Rearview mirror assembly
First Claim
1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror reflective element comprising at least one glass substrate and a mirror reflector established at a surface of said at least one glass substrate;
a touch sensor device disposed behind at least a portion of said mirror reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s finger at a touch zone of said mirror reflective element proximate to said touch sensor device;
a backlighting device disposed behind said touch sensor device and operable to backlight at least a portion of said touch sensor device;
wherein said touch sensor device comprises a generally light transmissive touch sensor substrate having a patterned electrically conductive trace established at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace is established at said touch sensor substrate in a pattern that allows light emanating from said backlighting device to pass through said patterned electrically conductive zone of said touch sensor substrate;
an icon disposed generally at said patterned electrically conductive trace at said touch sensor substrate; and
wherein, when said backlighting device is activated, light emanating from said backlighting device passes through said patterned electrically conductive trace said touch sensor substrate and illuminates said icon so that said icon is viewable through said mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element and a touch sensor device disposed behind a portion of the reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s finger at a touch zone of the reflective element proximate to the touch sensor device. A backlighting device is disposed behind the touch sensor device and is operable to backlight a portion of the touch sensor device. The touch sensor device includes a touch sensor substrate having a conductive trace established at a patterned conductive zone of the touch sensor substrate. When the backlighting device is activated, light emanating from the backlighting device passes through the patterned conductive zone of the touch sensor substrate and illuminates an icon so that the icon is viewable through the reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when the rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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a mirror reflective element comprising at least one glass substrate and a mirror reflector established at a surface of said at least one glass substrate; a touch sensor device disposed behind at least a portion of said mirror reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s finger at a touch zone of said mirror reflective element proximate to said touch sensor device; a backlighting device disposed behind said touch sensor device and operable to backlight at least a portion of said touch sensor device; wherein said touch sensor device comprises a generally light transmissive touch sensor substrate having a patterned electrically conductive trace established at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace is established at said touch sensor substrate in a pattern that allows light emanating from said backlighting device to pass through said patterned electrically conductive zone of said touch sensor substrate; an icon disposed generally at said patterned electrically conductive trace at said touch sensor substrate; and wherein, when said backlighting device is activated, light emanating from said backlighting device passes through said patterned electrically conductive trace said touch sensor substrate and illuminates said icon so that said icon is viewable through said mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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a mirror mount configured to attach said rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle; a mirror casing; a mirror reflective element disposed at said mirror casing and pivotally mounted at said mirror mount, said mirror reflective element comprising at least one glass substrate and a mirror reflector established at a surface of said at least one glass substrate; a touch sensor device disposed behind at least a portion of said mirror reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s finger at a touch zone of said mirror reflective element proximate to said touch sensor device; a backlighting device disposed behind said touch sensor device and operable to backlight at least a portion of said touch sensor device; wherein said touch sensor device comprises a generally light transmissive touch sensor substrate having a patterned electrically conductive trace established at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace is established at said touch sensor substrate in a pattern that allows light emanating from said backlighting device to pass through said touch sensor substrate; wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises multiple spaced apart light absorbing and electrically conductive traces; wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises a non-light-transmitting icon disposed generally at said touch sensor substrate; and wherein, when said backlighting device is activated, light emanating from said backlighting device passes through light transmitting gaps between said spaced apart electrically conductive traces at said touch sensor substrate and illuminates said icon so that said icon is viewable through said mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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a mirror reflective element comprising a glass substrate, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a prismatic mirror reflective element for an interior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein a mirror reflector is established at a rear surface of said glass substrate; a touch sensor device disposed behind at least a portion of said mirror reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s finger at a touch zone of said mirror reflective element proximate to said touch sensor device; wherein said touch sensor device is disposed behind a region of said glass substrate that is devoid of said mirror reflector; a backlighting device disposed behind said touch sensor device and operable to backlight at least a portion of said touch sensor device; wherein said touch sensor device comprises a generally light transmissive touch sensor substrate having a patterned electrically conductive trace established at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace is established at said touch sensor substrate in a pattern that allows light emanating from said backlighting device to pass through said touch sensor substrate; wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises multiple spaced apart substantially non-light-transmitting and electrically conductive traces; wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises a substantially non-light-transmitting icon; and wherein, when said backlighting device is activated, light emanating from said backlighting device passes through light transmitting gaps between said spaced apart electrically conductive traces at said touch sensor substrate and illuminates said icon so that said icon is viewable through said mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification