Interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle

• US 7,467,883 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeLine, Jonathan E., Lynam, Niall R., Veldman, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie; Meghan K.
• Application Number:
  US11/935,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 340/438, 340/461, 340/525, 340/815.4, 280/735, 701/29, 701/45, 248/549
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element and (b) a prismatic reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a CMOS video microchip having, when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view though the windshield forward of the vehicle and the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry responsive to an input from the video microchip, the circuitry preferably controlling at least one headlamp of the vehicle. The mirror assembly may contain other accessories such as a compass sensor disposed in the mirror housing in the mirror housing behind and supported by the reflective element such that adjustment about at least one pivot joint by the driver to set the rearward field view of the reflective element moves the compass sensor in tandem with movement of the reflective element.

Claims

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 a mirror reflective element;

said reflective element 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 disposed in a mirror housing;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion for attaching said interior rearview mirror assembly to a portion of an interior of the vehicle;

said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the portion of the interior of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one pivot joint 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 rearview mirror assembly including an information display;

wherein said information display comprises a liquid crystal display;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip, said video microchip having, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view through the windshield forward of the vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry, said circuitry responsive to an input from said video microchip, said circuitry controlling at least one headlamp of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including a compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor; and

said compass sensor disposed in said mirror housing behind and supported by said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot joint by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said compass sensor in tandem with movement of said reflective element.

2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said compass sensor comprises a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall effect sensor, and a magneto-inductive sensor.

3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory selected from the group consisting of a garage door opener, a universal home access system, an INTERNET interface, a remote keyless entry receiver, a rain sensor, a trip computer, an intrusion detector, a phone, a light, a seat occupancy detector, a phone attachment, a printer, a transmitter/receiver, a modem, an instrumentation light, a console light, a solar panel, a windshield defogger device, an antenna, a loudspeaker, a microphone, a digital message recorder, a magnetic tape message recorder, a phone control panel and a digital storage device.

4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory and wherein said at least one electrical accessory comprises a light and wherein said light comprises a light emitting diode.

5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory and wherein said at least one electrical accessory comprises a garage door opener and wherein said garage door opener incorporates rolling code.

6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory and wherein said at least one electrical accessory comprises a rain sensor and wherein said rain sensor comprises a windshield contacting rain sensor.

7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory and wherein said at least one electrical accessory comprises a rain sensor and wherein said rain sensor comprises a non-windshield contacting rain sensor.

8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein a microphone is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the interior of the vehicle to which said mounting portion attaches comprises a windshield.

10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes two pivot joints and wherein one of said two pivot joints is located at said mounting portion and the other is located at said mirror housing.

11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a modular carrier member formed separately from and mounted on said mirror housing, said cater member including an electrically conductive circuit member and a support body, said electrically conductive circuit member integrally molded with said support body, said carrier member providing an integral support for, electrical connections for, and an electrical distribution network to a light.

12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said information display is located in said mirror housing and is viewable to a driver at said reflective element.

13. 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 a mirror reflective element;

said reflective element 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 disposed in a mirror housing;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion for attaching said interior rearview mirror assembly to a portion of an interior of the vehicle;

said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the portion of the interior of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one pivot joint enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip, said video microchip having, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view though the windshield forward of the vehicle;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry, said circuitry responsive to an input from said video microchip; and

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one electrical accessory and wherein said at least one electrical accessory comprises a garage door opener and wherein said garage door opener incorporates rolling code.

14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said circuitry controls at least one headlamp of the vehicle.

15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor and wherein said compass sensor is disposed in said mirror housing behind and supported by said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot joint by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said compass sensor in tandem with movement of said reflective element.

16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes an information display.

17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said information display comprises a liquid crystal display.

18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a compass information display.

19. 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 a mirror reflective element;

said reflective element 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 disposed in a mirror housing;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion for attaching said interior rearview mirror assembly to a portion of an interior of the vehicle;

said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the portion of the interior of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one pivot joint enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip, said video microchip having, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view through the windshield forward of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising at least one microphone;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry, said circuitry responsive to an input from said video microchip; and

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one of (a) a garage door opener incorporating rolling code and (b) a light comprising a light emitting diode.

20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said circuitry controls at least one headlamp of the vehicle.

21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor and wherein said compass sensor is disposed in said mirror housing behind and supported by said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot joint by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves said compass sensor in tandem with movement of said reflective element.

22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes an information display.

23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said information display comprises a liquid crystal display.

24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes a compass information display.

25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electrochromic reflective element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto.

26. 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 a mirror reflective element;

said reflective element 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 disposed in a mirror housing;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion for attaching said interior rearview mirror assembly to a portion of an interior of the vehicle;

said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the portion of the interior of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one pivot joint enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry, said electronic circuitry comprising a microprocessor, said microprocessor operable to control multiple functions within at least one of (a) said interior mirror assembly and (b) other areas of the vehicle; and

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a garage door opener incorporating rolling code and a light comprising a light emitting diode.

27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 26, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electrochromic reflective element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance wit a voltage applied thereto and wherein said microprocessor is operable to control at least one of an electrochromic dimming function and a display.

28. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 27, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes an information display.

29. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a CMOS video microchip, said video microchip having, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view through the windshield forward of the vehicle.

30. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising at least one microphone.

31. 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 a mirror reflective element;

said reflective element 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 interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion for attaching said interior rearview mirror assembly to a portion of an interior of the vehicle;

said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the portion of the interior of the vehicle;

said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one pivot joint enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver'"'"'s desired setting;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry, said electronic circuitry comprising a microprocessor;

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising at least one microphone; and

wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a garage door opener incorporating rolling code and comprises a light comprising a light emitting diode.