Rearview mirror system—especially for a motor vehicle

• US 7,481,542 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flabeg Deutschland GmbH
• Original Assignee: Flabeg GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Hoegerl, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kimberly D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENNETT, JENNIFER D
• Application Number:
  US11/562,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.R, 250/214.AL, 250/214.1, 250/205, 250/226, 359601-604
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605

Abstract

A rearview mirror system), in particular for a motor vehicle, including a rearview mirror provided with a reflection part with variable reflectance and a control system associated with the reflection part and including a number of illuminance sensors, configured for a particularly reliable determination of a nominal value for the reflectance which is adapted to the situation and to the requirements. The spectral response of an illuminance sensor provided as a glaring-illuminance sensor is configured to provide a response characteristic shifted towards shorter wavelengths as compared to a scotopic eye response characteristic. Advantageously, the spectral response of a further illuminance sensor provided as a glaring-illuminance sensor, in the manner of a double sensor design, may be configured to provide a response characteristic shifted towards longer wavelengths as compared to the scotopic eye response characteristic.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror system, comprising:

a rearview mirror including a reflection part having a variable reflectance;

a control system associated with the reflection part; and

a glaring-illuminance sensor configured to provide a spectral response having a response characteristic shifted towards shorter wavelengths as compared to a scotopic eye response characteristic.

2. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a further glaring-illuminance sensor.

3. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 2, wherein the further glaring-illuminance sensor is configured to provide a further spectral response having a further response characteristic shifted towards longer wavelengths as compared to the scotopic eye response characteristic.

4. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 2, wherein the further response characteristic approximately corresponds to the scotopic eye response characteristic.

5. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 2, wherein the further response characteristic is shifted towards shorter wavelengths as compared to the scotopic eye response characteristic.

6. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a check unit connected to and receiving sensor signals from the glaring-illuminance sensors, wherein the check unit determines a nominal value for the reflectance of the reflection part using the sensor signals.

7. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 6, further comprising an illuminance sensor connected to the check unit, wherein the sensor signals also include sensor signals from the illuminance sensor.

8. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 6, wherein the check unit takes into account the sensor signals of the glaring-illuminance sensors in relation to each other, as a function of at least one of a glaring illuminance and a luminous intensity of the environment, in a weighted manner.

9. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 6, wherein the check unit takes into account the sensor signals of the glaring-illuminance sensors in relation to each other in a relationship that is at least one of:

a) predetermined, b) stored in a characteristic diagram and c) specified by a user.

10. The rearview mirror system as recited in claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is a motor vehicle rearview mirror.