Electrical control system for vehicle options

• US 5,699,044 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex 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:
  US08/381,470
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 340/525, 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/461, 340/462, 362/83.1, 362/80.1, 359/267, 359/265
• 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 vehicle control system comprising:

a radio frequency receiver for receiving a vehicle command from a remote radio frequency transmitter;

input means for providing compass data;

a display; and

a control circuit coupled to said radio frequency receiver, to said display, and to said input means for controlling, in response to the receipt of the vehicle command, a vehicle function according to the vehicle command and for displaying the compass data on said display.

2. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said vehicle command is a command to control the locking of at least one of a door and a trunk of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle command includes a user'"'"'s identification code.

4. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, and further including a magnetic field sensor, coupled to said input means, for sensing vehicle heading information as the compass data.

5. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said input means includes a memory for storing the compass dam, and wherein said control circuit reads the compass data from said memory upon receipt of the vehicle command.

6. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control circuit displays the compass data on said display when said control circuit detects that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition has been turned on.

7. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said input means includes a magnetic field sensor for sensing the compass data, and wherein said control circuit reads the compass data from said magnetic field sensor and displays the compass data on said display when said control circuit detects that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition has been turned on.

8. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 1, and further including:

a housing for supporting said receiver, said input means, and said control circuit,

wherein said display includes a display source and a reflector supported by said housing for reflecting the compass data presented by said display source such that the compass data is visible to the vehicle operator.

9. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 8, wherein said display source is a vacuum fluorescent display.

10. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 8, wherein the compass data is alpha-numeric and the compass data presented by said display source is reversed such that upon reflection it is readable by the vehicle operator.

11. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 8, and further including a mirror supported in said housing.

12. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 11, wherein said mirror is a rearview mirror.

13. The vehicle control system as defined in claim 11, wherein said mirror has a reflectivity that is electronically adjustable.

14. A mirror assembly for mounting to a vehicle comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

a mirror positioned in said housing and having a reflectivity that is electrically adjustable;

an electrically actuated display positioned in said housing; and

a control circuit coupled to said display and to said mirror for supplying information to be displayed to said display for displaying said information, and for adjusting the reflectivity of said mirror.

15. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein said information includes vehicle heading information received from a compass circuit.

16. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 14 and further including a compass circuit located in said housing and coupled to said control circuit to provide vehicle heading information for display on said display.

17. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein said information includes temperature information received from a temperature sensor.

18. A vehicle accessory comprising:

a housing adapted to he mounted to the vehicle;

an electrochromic mirror, positioned in said housing, having a reflectivity that is adjustable;

an electrically actuated display positioned in said housing; and

control means coupled to said display and said mirror for receiving vehicle heading information from a compass circuit and controlling said display to display said vehicle heading information, said control circuit also providing signals for adjusting the reflectivity of said mirror.

19. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18, wherein said compass circuit is located in said housing and includes a magnetic field sensor for sensing a vehicle heading.

20. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18, wherein said display is a vacuum fluorescent display.

21. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18, wherein said mirror is a rearview mirror.

22. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18 and further including input means coupled to said control means for providing an indication of which user is using said mirror, wherein said control means adjusts the reflectivity of said mirror according to stored parameter information for each of the indicated users.

23. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 22 and further including a memory, wherein each user has an identification code, said memory stores each identification code and parameter information corresponding to each identification code, and said control means accesses said memory according to a received identification code to retrieve and use the respective parameter information to control said mirror.

24. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18 and further including an ambient light level detector coupled to said control means, wherein said control means controls the reflectivity of said mirror as a function of the detected ambient light level.

25. The vehicle accessory as defined in claim 18, wherein a plurality of different ambient light levels are set for said mirror, and a reflectivity level for each ambient light level may be set according to each user'"'"'s preference for each ambient light level.

26. A mirror assembly for mounting to a vehicle comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

a mirror positioned in said housing and having a reflectivity that is electrically adjustable;

a radio frequency receiver positioned in said housing for receiving a vehicle command from a remote radio frequency transmitter;

input means positioned in said housing for providing compass data;

an electrically actuated display positioned in said housing for displaying the compass data; and

a control circuit positioned in said housing and coupled to said display, to said radio frequency receiver, to said input means, and to said mirror for receiving the compass data from said input means and supplying the compass data to said display, for adjusting the reflectivity of said mirror, and for controlling, in response to the receipt of the vehicle command, a vehicle function according to the vehicle command.

27. A rearview mirror assembly for mounting to a vehicle comprising:

a housing;

a mounting base operatively attached to said housing and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

an ambient light sensor provided on said housing for sensing the ambient light level;

an electrochromic mirror positioned in said housing and having a reflectivity that is electrically adjustable;

mirror control circuit means coupled to said electrochromic mirror and to said ambient light sensor for adjusting the reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror in response to the sensed ambient light level;

an electrically actuated display device positioned in said housing;

a compass circuit attached to said mounting base for sensing vehicle heading and generating a signal representing the sensed heading; and

display control circuit means coupled to said compass circuit and said display device for receiving said signal generated by said compass circuit and for generating heading display information for display on said display device.

28. The rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 27, wherein said ambient light sensor is mounted on a rearward-facing portion of said housing for sensing the level of ambient light at the rear of the vehicle, and wherein the rearview mirror assembly further includes a second ambient light sensor provided on a forward-facing portion of said housing for sensing the level of ambient light at the front of the vehicle, said mirror control circuit means being coupled to said second ambient light sensor for adjusting the reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror in response to the level of ambient light sensed by both ambient light sensors.

29. The rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 27 and further including at least one map light mounted in a bottom portion of said housing and a switch disposed on said housing and electrically coupled to said map light for activating said map light.