Digital electrochromic mirror system
First Claim
1. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
- at least one electrochromic rearview mirror assembly having an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a drive circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element establishing a partial reflectance level thereof, said drive circuit including a digital controller and a switching power supply controlled by said digital controller producing said drive signal;
wherein said switching power supply comprises an impedance device and at least one electronic switch in series electrical connection between said electrochromic reflective element and a voltage potential, and another electronic switch between said impedance device and another voltage potential to conduct current in said impedance device when said at least one electronic switch is not conducting.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system includes an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly and at least one exterior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly. Each mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element that assumes a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto. A drive circuit applies a drive signal to each of the electrochromic reflective elements. The drive circuit may include a digital controller, a master drive circuit responsive to the digital controller to apply a first drive signal to one of the electrochromic reflective elements and a slave drive circuit responsive to the digital controller to apply a second drive signal to a second of the electrochromic reflective elements. The second drive signal may be derived from the first drive signal. The drive circuit may include a digital controller and a switching power supply controlled by the digital controller to produce a drive signal.
277 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
at least one electrochromic rearview mirror assembly having an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a drive circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element establishing a partial reflectance level thereof, said drive circuit including a digital controller and a switching power supply controlled by said digital controller producing said drive signal;
wherein said switching power supply comprises an impedance device and at least one electronic switch in series electrical connection between said electrochromic reflective element and a voltage potential, and another electronic switch between said impedance device and another voltage potential to conduct current in said impedance device when said at least one electronic switch is not conducting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
at least one electrochromic rearview mirror assembly having an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a drive circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said drive circuit comprising an impedance device, at least one first electronic switch electrically series connecting said impedance device and said electrochromic reflective element with a first voltage potential and at least one second electronic switch electrically series connecting said impedance device and said electrochromic reflective element with a second voltage potential, said at least one first electronic switch and said at least one second electronic switch alternatingly operated to apply a drive current through said impedance device and said at least one electrochromic reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification