Full display mirror assembly with through bezel infrared illumination
AssigneeGentex Corporation
InventorsDanny L. Minikey, Jr., Steven J. Veenman, Eric S. Sloterbeek, Nigel T. Lock, Michael G. Hendricks, Eric S. Lundy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A full display mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a housing and a partially reflective, partially transmissive element is located in the housing. A bezel assembly includes at least one localized region that is substantially opaque to a visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to an infrared spectrum of light. At least one illumination element is located in the housing and oriented to project infrared illumination through the at least one localized region.
Claims17
A mirror assembly for a vehicle, the mirror assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a bezel assembly formed of a first material that is substantially opaque to a visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to an infrared spectrum of light and including at least one localized region formed of a second material that includes, at least in part, a combination of the first material mixed with a dye that is substantially opaque to the visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to the infrared spectrum of light;
- a plurality of button regions, each button region comprising:
- an illumination element located in the housing and oriented to project infrared illumination through the at least one localized region;
- and
- at least one sensor located proximate each illumination element and each sensor is configured to detect increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light;
- and
- a control system configured to obtain the detected increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light from the at least one sensor and generate a user input associated with the button region with the at least one sensor.
A mirror assembly for a vehicle, the mirror assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a bezel assembly formed of a first material that is substantially opaque to a visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to an infrared spectrum of light and including at least one localized region formed of a second material that includes, at least in part, a combination of the first material mixed with a dye that is substantially opaque to the visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to the infrared spectrum of light, wherein a front surface of the at least one localized region is optically polished;
- an illumination element located in the housing and oriented to project infrared illumination through the at least one localized region;
- a button region located proximate the illumination element, the button region comprising at least one sensor configured to detect increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light;
- and
- a control system configured to obtain the detected increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light from the at least one sensor and generate a user input associated with the button region with the at least one sensor.
A mirror assembly for a vehicle, the mirror assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a bezel assembly formed of a first material that is substantially opaque to a visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to an infrared spectrum of light and including at least one localized region formed of a second material that includes, at least in part, a combination of the first material mixed with a dye that is substantially opaque to the visible spectrum of light and substantially transmissive to the infrared spectrum of light;
- an illumination element located in the housing and oriented to project infrared illumination through the at least one localized region;
- a button region located proximate the illumination element, the button region comprising two sensors located on opposite sides of the illumination element and configured to detect increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light;
- and
- a control system configured to obtain the detected increases in the presence of the infrared spectrum of light from the two sensor and generate a user input associated with the button region with the at least one sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.