Digital electrochromic mirror system
First Claim
1. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
- an electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a control circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said control circuit comprising a digital controller, said digital controller including a microcomputer;
said control circuit establishing said partial reflectance level of said electrochromic mirror assembly as a function of a duty cycle of a pulse-width modulation signal of said digital controller;
said digital controller receiving an input from at least one light sensor responsive to ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly including an information display, said microcomputer of said digital controller controlling the intensity of said display as a function of the ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly further including at least one accessory selected from the group comprising a headlamp controller, a video camera, a rain sensor, a microphone and a telephone; and
wherein said at least one accessory shares at least one of;
A) a component with said control circuit and B) circuitry with said control circuit.
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.
99 Citations
94 Claims
-
1. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
an electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a control circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said control circuit comprising a digital controller, said digital controller including a microcomputer;
said control circuit establishing said partial reflectance level of said electrochromic mirror assembly as a function of a duty cycle of a pulse-width modulation signal of said digital controller;
said digital controller receiving an input from at least one light sensor responsive to ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly including an information display, said microcomputer of said digital controller controlling the intensity of said display as a function of the ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly further including at least one accessory selected from the group comprising a headlamp controller, a video camera, a rain sensor, a microphone and a telephone; and
wherein said at least one accessory shares at least one of;
A) a component with said control circuit and B) circuitry with said control circuit.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
an electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element and a housing for said reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a control circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said control circuit comprising a digital controller, said digital controller including a microcomputer;
said control circuit establishing said partial reflectance level of said electrochromic mirror assembly as a function of a duty cycle of a pulse-width modulation signal of said digital controller;
said digital controller receiving an input from at least one light sensor responsive to ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly including an information display, said microcomputer of said digital controller controlling the intensity of said display as a function of the ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly further including at least one accessory selected from the group comprising a headlamp controller, a video camera, a rain sensor, a microphone and a telephone; and
wherein said display is at least one of;
A) positioned behind said reflective element and viewed through said reflective element, and B) positioned on a portion of said housing.- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
-
49. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
an electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a control circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said control circuit comprising a digital controller, said digital controller including a microcomputer;
said control circuit establishing said partial reflectance level of said electrochromic mirror assembly as a function of a duty cycle of a pulse-width modulation signal of said digital controller;
said digital controller receiving an input from at least one light sensor responsive to ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly including an information display, said microcomputer of said digital controller controlling the intensity of said display as a function of the ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly further including at least one accessory selected from the group comprising a headlamp controller, a video camera, a rain sensor, a microphone and a telephone; and
wherein said information display displays vehicle heading. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
-
-
72. A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror system, comprising:
-
an electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a signal applied thereto;
a control circuit applying a drive signal to said electrochromic reflective element, said control circuit comprising a digital controller, said digital controller including a microcomputer;
said control circuit establishing said partial reflectance level of said electrochromic mirror assembly as a function of a duty cycle of a pulse-width modulation signal of said digital controller;
said digital controller receiving an input from at least one light sensor responsive to ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly including an information display, said microcomputer of said digital controller controlling the intensity of said display as a function of the ambient light conditions around the vehicle;
said mirror assembly further including at least one accessory selected from the group comprising a headlamp controller, a video camera, a rain sensor, a microphone and a telephone; and
wherein said control circuit is connected with a vehicle network. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
-
Specification