INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM

• US 20110166785A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McCarthy, Kevin C., Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,525,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• 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 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle, and a display device. Data relevant to the geographical location of the vehicle is carried from an external provider to the vehicle via a wireless communication link. The data may be wirelessly communicated from the external provider to the vehicle responsive to at least one of (a) location of the vehicle, (b) identity of the vehicle and (c) directional heading of the vehicle, and the data may be at least in part customized to the geographic location of the vehicle. The interior rearview mirror system may include a link with a mobile accessory that may be a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle, and the mobile accessory may include at least one of a keypad, a touch pad and a stylus-actuated screen.

Claims

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element;

a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein data that is relevant to the geographical location of the vehicle is carried from an external provider to the vehicle via a wireless communication link; and

a display device disposed at said interior rearview mirror assembly, wherein at least one of (a) said display device comprises a multi-pixel display device, (b) said display device is capable of displaying a scrolling display, (c) said display device is capable of displaying a multi-text display, (d) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element, (e) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, (f) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element and said interior mirror reflective element comprises a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, (g) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, and (h) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a third surface semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device.

2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said data is wirelessly communicated from said external provider to the vehicle responsive to at least one of (a) location of the vehicle, (b) identity of the vehicle and (c) directional heading of the vehicle, and wherein said data is at least in part customized to the geographic location of the vehicle.

3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said external provider receives transmitted data from the vehicle via said wireless communication link and, responsive to receipt of said transmitted data from the vehicle, said external provider wirelessly communicates said data to the vehicle.

4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said transmitted data includes at least one of a current geographic location of the vehicle and a current directional heading of the vehicle.

5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said external provider comprises a telematic service provider.

6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 5, wherein said telematic service provider communicates data associated with at least one of a gas station, a store, a cinema, a web site, a toll center, a banking center and a satellite radio.

7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a user input.

8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 7, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a user control for said wireless communication link.

9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication link is operable to carry data via at least one of a PUSH communication protocol and a PULL communication protocol.

10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 9, wherein said wireless communication link is operable in response to a user input selecting at least one of said PUSH and PULL communication protocols.

11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a reconfigurable display device.

12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a link to a vehicle bus system.

13. The interior rearview minor system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a link with a mobile accessory that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle.

14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein at least one of (a) said mobile accessory comprises at least one of a keypad, a touch pad and a stylus-actuated screen, (b) said interior rearview mirror system comprises a holder in the vehicle for said mobile accessory, and (c) said mobile accessory comprises at least one of a hand-held telephone, a personal digital assistant, a hand-held personal identifier, and a hand-held remote entry device.

15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) an in-vehicle voice input device is at said interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, (b) said interior rearview mirror system includes in-vehicle voice detection, (c) said interior rearview mirror system includes voice recognition and (d) said interior rearview minor system includes in-vehicle voice generation.

16. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising;

an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element;

a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle;

wherein data that is relevant to the geographical location of the vehicle is carried from an external provider to the vehicle via a wireless communication link;

wherein said data is wirelessly communicated from said external provider to the vehicle responsive to at least one of (a) location of the vehicle, (b) identity of the vehicle and (c) directional heading of the vehicle, and wherein said data is at least in part customized to the geographic location of the vehicle; and

a display device disposed at said interior rearview mirror assembly, wherein at least one of (a) said display device comprises a reconfigurable display, (b) said display device comprises a multi-pixel display device, (c) said display device is capable of displaying a scrolling display, (d) said display device is capable of displaying a multi-text display, (e) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element, (f) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, (g) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element and said interior minor reflective element comprises a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, (h) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, and (i) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a third surface semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device.

17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said external provider receives transmitted data from the vehicle via said wireless communication link and, responsive to receipt of said transmitted data from the vehicle, said external provider wirelessly communicates said data to the vehicle.

18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said transmitted data includes at least one of a current geographic location of the vehicle and a current directional heading of the vehicle.

19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said wireless communication link is operable to carry data via at least one of a PUSH communication protocol and a PULL communication protocol, and wherein said wireless communication link is operable in response to a user input selecting at least one of said PUSH and PULL communication protocols.

20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a link with a mobile accessory that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein at least one of (a) said mobile accessory comprises at least one of a keypad, a touch pad and a stylus-actuated screen, (b) said interior rearview mirror system comprises a holder in the vehicle for said mobile accessory, and (c) said mobile accessory comprises at least one of a hand-held telephone, a personal digital assistant, a hand-held personal identifier, and a hand-held remote entry device.

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior minor reflective element;

wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a link with a mobile accessory that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein said mobile accessory comprises at least one of a keypad, a touch pad and a stylus-actuated screen;

wherein at least one of (a) an in-vehicle voice input device is at said interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, (b) said interior rearview mirror system includes in-vehicle voice detection, (c) said interior rearview mirror system includes voice recognition and (d) said interior rearview mirror system includes in-vehicle voice generation; and

a display device disposed at said interior rearview mirror assembly, wherein at least one of (a) said display device comprises a reconfigurable display, (b) said display device comprises a multi-pixel display device, (c) said display device is capable of displaying a scrolling display, (d) said display device is capable of displaying a multi-text display, (e) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element, (f) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, (g) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element and said interior mirror reflective element comprises a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, (h) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, and (i) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a third surface semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device.

22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 21, wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a link to a vehicle bus system.

23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 21, comprising a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle, wherein data that is relevant to the geographical location of the vehicle is carried from an external provider to the vehicle via a wireless communication link.

24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 23, wherein said external provider receives transmitted data from the vehicle via said wireless communication link and, responsive to receipt of said transmitted data from the vehicle, said external provider wirelessly communicates said data to the vehicle.

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element;

wherein at least one of (a) an in-vehicle voice input device is at said interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, (b) said interior rearview mirror system includes in-vehicle voice detection, (c) said interior rearview mirror system includes voice recognition and (d) said interior rearview mirror system includes in-vehicle voice generation;

a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle;

a display device disposed at said interior rearview mirror assembly, wherein at least one of (a) said display device comprises a reconfigurable display, (b) said display device comprises a multi-pixel display device, (c) said display device is capable of displaying a scrolling display, (d) said display device is capable of displaying a multi-text display, (e) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element, (f) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, (g) said display device is disposed behind said interior mirror reflective element and said interior mirror reflective element comprises a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, (h) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device, and (i) said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic reflective element and wherein said display device is disposed behind said electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element comprising a third surface semitransparent visible light reflecting/transmitting reflector and said display device comprising a display on demand display device.

26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 25, wherein data that is relevant to the geographical location of the vehicle is carried from an external provider to the vehicle via a wireless communication link.