Interactive automotive rearvision system

• US 7,224,324 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R., Quist, Chad D., O'Brien, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUN YI
• APPLICATION: US 20020044065A1
• Time in patent office: 2255 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345173-183, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907, 359/839, 359/838, 359/263, 359/265, 359/602, 359/267, 349/113, 349/142, 349/149, 349/151, 340/815.4, 340/973, 701/203, 701/207
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

A vehicular mirror system includes a mirror assembly with a mirror casing and a reflective element with a rearward field of view when the mirror assembly is mounted to a vehicle. The mirror casing includes a mounting portion that is adapted to mount the mirror casing to the vehicle. At least one user-actuatable selector element is provided at the reflective element for access by a driver of the vehicle. The mirror assembly further includes at least one display element that is actuatable to display at least one image in response to the selector element being actuated.

Claims

1. An interactive vehicular mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror casing and a reflective element, said mirror casing including a bezel portion, said mirror assembly being adapted to mount at an interior portion of the vehicle, and said reflective element having a rearward field of view when said interior mirror assembly is mounted in a vehicle;

a plurality of user actuatable selector elements, said plurality of user actuatable selector elements comprising touch sensitive elements;

said user actuatable selector elements being provided at said bezel portion at a plurality of bezel locations;

said touch sensitive elements of said user actuatable selector elements being responsive to a change in at least one of heat, electrical capacitance, electrical inductance or electrical resistance due to at least close approachment of a human finger;

a plurality of display elements at said interior rearview mirror assembly at a plurality of display locations;

a display element of said plurality of display elements being associated with a respective one of said touch sensitive elements at said bezel portion, said display element being selectively activated by activation of said respective touch sensitive element;

wherein display information desired by a user is generated in response to said touch sensitive elements being actuated by the user and is displayed above said display elements;

said display location of said display element and said bezel location of said respective touch sensitive element being one of local one another and co-located such that a cognitive relationship between said display element and said respective touch sensitive element is established.

2. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

3. the interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element.

4. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display elements comprises a re-configurable display element and whereby said re-configurable display element may be associated with more than one function.

5. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display elements displays an icon when actuated.

6. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display elements comprises one chosen from a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, an inorganic light emitting diode display, a plasma display, a fluorescent display, and an electroluminescent display.

7. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective element includes a semitransparent reflector, and wherein at least one of said plurality of display elements is positioned behind said semitransparent reflector.

8. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 7, wherein said semitransparent reflector comprises one of a metal coating and a transparent conductor.

9. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display elements comprises a light emitting display.

10. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting display comprises one chosen from a liquid crystal display, an electrochromic display, an organic light emitting diode display, an inorganic light emitting diode display, a plasma display, a fluorescent display, and an electroluminescent display.

11. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said display elements is disposed behind said reflective element.

12. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 9, wherein said reflective element includes a reflector, a portion of said reflector being at least partially removed to form a window, at least one of said display elements being disposed behind said window and viewable through said window when said at least one of said display elements is activated.

13. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 9, wherein said reflective element comprises a semitransparent reflective element, said generated display information being viewable through said semitransparent reflective element when said display information is generated.

14. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said user actuatable selector elements comprises a back-lit touch sensitive element.

15. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display information comprises an alpha-numeric image display.

16. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display information comprises a multi-pixel display.

17. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display elements displays a family of display functions.

18. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 17, wherein said family of display functions includes at least one chosen from (i) a compass mirror display function, (ii) a temperature display function, (iii) a tire pressure/status display function, (iv) a status of inflation of tires display function, (v) a GPS/navigation system function, (vi) a telematic function, (vii) computer display function, (viii) e-mail function, (ix) an INTERNET access function, (x) a passenger air bag disabled display function, (xi) an automatic rain sensor operation display function, (xii) telephonic dial information display function, (xiii) highway status information display function, and (xiv) blind spot indicator display function.

19. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display information comprises a fixed display.

20. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display information comprises a scrolling display.

21. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said display information comprises a video display image.

22. An interactive vehicular mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror casing and a reflective element, said mirror casing having a bezel portion, said mirror assembly being adapted to mount at an interior portion of the vehicle, and said reflective element having a rearward field of view when said interior mirror assembly is mounted in a vehicle;

a first display element at said reflective element at a first display location;

a second display element at a second display location;

a first user actuatable selector element comprising a first touch sensitive element, said first user actuatable selector element being provided at said bezel portion of said mirror casing at a first bezel location;

a second user actuatable selector element comprising a second touch sensitive element, said second user actuatable selector element being provided at said bezel portion of said mirror casing at a second bezel location;

said first and second touch sensitive elements of said first and second user actuatable selector elements being responsive to a change in at least one of heat, electrical capacitance, electrical inductance or electrical resistance due to at least close approachment of a human finger;

a first display information being generated in response to said first touch sensitive element of said first user actuatable selector element being actuated by a user and being displayed above said first display element;

a second display information being generated in response to said second touch sensitive element of said second user actuatable selector element being actuated by a user and being displayed above said second display element;

said first display element and said first bezel location of said first user actuatable selector element being one of local one another and co-located such that a cognitive relationship between said first display element and said first user actuatable selector element is established; and

said second display element and said second bezel location of said second user actuatable selector element being one of local one another and co-located such that a cognitive relationship between said second display element and said second user actuatable selector element is established.

23. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein said second display element is positioned at said reflective element.

24. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 23, wherein said second display element is positioned behind said reflective element and is viewable through said reflective element when said second display element is activated.

25. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein said first display element is proximate said first touch sensitive element.

26. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein each of said first and second display elements comprises one chosen from a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, an inorganic light emitting diode display, an electrochromic display, a plasma display, a fluorescent display, and an electroluminescent display.

27. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display information is dissolved as at least one video image.

28. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 27, wherein said video image comprises one chosen from (i) a rearward field of view image, (ii) an internal cabin monitoring image, (iii) a teleconferencing image, (iv) a remote monitoring image, (v) an emergency recording image, and (vi) a forward field of view image.

29. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display information comprises at least one chosen from (i) a rain sensor operation display, (ii) a telephone information display, (iii) a highway status information display, (iv) a blind spot indicator display, (v) a hazard warning display, (vi) a vehicle status display, (vii) a page message display, (viii) a speedometer display, (ix) a tachometer display, (x) an audio system display, (xi) a fuel gauge display, (xii) a heater control display, (xiii) an air conditioning system display, (xiv) a status of inflation of tires display, (xv) a wailer tow image display, (xvi) an e-mail message display, (xvii) a compass display, (xviii) an engine coolant temperature display, (xix) an oil pressure display, (xx) a cellular phone operation display, (xxi) a global positioning system display, (xxii) a weather information display, (xxiii) a temperature display, (xxiv) a traffic information display, (xxv) a telephone number display, (xxvi) a fuel status display, (xxvii) a battery condition display, (xxviii) a time display, (xxix) a train approach warning display, and (xxx) a toll transaction display.

30. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display information is adapted to display scrolling display information.

31. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display elements information displays at least two displays.

32. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

33. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 32, wherein said reflective element includes a reflector on a back surface of said reflective element, said reflector being at least partially removed to define a window, and said second display being positioned at least partially behind said window.

34. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 22, wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element.

35. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 34, wherein said reflective element includes an electrochromic medium and a reflector, a portion of said reflector being at least partially removed, and said second display information being viewable through said reflective element.

36. An interactive vehicular mirror system comprising:

an interior mirror assembly having a mirror casing and a reflective element, said mirror casing including a bezel portion, said interior mirror assembly being adapted to mount at an interior portion of a vehicle, said reflective element having a rearward field of view when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle;

first and second user actuatable selector elements, said first user actuatable selector element comprising a first touch sensitive element, said second user actuatable selector element comprising a second touch sensitive element said first user actuatable selector element being located at said bezel portion of said mirror casing at a first bezel location, and said second user actuatable selector element being located at said bezel portion of said mirror casing at a second bezel location;

said first user actuatable selector element activating a display element to display a first display information associated with said first user actuatable selector element;

said first display information being generated in response to actuation of said first user actuatable selector element and being displayed above said display element;

said second user actuatable selector element activating another display element to display a second display information associated with said second user actuatable selector element;

said second display information being generated in response to said second actuation of a user actuatable selector element and being displayed above said other display element;

each of said first and second touch sensitive elements of said first and second user actuatable selector elements being individually responsive to a change in at least one of heat, electrical capacitance, electrical inductance, or electrical resistance due to at least close approachment of a human finger;

said first bezel location of said first user actuatable selector element being one of local and co-located with a first display location of said first display information such that a cognitive relationship between said first user actuatable selector element and said first display information is established; and

said second bezel location of said second user actuatable selector element being one of local and en-located with a second display location of said second display information such that a cognitive relationship between said second user actuatable selector element and said second display information is established.

37. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display information is selected from the group consisting of (i) a telephone conference display (ii) a highway status information display, (iii) a blind spot information display, (iv) a hazard warning information display, (v) a vehicle status information display, (vi) a page messaging information display, (vii) a speedometer information display, (viii) a tachometer information display. (ix) a remote transaction information display, (x) an audio system information display, (xi) a fuel gauge information display, (xii) a heater control information display, (xiii) a ventilation system information display, (xiv) a status of inflation of tires information display, (xv) a trailer tow display, (xvi) an e-mail message information display, (xvii) a compass information display, (xviii) an engine coolant temperature information display, (xix) an oil pressure information display, (xx) a cellular phone operation information display, (xxi) a global positioning system information display, (xxii) a weather information display, (xxiii) a temperature information display, (xxiv) a traffic information display, (xxv) a telephone number information display, (xxvi) fuel status information display. (xxvii) battery condition information display, (xxviii) time information display, and (xxix) stock information display.

38. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, wherein at least one of said first display information and said second display information displays at least one chosen from (i) a rearward field of view display, (ii) an internal cabin monitoring display, (iii) a teleconferencing display, (iv) a remote monitoring display, (v) an emergency recording display, and (vi) a forward field of view display.

39. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, further comprising an image capturing device adapted for mounting to the vehicle, one of said first and second user actuatable selector elements including a rear vision selector element, said image capturing device detecting at least one chosen from an internal cabin image and an image rearward of the vehicle and sending an image signal based on said at least one chosen from an internal cabin image and an image rearward of the vehicle for display of said at least one chosen from an internal cabin image and an image rearward of the vehicle by at least one of said first display information and said second display information when said rear vision selector element is actuated.

40. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 39, further comprising an exterior sideview mirror assembly, said image capturing device being positioned at said exterior sideview mirror assembly for capturing an image rearward of the vehicle.

41. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly further includes at least one accessory selected from the group consisting of (i) a trainable garage door opener, (ii) a universal home access system, (iii) an INTERNET interface, (iv) a remote keyless entry receiver, (v) a video device, (vi) a rain sensor, (vii) a compass sensor, (viii) a trip computer, (ix) an intrusion detector, (x) a phone, (xi) an interior light, (xii) a seat occupancy detector, (xiii) a phone attachment, (xiv) an electro-optic reflective mirror element, (xv) an electrochromic reflective mirror element, (xvi) a headlamp controller, (xvii) a printer, (xviii) a transmitter/receiver, (xix) a modem, (xx) an instrumentation light, (xxi) a console light, (xxii) a solar panel, (xxiii) a windshield portion defogger device, (xxiv) an antenna, (xxv) a loudspeaker, (xxvi) a microphone, (xxvii) a digital message recorder, (xxviii) a magnetic tape message recorder, (xxix) a phone control panel, (xxx) a digital storage device, and (xxxi) a GPS/navigational system.

42. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, wherein said first and second touch sensitive elements are sensitive to touching by a human finger.

43. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, wherein said display element is disposed behind said reflective element.

44. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 43, wherein said reflective element comprises a transreflective element, said display element being disposed behind said transreflective element and viewable through said transreflective element when said display element is actuated.

45. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 36, further comprising a plurality of display elements.

46. The interactive vehicular mirror system according to claim 45, wherein each of said display elements is reconfigurable such that each display element can display more than one display.