Electrochromic rearview mirror assembly incorporating a display/signal light

A display device for a vehicle comprising:

• a light sensor for sensing ambient light levels;
• a display for displaying information to an occupant of the vehicle;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to said display and said light sensor, said control circuit determines whether daytime or nighttime conditions are present as a function of the ambient light level sensed by said light sensor, and, during daytime conditions, said control circuit varies the brightness level of said display within a first range of brightness levels, and, during nighttime conditions, said control circuit varies the brightness level of said display within a second range of brightness levels, which is different from the first range of brightness levels.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing;
• a mirror supported by said housing;
• a first sensor supported by said housing for sensing levels of light;
• and
• a control circuit supported by said housing and coupled to said first sensor and coupled to a display device remote from the rearview mirror assembly, said control circuit determines whether daytime or nighttime conditions are present, and, during daytime conditions, said control circuit responds to light levels sensed by first sensor to generate a variable display brightness control signal and transmits the display brightness control signal to the remote display device to which the remote display device responds by varying its brightness level.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;
• front and rear elements mounted in said housing, said elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode disposed on said front surface of said rear element;
• a light emitting display assembly mounted in said housing, said display assembly having a cover having a rear surface and a front surface that is mounted adjacent said rear surface of said rear element;
• and
• an anti-reflective structure applied to a surface of said display assembly,
• wherein either said second electrode is a reflective electrode or a separate reflector is disposed over substantially all of said rear surface of said rear element, said reflective electrode/reflector being partially transmissive and partially reflective in at least a location in front of said display assembly.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;
• front and rear elements mounted in said housing, said elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode disposed on said front surface of said rear element;
• and
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements,
• wherein one of said front and rear elements is an organic light emitting diode display, and
• wherein either said second electrode is a reflective electrode or a separate reflector is disposed over substantially all of said rear surface of said rear element.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• front and rear elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements and having a variable transmissivity;
• a reflector carried on a surface of said rear element, wherein said second electrode is integrated with said reflector when said reflector is carried on the front surface of said rear element, at least a portion of said reflector is partially transmissive and partially reflective;
• and
• a light emitting display assembly mounted in said housing, said display assembly is mounted adjacent said rear surface of said rear element,
• wherein a region of said reflector in front of said display assembly exhibits a reflective gradient whereby the reflectivity of the reflector gradually decreases throughout at least a portion of the region in front of said display assembly.

An electrochromic display device comprising:

• front and rear elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements and having a variable transmissivity;
• and
• a reflector carried on a surface of said rear element, wherein said second electrode is integrated with said reflector when said reflector is carried on the front surface of said rear element, at least a portion of said reflector is partially transmissive and partially reflective,
• wherein said reflector is a diffuse reflector for diffusing and reflecting light incident thereon, and wherein one of said first and second electrodes is patterned to provide a plurality of separately addressable display elements.

An electrochromic mirror for use in a rearview mirror assembly having a light source positioned behind the electrochromic mirror for selectively projecting light therethrough, said electrochromic mirror comprising:

• front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
• an electrochromic medium contained between said elements;
• and
• a second electrode overlying said front surface of said rear element, said second electrode including a first reflective coating and a second coating of transparent electrically conductive material, wherein said second electrode includes a region in front of the light source that is at least partially transmissive.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;
• front and rear elements mounted in said housing, said elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode disposed on said front surface of said rear element;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements;
• and
• a computer video monitor disposed over a surface of one of said front and rear elements and coupled to a personal computer for displaying information provided from the personal computer,
• wherein either said second electrode is a reflective electrode or a separate reflector is disposed over substantially all of said rear surface of said rear element.

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;
• front and rear elements mounted in said housing, said elements each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode disposed on said front surface of said rear element;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements;
• and
• an electroluminescent display disposed over a surface of one of said front and rear elements,
• wherein either said second electrode is a reflective electrode or a separate reflector is disposed over substantially all of said rear surface of said rear element, and
• wherein said electroluminescent display is disposed in front of said reflector or said reflective electrode.

An electrochromic mirror comprising:

• front and rear elements each having front and rear surfaces, wherein at least one of said front and rear elements has a thickness ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.8 mm;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• a second electrode carried on a surface of one of said elements;
• an electrochromic material contained between said elements and having a variable transmissivity;
• and
• a reflector carried on a surface of said rear element, wherein said second electrode is integrated with said reflector when said reflector is carried on the front surface of said rear element, at least a portion of said reflector is partially transmissive and partially reflective.

An electrochromic mirror comprising:

• front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces;
• a transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
• an electrochromic medium contained between said elements;
• and
• a second electrode overlying said front surface of said rear element, said second electrode includes a layer of white gold.