US 6,483,438 B2Granted

Rearview mirror assembly incorporating electrical accessories

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsJonathan E. DeLine, Niall R. Lynam

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Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for use in a vehicle comprises a mirror stay assembly and an interior mirror having a mirror housing and a reflective element. The mirror stay assembly is adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle and comprises a support member for the interior mirror, and at least one electronic accessory. The at least one electronic accessory of the mirror stay assembly comprises a video device comprising an imaging sensor selected from a CMOS-based micro-chip camera array and a CCD-based micro-chip camera array. The video device is adapted to view forwardly through the vehicle windshield to sense a taillight forward of the vehicle or an oncoming headlight to cause adjustment of a headlight of the vehicle on which the video device is mounted. The interior mirror may also include at least one electronic accessory with electrical wiring for that accessory preferably passing through the mirror stay assembly.

Claims263

Dependent claims

An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mirror stay assembly, said mirror stay assembly adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle and said mirror stay assembly comprising an electronic accessory;
said mirror stay assembly comprising a support member for an interior mirror;
said interior mirror comprising a mirror housing and a reflective mirror element;
wherein said electronic accessory of said mirror stay assembly comprises a video device comprising an imaging sensor selected from the group consisting of a CMOS-based micro-chip camera array and a CCD-based micro-chip camera array, said video device adapted to view forwardly through the windshield of the vehicle when said mirror stay assembly is attached to the interior portion of the vehicle, said video device sensing at least one of a taillight forward of the vehicle and an oncoming headlight and said video device causing an adjustment of a headlight of the vehicle in response to said sensing;
said interior mirror comprising at least two electronic accessories;
and
wherein said at least two electronic accessories of said interior mirror are selected from the group consisting of an information display, a light, automatic dimming circuitry, an electrochromic mirror reflective element, an antenna, a vehicle tracking unit, a video device, rain sensor control circuitry, remote keyless entry circuitry, a microphone, a voice actuated element, a photosensor, an occupancy detector, a trip computer, a compass sensor, an intrusion detector, toll booth transaction circuitry, a printer, INTERNET interface circuitry, a loudspeaker, a phone device, a headlamp controller, a garage door opener, a pager, and a digital recorder device.

4 more elements

An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mirror stay assembly, said mirror stay assembly adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle and said mirror stay assembly comprising a n electronic accessory;
said mirror stay assembly comprising a support member for an interior mirror;
said interior mirror comprising a mirror housing and an electrochromic reflective mirror element;
said interior mirror comprising automatic dimming circuitry for varying the reflectivity of said electrochromic reflective mirror element;
wherein said electronic accessory of said mirror stay assembly comprises a video device comprising-an imaging sensor selected from the group consisting of a CMOS-based micro-chip camera array and a CCD-based micro-chip camera array, said video device adapted to view forwardly through the windshield of the vehicle when said mirror stay assembly is attached to the interior portion of the vehicle, said video device sensing at least one of a taillight forward of the vehicle and an oncoming headlight, said video device causing an adjustment of a headlight of the vehicle in response to said sensing;
said interior mirror comprising at least one electronic accessory;
wherein said at least one electronic accessory of said interior mirror comprises an information display, said information display comprising at least one of an engine coolant display, an oil pressure display, a time display, a compass direction display, a tire pressure status display, a fuel status display, a voltage display, an air bag information display, a blind spot system display, a messaging display, a phone display, a hazard warning display, a vehicle status display, a pager display, a train warning system display, and a temperature display;
and
wherein said support member of said mirror stay assembly comprises a curved body.

6 more elements

An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mirror stay assembly, said mirror stay assembly adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle and said mirror stay assembly comprising an electronic accessory;
said mirror stay assembly comprising a support member for an interior mirror;
said interior mirror comprising a mirror housing and a reflective mirror element;
wherein said electronic accessory of said mirror stay assembly comprises a video device comprising an imaging sensor selected from the group consisting of a CMOS-based micro-chip camera array and a CCD-based micro-chip camera array, said video device adapted to view forwardly through the windshield of the vehicle when said mirror stay assembly is attached to the interior portion of the vehicle, said video device sensing at least one of a taillight forward of the vehicle and an oncoming headlight, said video device causing an adjustment of a headlight of the vehicle in response to said sensing;
said interior mirror comprising at least one electronic accessory;
wherein said at least one electronic accessory of said interior mirror comprises an information display, said information display comprising at least one of an engine coolant display, an oil pressure display, a time display, a compass direction display, a tire pressure status display, a fuel status display, a voltage display, an air bag information display, a blind spot system display, a messaging display, a phone display, a hazard warning display, a vehicle status display, a pager display, a train warning system display, and a temperature display;
and
said assembly comprising electrical wiring to said at least one electronic accessory of said interior mirror, said electrical wiring passing through said mirror stay assembly.

5 more elements

An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mirror stay assembly, said mirror stay assembly adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle and said mirror stay assembly comprising an electronic accessory;
said mirror stay assembly comprising a support member for an interior mirror;
said interior mirror comprising a mirror housing and an electrochromic reflective mirror element;
said interior mirror comprising automatic dimming circuitry for varying the reflectivity of said electrochromic reflective mirror element;
wherein said electronic accessory of said mirror stay assembly comprises a video device comprising an imaging sensor selected from the group consisting of a CMOS-based micro-chip camera array and a CCD-based micro-chip camera array, said video device adapted to view forwardly through the windshield of the vehicle when said mirror stay assembly is attached to the interior portion of the vehicle, said video device sensing at least one of a taillight forward of the vehicle and an oncoming headlight, said video device causing an adjustment of a headlight of the vehicle in response to said sensing;
and
wherein said video device and said automatic dimming circuitry share common electronic components.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/993,813Filed 14 Nov 2001 · continuation
Priority: 18 Feb 1998
Published: US 2002/0075159 A120 Jun 2002
Granted: 19 Nov 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B60R 1/088
Anti-glare mirrors, e.g. "day-night" mirrors: using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or…
B60K 35/22
Using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays: display screens
B60K 35/40
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: instruments specially adapted for improving the…
B60K 35/60
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: instruments characterised by their location or relative…

Family

Application09/025,712Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Feb 1998
Application09/244,726Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Feb 1999
Application09/734,440Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Dec 2000
US 2002/0075159 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jun 2002
US 6,366,213 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,172,613 B2Parent of this continuation
Application09/244,726Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,087,953 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 2001/0003439 A1Published application
US 6,483,438 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.