Electro-optic rearview mirror system
AssigneeDonnelly Corporation
InventorsSean J. Fletcher, Patrick J. Lawlor, Kenneth Schofield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-optic rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior mirror housing (10) containing an interior electro-optic mirror unit (18). At least one light sensor, and preferably a pair of light sensors (24, 26), is provided for sensing the ambient light level outside the vehicle. Control circuitry, which may be mounted on a PCB (36), is responsive to an output (34) from the at least one light sensor (24, 26) to establish a drive voltage for the electro-optic mirror unit (18). The PCB 36 is located outside the mirror housing (10) and mounted at the interior ceiling of the vehicle overhead and centrally between the driver and the front passenger, such as in a header (16) on the interior ceiling of the vehicle,
Claims105
An electro-optic interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, comprising:
- an interior mirror housing containing an interior electro-optic mirror unit, at least one light sensor at said interior mirror housing for sensing the ambient light level outside the vehicle, and control circuitry responsive to an output from said at least one light sensor to establish a drive voltage for the electro-optic mirror unit, said control circuitry being located outside said interior mirror housing and mounted at the interior ceiling of the vehicle overhead and centrally between the driver and the front passenger seats, wherein said control circuitry is positioned at a location with other control functions of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.