ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20100208077A1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brown, Steven L., DeWard, Joshua L., Schofield, Kenneth, Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

An accessory system for a vehicle includes a windshield that has a mounting element adhesively attached to its inner surface, an interior rearview mirror assembly, and an accessory support adapted for mounting to and demounting from the mounting element. The accessory support includes an accessory receiving portion configured to receive an accessory. The accessory support may comprise part of the interior rearview mirror assembly or may include a mirror mounting element with the interior rearview mirror assembly adapted for mounting to the mirror mounting element of the accessory support. The accessory comprises an imaging sensor and the accessory receiving portion is configured to receive the imaging sensor in a manner that compensates for the windshield angle of the windshield so that the imaging sensor has a more generally horizontal forward field of view through the windshield when the accessory support is mounted to the mounting element.

Claims

1. An accessory system for a vehicle, said accessory system comprising:

a windshield, said windshield having an outer surface that is exterior of the vehicle when the windshield is mounted to a vehicle equipped with said accessory system and an inner surface that is interior of the vehicle when the windshield is mounted to the equipped vehicle;

wherein said windshield is at a windshield angle relative to vertical when said windshield is mounted to the equipped vehicle;

wherein said windshield has a mounting element adhesively attached to said inner surface;

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

an accessory support adapted for mounting to and demounting from said mounting element, said accessory support including an accessory receiving portion configured to receive an accessory;

wherein one of (a) said accessory support comprises part of said interior rearview mirror assembly and (b) said accessory support includes a mirror mounting element and said interior rearview mirror assembly is adapted for mounting to said mirror mounting element of said accessory support; and

wherein said accessory comprises an imaging sensor comprising a lens and a CMOS photosensor array and wherein said accessory receiving portion is configured to receive said imaging sensor in a manner that compensates for said windshield angle of said windshield so that said imaging sensor has a more generally horizontal forward field of view through said windshield when said accessory support is mounted to said mounting element adhesively attached to said inner surface of said windshield.

2. The accessory system of claim 1 further comprising a removable cover that substantially encompasses said accessory, associated circuitry and said accessory support, and wherein at least one of (a) said removable cover is adapted for removable attachment at said accessory support and (b) said removable cover is adapted for removable attachment at said accessory support via a snap connection.

3. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said accessory support comprises part of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

4. The accessory system of claim 3, wherein said mounting element comprises a mirror mounting button.

5. The accessory system of claim 4, wherein a base portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises said accessory support.

6. The accessory system of claim 4, wherein a mirror casing comprising a mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly is pivotally mounted at said accessory support via a single pivot mounting arrangement for adjustably mounting said mirror casing at said mounting element.

7. The accessory system of claim 4, wherein a mirror casing comprising a mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly is pivotally mounted at said accessory support via a double pivot mounting arrangement for adjustably mounting said mirror casing at said mounting element.

8. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said accessory support includes a mirror mounting element and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly is adapted for mounting to said mirror mounting element of said accessory support.

9. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said accessory support comprises a circuitry receiving portion configured to receive a printed circuit board at said accessory support, said accessory support including an electrical connector for electrically connecting said printed circuit board to an electrical source of the vehicle.

10. The accessory system of claim 9, wherein said base portion, said accessory receiving portion and said circuitry receiving portion are integrally molded together so that said accessory support comprises a unitarily molded accessory support.

11. The accessory system of claim 10, wherein said electrical connector comprises a plurality of conducting members insert molded within a connecting portion of said accessory support.

12. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said accessory receiving portion includes a recessed portion for receiving said imaging sensor.

13. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said accessory receiving portion comprises a photosensor array receiving portion configured to receive said photosensor array therein, and wherein said accessory support includes a lens receiving portion configured to receive said lens, and wherein said lens receiving portion and said photosensor array receiving portion are arranged so that said photosensor array received in said photosensor array receiving portion is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said lens received in said lens receiving portion.

14. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes an electro-optic reflective element, and at least two photosensors, a microprocessor and associated circuitry all commonly established on a common semiconductor element, and wherein said microprocessor is operable to detect a voltage applied to said electro-optic reflective element and to adjust the voltage applied to said electro-optic reflective element via controlling a current gating element, said current gating element controlling an amount of current shunted to ground to control the voltage applied to said electro-optic reflective element.

15. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said interior rearview mirror assembly and said accessory support includes an inductive power receiver that receives power from an inductive power transmitter located remotely from said at least one of said interior rearview mirror assembly and said accessory support, and wherein said at least one of said interior rearview mirror assembly and said accessory support includes a data transceiver that wirelessly communicates with a data transceiver located remotely from said at least one of said interior rearview mirror assembly and said accessory support.

16. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said interior rearview mirror assembly houses an illumination source, and wherein said illumination source comprises at least one high-intensity power light emitting diode, and wherein said high-intensity power light emitting diode emits with a luminous efficiency of at least about 7 lumens per watt and passes a forward current of at least about 350 milliamps when operated at its operating voltage, and wherein said high-intensity power light emitting diode emits white light with a luminous flux of at least about 25 lumens when operated at its operating voltage, (b) said interior rearview mirror assembly houses a video display operable to display information for viewing by the driver through a reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly, (c) said interior rearview mirror assembly houses a video display operable to display information for viewing by the driver through an electrochromic reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and said accessory system further comprises control circuitry that at least one of (i) increases the intensity of light emitted by said video display when ambient light is high and decreases the intensity of light emitted by said video display when ambient light is low, and (ii) increases the intensity of light emitted by said video display to compensate for loss of transmission through said electrochromic reflective element when said electrochromic medium dims responsive to a voltage applied thereto, and wherein said control circuitry comprises at least one of (i) electronic components that commonly control dimming of said electrochromic medium and actuation of said video display and (ii) sub-circuitry that commonly controls dimming of said electrochromic medium and actuation of said video display, and (d) said interior rearview mirror houses a video display operable to display information for viewing by the driver through a reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said video display comprises a back lit liquid crystal display element and wherein said liquid crystal display element is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes, and wherein step-by-step driving instructions are displayed by said video display.