Vehicle rearview mirror system having a variable reflectance control
First Claim
1. A rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said rearview mirror system comprising:
- a variable reflectance transflective electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element comprising a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereon;
an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light;
a glare light sensor operable to sense glare-producing light at or near said reflective element;
a video display screen disposed behind said transflective electro-optic reflective element and operable to display video information through said reflective element and viewable through said transflective electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is activated, and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is not activated;
a circuit responsive to an ambient light value sensed by said ambient light sensor and a glare light value sensed by said glare light sensor;
said circuit establishing a reflectance level of said reflective element responsive to said ambient light value and said glare light value;
said circuit establishing said reflectance level for said reflective element via a modulating effect; and
said circuit operable to control a display intensity of said video display screen, said circuit controlling said display intensity as a function of said ambient light value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle rearview mirror system includes an electro-optic reflective element, an ambient light sensor that is operable to sense ambient light, a glare light sensor that is operable to sense glare light and a circuit that is responsive to the ambient glare light sensors which establishes a reflectance level of the reflective element. The circuit includes a sensor-responsive device and a controller. The sensor-responsive device produces an output that is a function of light sensed by glare and ambient light sensors. The controller connects one of the glare and ambient light sensors at a time with the sensor-responsive device to establish glare and ambient light levels and thereby the reflectance level of the reflective element. The mirror system may include a display operable to project light through the reflective element and may control the intensity of the display as a function of the glare light and ambient light.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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a variable reflectance transflective electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element comprising a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereon; an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light; a glare light sensor operable to sense glare-producing light at or near said reflective element; a video display screen disposed behind said transflective electro-optic reflective element and operable to display video information through said reflective element and viewable through said transflective electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is activated, and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is not activated; a circuit responsive to an ambient light value sensed by said ambient light sensor and a glare light value sensed by said glare light sensor; said circuit establishing a reflectance level of said reflective element responsive to said ambient light value and said glare light value; said circuit establishing said reflectance level for said reflective element via a modulating effect; and said circuit operable to control a display intensity of said video display screen, said circuit controlling said display intensity as a function of said ambient light value. - 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)
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27. A rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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a variable reflectance transflective electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element comprising a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereon; an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light, wherein said glare light sensor comprises one of a photo-transistor and a photo-diode; a glare light sensor operable to sense glare-producing light at or near said reflective element, wherein said ambient light sensor comprises one of a photo-transistor and a photo-diode; a video display screen disposed behind said transflective electro-optic reflective element and operable to display video information through said reflective element and viewable through said transflective electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is activated, and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is not activated; a circuit responsive to an ambient light value sensed by said ambient light sensor and a glare light value sensed by said glare light sensor; said circuit establishing a reflectance level of said reflective element responsive to said ambient light value and said glare light value; said circuit establishing said reflectance level for said reflective element via a modulating effect; and said circuit operable to control a display intensity of said video display screen, said circuit controlling said display intensity as a function of said ambient light value; a temperature compensation function for compensating said reflectance level for temperature variation of at least one of said glare and ambient light sensors, wherein said temperature compensation comprises at least one chosen from a reference sensor that is not exposed to light and a temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said rearview mirror system comprising:
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a variable reflectance transflective electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element comprising a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereon, wherein said electro-optic reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element; an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light, wherein said glare light sensor comprises one of a photo-transistor and a photo-diode; a glare light sensor operable to sense glare-producing light at or near said reflective element, wherein said ambient light sensor comprises one of a photo-transistor and a photo-diode; a video display screen disposed behind said transflective electro-optic reflective element and operable to display video information through said reflective element and viewable through said transflective electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is activated, and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display screen is not activated; a circuit responsive to an ambient light value sensed by said ambient light sensor and a glare light value sensed by said glare light sensor; said circuit establishing a reflectance level of said reflective element responsive to said ambient light value and said glare light value; said circuit establishing said reflectance level for said reflective element via a modulating effect; and said circuit operable to control a display intensity of said video display screen, said circuit controlling said display intensity as a function of said ambient light value; a temperature compensation function for compensating said reflectance level for temperature variation of at least one of said glare and ambient light sensors. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification