Vehicle rearview mirror system with protocol detection

• US 7,408,451 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blank, Rodney K, Schierbeek, Kenneth L, Dykhouse, Robert J, Smeyers, Marc A
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu; Van T.
• Application Number:
  US11/343,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/438, 340/441, 340/461, 340/463, 340/468, 340/469, 340/815.4, 340/933, 359/601, 359/602, 359/603, 359/604, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system includes an automatic dimming mirror assembly having automatic dimming circuitry. The automatic dimming circuitry includes a mirror control and at least a first silicon-based photo sensor and a second silicon-based photo sensor. The first silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive to both visible light and infrared light. The second silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive principally to infrared light. The mirror control distinguishes headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by the first photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by the second photo sensor.

Claims

1. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first silicon-based photo sensor and a second silicon-based photo sensor;

said first silicon-based photo sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second silicon-based photo sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first silicon-based photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second silicon-based photo sensor.

2. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a light-to-frequency converter.

3. The mirror system of claim 2 wherein said light-to-frequency converter comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

4. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a photo diode.

5. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo sensors comprises a CMOS device.

6. The mirror system of claim 5 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

7. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said non-headlamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

8. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

9. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

10. The mirror system of claim 9 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.

11. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first photo diode sensor and a second photo diode sensor;

said first photo diode sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second photo diode sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first photo diode sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second photo diode sensor.

12. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second photo diode sensors comprises a light-to-frequency converter.

13. The mirror system of claim 12 wherein said light-to-frequency converter comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

14. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second photo diode sensors comprises silicon-based photo diode sensors.

15. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second silicon-based photo diode sensors comprises a CMOS device.

16. The mirror system of claim 15 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

17. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein said non-head lamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

18. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

19. The mirror system of claim 11 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

20. The mirror system of claim 19 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.

21. An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system, said mirror system comprising:

an automatic dimming mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising automatic dimming circuitry;

said automatic dimming circuitry comprising a mirror control and at least a first light-to-frequency photo sensor and a second silicon-based light-to-frequency photo sensor;

said first light-to-frequency photo sensor being sensitive to both visible light and infrared light;

said second light-to-frequency photo sensor being sensitive principally to infrared light; and

said mirror control distinguishing headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by said first light-to-frequency photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by said second light-to-frequency photo sensor.

22. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensors comprises a current-to-frequency converter.

23. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a silicon-based photo sensor.

24. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a silicon diode.

25. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein at least one of said first and second light-to-frequency photo sensor comprises a CMOS device.

26. The mirror system of claim 25 wherein said CMOS device comprises a monolithic device.

27. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein said non-headlamp sources include at least one chosen from sunlight, moonlight and neon light.

28. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein said headlamp sources include at least one chosen from an incandescent light source and a high intensity light source.

29. The mirror system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle control, said vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of said output, said mirror control determining the protocol of said output.

30. The mirror system of claim 29 wherein said mirror control monitors said output of said vehicle control and determines the protocol of said output at least in part by maintaining a running parameter.