Vehicular control system

• US 6,904,348 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Sean J., Savard, Hassel J., Drummond, John P., Schofield, Kenneth, Schierbeek, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/356,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 359/843, 359/841, 359/877
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems

Abstract

A vehicular control system comprises a rearview mirror assembly and a microcontroller. The rearview mirror assembly comprises a housing and a variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror element. The microcontroller is operable to control the reflectivity of the variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror element. The microcontroller may be operable to control a plurality of accessories of the vehicle via a node of a vehicle control network. The microcontroller may be operable to receive signals from and/or transmit signals to at least one of the accessories via the node of the vehicle control network. The microcontroller may be in communication with a second microcontroller located in the mirror housing or exterior to the mirror housing. The microcontroller and the second microcontroller may be cooperatively operable. The microcontroller and the second microcontroller may be in master/slave relationship.

Claims

1. A vehicular control system comprising:

a rearview mirror assembly comprising a housing and a variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror element; and

a microcontroller operable to control the reflectivity of said variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror element, said microcontroller being operable to control a plurality of accessories of the vehicle via a node of a vehicle control network, said microcontroller being operable to at least one of receive signals from and transmit signals to at least one of said accessories via said node of said vehicle control network.

2. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said mirror housing further includes at least one seat belt warning indicator for indicating that seat belts should be fastened.

3. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said mirror housing further includes a remote keyless entry device.

4. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle control network comprises a controller area network and wherein said node comprises a controller area network control node.

5. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is in communication with a second microcontroller located at least one of in said mirror housing and exterior to said mirror housing, said microcontroller and said second microcontroller being cooperatively operable.

6. The vehicular control sysem claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is in communication with a second microcontroller located at least one of in said mirror housing and exterior to said mirror housing, said microcontroller and said second microcontroller being in master/slave relationship.

7. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein said master microcontroller communicates with said slave microcontroller according to a communication protocol.

8. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the reflectivity of said variably reflectivity mirror element is varied under software control according to a selected value of at least one parameter.

9. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is operable to control the reflectivity of said variable reflectivity mirror element according to the state of at least one ambient light sensor.

10. The vehicular control system of claim 9, wherein said variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror element includes an electro-optic cell whose transmissivity is determined in accordance with the duty cycle of a pulse width modulated signal provided by said microcontroller.

11. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein said pulse width modulated signal is smoothed to provide a substantially constant voltage signal which is applied to said electro-optic cell.

12. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said accessories comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.

13. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is operable to control at least one other accessory of the vehicle.

14. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein said at least one other accessory comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.

15. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said rearview mirror assembly includes said at least one of said accessories of the vehicle.

16. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said accessories is remote from said rearview mirror assembly.

17. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said rearview mirror assembly comprises one of an interior rearview mirror assembly and an exterior rearview mirror assembly.

18. A vehicular control system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly having a rearview mirror housing and a variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror unit;

a slave microcontroller for controlling the reflectivity of said electro-optic mirror unit;

a master microcontroller located in the vehicle and remote from said slave microcontroller, said master microcontroller being in communication with said slave microcontroller; and

at least one first accessory located at said interior rearview mirror assembly and at least one second accessory remote from said interior rearview mirror assembly, at least one of said master and slave microcontrollers being operable to control at least one of said first and second accessories via a node of a vehicle control network.

19. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said master microcontroller comprises a node of said vehicle control network.

20. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein said master microcontroller communicates with said slave microcontroller according to a communication protocol.

21. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein at least two slave microcontrollers are in communication with said master controller, and wherein said master microcontroller controls an output device associated with one of said slave microcontrollers in response to an input device associated with the other of said slave microcontrollers.

22. The vehicular control system of claim 21, wherein one of said at least two slave microcontrollers is located in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

23. The vehicular control system of claim 18, further including a roof housing positioned on the interior roof of the vehicle, said master microcontroller being located in the roof housing.

24. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said slave microcontroller controls the reflectivity of said electro-optic mirror unit according to the state of at least one ambient light sensor.

25. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said master microcontroller is operable to communicate with said at least one of said first and second accessories via said vehicle control network.

26. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said at least one first accessory comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.

27. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said at least one second accessory comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.

28. A vehicular control system comprising:

an exterior rearview mirror assembly having a rearview mirror housing and a variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror unit;

a slave microcontroller for controlling the reflectivity of said electro-optic mirror unit;

a master microcontroller located in the vehicle and remote from said slave microcontroller, said master microcontroller being in communication with said slave microcontroller; and

at least one first accessory located at said exterior rearview mirror assembly and at least one second accessory remote from said exterior rearview mirror assembly, at least one of said master and slave microcontrollers being operable to control at least one of said first and second accessories via a node of a vehicle control network.

29. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said master microcontroller comprises a node of said vehicle control network.

30. The vehicular control system of claim 29, wherein said master microcontroller communicates with said slave microcontroller accQrding to a communication protocol.

31. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein at least two slave microcontrollers are in communication with said master controller, and wherein said master microcontroller controls an output device associated with one of said slave microcontrollers in response to an input device associated with the other of said slave microcontrollers.

32. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein one of said at least two slave microcontrollers is located in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

33. The vehicular control system of claim 28, further including a roof housing positioned on the interior roof of the vehicle, said master microcontroller being located in the roof housing.

34. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said slave microcontroller controls the reflectivity of said electro-optic mirror unit according to the state of at least one ambient light sensor.

35. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said master microcontroller is operable to communicate with said at least one of said first and second accessories via said vehicle control network.

36. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said at least one first accessory comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.

37. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said at least one second accessory comprises at least one of a remote keyless entry accessory, a vehicle sun roof accessory, an alarm accessory, at least one illumination device, a seat belt warning device, a battery level indicator, a vehicle tire indicator, a blind spot warning system, a global positioning system, a safety warning system, a rain sensor, a vehicle compass, a temperature sensor, a garage door opening system, an occupancy detection system, an intrusion detection system, a telephone system, and an emergency rescue system.