Interior rearview mirror assembly

• US 9,598,016 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blank, Rodney L., Uken, John T., Larson, Mark L., De Wind, Darryl P., Kramer, Mark E., Perkins, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAIEM, SEAN N
• Application Number:
  US13/879,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• 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 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0816 Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a video display device operable to display video information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle through said mirror reflective element and at a display region of said mirror reflective element. The video display device may be operable to display a directional heading at a compass display portion of the display region, and means may be provided to adjust the directional heading display to limit image sticking of the displayed directional heading. The mirror assembly may have a touch zone having at least one touch pad established at a perimeter border band of the reflective element, and may have another touch sensor to detect a touch of a user away from the touch zone to determine when a detected touch at the touch zone is an unintentional touch.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflective element;

a video display device disposed behind said mirror reflective element and operable to display video information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle through said mirror reflective element and at a display region of said mirror reflective element;

wherein said video display device is operable to display a directional heading at a compass display portion of said display region;

wherein means are provided to adjust the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking comprises at least one of (i) adjustment of a location of the displayed directional heading and (ii) adjustment of an intensity of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of at least one of (i) a location of the displayed directional heading and (ii) an intensity of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking is made at least in part responsive to a detected change in the vehicle heading that results in a change from an initial displayed directional heading character or icon to a different displayed directional heading character or icon; and

wherein, responsive to the detected change in the vehicle heading, (a) the initial displayed directional heading character or icon changes to the different displayed directional heading character or icon and (b) the different displayed directional heading character or icon at least one of (i) is displayed at a location that is different and shifted from the location of the initial displayed directional heading character or icon and (ii) is displayed at an intensity that is different from the intensity of the initial displayed directional heading character or icon.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said means adjust a location of the directional heading display, and wherein at least one of (i) said means episodically adjust the location of the directional heading display, (ii) said means episodically adjust the location of the directional heading display following a predetermined period of time, (iii) said means adjust the location of the directional heading display within said compass display portion of said display region, (iv) said means adjust an intensity of the directional heading display.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said compass display portion has a display area of about two square centimeters.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said video display device comprises a video display module having a display screen with a circuit element disposed to the rear of said display screen, said circuit element comprising circuitry established thereat, and wherein said circuitry comprises a compass sensor and control circuitry for controlling at least one of (i) display functions, (ii) compass operation and (iii) variable reflectance of said reflective element.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein one of (i) said mirror reflective element comprises a prismatic mirror reflective element, (ii) said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and (iii) said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and wherein said mirror assembly is operable to adjust a dimming level of said electro-optic reflective element responsive to a user input disposed at or in said mirror assembly so that a user of said mirror assembly can selectively adjust the dimming level to a desired setting.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said mirror reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces, said front surface generally facing a driver of a vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said mirror assembly, and wherein said perimeter edge of said mirror reflective element is exposed and viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector established at a surface thereof, and wherein said video display device is operable to display video information that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle through said transflective mirror reflector of said mirror reflective element and at said display region of said mirror reflective element.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein, during the reversing maneuver of the vehicle, said video display device is operable to display images captured by a rearward facing camera said video display device does not display the directional heading.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 comprising a touch zone that comprises at least one touch pad established at a perimeter border band of the reflective element.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, comprising at least one other touch sensor to detect a touch of a user away from said touch zone so as to determine when a detected touch at said touch zone is an unintentional touch.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, comprising a keypad disposed behind said touch zone, said keypad comprising at least one electrical connector extending through a filler material to establish electrical connection between a circuit element and said touch pad.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said filler material comprises a light diffusing material and wherein said circuit element includes a backlighting element that is operable to emit light through said light diffusing material to backlight said at least one touch pad.

13. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflective element;

a video display device disposed behind said mirror reflective element and operable to display video information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle through said mirror reflective element and at a display region of said mirror reflective element;

wherein said video display device is operable to display a directional heading at a compass display portion of said display region;

wherein said video display device is operable to adjust a location of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking comprises adjustment of a location of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of the location of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking is made at least in part responsive to a detected change in the vehicle heading that results in a change from an initial displayed directional heading character or icon to a different displayed directional heading character or icon;

wherein, responsive to the detected change in the vehicle heading, (a) the initial displayed directional heading character or icon changes to the different displayed directional heading character or icon and (b) the different displayed directional heading character or icon is displayed at a location that is different and shifted from the location of the initial displayed directional heading character or icon; and

wherein at least one of (i) said video display device is operable to episodically adjust the location of the displayed directional heading, (ii) said video display device is operable to episodically adjust the location of the displayed directional heading following a predetermined period of time and (iii) said video display device is operable to adjust the location of the displayed directional heading within said compass display portion of said display region.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said video display device is operable to adjust an intensity of the displayed directional heading.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said video display device comprises a video display module having a display screen with a circuit element disposed to the rear of said display screen, said circuit element comprising circuitry established thereat, and wherein said circuitry comprises a compass sensor and control circuitry for controlling at least one of (i) display functions, (ii) compass operation and (iii) variable reflectance of said reflective element.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein one of (i) said mirror reflective element comprises a prismatic mirror reflective element, (ii) said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and (iii) said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and wherein said mirror assembly is operable to adjust a dimming level of said electro-optic reflective element responsive to a user input disposed at or in said mirror assembly so that a user of said mirror assembly can selectively adjust the dimming level to a desired setting.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said mirror reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces, said front surface generally facing a driver of a vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said mirror assembly, and wherein said perimeter edge of said mirror reflective element is exposed and viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector established at a surface thereof, and wherein said video display device is operable to display video information that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle through said transflective mirror reflector of said mirror reflective element and at said display region of said mirror reflective element.

19. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflective element;

a video display device disposed behind said mirror reflective element and operable to display video information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle through said mirror reflective element and at a display region of said mirror reflective element;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector established at a surface thereof, and wherein said video display device is operable to display video information that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle through said transflective mirror reflector of said mirror reflective element and at said display region of said mirror reflective element;

wherein said video display device is operable to display a directional heading at a compass display portion of said display region;

wherein said video display device is operable to adjust the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking comprises at least one of (i) adjustment of a location of the displayed directional heading and (ii) adjustment of an intensity of the displayed directional heading;

wherein adjustment of at least one of (i) a location of the displayed directional heading and (ii) an intensity of the displayed directional heading to limit image sticking is made at least in part responsive to a detected change in the vehicle heading that results in a change from an initial displayed directional heading character or icon to a different displayed directional heading character or icon;

wherein, responsive to the detected change in the vehicle heading, (a) the initial displayed directional heading character or icon changes to the different displayed directional heading character or icon and (b) the different displayed directional heading character or icon at least one of (i) is displayed at a location that is different and shifted from the location of the initial displayed directional heading character or icon and (ii) is displayed at an intensity that is different from the intensity of the initial displayed directional heading character or icon; and

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said mirror reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces, said front surface generally facing a driver of a vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said mirror assembly, and wherein said perimeter edge of said mirror reflective element is exposed and viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said video display device is operable to at least one of (i) episodically adjust a location or an intensity of the displayed directional heading, (ii) episodically adjust a location or an intensity of the displayed directional heading following a predetermined period of time and (iii) adjust a location or an intensity of the displayed directional heading within said compass display portion of said display region.