Electrical control system for vehicle options

• US 5,475,366 A
• Filed: 12/22/1993
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeinstra, Mark L., Van Lente, Paul S., Suman, Michael J., DeVree, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/172,642
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 340/525, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462, 340/980, 362/83.1, 345/7-9, 359/630-633
• US Class Current: 340/525
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/123 with thermometers
• 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: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

A vehicle structural accessory includes one or more electronic accessories. One electrical accessory which may be provided is an electronically trainable transmitter which is trainable to generate a control signal which will actuate a garage door opening mechanism. Another electronic accessory which may be included is an electronic compass. Yet another device is an electronically adjustable mirror having parameters set for each driver of a vehicle. The electronically adjustable rearview mirror and the electronically trainable garage door opener may be advantageously provided with a keyless entry system.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a connector supported on said housing and connectable to a vehicle electrical system;

a rearview mirror supported on said housing; and

a display system displaying information to the vehicle operator, said display system including a display source supported in said housing and connected to said connector, and a reflector mounted on said housing vertically spaced from said mirror and positioned for reflecting information presented by said display source, whereby said display source is mounted on a circuit board in said housing and said reflector reflects the information displayed by said display source such that said display source information is visible to a driver of the vehicle.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, further including a parameter sensor and a circuit coupling said sensor to said display system for displaying parameter information sensed by said sensor.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein said sensor is a flux-gate magnetic field sensor for displaying the vehicle heading.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein said display source is a vacuum fluorescent display.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said display source is a vacuum fluorescent display.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second reflector positioned on said housing for reflecting information presented by said display source such that said information is visible to the driver through said first reflector and to a passenger in the vehicle through said second reflector.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said information is alpha-numeric and the information presented by said display source reversed such that upon reflection it is readable.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said reflector is pivotably mounted in to said housing and movable between an operating position wherein said information is displayed to the driver of the vehicle, and a closed position wherein said information is not displayed to the driver of the vehicle.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 and further including a flux-gate magnetic sensor and an electronic clock and a circuit coupling said sensor and said clock to said display source, for displaying compass bearing and time information to the vehicle operator.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a support for fastening said housing to a windshield of the vehicle.

11. The system as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a support for connecting said housing to the interior roof of the vehicle.

12. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said display source receives a plurality of input signals, at least one of which is supplied from a signal source located externally of said housing.

13. An information display system for use in a vehicle comprising:

a housing;

a connector supported on said housing and connectable to a vehicle electrical system;

an interior rearview mirror supported on said housing; and

a display system including a display source providing an image and a reflector, said reflector positioned to reflect the image from said display source, said reflector position on said housing adjacent said rearview mirror for displaying information corresponding to at least one sensed parameter, said rearview mirror movable about more than one axis relative to a driver of the vehicle such that the rearview mirror provides reflections at a desired viewing angle for the driver of the vehicle, and wherein said display reflector moves with said rearview mirror for displaying said sensed parameter at said desired viewing angle.

14. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a movable housing;

a rearview mirror supported by said housing; and

a display system including a display source mounted in said housing for displaying a sensed parameter, said display system further including a reflector pivotally supported on said housing for pivoting between a hidden position and a display position, whereby said reflector reflects the display source sensed parameter such that said sensed parameter is visible to a driver of the vehicle when said reflector is in said display position.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further including a sensor operatively connected to said display source for supplying said parameters to said display source.

16. An apparatus defined in claim 15, wherein said sensor is a flux-gate sensor, and said parameter is the vehicle heading.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a sensor operatively coupled to said display source, and wherein said connector supplies operating electrical current to said sensor.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising a second reflective source for reflecting said sensed parameter from said display means such that said sensed parameter is visible to a passenger in the vehicle.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said displayed sensed parameter is an image which is inverted by said display reflector.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said display system further includes a second reflector for reflecting said displayed sensed parameter such that said sensed parameter is visible to a passenger in the vehicle.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising at least one additional input for said display source such that said display source displays more than one parameter.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said reflector means comprises a reflective member having one end pivotably connected to said housing.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said display receives input signals from a flux-gate magnetic sensor and from a time indicating means, for displaying compass bearing and the time of day information.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said display source receives a plurality of input signals, at least one of which is coupled through said connector from a source located externally of said housing.