Vehicle information displays

• US 7,221,363 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Bauer, Frederick T., Tuttle, Darin D., Turnbull, Robert R., Ockerse, Harold C., Falb, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHARIA, PRABODH M
• Application Number:
  US10/775,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20040202001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 345/76, 345/102, 345/204, 345/8, 345/156, 345/98, 315/169.3, 315/169.1, 313/495, 313/512, 313/495.116, 359/265, 359/872, 359/625, 359/630, 359/603, 362/494, 362/492, 362/545, 455/348, 455/90.3, 340/815.4, 349/74, 349/112, 349/64, 349/69, 349/86, 385/146
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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: G02F 1/133626 providing two modes of illumination, e.g. day-night
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/18 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3426 the different display panel areas being distributed in two dimensions, e.g. matrix

Abstract

The present invention relates to information display assemblies and various covert displays using the same.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

an information display at least partially positioned behind a reflective element with respect to an anticipated viewer;

said information display comprising a negative mode, backlit, liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character; and

a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of a planar surface of said diffuser relative to a viewing angle of at least one anticipated viewer.

2. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 1 further comprising a display driver having more outputs than said liquid crystal display has characters, wherein at least one output of said display driver is used to control said backlighting.

3. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 1 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of the refectivity of said automatically dimming reflective element.

4. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 1 further comprising a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display and backlighting associated with said liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of the position of said liquid crystal display relative to at least one anticipated viewer.

5. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

an information display at least partially positioned behind a reflective element with respect to an anticipated view;

said information display comprising a negative mode, backlit, liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character; and

wherein said reflective element is at least partially transmissive and an optimum light ray wavelength transmission of said reflective element is substantially equal to the predominant wavelength of light rays emitted from said information display.

6. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 5 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of an ambient light sensor.

7. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 5 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of a glare light sensor.

8. An information display, comprising:

a liquid crystal display having at least two characters with each character having associated backlighting;

a display driver having more outputs than said liquid crystal display has characters, wherein at least one output of said display driver is used to control said backlighting; and

a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of a planar surface of said diffuser relative to a viewing angle of at least one anticipated viewer.

9. An information display as in claim 8 further comprising a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display and backlighting associated with said liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of the position of said liquid crystal display relative to at least one anticipated viewer.

10. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a backlit liquid crystal display positioned behind an automatically dimming reflective element, wherein the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of the reflectivity of said automatically dimming reflective element, said liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character; and

a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of a planar surface of said diffuser relative to a viewing angle of at least one anticipated viewer.

11. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 10 further comprising a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display and backlighting associated with said liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of the position of said liquid crystal display relative to at least one anticipated viewer.

12. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a backlit liquid crystal display positioned behind an automatically dimming reflective element, wherein the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of the reflectivity of said automatically dimming reflective element, said liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character; and

wherein said reflective element is at least partially transmissive and an optimum light ray wavelength transmission of said reflective element is substantially equal to the predominant wavelength of light rays emitted from said information display.

13. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 12 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of an ambient light sensor.

14. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 12 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of a glare light sensor.

15. An information display, comprising:

a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display and backlighting associated with said liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of at least one of the following;

the position of said liquid crystal display relative to at least one anticipated viewer and a planar surface of said diffuser relative to a viewing angle of at least one anticipated viewer, said liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character.

16. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

an information display at least partially positioned behind a reflective element with respect to an anticipated viewer;

said information display comprising a negative mode, backlit, liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character;

a display driver having more outputs than said liquid crystal display has characters, wherein at least one output of said display driver is used to control said backlighting; and

a diffuser positioned between a backlit liquid crystal display and backlighting associated with said liquid crystal display, wherein said diffuser redirects light rays emitted by said backlighting as a function of at least one of the following;

the position of said liquid crystal display relative to at least one anticipated viewer and a planar surface of said diffuser relative to a viewing angle of at lest one anticipated viewer;

wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of the reflectivity of said automatically dimming reflective element; and

wherein said reflective element is at least partially transmissive and an optimum light ray wavelength transmission of said reflective element is substantially equal to the predominant wavelength of light rays emitted from said information display.

17. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 16 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of an ambient light sensor.

18. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 16 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of a glare light sensor.

19. A rearview mirror assembly, comprising:

a information display and a reflective element, wherein said reflective element is at least partially transmissive and an optimum light ray wavelength transmission of said reflective element is substantially equal to the predominant wavelength of light rays emitted by said information display, said information display is a liquid crystal display having at least two characters, each of said characters has individual backlighting associated therewith, wherein said backlighting of a given character is controllable independent of backlighting of any other character.

20. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 19 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of an ambient light sensor.

21. A rearview mirror assembly as in claim 19 wherein said reflective element is automatically dimming and the intensity of said backlit liquid crystal display is a function of a glare light sensor.