Individual mirror control system

• US 7,988,308 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Dillane, Michael T., Tuttle, Darin D., Turnbull, Robert R., Knapp, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CONSILVIO, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US11/754,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 359601-604, 359/608, 359265-267
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

A control system for one or more electrochromic elements used in an outside electrochromic (OEC) mirror used in automobiles or other vehicular applications, to control the glare of both IEC elements used as a rearview mirror (20) as well as the OEC elements (24, 26) used as sideview mirrors (24, 26). An ambient light sensor (129) and glare sensor (133) operate to determine a glare level used to control both IEC and OEC electrochromic elements. The drive circuits for the OEC'"'"'s elements may be controlled so as to account for various factors such as tinted glass characteristics in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle rearview mirror control system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror element able to be varied in reflectance;

an exterior rearview mirror element able to be varied in reflectance mounted in an exterior rearview mirror housing;

an ambient light sensor (ALS) positioned to detect a light intensity from a direction forward of the interior rearview mirror element;

a glare light sensor positioned to detect a light intensity from a direction rearward of the interior rearview minor element;

a register for storing predetermined electronically encoded window tinting information;

a drive circuit coupled to the exterior rearview mirror element for generating a glare signal derived from the ALS and glare light sensor and selectively varying a drive signal to the exterior rearview mirror element as a function of the glare signal based upon the predetermined electronically encoded window tinting information; and

wherein the reflectance of the interior rearview mirror element begins to decrease based on a first minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the reflectance of the exterior rearview mirror element begins to decrease based on a second minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the first minimum light intensity is different from the second minimum light intensity thereby allowing reflected light levels at a predetermined reference point to be approximately equal.

2. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein said electronically encoded information is available to a plurality of exterior rearview mirror elements.

3. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is controlled by at least one microprocessor.

4. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein the interior and exterior rearview mirror elements utilizes electrochromic (EC) glass.

5. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein the ALS includes a light integrating surface for providing diffused light to the ALS.

6. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, further comprising at least one lighting feature for providing a vehicle turn annunciation.

7. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature sensor for providing air temperature.

8. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein data from the mirror control system is communicated via an electronic bus.

9. A vehicle rearview minor control system as in claim 1, wherein the electronically encoded window tinting information is used with the interior rearview mirror element that for generating at least one mirror element drive signal as a function of the electronically encoded window tinting information.

10. A vehicle rearview mirror control system as in claim 1, wherein the first minimum light intensity is greater than the second minimum light intensity.

11. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system, comprising:

an interior electrochromic (EC) mirror element able to be varied in reflectance;

an exterior electrochromic (EC) mirror element able to be varied in reflectance;

at least one ambient light sensor (ALS) for measuring a light intensity at the back of the interior EC mirror element using a light integrating lens;

at least one glare sensor for measuring a light intensity at the interior EC mirror element and providing a glare signal;

a drive circuit for providing a drive signal for selectively varying the drive signal as a function of the glare signal based upon predetermined electronically encoded window tint information stored in a register and provided to the drive circuit for controlling the exterior EC mirror element based upon a glare level derived from the at least one ALS and at least one glare sensor; and

wherein the reflectance of the interior EC mirror element begins to decrease based on a first minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the reflectance of the exterior EC mirror element begins to decrease based on a second minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the first minimum light intensity is different from the second minimum light intensity thereby allowing reflected light levels at a predetermined reference point to be approximately equal.

12. An exterior vehicular rearview minor control system as in claim 11, wherein the light integrating lens diffuses light to the at least one ALS.

13. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system as in claim 11, wherein the ALS is located in the interior EC mirror element.

14. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system as in claim 11, wherein the exterior EC minor element further comprises a lighting feature for indicating a vehicle turn.

15. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system as in claim 11, wherein the electronically encoded window tinting information is stored in a memory location.

16. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system as in claim 11, further comprising:

a light for indicating a vehicle turn.

17. An exterior vehicular rearview mirror control system as in claim 11, wherein data from the at least one ALS and at least one glare sensor are communicated via an electrical bus to the interior electrochromic mirror element.

18. An exterior vehicular rearview minor control system as in claim 11, wherein the electronically encoded window tinting information is used with the interior rearview mirror element that for generating at least one mirror element drive signal as a function of the electronically encoded window tinting information.

19. An exterior vehicular rearview minor control system as in claim 11, wherein the first minimum light intensity is greater than the second minimum light intensity.

20. An outside rearview minor control system comprising:

a light for indicating a direction of turn;

an interior electrochromic (EC) mirror element able to be varied in reflectance;

an exterior electrochromic (EC) mirror element able to be varied in reflectance;

at least one ambient light sensor (ALS) for measuring a light intensity at the back of the interior EC mirror element using a light integrating surface lens;

at least one glare sensor for measuring a light intensity at a reflecting surface of the interior EC mirror element;

a register comprising predetermined electronically encoded window tinting information stored in a memory location;

a drive circuit for supplying a drive signal to the exterior EC mirror element in response to a glare level derived from the ALS, at least one glare sensor and the predetermined electronically encoded window tinting information received from the register over a vehicle communications bus; and

wherein the reflectance of the interior EC mirror element begins to decrease based on a first minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the reflectance of the exterior EC mirror element begins to decrease based on a second minimum light intensity detected by the glare light sensor and the first minimum light intensity is different from the second minimum light intensity thereby allowing reflected light levels at a predetermined reference point to be approximately equal.

21. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein the ALS and glare sensor are mounted separately from the EC mirror element.

22. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein the ALS is located inside a vehicle cab.

23. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein the ALS and glare sensor are controlled by a microprocessor that controls the interior electrochromic mirror element.

24. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein data from the at least one ALS and at least one glare sensor are communicated via an electrical bus to the interior electrochromic mirror element.

25. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein the electronically encoded window tinting information is used with the interior rearview minor element that for generating at least one mirror element drive signal as a function of the electronically encoded window tinting information.

26. An outside rearview minor control system as in claim 20, wherein the first minimum light intensity is greater than the second minimum light intensity.