Interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

• an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a variable reflectance reflective mirror element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto;
• said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver's desired setting;
• said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support;
• said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to said portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• said mirror support including said at least one pivot element;
• said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing;
• a circuit member comprising electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor;
• said circuit member disposed in said mirror housing behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves the circuit member in tandem with movement of said reflective element;
• said electrical circuitry of said circuit member comprising a compass sensor;
• said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor, and a magneto-inductive sensor;
• a directional information display located in said mirror housing;
• said directional information display displaying directional information provided by said electrical circuitry;
• and
• wherein said directional information is at least partially compensated for directional inaccuracy caused by adjustment of the orientation of said reflective element about said at least one pivot element.

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

• an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective mirror element;
• said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• said interior mirror assembly including at least one pivot element enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver's desired setting;
• said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support;
• said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to said portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• said mirror support including said at least one pivot element;
• said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing;
• a circuit member comprising electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor;
• said circuit member disposed in said mirror housing and mounted behind said reflective element such that adjustment about said at least one pivot element by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves the circuit member in tandem with movement of said reflective element;
• said electrical circuitry of said circuit member comprising a compass sensor;
• said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor, and a magneto-inductive sensor;
• a directional information display located in said mirror housing;
• said directional information display displaying directional information provided by said electrical circuitry;
• and
• wherein said directional information display displays directional information that is derived at least partially from a geographic positioning system.

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:

• an interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a variable reflectance reflective mirror element having a reflectivity which is variable in accordance with a voltage applied thereto;
• said reflective element having a field of view rearward of the vehicle when said interior mirror assembly is attached at a portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• said interior mirror assembly including two pivot elements enabling a driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element to that driver's desired setting;
• said interior mirror assembly comprising a mirror support;
• said mirror support comprising a mounting portion for attaching said assembly to said portion of the interior of the vehicle;
• wherein said mirror support includes said two pivot elements and wherein one of said two pivot elements is located at said mounting portion and the other is located a distance therefrom;
• said reflective element disposed in a mirror housing;
• a circuit member comprising electrical circuitry, said electrical circuitry comprising a microprocessor;
• said circuit member disposed in said mirror housing and mounted on the back of said reflective element such that adjustment about any one or both of said two pivot elements by the driver to set the rearward field view of said reflective element moves the circuit member in tandem with movement of said reflective element;
• said electrical circuitry of said circuit member comprising a compass sensor;
• said compass sensor comprising a magneto-responsive sensor selected from the group consisting of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall affect sensor, and a magneto-inductive sensor;
• a directional information display;
• said directional information display displaying directional information provided by said electrical circuitry;
• and
• wherein said directional information is at least partially compensated for directional inaccuracy caused by adjustment of the orientation of said reflective element about any one or both of said two pivot elements.