# US 12,214,720 B2 · Vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,720 B2 - Document ID: US12214720B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/389,915 - Filed: 2023-12-20 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-28 - Assignees: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc. - Applicants: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc. - Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki; Gregory A. Huizen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214720B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/2665: {on rear-view mirrors (lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258)} - B60Q 1/2696: {Mounting of devices using LEDs} - B60R 1/06: mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} - B60R 1/1207: {with lamps; with turn indicators} - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/26: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255} - F21S 43/2605: {Refractors} - F21S 43/51: {Attachment thereof} - F21V 5/04: of lens shape - F21V 9/08: for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light (with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40) - G02B 3/0037: {characterized by the distribution or form of lenses} - G02B 3/0075: {characterized by non-optical structures, e.g. having integrated holding or alignment means} - G02B 7/021: {for more than one lens} - G02B 19/0066: {in the form of an LED array} - G03B 21/001: {Slide projectors} - G03B 21/2033: {LED or laser light sources} - G03B 29/00: Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects (combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03) - B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body - B60R 2001/1215: {with information displays} - F21W 2104/00: Exterior vehicle lighting devices for decorative purposes - F21W 2107/10: for land vehicles - F21Y 2113/13: comprising an assembly of point-like light sources - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element and an illumination module, which includes a light source, a first mask, and a second mask. When the light source is powered, emitted light that passes through the first mask is a first color and emitted light that passes through the second mask is a second color. With the mirror assembly mounted at a vehicle, and when the light source is powered to emit light, light emitted by the light source passes through the first mask to project a first projected image onto a ground region and passes through the second mask to project a second projected image onto the ground region. The first projected image includes a first logo portion having the first color, and the second projected image includes a second logo portion having the second color. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element; a mounting structure configured to mount the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly at a side of a vehicle; an illumination module accommodated by the mirror head, the illumination module comprising a light source; wherein the illumination module comprises a first mask and a second mask; wherein, when the light source is electrically powered, light emitted by the light source that passes through the first mask is a first color and light emitted by the light source that passes through the second mask is a second color; wherein the first color is different from the second color; wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically powered to emit light, (i) light emitted by the light source passes through the first mask to project a first projected image onto a ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted, and (ii) light emitted by the light source passes through the second mask to project a second projected image onto the ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted; wherein the first projected image comprises a first portion of a logo having the first color, and wherein the second projected image comprises a second portion of the logo having the second color; and wherein the first projected image and the second projected image are projected together to establish a multi-colored logo at the ground region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination module comprises a housing and a printed circuit board housed by the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the light source is disposed at the printed circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least a first light emitter and a second light emitter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein, when the first light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the first light emitter passes through the first mask, and wherein, when the second light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the second light emitter passes through the second mask. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the first light emitter comprises a first light emitting diode and wherein the second light emitter comprises a second light emitting diode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the first light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the first color, and wherein the second light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the second color. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mask has the first color and the second mask has the second color. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination module comprises a third mask, and wherein, when the light source is electrically powered, light emitted by the light source that passes through the third mask is a third color that is different from the first color and that is different from the second color. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically powered to emit light, (i) light emitted by the light source passes through the third mask to project a third projected image onto the ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted, and wherein the third projected image comprises a third portion of the logo having the third color, and wherein the first projected image, the second projected image and the third projected image are projected together to establish the multi-colored logo at the ground region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination module includes a ground illumination light source, and wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the ground illumination light source passes through a freeform optic of the illumination module to illuminate the ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically powered to emit light, the first projected image and the second projected image are projected together to establish the multi-colored logo at a logo region within the ground region that is illuminated by the ground illumination light source. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the ground illumination light source (i) passes through the freeform optic to illuminate the ground region around the logo region with a first illumination intensity and (ii) passes through the freeform optic to illuminate the logo region within the ground region with a second illumination intensity, and wherein the first illumination intensity is greater than the second illumination intensity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein the first illumination intensity is at least 4 lux and the second illumination intensity is less than 4 lux. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the ground illumination light source is electrically powered responsive to a first input, and wherein the light source is electrically powered responsive to a second input. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mask comprises a first glass mask, and wherein the second mask comprises a second glass mask. ### Claim 17 A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element; a mounting structure configured to mount the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly at a side of a vehicle; an illumination module accommodated by the mirror head, the illumination module comprising a light source; wherein the illumination module comprises a first mask, a second mask and a third mask; wherein the first mask comprises a first glass mask, and wherein the second mask comprises a second glass mask, and wherein the third mask comprises a third glass mask; wherein, when the light source is electrically powered, (i) light emitted by the light source that passes through the first mask is a first color, (ii) light emitted by the light source that passes through the second mask is a second color and (iii) light emitted by the light source that passes through the third mask is a third color; wherein the first color is different from the second color and different from the third color, and wherein the second color is different from the third color; wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically powered to emit light, (i) light emitted by the light source passes through the first mask to project a first projected image onto a ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted, (ii) light emitted by the light source passes through the second mask to project a second projected image onto the ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and (iii) light emitted by the light source passes through the third mask to project a third projected image onto the ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted; wherein the first projected image comprises a first portion of a logo having the first color, and wherein the second projected image comprises a second portion of the logo having the second color, and wherein the third projected image comprises a third portion of the logo having the third color; and wherein the first projected image, the second projected image and the third projected image are projected together to establish a multi-colored logo at the ground region. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the illumination module comprises a housing and a printed circuit board housed by the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein the light source is disposed at the printed circuit board. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the light source comprises at least a first light emitter, a second light emitter and a third light emitter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein, when the first light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the first light emitter passes through the first mask, and wherein, when the second light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the second light emitter passes through the second mask, and wherein, when the third light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the third light emitter passes through the third mask. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 21, wherein the first light emitter comprises a first light emitting diode, and wherein the second light emitter comprises a second light emitting diode, and wherein the third light emitter comprises a third light emitting diode. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 21, wherein the first light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the first color, and wherein the second light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the second color, and wherein the third light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the third color. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the first mask has the first color and the second mask has the second color and the third mask has the third color. ### Claim 25 A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element; a mounting structure configured to mount the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly at a side of a vehicle; an illumination module accommodated by the mirror head, the illumination module comprising a logo light source and a ground illumination light source; wherein the illumination module comprises a first mask and a second mask; wherein the first mask comprises a first glass mask, and wherein the second mask comprises a second glass mask; wherein, when the logo light source is electrically powered, light emitted by the logo light source that passes through the first mask is a first color and light emitted by the logo light source that passes through the second mask is a second color; wherein the first color is different from the second color; wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the ground illumination light source passes through a freeform optic of the illumination module to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the side of the vehicle at which the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted; wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle and when the logo light source is electrically powered to emit light, (i) light emitted by the logo light source passes through the first mask to project a first projected image onto a logo region within the ground region that is illuminated by the ground illumination light source when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light, and (ii) light emitted by the logo light source passes through the second mask to project a second projected image onto the logo region within the ground region that is illuminated by the ground illumination light source when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light; wherein the first projected image comprises a first portion of a logo having the first color, and wherein the second projected image comprises a second portion of the logo having the second color; and wherein the first projected image and the second projected image are projected together to establish a multi-colored logo at the logo region. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein the illumination module comprises a housing and a printed circuit board housed by the housing. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein the logo light source and the ground illumination light source are disposed at the printed circuit board. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein the logo light source comprises at least a first light emitter and a second light emitter. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 28, wherein, when the first light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the first light emitter passes through the first mask, and wherein, when the second light emitter is electrically powered, light emitted by the second light emitter passes through the second mask. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 29, wherein the first light emitter comprises a first light emitting diode and wherein the second light emitter comprises a second light emitting diode. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 29, wherein the first light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the first color, and wherein the second light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light having the second color. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein the first mask has the first color and the second mask has the second color. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the ground illumination light source is electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the ground illumination light source (i) passes through the freeform optic to illuminate the ground region around the logo region with a first illumination intensity and (ii) passes through the freeform optic to illuminate the logo region within the ground region with a second illumination intensity, and wherein the first illumination intensity is greater than the second illumination intensity. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 33, wherein the first illumination intensity is at least 4 lux and the second illumination intensity is less than 4 lux. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein the ground illumination light source is electrically powered responsive to a first input, and wherein the logo light source is electrically powered responsive to a second input.