VEHICULAR INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
- an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror housing and a reflective element;
wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element;
wherein said electrochromic reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises a metal thin film layer;
wherein said mirror housing is adjustable relative to an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein adjustment of said mirror housing by a driver of the equipped vehicle adjusts a rearward field of view of said electrochromic reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a pivot joint enabling the driver of the equipped vehicle to pivotally adjust said mirror housing to set the rearward field of view of said reflective element to the driver'"'"'s desired setting with said interior rearview mirror assembly mounted to said mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle;
an information display, said information display comprising a reconfigurable display element comprising a plurality of pixels;
wherein said information display is disposed in said interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element;
wherein information displayed by said information display is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element when said information display is displaying information, and wherein, when said information display is not displaying information, the presence of said information display behind said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element is substantially not discerned by the driver of the equipped vehicle normally viewing said reflective element when operating the equipped vehicle;
wherein information display intensity of said information display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at said interior rearview mirror assembly by at least one photosensor, and wherein said at least one photosensor comprises at least one silicon photosensor of said interior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said information display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said information at least comprises video images captured by a camera of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a control of said interior rearview mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein a reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by said at least one photosensor; and
wherein, responsive at least in part to receipt of an input received via said network bus, said control adjusts an accessory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and an information display. The display is disposed in the interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of a transflective mirror reflector of an electrochromic reflective element of the mirror assembly. Information display intensity of the display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at the mirror assembly by a photosensor of the mirror assembly. The display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the vehicle, and the information at least includes video images captured by a camera of the vehicle. A control of the mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. A reflectance level of the electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by the photosensor.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror housing and a reflective element; wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element; wherein said electrochromic reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises a metal thin film layer; wherein said mirror housing is adjustable relative to an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein adjustment of said mirror housing by a driver of the equipped vehicle adjusts a rearward field of view of said electrochromic reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a pivot joint enabling the driver of the equipped vehicle to pivotally adjust said mirror housing to set the rearward field of view of said reflective element to the driver'"'"'s desired setting with said interior rearview mirror assembly mounted to said mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; an information display, said information display comprising a reconfigurable display element comprising a plurality of pixels; wherein said information display is disposed in said interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element; wherein information displayed by said information display is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element when said information display is displaying information, and wherein, when said information display is not displaying information, the presence of said information display behind said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element is substantially not discerned by the driver of the equipped vehicle normally viewing said reflective element when operating the equipped vehicle; wherein information display intensity of said information display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at said interior rearview mirror assembly by at least one photosensor, and wherein said at least one photosensor comprises at least one silicon photosensor of said interior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said information display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said information at least comprises video images captured by a camera of the equipped vehicle; wherein a control of said interior rearview mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein a reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by said at least one photosensor; and wherein, responsive at least in part to receipt of an input received via said network bus, said control adjusts an accessory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror housing and a reflective element; wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element; wherein said electrochromic reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises a metal thin film layer; wherein said mirror housing is adjustable relative to an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein adjustment of said mirror housing by a driver of the equipped vehicle adjusts a rearward field of view of said electrochromic reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a pivot joint enabling the driver of the equipped vehicle to pivotally adjust said mirror housing to set the rearward field of view of said reflective element to the driver'"'"'s desired setting with said interior rearview mirror assembly mounted to said mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; an information display, said information display comprising a reconfigurable display element comprising a plurality of pixels, and wherein said reconfigurable display element comprises a reconfigurable liquid crystal display element; wherein said information display is disposed in said interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element; wherein information displayed by said information display is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element when said information display is displaying information, and wherein, when said information display is not displaying information, the presence of said information display behind said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element is substantially not discerned by the driver of the equipped vehicle normally viewing said reflective element when operating the equipped vehicle; wherein information display intensity of said information display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at said interior rearview mirror assembly by at least one photosensor, and wherein said at least one photosensor comprises at least one silicon photosensor of said interior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said information display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said information at least comprises video images captured by a camera of the equipped vehicle; wherein a control of said interior rearview mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein a reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by said at least one photosensor; and wherein, responsive at least in part to receipt of an input received via said network bus, said control adjusts an accessory, and wherein said accessory comprises said electrochromic reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror housing and a reflective element; wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element; wherein said electrochromic reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises a metal thin film layer; wherein said mirror housing is adjustable relative to an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein adjustment of said mirror housing by a driver of the equipped vehicle adjusts a rearward field of view of said electrochromic reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a pivot joint enabling the driver of the equipped vehicle to pivotally adjust said mirror housing to set the rearward field of view of said reflective element to the driver'"'"'s desired setting with said interior rearview mirror assembly mounted to said mirror attachment element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle; an information display, said information display comprising a reconfigurable display element comprising a plurality of pixels; wherein said information display is disposed in said interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element; wherein information displayed by said information display is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element when said information display is displaying information, and wherein, when said information display is not displaying information, the presence of said information display behind said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element is substantially not discerned by the driver of the equipped vehicle normally viewing said reflective element when operating the equipped vehicle; wherein information display intensity of said information display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at said interior rearview mirror assembly by at least one photosensor, and wherein said at least one photosensor comprises at least one silicon photosensor of said interior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said information display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said information at least comprises video images captured by a camera of the equipped vehicle; wherein a control of said interior rearview mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein a reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by said at least one photosensor; and wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a forward facing camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification