Vehicle instrumentation/console lighting

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory, said assembly comprising:

• a mirror case including a reflective mirror element and a non-incandescent, directed, low level, light emitting source;
• said light emitting source positioned on said assembly to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle at a distance from said mirror assembly;
• said light emitting source being selected from the group consisting essentially of a light emitting diode having an electrical resistor connected in series therewith, a vacuum fluorescent source, an electroluminescent source and a semiconductor laser source, said light emitting source being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting source will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a mirror case including a reflective mirror element and a non-incandescent directed, low level, light emitting source;
• said light emitting source positioned to provide directed, low level illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle;
• said reflective mirror element being an electro-optic element including an electrochromic medium adapted to darken when an electrical voltage is applied thereacross.

An interior lamp assembly for a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory, said assembly comprising:

• a support adapted to secure said assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
• an incandescent lamp to provide general illumination within the vehicle;
• said assembly also including a non-incandescent, directed, low level, light emitting source, said light emitting source positioned to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle at a distance from said assembly and selected from the group consisting essentially of a light emitting diode having an electrical resistor connected in series with said light emitting diode, a vacuum fluorescent source, an electroluminescent source, and a semiconductor laser source, said light emitting source configured for connection to an accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting source will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on position.

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory said assembly comprising:

• a mirror case including a reflective mirror element;
• a support for securing said assembly on the vehicle;
• said assembly including a light emitting diode positioned to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of at least one of an instrument panel area of the vehicle and a console area of the vehicle, and an electrical resistor connected in series with said light emitting diode, said assembly being located at a distance from the instrument panel area or console area of the vehicle to be illuminated, said light emitting diode and resistor being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting diode will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.

An interior lamp assembly for a vehicle having an interior, an engine, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory, said assembly comprising:

• a support, said support adapted to engage a portion of the vehicle interior and including an aperture therethrough;
• said assembly including a non-incandescent, directed, low level, light emitting source including a light emitting diode and an electrical resistor connected in series with said light emitting diode, said light emitting diode mounted on said support at a distance from an interior portion of the vehicle to be illuminated and in registry with said aperture to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of the interior portion of the vehicle through said aperture, said light emitting diode and resistor being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting diode will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.