INTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH DISPLAY

• US 20170050570A1
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• 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 K., Larson, Mark L., Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,583,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/50 OLEDs integrated with light modulating elements, e.g. with electrochromic elements, photochromic elements or liquid crystal elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/65 OLEDs integrated with inorganic image sensors

Abstract

An electro-optic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween. A display element is disposed at the front substrate and includes a transparent organic light emitting diode display. With the electro-optic mirror reflective element disposed at a rearview mirror assembly at the vehicle and when the display element is activated, information displayed by the display element is viewable by a driver of the vehicle. With the electro-optic mirror reflective element disposed at the rearview mirror assembly at the vehicle and when the display element is not activated, the driver views reflected images of the scene rearward of the vehicle as reflected off a specularly reflective mirror reflector disposed at a surface of the rear substrate.

Claims

1. An electro-optic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said electro-optic reflective element comprising:

a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface;

a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;

wherein said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate oppose each other and are spaced apart, and wherein an electro-optic medium is disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate;

a transparent electrically conductive coating established at said second surface of said front substrate;

a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;

a display element disposed at said front substrate, wherein said display element comprises a transparent organic light emitting diode display;

wherein, with said electro-optic mirror reflective element disposed at a rearview mirror assembly at a vehicle and when said display element is activated, information displayed by said display element is viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, with said electro-optic mirror reflective element disposed at the rearview mirror assembly at the vehicle and when said display element is not activated, the driver views reflected images of the scene rearward of the vehicle as reflected off said specularly reflective mirror reflector at said third surface of said rear substrate.

2. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said display element is disposed at a display region of said front substrate.

3. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 2, wherein said display region encompasses a portion of said first surface of said front substrate that is less in area than the entire first surface of said front substrate.

4. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 3, wherein said display element is disposed at said first surface of said front substrate.

5. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 4, comprising a transparent cover sheet disposed over said display element.

6. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 5, wherein said cover sheet is attached at said display element and said first surface of said front substrate via a laminating material.

7. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 3, wherein transparent electrically conductive traces are disposed at said first surface of said front substrate and electrically conductively connect to said display element.

8. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 7, wherein said transparent electrically conductive traces extend over and encompass a perimeter edge of said front substrate so as to provide a wraparound electrically conductive trace for electrical connection to an electrical connector of the mirror assembly.

9. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 2, wherein said display region encompasses substantially the entire area of said front substrate.

10. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said display element comprises said front substrate.

11. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 10, comprising a transparent cover sheet disposed over said display element.

12. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 11, wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed between said display element and said transparent cover sheet.

13. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 12, wherein said transparent cover sheet is attached at said transparent electrically conductive layer at said first surface via a laminating material.

14. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 1, comprising a transparent cover sheet disposed over said display element, and wherein said transparent cover sheet comprises a thin glass sheet having a thickness of less than 1 mm.

15. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 1, comprising a light absorbing layer disposed at said fourth surface of said rear substrate.

16. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said display element is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by a camera of the vehicle.

17. The electro-optic mirror reflective element of claim 16, wherein, when a video input to said display element is lost, said display element displays an alert to indicate that the video input is lost.

18. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said electrochromic reflective element comprising:

a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface;

a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;

wherein said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate oppose each other and are spaced apart, and wherein an electrochromic medium is disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate;

a transparent electrically conductive coating established at said second surface of said front substrate;

a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;

a display element disposed at said first surface of said front substrate, wherein said display element comprises a transparent organic light emitting diode display;

transparent electrically conductive traces disposed at said first surface of said front substrate to electrically conductively connect to said display element;

a transparent cover sheet disposed over said display element;

wherein, with said electrochromic mirror reflective element disposed at a rearview mirror assembly at a vehicle and when said display element is activated, information displayed by said display element is viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, with said electrochromic mirror reflective element disposed at the rearview mirror assembly at the vehicle and when said display element is not activated, the driver views reflected images of the scene rearward of the vehicle as reflected off said specularly reflective mirror reflector at said third surface of said rear substrate.

19. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 18, wherein said transparent electrically conductive traces extend over and encompass a perimeter edge of said front substrate so as to provide a wraparound electrically conductive trace for electrical connection to an electrical connector of the mirror assembly.

20. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 18, wherein said transparent cover sheet comprises a thin glass sheet having a thickness of less than 1 mm.

21. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said electrochromic reflective element comprising:

a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface;

a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;

wherein said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate oppose each other and are spaced apart, and wherein an electrochromic medium is disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate;

a transparent electrically conductive coating established at said second surface of said front substrate;

a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;

a display element disposed at said first surface of said front substrate, wherein said display element comprises a transparent organic light emitting diode display;

wherein said display element is disposed at a display region of said front substrate, and wherein said display region encompasses a portion of said first surface of said front substrate that is less in area than the entire first surface of said front substrate;

wherein, with said electrochromic mirror reflective element disposed at a rearview mirror assembly at a vehicle and when said display element is activated, information displayed by said display element is viewable by a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, with said electrochromic mirror reflective element disposed at the rearview mirror assembly at the vehicle and when said display element is not activated, the driver views reflected images of the scene rearward of the vehicle as reflected off said specularly reflective mirror reflector at said third surface of said rear substrate.

22. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 21, comprising a transparent cover sheet disposed over said display element.

23. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 21, wherein transparent electrically conductive traces are disposed at said first surface of said front substrate and electrically conductively connect to said display element.

24. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 23, wherein said electrically conductive traces extend over and encompass a perimeter edge of said front substrate so as to provide a wraparound electrically conductive trace for electrical connection to an electrical connector of the mirror assembly.

25. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 21, comprising a light absorbing layer disposed at said fourth surface of said rear substrate.