Vehicle information display

• US 20030043480A1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burgner, Lori L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,847,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/844
• 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: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a casing, a reflective element and a display. The reflective element has a back surface and a front surface, with the front surface being directed toward and viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The display comprises a display element positioned within the casing. The display element is operable to project light onto a screen portion of the reflective element. The light is viewable as an image on the reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. The display element is separate and remote from the screen portion of the reflective element. Preferably, the display element and reflective elements are positioned generally along planes which are angled with respect to one another. The display may include a reflective optic which functions to redirect the projected light toward the screen portion of the reflective element.

Claims

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

a casing;

a reflective element having a back surface and a front surface, said front surface being directed toward and viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

a display, said display comprising a micro-display element positioned within said casing and operable to project light onto a screen portion of said reflective element, said projected light being viewable as an image on said reflective element by a driver of the vehicle.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said viewable image on said reflective element comprises a reverse image of the light projected by said micro-display element.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said back surface of said reflective element comprises said screen portion.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said screen portion comprises a semi-transparent screen portion.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said micro-display element comprises a transmissive micro-display element.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said display comprises a light source which is operable to back light said transmissive micro-display element.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said micro-display element comprises a reverse image display, said light source and said micro-display element projecting said reverse image display onto said screen portion, said reverse image display on said screen portion being a non-reverse image display when viewed from the opposite side of said reflective element.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display is operable to display information received from a rearview vision system of the vehicle, said rearview vision system being operable to capture an image of a scene rearwardly of the vehicle.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said display is operable to display said information in response to the vehicle being shifted into reverse.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said micro-display element is mounted on a printed circuit board within said casing.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said printed circuit board comprises circuitry associated with at least one accessory of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said micro-display element is aligned to project said projected light in a direction generally along said reflective element, said display comprising a reflective optic for reflecting said projected light toward said reflective element.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display comprises at least one optic along an optical path between said micro-display element and said screen portion.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one reflective optic for reflecting said projected light.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one of a transmissive optic, a diffractive optic and a refractive optic positioned between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one transmissive optic.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one diffractive optic.

19. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one refractive optic.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one magnifying optic which functions to magnify said projected light.

21. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

22. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective reflective element.

23. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element.

24. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 23, wherein said electro-optic reflective element comprises first and second substrates, said back surface of said reflective element comprising a back surface of said second substrate while said front surface of said reflective element comprises a front surface of said first substrate.

25. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 24, wherein said image is projected through said second substrate and onto said first substrate for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.

26. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a casing;

a reflective element having a back surface and a front surface, said front surface being directed toward and viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

a display, said display comprising a display element positioned within said casing and operable to project light onto a screen portion of said reflective element, said projected light being viewable as an image on said reflective element by a driver of the vehicle, said display element being positioned generally along a first plane and said reflective element being positioned generally along a second plane, said first plane being angled relative to said second plane.

27. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said first plane is generally perpendicular to said second plane, said display comprising a reflective optic which functions to redirect the projected light toward said reflective element.

28. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said image on said reflective element comprises a reverse image of the light projected by said micro-display element.

29. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said back surface of said reflective element comprises said screen portion.

30. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said screen portion comprises a semi-transparent screen portion.

31. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said display comprises a micro-display element.

32. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 31, wherein said micro-display element comprises a transmissive micro-display element.

33. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 32, wherein said display comprises a light source which is operable to back light said transmissive micro-display element.

34. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 33, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.

35. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 33, wherein said micro-display element comprises a reverse image display, said light source and said micro-display element projecting said reverse image display onto said screen portion, said reverse image display on said screen portion being a non reverse image display when viewed from the opposite side of said reflective element.

36. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said display is operable to display information received from a rearview vision system of the vehicle, said rearview vision system being operable to capture an image of a scene rearwardly of the vehicle.

37. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 36, wherein said display is operable to display said information in response to the vehicle being shifted into reverse.

38. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said display element is mounted on a printed circuit board within said casing.

39. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 38, wherein said printed circuit board comprises circuitry associated with at least one accessory of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

40. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 38, wherein said printed circuit board is positioned along said back surface of said reflective element, said display element being aligned to project said projected light generally parallel to said reflective element, said display comprising a reflective optic for reflecting said projected light toward said reflective element.

41. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said display comprises at least one optic along an optical path between said display element and said screen portion.

42. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one reflective optic for reflecting said projected light.

43. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 42, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one of a transmissive optic, a diffractive optic and a refractive optic positioned between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

44. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one transmissive optic.

45. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one diffractive optic.

46. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one refractive optic.

47. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said display element comprises a micro-display element.

48. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 47, wherein said at least one optic comprises at least one magnifying optic which functions to magnify said projected light.

49. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

50. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective reflective element.

51. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element.

52. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 51, wherein said electro-optic reflective element comprises first and second substrates, said back surface of said reflective element comprising a back surface of said second substrate while said front surface of said reflective element comprises a front surface of said first substrate.

53. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 52, wherein said image is projected through said second substrate and onto said first substrate for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.

54. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a casing;

a reflective element having a back surface and a front surface, said front surface being directed toward and viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

a display, said display comprising a micro-display element positioned within said casing and operable to project light onto a screen portion of said reflective element, said projected light being viewable as an image on said reflective element by a driver of the vehicle, said micro-display element being aligned to project said projected light in a direction generally along said reflective element, said display comprising at least one reflective optic for reflecting said projected light toward said reflective element, said image on said reflective element being a reverse image of the light projected by said micro-display element.

55. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said back surface of said reflective element comprises said screen portion.

56. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said screen portion comprises a semi-transparent screen portion.

57. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said micro-display element comprises a transmissive micro-display element.

58. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 57, wherein said display comprises a light source which is operable to back light said transmissive micro-display element.

59. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 58, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.

60. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display is operable to display information received from a rearview vision system of the vehicle, said rearview vision system being operable to capture an image of a scene rearwardly of the vehicle.

61. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 60, wherein said display is operable to display said information in response to the vehicle being shifted into reverse.

62. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said micro-display element is mounted on a printed circuit board within said casing.

63. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 62, wherein said printed circuit board comprises circuitry associated with at least one accessory of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

64. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display comprises at least one of a transmissive optic, a diffractive optic and a refractive optic positioned along an optical path between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

65. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display comprises at least one transmissive optic positioned along an optical path between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

66. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display comprises at least one diffractive optic positioned along an optical path between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

67. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display comprises at least one refractive optic positioned along an optical path between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element.

68. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said display comprises at least one magnifying optic positioned along an optical path between said at least one reflective optic and said screen portion of said reflective element, said at least one magnifying optic functioning to magnify said projected light.

69. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

70. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective reflective element.

71. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 54, wherein said reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element.

72. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 71, wherein said electro-optic reflective element comprises first and second substrates, said back surface of said reflective element comprising a back surface of said second substrate while said front surface of said reflective element comprises a front surface of said first substrate.

73. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 72, wherein said image is projected through said second substrate and onto said first substrate for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.