Electronic accessory system for a vehicle

• US 9,434,314 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• 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., Spooner, Ralph A., March, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US14/147,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20140119567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/91, 381/92, 381/122, 381111-113, 381/355, 381/356, 381/361, 381/365, 381/71.1, 381/71.4, 381/302, 381/389, 362/949, 362/494, 248/594, 296/1.11, 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

An electronic accessory system for a vehicle includes an accessory module housing electronics, which includes a CMOS camera and a vehicle bus node and a digital signal processor. When the accessory module is mounted at a vehicle windshield, the vehicle bus node is connected to a vehicle bus of the vehicle. At least one of (a) data generated by the electronics is conveyed to the vehicle bus via the vehicle bus node and (b) the vehicle bus conveys data to the electronics via the vehicle bus node. The digital signal processor is operable at a computational speed of at least 75 million instructions per second, and may include at least one of (a) at least 40 kilobytes of on-chip memory, (b) at least one serial port, (c) at least one DMA port, (d) at least one timer and (e) at least one interrupt capability.

Claims

1. An electronic accessory system for a vehicle, said electronic accessory system comprising:

an accessory module, said accessory module housing electronics;

wherein said electronics includes a CMOS camera;

wherein said electronics includes a vehicle bus node;

wherein said accessory module is adapted for mounting at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said electronic accessory system;

wherein, when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, said vehicle bus node is connected to a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle;

wherein at least one of (a) data generated by said electronics is conveyed to said vehicle bus via said vehicle bus node and (b) said vehicle bus conveys data to said electronics via said vehicle bus node;

wherein said electronics includes a digital signal processor;

wherein said digital signal processor is operable at a computational speed of at least 75 million instructions per second; and

wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least one of (a) at least 40 kilobytes of on-chip memory, (b) at least one serial port, (c) at least one DMA port, (d) at least one timer and (e) at least one interrupt capability.

2. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said electronics includes circuitry operable to control dimming of an electrochromic reflective element of the equipped vehicle.

3. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said electronics includes at least one microphone, said at least one microphone generating at least one signal indicative of a vocal input with vehicle cabin noise included therewith when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, and wherein said electronics includes a processor for processing said at least one signal and providing an output signal with reduced vehicle cabin noise, and wherein said accessory module includes a casing, and wherein, when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, said at least one microphone is located at a location chosen from the group consisting of a rear portion of said casing, a bezel portion of said casing, a side portion of said casing, an upper portion of said casing and a lower portion of said casing.

4. The electronic accessory system of claim 3, wherein said accessory module includes an indicator operable to indicate at least one of clarity of said output signal and volume of said output signal, and wherein said indicator provides an indication of the status of a security alarm.

5. The electronic accessory system of claim 4, wherein said at least one microphone provides an input to a vehicular telematics system via said vehicle bus node.

6. The electronic accessory system of claim 5, wherein said accessory module comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly.

7. The electronic accessory system of claim 5, wherein said processor processes at least one of an echo cancellation algorithm, a beam forming algorithm, and a noise cancellation algorithm.

8. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal processor is operable at a computational speed of at least 100 million instructions per second.

9. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least 40 kilobytes of on-chip memory and at least one timer.

10. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least one DMA port.

11. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least one timer.

12. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said electronics includes at least two microphones, each of said at least two microphones generating a signal indicative of a vocal input with vehicle cabin noise included therewith when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, and wherein said electronics includes a processor for processing said signals and providing an output signal with reduced vehicle cabin noise.

13. The electronic accessory system of claim 12, wherein said accessory module comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror casing, and wherein, when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, said at least two microphones are located at a location chosen from the group consisting of an upper portion of said mirror casing and a lower portion of said mirror casing.

14. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle bus node comprises a vehicle CAN bus node and wherein said vehicle bus comprises a vehicle CAN bus.

15. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle bus node comprises a vehicle LIN bus node and wherein said vehicle bus comprises a vehicle LIN bus.

16. The electronic accessory system of claim 1, wherein said electronics includes a control for a driver assistance feature of the equipped vehicle.

17. The electronic accessory system of claim 16, wherein said driver assistance feature of the equipped vehicle comprises headlamp control.

18. An electronic accessory system for a vehicle, said electronic accessory system comprising:

an accessory module, said accessory module housing electronics;

wherein said electronics includes a CMOS camera;

wherein said electronics includes a vehicle CAN bus node;

wherein said accessory module is adapted for mounting at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said electronic accessory system;

wherein, when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, said vehicle CAN bus node is connected to a vehicle CAN bus of the equipped vehicle;

wherein at least one of (a) data generated by said electronics is conveyed to said vehicle CAN bus via said vehicle CAN bus node and (b) said vehicle CAN bus conveys data to said electronics via said vehicle CAN bus node;

wherein said electronics includes a digital signal processor;

wherein said digital signal processor is operable at a computational speed of at least 75 million instructions per second;

wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least 40 kilobytes of on-chip memory and at least one timer; and

wherein said electronics includes a control for a driver assistance feature of the equipped vehicle.

19. The electronic accessory system of claim 18, wherein said driver assistance feature of the equipped vehicle comprises headlamp control.

20. An electronic accessory system for a vehicle, said electronic accessory system comprising:

an accessory module, said accessory module housing electronics;

wherein said accessory module includes a casing;

wherein said electronics includes a CMOS camera;

wherein said electronics includes a vehicle bus node;

wherein said accessory module is adapted for mounting at a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said electronic accessory system;

wherein, when said accessory module is mounted in the equipped vehicle at the windshield, said vehicle bus node is connected to a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle;

wherein at least one of (a) data generated by said electronics is conveyed to said vehicle bus via said vehicle bus node and (b) said vehicle bus conveys data to said electronics via said vehicle bus node;

wherein said electronics includes a digital signal processor;

wherein said digital signal processor is operable at a computational speed of at least 100 million instructions per second;

wherein said digital signal processor comprises at least one of (a) at least 40 kilobytes of on-chip memory, (b) at least one serial port, (c) at least one DMA port, (d) at least one timer and (e) at least one interrupt capability; and

wherein said electronics includes a control for a driver assistance feature of the equipped vehicle.