Mirror assemblies incorporating variable index of refraction materials

• US 7,092,144 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellimats LLC (Intellimat, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intellimats LLC (Intellimat, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katzman, Youval, Blum, Ronald D., Duston, Dwight P., Kokonaski, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASAN, MOHAMMED A
• Application Number:
  US11/123,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 359/315, 359/316, 359/318, 359/843, 359/620, 359/862, 359/877, 359/872, 359/868, 359/652, 359/726, 359/57, 359/113, 359/199, 359/200, 359290-295, 359/298, 359/223, 359/224, 701 1- 40, 701/96, 701/70, 345 45-111
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0694 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0825 the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/292 by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31

Abstract

A mirror assembly including an active lens and a reflective surface. The mirror assembly may change its refractive index when a voltage is applied to the active lens, thereby changing the field of view in the lens. Exemplary applications include a blind spot system in a motor vehicle, in which, upon sensing another vehicle in a driver'"'"'s blind spot, the mirror assembly changes the driver'"'"'s field of view to include the blind spot. Additional applications include a magnifying mirror for shaving or applying cosmetics.

Claims

1. A method for focusing an image, comprising:

providing a mirror having both a reflective surface and a focusing element, the focusing element having a plurality of pixelated regions; and

changing an index of refraction of the focusing element to focus an image for an observer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises:

applying an electrical stimulus to the pixelated regions to change the index of refraction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises:

changing the index of refraction to compensate for an aberration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing the size of the focused image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enlarging the size of the focused image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the observer with a first image on a first focal plane and with a second image on a second focal plane.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises:

changing the focal point of the image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing comprises:

changing the focal plane of the image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pixelated regions are individually addressable.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

applying an electrical stimulus to one or more of the individually addressable pixelated regions.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

applying different electrical stimuli to different subsets of the individually addressable pixelated regions.