INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM

• US 20130046444A1
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blank, Rodney K., Schierbeek, Kenneth L., Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,465,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/38 Testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview minor assembly having compass circuitry having a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry. At least a portion of the compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology. The multi-axis sensor comprises at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements. The magnetoresponsive sensing elements may be disposed in the mirror casing and move in tandem with the minor casing and the reflective element when the minor casing is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle. Processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of the interior rearview minor system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by the magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field. An information display may display the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.

Claims

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;

wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview minor assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said minor casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a three-axis sensor and associated circuitry;

wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;

wherein said three-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements disposed generally orthogonally to each other and a third magnetoresponsive sensing element disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;

wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said minor casing and move in tandem with said minor casing and said reflective element when said minor casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle;

wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview minor system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field; and

wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.

2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter and (iii) signal processing circuitry.

3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) memory, (ii) signal filtering circuitry, (iii) a display driver and (iv) a vehicle bus interface.

4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said associated circuitry comprises said microprocessor.

5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least two of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a vehicle bus interface.

6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are established on said semiconductor substrate.

7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and said associated circuitry are established on said semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology.

8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 7, wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass circuitry is supported by said reflective element.

10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein an algorithm processed by said microprocessor discerns between a change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of an adjustment of said minor casing by the driver of the equipped vehicle and a change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and causes said interior rearview mirror system to enter a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of an adjustment of said mirror casing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein electrical wiring for said compass circuitry passes through said at least one pivot element of said mounting structure.

12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said at least one pivot element comprises two pivot elements that are part of a double pivot mounting structure, and wherein said electrical wiring passes through both of said pivot elements of said double pivot mounting structure.

13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises a mounting button attached at an interior surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and wherein said mounting structure comprises a mount for mounting said interior rearview minor assembly to the mounting button attached at the interior surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle.

14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of an adjustment of said minor casing on the output of said magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass circuitry is operable to receive an output from a temperature sensor and to determine a temperature reading and to display the temperature reading on said information display.

16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass circuitry further comprises a temperature sensor and wherein said temperature sensor is commonly established with said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and said associated circuitry on said semiconductor substrate.

17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element and wherein said compass circuitry controls, at least in part, the reflectance of said electro-optic reflective element.

18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise Hall effect magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system enters an initial rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the equipped vehicle to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview minor system automatically exits said rapid compensating mode and enters a less aggressive calibration mode that distinguishes the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field from magnetic anomalies and non-abrupt changes in the vehicle magnetic signature, and wherein said interior rearview minor system automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle.

20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system operates in an automatic compensation mode to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle and wherein the automatic compensation does not require the equipped vehicle to turn through a 360 degree circle to compensate for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle.

21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said information display comprises at least one of (a) a vacuum fluorescent display, (b) a light emitting diode display, (c) an electroluminescent display, (d) a liquid crystal display, (e) a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display and (f) a video screen display.

22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein, with said interior rearview mirror assembly normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and with said reflective element providing a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to the driver of the equipped vehicle, said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements are arranged generally horizontally and said third magnetoresponsive sensing element is arranged generally vertically.

23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises said information display.

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;

wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview minor assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said minor casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via a pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview minor assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;

wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a vehicle bus interface;

wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;

wherein electrical wiring for said compass circuitry passes through said pivot element of said mounting structure;

wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements; and

wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview minor system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field.

25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise a third magnetoresponsive sensing element, and wherein said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed generally orthogonally to each other and said third magnetoresponsive sensing element is disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein at least one of (i) said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are established on said semiconductor substrate, (ii) said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and said associated circuitry are established on said semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology, and (iii) said semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said mirror casing and move in tandem with said mirror casing and said reflective element when said minor casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said compass circuitry is supported by said reflective element.

28. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 27, wherein an algorithm processed by said microprocessor discerns between a change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of an adjustment of said minor casing by the driver of the equipped vehicle and a change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements that is indicative of a change in vehicle direction, and causes said interior rearview mirror system to enter a rapid compensating mode when the change in said sensing by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements is indicative of an adjustment of said mirror casing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

29. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein at least one of (a) electrical wiring passes through said pivot element and (b) said mounting structure comprises two pivot elements that are part of a double pivot mounting structure and wherein said electrical wiring passes through both of said pivot elements of said double pivot mounting structure.

30. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein at least one of (i) said compass circuitry is operable to receive an output from a temperature sensor and to determine a temperature reading and to display the temperature reading on said information display, (ii) said compass circuitry further comprises a temperature sensor and wherein said temperature sensor is commonly established with said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and said associated circuitry on said semiconductor substrate, (iii) said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element and (iv) said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element and said compass circuitry controls, at least in part, the reflectance of said electro-optic reflective element.

31. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said interior rearview mirror system enters an initial rapid compensating mode in response to an ignition cycle of the equipped vehicle to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror system automatically exits said rapid compensating mode and enters a less aggressive calibration mode that distinguishes the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field from magnetic anomalies and non-abrupt changes in the vehicle magnetic signature, and wherein said interior rearview minor system automatically exits said rapid compensating mode after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the ignition cycle.

32. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said interior rearview mirror system operates in an automatic compensation mode to achieve at least an approximate compensation for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle and wherein the automatic compensation does not require the equipped vehicle to turn through a 360 degree circle to compensate for a deviating magnetic field of the equipped vehicle.

33. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said information display comprises at least one of (a) a vacuum fluorescent display, (b) a light emitting diode display, (c) an electroluminescent display, (d) a liquid crystal display, (e) a backlit thin film transistor liquid crystal display and (f) a video screen display.

34. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 33, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises said information display.

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;

wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview minor assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said minor casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;

wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;

wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;

wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview minor system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field;

wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a vehicle bus interface.

36. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) said vehicle bus interface.

37. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein, with said interior rearview minor assembly normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and with said reflective element providing a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to the driver of the equipped vehicle, said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements are arranged generally horizontally.

38. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 37, wherein said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed generally orthogonally to each other.

39. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 38, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise a third magnetoresponsive sensing element disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and wherein, with said interior rearview minor assembly normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and with said reflective element providing a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to the driver of the equipped vehicle, said third magnetoresponsive sensing element is arranged generally vertically.

40. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said mirror casing and move in tandem with said mirror casing and said reflective element when said minor casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle.

41. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 40, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of an adjustment of said minor casing on the output of said magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

42. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein said compass circuitry further comprises a temperature sensor and wherein said temperature sensor is commonly established with said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and said associated circuitry on said semiconductor substrate.

43. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element and wherein said compass circuitry controls, at least in part, the reflectance of said electro-optic reflective element.

44. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 35, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises said information display.

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;

wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview minor assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said minor casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;

wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;

wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;

wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview minor system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field;

wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a vehicle bus interface; and

wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver.

46. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 45, wherein said compass circuitry controls, at least in part, the reflectance of said electro-optic reflective element.

47. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 45, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said mirror casing and move in tandem with said mirror casing and said reflective element when said minor casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle.

48. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 47, wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are oriented in a manner that reduces the effect of an adjustment of said minor casing on the output of said magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

49. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 45, wherein said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed generally orthogonally to each other, and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise a third magnetoresponsive sensing element disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements.

50. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 45, wherein an information display of said interior rearview mirror assembly displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.