Automotive mirror with integrated Loran components
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automotive mirror apparatus comprising:
- an inside rearview mirror assembly comprising;
a mounting foot adapted to be mounted inside a vehicle in a location proximate to the front windshield of the vehicle, a mirror housing, and a stem coupling said mirror housing to said mounting foot;
a Loran receiver circuit mounted to said rearview mirror assembly, wherein said Loran receiver circuit is in communication with at least one other vehicle system, and a Loran antenna in communication with said Loran receiver circuit, wherein said Loran antenna is an H-field antenna and is mounted at a vehicle location selected from the group consisting of;
inside rearview mirror assembly, outside rearview mirror assembly, windshield, window glass, rear window, instrument panel, rear window deck, trunk, roof, CHMSL, overhead console, sunvisor, and headliner.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle includes a mirror assembly comprising components of a Loran positioning system. The mirror assembly may include an H-field antenna, receiver circuitry, a processor, memory, or a user interface. The Loran system communicates received data with various other vehicle systems over a data bus. Location data obtained from the Loran system is used to ascertain vehicle location, speed, and heading. Further, data from the Loran system is used to improve the accuracy and availability of GPS positioning data and to calibrate the vehicle compass and odometer. The accuracy of GPS position estimates is improved by combining data from both positioning systems. The GPS data is further improved by differential GPS (DGPS) data received by the Loran positioning system and communicated to the GPS positioning system. The availability of the GPS is improved since less than four channels of satellite signals are needed when combined with the Loran signals.
542 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An automotive mirror apparatus comprising:
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an inside rearview mirror assembly comprising;
a mounting foot adapted to be mounted inside a vehicle in a location proximate to the front windshield of the vehicle, a mirror housing, and a stem coupling said mirror housing to said mounting foot;
a Loran receiver circuit mounted to said rearview mirror assembly, wherein said Loran receiver circuit is in communication with at least one other vehicle system, and a Loran antenna in communication with said Loran receiver circuit, wherein said Loran antenna is an H-field antenna and is mounted at a vehicle location selected from the group consisting of;
inside rearview mirror assembly, outside rearview mirror assembly, windshield, window glass, rear window, instrument panel, rear window deck, trunk, roof, CHMSL, overhead console, sunvisor, and headliner.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 17)
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4. An automotive mirror apparatus comprising:
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an inside rearview mirror assembly comprising;
a mounting foot adapted to be mounted inside a vehicle in a location proximate to the front windshield of the vehicle, a mirror housing, and a stem coupling said mirror housing to said mounting foot; and
a Loran receiver circuit mounted to said rearview mirror assembly, wherein said Loran receiver circuit is in communication with at least one other vehicle system, wherein said at least one other vehicle system is selected from the group consisting of;
a telematics system, a navigation system, a SPS system, an entertainment system, a compass, an electrochromic mirror circuit, an odometer, and headlamp controller.
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5. An interior rearview mirror based automotive positioning system comprising:
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an inside rearview mirror assembly comprising;
a mounting foot adapted to be mounted inside a vehicle in a location proximate to the front windshield of the vehicle, a mirror housing, and a stem coupling said mirror housing to said mounting foot; and
a Loran positioning system having a component mounted to said rearview mirror assembly, said Loran positioning system generating Loran data and wherein information derived from said Loran data is communicated to a vehicle occupant, wherein said Loran positioning system is in communication with at least one vehicle system selected from the group consisting of;
a telematics system, an SPS system, an entertainment system, a compass system, an odometer, an electrochromic mirror circuit, a moisture sensing system, and a headlamp controller.- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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18. An automotive mirror apparatus comprising:
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an inside rearview mirror assembly comprising;
a mounting foot adapted to be mounted inside a vehicle in a location proximate to the front windshield of the vehicle, a mirror housing, and a stem coupling said mirror housing to said mounting foot;
a Loran receiver circuit mounted to said rearview mirror assembly, wherein said Loran receiver circuit is in communication with at least one other vehicle system, and a Loran antenna in communication with said Loran receiver circuit, wherein said Loran antenna is mounted at a vehicle location selected from the group consisting of;
inside rearview mirror assembly, outside rearview mirror assembly, windshield, window glass, rear window, instrument panel, rear window deck, trunk, roof, CHMSL, overhead console, sunvisor, and headliner.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeGentex Corporation
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Original AssigneeGentex Corporation
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InventorsTurnbull, Robert R.
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Primary Examiner(s)Beaulieu, Yonel
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Application NumberUS09/882,855Publication NumberTime in Patent Office648 DaysField of Search701/219, 701/207, 701/215, 701/213, 701/36, 701/49, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.14, 359/838US Class Current701/219CPC Class CodesG01C 21/3626 Details of the output of ro...
