Exterior mirror vision system for a vehicle

• US 8,262,268 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pastrick, Todd W., van de Ven, Michiel P., Whitehead, Peter J., Lynam, Niall R., Mousseau, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/296,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/540, 362542-545, 362/511, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 340/471, 340/472, 340/475
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An exterior mirror vision system includes a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle and a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the vehicle. The driver-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the vehicle, a driver-side exterior mirror housing, and a driver-side reflective element. The driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera. The passenger-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing, and a passenger-side reflective element. The passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera. The driver-side camera and the passenger-side camera may be part of a multi-camera vision system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An exterior minor vision system for a vehicle, said exterior mirror vision system comprising:

a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior mirror vision system, said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior minor housing portion, and a driver-side reflective element housed by said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion;

wherein said driver-side exterior rearview minor assembly comprises at least one of (i) a driver-side breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a driver-side powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein, when said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said driver-side mounting portion;

wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera;

wherein said driver-side light module is sealed so as to be substantially water-impervious;

wherein said driver-side light module comprises a driver-side security light;

wherein said driver-side security light, when activated, illuminates a driver-side zone on the ground adjacent the driver side of the equipped vehicle at a cabin entrance at the driver side of the equipped vehicle and wherein said illuminated driver-side zone is substantially unchanged when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is moved relative to said driver-side mounting portion of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said driver-side security light, when activated, illuminates at least a portion of said driver-side zone with at least about one lux ground illumination intensity;

a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a passenger-side reflective element housed by said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion;

wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one of (i) a passenger-side breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a passenger-side powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein, when said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said passenger-side mounting portion;

wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera;

wherein said passenger-side light module is sealed so as to be substantially water-impervious;

wherein said passenger-side light module comprises a passenger-side security light;

wherein said passenger-side security light, when activated, illuminates a passenger-side zone on the ground adjacent the passenger side of the equipped vehicle at a cabin entrance at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and wherein said illuminated passenger-side zone is substantially unchanged when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is moved relative to said passenger-side mounting portion of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly; and

wherein said passenger-side security light, when activated, illuminates at least a portion of said passenger-side zone with at least about one lux ground illumination intensity.

2. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein (a) said driver-side light module is disposed at said driver-side mounting portion of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said driver-side light module is fixed relative to the driver side of the equipped vehicle regardless of the position of said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion relative to said driver-side mounting portion of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and (b) said passenger-side light module is disposed at said passenger-side mounting portion of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said passenger-side light module is fixed relative to the passenger side of the equipped vehicle regardless of the position of said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion relative to said passenger-side mounting portion of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly.

3. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein (a) said driver-side light module is disposed at said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein, when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said driver-side mounting portion, illumination provided by said driver-side security light, when activated, is adjusted so that illumination of said driver-side zone is substantially unchanged, and (b) said passenger-side light module is disposed at said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein, when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said passenger-side mounting portion, illumination provided by said passenger-side security light, when activated, is adjusted so that illumination of said passenger-side zone is substantially unchanged.

4. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera comprise part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle.

5. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 4, wherein said multi-camera vision system comprises a display device that is operable to display images captured by said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

6. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 5, wherein a composite image is formed at least from images captured by said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera and is displayed on said display device for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle.

7. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 6, wherein the displayed image displayed on said display device includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera.

8. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side camera has a driver-side field of view at least in part rearward of the equipped vehicle and said passenger-side camera has a passenger-side field of view at least in part rearward of the equipped vehicle.

9. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side reflective element of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side non-electro-optic reflective element.

10. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side reflective element of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side electrochromic reflective element.

11. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side camera is part of said driver-side light module and said passenger-side camera is part of said passenger-side light module.

12. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side light module and said passenger-side light module are activated responsive to a signal from a remote transmitting device when the equipped vehicle is parked, and wherein, when said driver-side light module and said passenger-side light module are activated responsive to receipt of the signal from the remote transmitting device, a light source of said driver-side light module and a light source of said passenger-side light module flash to indicate the location of the equipped vehicle.

13. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 12, wherein, when said driver-side light module and said passenger-side light module are activated responsive to receipt of the signal from the remote transmitting device, said light sources of said driver-side light module and said passenger-side light module flash for a time interval following receipt of the signal from the remote transmitting device.

14. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side turn signal indicator, and wherein said driver-side turn signal indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode and a light pipe, and wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a passenger-side turn signal indicator, and wherein said passenger-side turn signal indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode and a light pipe.

15. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 14, wherein said driver-side turn signal indicator is part of said driver-side light module and said passenger-side turn signal indicator is part of said passenger-side light module.

16. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 14, wherein said driver-side turn signal indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed in said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly so as to be angled relative to the driver side of the equipped vehicle to, when activated, emit light away from the driver side of the equipped vehicle when said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said passenger-side turn signal indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed in said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly so as to be angled relative to the passenger side of the equipped vehicle to, when activated, emit light away from the passenger side of the equipped vehicle when said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle.

17. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 16, wherein said light emitting diodes of said driver-side turn signal indicator are separated by louvers and wherein said light emitting diodes of said passenger-side turn signal indicator are separated by louvers.

18. The exterior mirror vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver-side security light, when activated, illuminates at least a portion of said driver-side zone with at least about five lux ground illumination intensity, and wherein said passenger-side security light, when activated, illuminates at least a portion of said passenger-side zone with at least about five lux ground illumination intensity.