Interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
- an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto and (b) a prismatic reflective element;
said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting;
said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support;
said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to the said portion of the interior of the vehicle;
said mirror support including said at least one pivot element;
said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing;
electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor;
said electrical circuitry disposed in said mirror housing behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said electrical circuitry in tandem with movement of said reflective element;
said electrical circuitry comprising a compass sensor;
said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor and a magneto-inductive sensor; and
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when the interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle. The interior mirror assembly includes at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of the reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting and the interior mirror assembly comprises a mirror support having a mounting portion for attaching the interior mirror assembly to the portion of the interior of the vehicle. The mirror support includes at least one pivot element and the reflective element is disposed in a mirror housing. Electrical circuitry that includes a microprocessor and a compass sensor is disposed in the mirror housing behind the reflective element such that adjustment about the at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of the reflective element moves the electrical circuitry in tandem with movement of the reflective element.
236 Citations
98 Claims
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1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto and (b) a prismatic reflective element; said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle; said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting; said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support; said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to the said portion of the interior of the vehicle; said mirror support including said at least one pivot element; said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing; electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor; said electrical circuitry disposed in said mirror housing behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said electrical circuitry in tandem with movement of said reflective element; said electrical circuitry comprising a compass sensor; said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor and a magneto-inductive sensor; and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip. - 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, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a variable reflectance reflective mirror element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto; said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle; said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting; said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support; said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to the said portion of the interior of the vehicle; said mirror support including said at least one pivot element; said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing; electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor; said electrical circuitry disposed in said mirror housing behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said electrical circuitry in tandem with movement of said reflective element; said electrical circuitry comprising a compass sensor; said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor and a magneto-inductive sensor; said electrical circuitry providing directional information; wherein said directional information is at least partially compensated for directional inaccuracy caused by adjustment of the orientation of said reflective element about said at least one pivot element; and wherein said microprocessor controls multiple functions. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto and (b) a prismatic reflective element; said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle; said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting; said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support; said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to the said portion of the interior of the vehicle; said mirror support including said at least one pivot element; said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing; electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor; said electrical circuitry disposed in said mirror housing behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said electrical circuitry in tandem with movement of said reflective element; said electrical circuitry comprising a compass sensor; said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor and a magneto-inductive sensor; said electrical circuitry providing directional information; wherein said directional information is at least partially compensated for directional inaccuracy caused by adjustment of the orientation of said reflective element about said at least one pivot element; wherein said microprocessor controls multiple functions; and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a headlamp controller and electrochromic mirror control circuitry sharing components or circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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Specification