches each for causing said trainable transmitter to transmit a signal having characteristics to which said trainable transmitter has previously been trained during programming with respect to each of said user actuated switches, said graphical user interface generates instructions for training said trainable transmitter; and

a video display disposed in said housing for selectively displaying video images captured by a camera and the instructions supplied from said graphical user interface.

11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said video display is positioned behind said mirror element to project the video images through said mirror element.

12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said graphic user interface causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches that has not yet been trained.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said graphic user interface causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches for at least a predetermined time period.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said graphic user interface also causes the programming instructions to be displayed in response to actuation of one of the user actuated switches for at least a predetermined time period.

15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein the instructions prompt the user to actuate one or more of said user actuated switches designated by the instructions.

16. A rearview assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a video display for selectively displaying video images captured by a camera; and

a graphic user interface for generating user instructions to be displayed on said video display, where the instructions instruct a user to operate an electronic component within the vehicle.

17. The rearview assembly of claim 16 and further comprising a housing for attachment to the vehicle, wherein the electronic component is disposed in said housing.

18. The rearview assembly of claim 16, wherein said graphic user interface includes at least one user actuated switch.

19. The rearview assembly of claim 18, wherein the user instructions prompt the user to actuate one or more of said user actuated switches designated by the instructions.

20. The rearview assembly of claim 16 and further comprising a housing for attachment to the vehicle, and mirror element disposed in said housing, wherein said video display is positioned behind said mirror element to project the video images through said mirror element.