Individual mirror control system

• US 20020027713A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Knapp, Robert R. Turnbull, Roy E. Vawter
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Knapp, Robert R. Turnbull, Roy E. Vawter
• Inventors: Turnbull, Robert R., Knapp, Robert C., Vawter, Roy E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,386,713 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

Abstract

A control system for a plurality of electrochromic elements, for example, used in automobiles, to control the glare of the IEC elements used as a rearview mirror (20) as well as the OEC elements (24, 26) used as sideview mirrors (24, 26). The IEC element and each of the OEC elements is provided with an individual drive circuit (21, 22). The drive circuits for the OEC'"'"'s elements may be customized to account for various factors such as the type of curvature as well as the size and shape. Since individual drive circuitry is provided for the IEC elements and each of the OEC elements, the reflectance of each of the electrochromic elements (20, 24, 26) can be relatively accurately controlled by way of glare signal from inside the automobile.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the reflected light level of an inside electrochromic element and an outside electrochromic element of a vehicle to maintain a relatively constant reflected light level at a predetermined reference point where the vehicle includes a rear window made of privacy glass, the method comprising the steps of:

varying the reflectivity of the mirrors in response to a sensed glare level and in accordance with a reflectance curve that establishes a relationship between sensed glare levels and desired reflectivity levels; and

providing a first reflectance curve for the inside electrochromic element and a second reflectance curve for the outside electrochromic element, the first reflectance curve having at least one different characteristic than the second reflectance curve to compensate for the privacy glass of the rear window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different reflectance curve characteristic is the slope.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the different reflectance curve characteristic is the offset.

4. A system for controlling reflectance levels of an inside rearview mirror and at least one outside rearview mirror of a vehicle having a rear window made of privacy glass, the system comprising:

a glare sensor for sensing the level of light received from behind the vehicle, and for generating a glare signal representing the sensed light level; and

a control subsystem coupled to the inside and outside rearview mirrors and said glare sensor for receiving said glare signal and for generating electrical signals to control the reflectivity of the inside and outside rearview mirrors, said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of the inside rearview mirror differently than that of the at least one outside rearview mirror to compensate for the privacy glass of the rear window.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said control subsystem includes a controller and individual drive circuits for each mirror, said individual drive circuits are coupled to said controller.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said glare sensor is mounted inside the vehicle such that light received from behind the vehicle projects through the privacy glass of the rear window before reaching said glare sensor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said glare sensor mounted in a housing of the inside rearview mirror.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said control subsystem includes a controller coupled to the glare sensor and individual drive circuits for each mirror, said individual drive circuits are coupled to said controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the mirrors includes a housing and wherein said individual drive circuits are mounted in the respective housings.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said controller is mounted in the housing of the inside rearview mirror.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of the mirrors such that the reflected light at a predetermined reference point is relatively constant.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of each of the mirrors based upon a reflectance curve associated with each mirror, the reflectance curve establishes a relationship between sensed glare levels and desired reflectivity levels, wherein the reflectance curve for the inside rearview mirror has at least one different characteristic than the reflectance curve of the outside rearview mirror.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said different characteristic is the slope.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said different characteristic is the offset.

16. The rear vision system of claim 15 and further including a second outside rearview mirror for mounting to the exterior of the vehicle, said second outside mirror having a reflectivity that varies in response to an electrical control signal.

17. The rear vision system of claim 15, wherein said glare sensor is mounted inside the vehicle such that light received from behind the vehicle projects through the privacy glass of the rear window before reaching said glare sensor.

18. The rear vision system of claim 17, wherein said glare sensor mounted in a housing of said inside rearview mirror.

19. The rear vision system of claim 15, wherein said control subsystem includes a controller coupled to said glare sensor and individual drive circuits for each mirror, said individual drive circuits are coupled to said controller.

20. The rear vision system of claim 19, wherein each of said mirrors includes a housing and wherein said individual drive circuits are mounted in the respective housings.

21. The rear vision system of claim 20, wherein said controller is mounted in the housing of said inside rearview mirror.

22. The rear vision system of claim 15, wherein said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of said mirrors such that the reflected light at a predetermined reference point is relatively constant.

23. The rear vision system of claim 15, wherein said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of each of said mirrors based upon a reflectance curve associated with each mirror, the reflectance curve establishes a relationship between sensed glare levels and desired reflectivity levels, wherein the reflectance curve for said inside rearview mirror has at least one different characteristic than the reflectance curve of said outside rearview mirror.

24. The rear vision system of claim 23, wherein said different characteristic is the slope.

25. The rear vision system of claim 23, wherein said different characteristic is the offset.

26. The rear vision system of claim 15, wherein each of said mirrors are electrochromic mirrors.

15. A rear vision system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a rear window made of privacy glass, the rear vision system comprising:

an outside rearview mirror for mounting to the outside of the vehicle, said outside mirror having a reflectivity that varies in response to an electrical control signal;

an inside rearview mirror for mounting to the inside of the vehicle to reflect light entering through the privacy glass of the rear window towards the eyes of the driver, said inside mirror having a reflectivity that varies in response to an electrical control signal;

a glare sensor for sensing the level of light received from behind the vehicle, and for generating a glare signal representing the sensed light level; and

a control subsystem coupled to said inside and outside rearview mirrors and said glare sensor for receiving said glare signal and for generating electrical signals to control the reflectivity of said inside and outside rearview mirrors, said control subsystem controls the reflectivity of said inside rearview mirror differently than that of said outside rearview mirror to compensate for the privacy glass of the rear window.

27. An outside rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said outside rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a housing for mounting to the exterior of the vehicle;

a mirror element mounted in said housing and having a reflectivity that varies in response to a variable electrical drive signal; and

a drive circuit mounted in said housing and coupled to the mirror element, said drive circuit generates, selectively varies, and supplies the drive signal to said mirror element in response to a glare signal received by said drive circuit from a glare sensor, the glare signal representing a glare level, said drive circuit selectively varies the drive signal as a function of the glare level based upon a reflectance curve.