ACCESSORY MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button;
a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera;
wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element; and
wherein a light absorbing layer disposed at the vehicle windshield at least partially masks the presence of said mounting element from view by a viewer who is viewing from outside the equipped vehicle through the vehicle windshield.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle includes a mirror mounting button attached at an in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield separate from the mounting button. An interior rearview mirror assembly has a mirror head and a mirror support, which includes a mirror mount configured to mount the mirror assembly to the mirror mounting button. A module is configured to be received at and supported by the mounting element attached at the windshield. The module accommodates a forward facing camera that views through the windshield. The forward facing camera may be part of a driver assistance system of the vehicle. With the module received by and supported by the mounting element, the mirror mount can be mounted to the mirror mounting button and can be demounted from the mirror mounting button without demounting the module from the mounting element.
37 Citations
86 Claims
-
1. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element; and wherein a light absorbing layer disposed at the vehicle windshield at least partially masks the presence of said mounting element from view by a viewer who is viewing from outside the equipped vehicle through the vehicle windshield. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element; and wherein said module accommodates electrical circuitry associated with said forward facing camera and wherein said electrical circuitry connects with a communication bus of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
-
47. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein at least one of (a) said camera has a dynamic range greater than about 60 dB, (b) said camera has a dark current less than about 0.4 nA/sq·
cm and (c) said camera has a signal to noise ratio greater than about 40 dB;wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least one of (i) an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a windshield fogging detection system of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a rain sensing system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least one of (i) an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a windshield fogging detection system of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a rain sensing system of the equipped vehicle; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element; and wherein said module accommodates electrical circuitry associated with said forward facing camera and wherein said electrical circuitry connects with a communication bus of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
-
-
71. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens; wherein at least one of (a) said camera has a dynamic range greater than about 60 dB, (b) said camera has a signal to noise ratio greater than about 40 dB and (c) said CMOS image sensor comprises a multi-pixel photosensor array having at least 250,920 pixels; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle; wherein a light absorbing layer disposed at the vehicle windshield at least partially masks the presence of said mounting element from view by a viewer who is viewing from outside the equipped vehicle through the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates electrical circuitry associated with said forward facing camera and wherein said electrical circuitry connects with a communication bus of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
-
-
75. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens; wherein at least one of (a) said camera has a dynamic range greater than about 60 dB, (b) said camera has a signal to noise ratio greater than about 40 dB and (c) said CMOS image sensor comprises a multi-pixel photosensor array having at least 250,920 pixels; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; wherein a light absorbing layer disposed at the vehicle windshield at least partially masks the presence of said mounting element from view by a viewer who is viewing from outside the equipped vehicle through the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates electrical circuitry associated with said forward facing camera and wherein said electrical circuitry connects with a communication bus of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
-
-
81. An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
-
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; a mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield separate from said mirror mounting button; an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing; wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button; a module configured to be received at and be supported by said mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates a forward facing camera; wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said forward facing camera views through the vehicle windshield; wherein said forward facing camera comprises (i) a CMOS image sensor and (ii) a lens; wherein at least one of (a) said camera has a dynamic range greater than about 60 dB, (b) said camera has a signal to noise ratio greater than about 40 dB and (c) said CMOS image sensor comprises a multi-pixel photosensor array having at least 250,920 pixels; wherein said forward facing camera comprises part of at least one of (a) an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, (b) a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle and (c) a rain sensing system of the equipped vehicle; wherein a light absorbing layer disposed at the vehicle windshield at least partially masks the presence of said mounting element from view by a viewer who is viewing from outside the equipped vehicle through the vehicle windshield; wherein said module accommodates electrical circuitry associated with said forward facing camera and wherein said electrical circuitry connects with a CAN communication bus of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, with said module received by and supported by said mounting element, said mirror mount can be mounted to said mirror mounting button and can be demounted from said mirror mounting button without demounting said module from said mounting element. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
-
Specification