Multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror

• US 9,290,128 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lei Pang
• Original Assignee: Lei Pang
• Inventors: Pan, Lei
• Primary Examiner(s): Holder, Anner
• Application Number:
  US13/878,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20130307984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

A multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror that includes a cover, a glass reflecting mirror face, a large sized liquid crystal display device which includes a large sized display screen and a large sized display driver board, wherein the large sized display screen includes a large sized displaying liquid crystal glass and a large sized display device backlight module, wherein the large sized liquid crystal display device is provided with a retention frame and a high obscuration media, wherein a small window with a small sized backlight module and a control circuit is provided. The rearview mirror automatically shifts between multiple cameras via signals from vehicle lamps. The RF modules with little power consumption are embedded into the circuits of the rearview mirror and the cameras for providing the video shift and information communication of the whole system.

Claims

1. A multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror for a vehicle having a front side and a rear side, comprising:

a cover;

a glass reflecting mirror face provided in the cover;

a large sized liquid crystal display device, which comprises;

a display module, which comprises;

a large sized display screen which comprises a large sized displaying liquid crystal glass supported on said glass reflecting mirror face, said large sized display screen having a size smaller than that of said glass reflecting mirror face; and

a large sized display driver board supported by said cover and electrically connected to said large sized display screen; and

a retention frame provided underneath said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass;

a high obscuration media supported at a rear side of said display module, said high obscuration media having a small window; and

a small sized backlight module having a control circuit supported by said cover at a position behind said high obscuration media and aligning with said small window, said small sized backlight module being arranged to selectively emit light toward said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass through said small window,

said multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror operating between a normal mode and a backing mode, wherein in said normal mode, said large sized display driver is deactivated, while said small sized backlight module is activated to emit light toward said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass through said small window and said high obscuration media to form a small size image on a corresponding portion of said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass,

wherein in said backing mode, said large sized display driver board is activated to generate a dominate image on said large sized display screen.

2. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rear light sensor provided on said cover at a position facing said front side of said vehicle, and a front light sensor provided on said cover at a position facing a rear side of said vehicle.

3. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 2, wherein said glass reflecting mirror face comprises a pure transparent glass which is supported by said cover and face toward a rear side of said vehicle, a glass layer coated with a reflecting membrane of a predetermined reflectivity supported by said cover and facing a front side of said vehicle, and a chemical media disposed between said pure transparent glass and said glass layer coated with said reflecting membrane, said chemical media being highly transparent when not connected to electricity, and highly reflective when connected to electricity.

4. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 3, further comprising a video control arrangement which comprises a control center module and a vehicle lamp signal sensing module electrically connected to said control center module, said vehicle lamp signal sensing module being arranged to sense a left turning light signal, a right turning light signal, an upper beam lighting signal, and a reversing light signal.

5. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 4, wherein said video control arrangement further comprises a plurality of cameras mounted on a front portion of said vehicle, a rear portion of said vehicle, a front left portion of said vehicle, a rear left portion of said vehicle, a front right portion of said vehicle, a rear right portion of said vehicle, a left portion of said vehicle, and a right portion of said vehicle respectively, said camera electrically connected to said control center module of said video control arrangement.

6. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 5, wherein said video control arrangement further comprises a video shift module electrically connected to said control center module for selectively operating at least one of said cameras and controlling a shift between a video image captured from said corresponding camera, and displayed on said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass.

7. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 6, wherein said video control arrangement further comprises a radio frequency control module which is electrically connected to said control center module, and comprises a plurality of press buttons each corresponding to a corresponding camera, such that when one of said pressed button is actuated, said corresponding camera is activated to capture a video, said video being shown on said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass.

8. The multi-functional vehicle rearview mirror, as recited in claim 7, wherein said video control arrangement further comprises a video composing module electrically connected to said control center module, and arranged to compose images captured from at least one said cameras to from one single integrated image which is displayed on said large sized displaying liquid crystal glass.