REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH ANTENNA

• US 20180277940A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 09/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Kraus, Andreas, Koleszar, Christopher J., Jaeger, Sebastien C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,031,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2001/1261 with antennae
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly includes a main housing defining an interior surface, an interior cavity at least partially bounded by the interior surface, and an open side. The assembly further includes a control module coupled within the interior of the main housing, a mirror coupled over the open side of the main housing, and an antenna electrically coupled with the control module and positioned within the interior cavity of the main housing.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a main housing defining an interior surface, an interior cavity at least partially bounded by the interior surface, and an open side;

a control module coupled within the interior of the main housing;

a mirror coupled over the open side of the main housing; and

an antenna electrically coupled with the control module and positioned within the interior of the main housing.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes a metallic substrate body and a control module mounted on the body.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the control module includes a printed circuit board; and

the antenna is adhered to the printed circuit board.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the main housing defines a lower outer surface; and

the antenna is positioned within the interior proximate the lower outer surface.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes a body of a flexible, metallic material.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein:

the interior surface defines a front wall opposite the open side; and

the antenna is positioned adjacent a portion of the front wall.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the body is shaped to generally match a shape of a portion of the front wall.

9. The rearview mirror of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is adhered to a portion of the interior surface of the main housing.

10. The rearview mirror of claim 6, wherein the antenna further includes an extension strip coupling the antenna body with the control module.

11. The rearview mirror of claim 10, wherein the extension strip at least partially supports the antenna body with respect to the control module.

12. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the control module includes circuitry for communicating with an external device using the antenna.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the mirror includes a display thereon.

15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of buttons coupled with one of the control module or the housing, accessible along an exterior of the housing, and extending within the interior cavity, wherein the antenna is positioned within the housing in an area unoccupied by the plurality of buttons.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the control module facilitates communication with an external device using the antenna according to a predetermined communications protocol.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the predetermined communications protocol is a near-field communication protocol.

16. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a main housing defining a lower outer surface, an interior surface, an interior cavity at least partially bounded by the interior surface, and an open side;

a control module coupled within the interior of the main housing;

a mirror coupled over the open side of the main housing; and

an antenna electrically coupled with the control module and positioned within the interior of the main housing proximate the lower outer surface.

17. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein:

the control module includes a printed circuit board; and

the antenna is adhered to the printed circuit board.

18. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a main housing defining an interior surface, an interior cavity at least partially bounded by the interior surface, and an open side;

a control module coupled within the interior of the main housing;

a mirror coupled over the open side of the main housing; and

an antenna includes a body of a flexible, metallic material and electrically coupled with the control module and positioned within the interior of the main housing.

19. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein:

the interior surface defines a front wall opposite the open side;

the antenna is positioned adjacent a portion of the front wall; and

the body is shaped to generally match a shape of a portion of the front wall.

20. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is adhered to a portion of the interior surface of the main housing.