Power supply for electrochromic mirrors in high voltage automotive power systems

• US 6,618,181 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bauer, Frederick T., Turnbull, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US09/870,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20010024313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/271, 359/273, 359/275, 359/269, 359/267, 359/608, 359/601, 348/148, 340/461, 340/433, 340/438, 340/457
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly is disclosed including a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle, a mirror disposed in the housing, at least one electrically powered device disposed in the housing, and a power supply for receiving power from a vehicle power source having a voltage in excess of about 24 V and for supplying power at a voltage of about 5 V or less to the electrically powered device. The electrically powered device and the power supply exhibit an electromagnetic interference level of less than about 41 dBμV/m for emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz. The mirror is preferably an electrochromic mirror, and the electrically powered device may be a control circuit for the electrochromic mirror.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror mounting structure including a housing and a mounting bracket adapted for mounting to a vehicle;

an electrochromic mirror mounted in said housing;

a linear pre-regulator circuit coupled to a vehicle power source for reducing transients in the power received from the vehicle power source;

a switched power supply coupled to an output of said linear pre-regulator circuit for reducing the voltage of the power supplied from the vehicle power source; and

a control circuit coupled to said switched power supply to receive the reduced voltage power output from said switched power supply, said control circuit controls the reflectance of the electrochromic mirror by varying the voltage applied to the electrochromic mirror,

wherein said linear pre-regulator circuit, said switched power supply, and said control circuit are associated with said mirror mounting structure.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle power source has a voltage in excess of about 24 volts and said switched power supply reduces this voltage to supply power at a voltage of about 5 volts or less to said control circuit.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle power source has a voltage in excess of about 30 volts and said switched power supply reduces this voltage to supply power at a voltage of about 5 volts or less to said control circuit.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle power source has a voltage in excess of about 40 volts and said switched power supply reduces this voltage to supply power at a voltage of about 5 volts or less to said control circuit.

5. The electrical control system of claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for narrowband emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz.

17. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said linear pre-regulator circuit, said switched power supply, and said control circuit are mounted within said housing.

18. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for narrowband emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz.

19. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 41 dBμ

V/m for emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz.

20. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 15 dBμ

V/m for narrowband emissions in the frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 375 MHz.

21. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for emissions in the frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 75 MHz.

22. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 38 dBμ

V/m for emissions in the frequency range from about 75 MHz to about 119 MHz.

23. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said control circuit and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for emissions in the frequency range from about 119 MHz to about 375 MHz.

6. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a housing;

a mirror disposed within said housing;

a light source disposed within said housing;

a switching current source for receiving power from a vehicle power source having a voltage in excess of about 24 volts and supplying power at a voltage of about 5 volts or less to said light source; and

circuitry for dithering the pulse width or the switching frequency of said switching current source.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said light source includes at least one light emitting diode.

8. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;

a mirror disposed in said housing;

at least one electrically powered device disposed in said housing;

a power supply for receiving power from a vehicle power source having a voltage in excess of about 24 V and supplying power at a voltage of about 5 V or less to said electrically powered device; and

circuitry for dithering the pulse width or the switching frequency of said power supply.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said mirror is an electrochromic mirror and said at least one electrically powered device includes a control circuit for controlling said electrochromic mirror.

10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes a light source.

11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes a light source.

12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said light source includes at least one light emitting diode.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes a display device.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes an electronic compass circuit disposed in said housing.

15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes a trainable transmitter disposed in said housing.

16. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one electrically powered device includes a microphone disposed on said housing.

24. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for narrowband emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz.

25. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 41 dBμ

V/m for broadband emissions in the frequency range from about 0.4 MHz to about 20 MHz.

26. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 15 dBμ

V/m for narrowband emissions in the frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 375 MHz.

27. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for broadband emissions in the frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 75 MHz.

28. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 38 dBμ

V/m for broadband emissions in the frequency range from about 75 MHz to about 119 MHz.

29. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic interference level exhibited by said electrically powered device and said power supply is less than about 28 dBμ

V/m for broadband emissions in the frequency range from about 119 MHz to about 375 MHz.