US 6,222,460 B1Granted

Interior rearview mirror system incorporating a supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsJonathan E. DeLine, Niall R. Lynam

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Abstract

An interior rearview mirror system for use in a vehicle includes an information display providing the status of a supplemental inflatable restraint system (SIRS) to the driver or a passenger in the vehicle. The SIRS status information display includes a light-emitting display element responsive to the SIRS to indicate enablement of the SIRS, and preferably to an automatic occupant sensor included in the SIRS. Preferably, the display includes indicia, such as air bag active or air bag inactive indicia, and at least one light source for backlighting the indicia. A photo sensor may be included to vary the brightness of the display in relation to the ambient light level adjacent the assembly, or to control the variable reflectance of a reflective, electro-optic mirror element in the assembly or to control a twilight headlight sentinel of the vehicle. A second information display may be included in the assembly to display other information related to the vehicle or vehicle accessories.

Claims323

Dependent claims

An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle equipped with a supplemental inflatable restraint system, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly, said assembly comprising a reflective mirror element housed in a mirror housing, said housing connecting to a mirror support by a pivot member, said mirror support including a mount for attaching said assembly to a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
said interior rearview mirror assembly further including a first information display and a second information display, said first information display included in said assembly at a first location and said second information display included in said assembly at a second location, said first location being separate and spaced from said second location;
said first information display comprising an information display selected from the group comprising a rain sensor operation display, a telephone information display, a highway status information display, a blind spot indicator display, a hazard warning display, a vehicle status display, a page message display, a speedometer display, a tachometer display, an audio system display, a fuel gauge display, a heater control display, an air conditioning system display, a status of inflation of tires display, an e-mail message display, a compass display, an engine coolant temperature display, an oil pressure display, a cellular phone operation display, a global positioning system display, a weather information display, a temperature display, a traffic information display, a telephone number display, a fuel status display, a battery condition display, a time display, a train approach warning display and a toll booth transaction display;
said second information display comprising a supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display comprising a light-emitting display element that is responsive to a supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display providing an indicator of the enablement of the supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said indicator provided to at least one of an operator and a passenger of the vehicle;
said light-emitting display element including indicia and at least one light source positioned for backlighting said indicia of said display element;
electrical circuitry for electrically powering said at least one light source of said light-emitting display element;
said indicia of said display element formed by establishing at least one of differentially light transmitting regions and differentially spectrally absorbing regions of said display element;
and
said indicia of said display element of said second information display comprising at least one of a word, a numeral, a symbol, a tell tale and an icon.

6 more elements

An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle equipped with a supplemental inflatable restraint system, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly, said assembly comprising a reflective mirror element housed in a mirror housing, said housing connecting to a mirror support by a pivot member, said mirror support including a mount for attaching said assembly to a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
said interior rearview mirror assembly including a supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display comprising a light-emitting display element that is responsive to a supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display providing an indicator of the enablement of said supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said indicator provided to at least one of an operator and a passenger of the vehicle;
said light-emitting display element including indicia and at least one light source positioned for backlighting said indicia of said display element;
electrical circuitry for electrically powering said at least one light source of said light-emitting display element;
said indicia of said display element formed by establishing at least one of differentially light transmitting regions and differentially spectrally absorbing regions of said display element;
said indicia of said display element of said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display comprising at least one of a word, a numeral, a symbol, a tell tale and an icon;
and
wherein said electrical circuitry includes a photo sensor, said photo sensor responsive to the ambient light level adjacent said interior rearview mirror assembly, said electrical circuitry controlling the brightness of the light emitted by said at least one light source of said display element in relation to the ambient light level adjacent said interior rearview mirror assembly.

5 more elements

An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle equipped with a supplemental inflatable restraint system, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly, said assembly comprising a reflective mirror element housed in a mirror housing, said housing connecting to a mirror support by a pivot member, said mirror support including a mount for attaching said assembly to a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
said interior rearview mirror assembly including a supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display comprising a light emitting display element that is responsive to the supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display providing an indicator of the enablement of the supplemental occupant restraint system of the vehicle, said indicator provided to at least one of an operator and a passenger of the vehicle;
said light-emitting display element including indicia and at least one light source positioned for backlighting said indicia of said display element;
electrical circuitry for electrically powering said at least one light source of said light-emitting display element;
said indicia of said light-emitting display element formed by establishing at least one of differentially light transmitting regions and differentially spectrally absorbing regions of said display element;
said indicia of said light-emitting display element of said supplemental inflatable restraint system status information display comprising at least one of a word, a numeral, a symbol, a tell tale and an icon;
and
wherein the supplemental inflatable restraint system of the vehicle comprises an automatic occupant sensor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/609,100Filed 30 Jun 2000 · continuation
Priority: 18 Feb 1998
Granted: 24 Apr 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B60R 1/04
Rear-view mirror arrangements: mounted inside vehicle
B60K 35/10
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle,…
B60K 35/22
Using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays: display screens
B60K 35/26
Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor: using acoustic output