Mini-trip computer for use in a rearview mirror assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rearview mirror assembly for displaying trip information to a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a reflective element;
a housing for said reflective element;
a display device embedded within said reflective element;
a vehicle data communication system enabling a trip computer to communicate with a plurality of vehicle control modules via a serial data communication network;
wherein said serial data communication network has a single wire for a signal transmission medium; and
a trip computer for determining and displaying vehicle trip information, said trip computer being electrically connected to said display device and connected to said housing, said trip computer including a first microprocessor and being interconnected via the single wire of the communication network to a plurality of vehicle control modules, each vehicle control module having a microprocessor and associated bus circuitry for serially transmitting a plurality of signals over the single wire to the trip computer microprocessor, said trip computer being powered on upon detecting bus network activity, said vehicle control modules being remotely located from the rearview mirror assembly.
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Abstract
A trip computer is incorporated into a rearview mirror assembly for displaying trip information to the driver of a motor vehicle. The mirror assembly includes a reflective element, a housing for the reflective element, a trip computer for determining vehicle trip information, and a display device for displaying the vehicle trip information, where the display device is electrically connected to the trip computer and embedded within the reflective element.
290 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A rearview mirror assembly for displaying trip information to a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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a reflective element;
a housing for said reflective element;
a display device embedded within said reflective element;
a vehicle data communication system enabling a trip computer to communicate with a plurality of vehicle control modules via a serial data communication network;
wherein said serial data communication network has a single wire for a signal transmission medium; and
a trip computer for determining and displaying vehicle trip information, said trip computer being electrically connected to said display device and connected to said housing, said trip computer including a first microprocessor and being interconnected via the single wire of the communication network to a plurality of vehicle control modules, each vehicle control module having a microprocessor and associated bus circuitry for serially transmitting a plurality of signals over the single wire to the trip computer microprocessor, said trip computer being powered on upon detecting bus network activity, said vehicle control modules being remotely located from the rearview mirror assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A rearview mirror assembly for displaying trip information to a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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a electrochromic mirror;
a housing for said electrochromic mirror;
a liquid crystal display (LCD) device embedded within said electrochromic mirror; and
a trip computer for determining and displaying vehicle trip information, said trip computer being electrically connected to said LCD device and connected to said housing, said trip computer transmitting information regarding the rearview mirror assembly to at least one vehicle control module remotely located from the rearview mirror assembly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification