US 8,095,310 B2 · Video mirror system for a vehicle · patentgrep

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Abstract

A vehicular video mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly that includes a reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector that is at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at the rear of the reflective element. A video display is disposed to the rear of the reflective element and emits light when actuated that passes through the transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing the front of the reflective element. The video display is back lit by at least one light source and is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when the interior rearview mirror assembly equipped the reflective element is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle.

Claims63

Dependent claims

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector, said reflective element being at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at said rear portion of said reflective element;
a video display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said video display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
wherein said video display is back lit by at least one of (i) a cold cathode vacuum fluorescent light source and (ii) at least one light emitting diode;
and
wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle.

3 more elements

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
a video display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
said mirror assembly comprising a user input, said user input comprising at least one of (a) a user-actuatable button, (b) at least one microphone and (c) a touch-sensitive element;
wherein said display comprises a video display and wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle;
wherein said video display comprises at least one of (i) a back lit liquid crystal display element, (ii) a back lit thin film transistor liquid crystal display element, (iii) a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes, (iv) a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by at least one white light emitting light emitting diode, (v) a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by at least two white light emitting light emitting diodes, and (vi) a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by at least four white light emitting light emitting diodes;
and
wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector, said reflective element being at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at said rear portion of said reflective element when said electrochromic reflective element is in a bleached state.

4 more elements

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
said reflective element comprising a transflective mirror reflector;
a display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
wherein said display comprises a video display and wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle;
and
wherein said video display comprises at least one of (i) a back lit liquid crystal display element, (ii) a back lit thin film transistor liquid crystal display element, (iii) a multi-pixel display element and (iv) a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes.

3 more elements

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
wherein said reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector, said reflective element being at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at said rear portion of said reflective element;
a video display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said video display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
said video display displaying video images captured by a rear back-up camera when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle and when the driver of the vehicle, when operating the vehicle, selects a reverse gear;
and
wherein said video display comprises a liquid crystal display element back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes, and wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle.

3 more elements

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
said reflective element comprising a transflective mirror reflector;
a display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
wherein said display comprises a video display and wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle, and wherein said video display comprises a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes;
wherein said video display displays video images captured by a video camera of the vehicle in which said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed;
wherein said video camera comprises a rear back-up camera;
and
wherein video images captured by said rear back-up camera are displayed by said video display when the driver of the vehicle, when operating the vehicle, selects a reverse gear.

5 more elements

A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising:

an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, and having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion;
said reflective element comprising a transflective mirror reflector;
a display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element;
wherein said video display comprises a back lit liquid crystal display that is back lit by at least four white light emitting light emitting diodes, and wherein said back lit liquid crystal display comprises a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element;
wherein said display comprises a video display and wherein said video display is operable to exhibit a display intensity as viewed by the driver of at least about 400 candelas per square meter when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed in the vehicle;
wherein said video display displays video images captured by a video camera of the vehicle in which said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and is viewed;
wherein said video camera comprises a rear back-up camera;
wherein video images captured by said rear back-up camera are displayed by said video display when the driver of the vehicle, when operating the vehicle, selects a reverse gear;
wherein said electrochromic reflective element is at least about 20 percent transmitting to visible light incident at said rear portion of said electrochromic reflective element when in its bleached state;
and
wherein said electrochromic reflective element is at least about 60 percent reflective to visible light incident at said front portion of said electrochromic reflective element when in its bleached state.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/061,109Filed 2 Apr 2008 · continuation
Priority: 2 Mar 2000
Published: US 2008/0180529 A131 Jul 2008
Granted: 10 Jan 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification41 codes

B60R 1/28
For viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle: with an adjustable field of view
B60C 23/0408
Mounted on the wheel or tyre: transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
B60N 2/976
Details or parts not otherwise provided for: massaging systems
B60Q 1/2665
Mounted on parts having other functions: on rear-view mirrors

Family

Application60/186,520Us provisional application · filed 2 Mar 2000
Application60/187,960Us provisional application · filed 9 Mar 2000
Application60/218,336Us provisional application · filed 14 Jul 2000
Application60/234,412Us provisional application · filed 21 Sep 2000
Application60/237,077Us provisional application · filed 30 Sep 2000
Application60/238,483Us provisional application · filed 6 Oct 2000
Application60/243,986Us provisional application · filed 27 Oct 2000
Application60/263,680Us provisional application · filed 23 Jan 2001
Application09/793,002Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Feb 2001
Application09/793,002Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Feb 2001
Application60/271,466Us provisional application · filed 26 Feb 2001
Application09/799,414Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Mar 2001
Application60/315,384Us provisional application · filed 28 Aug 2001
Application60/346,733Us provisional application · filed 7 Jan 2002
Application10/054,633Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Jan 2002
Application60/404,906Us provisional application · filed 21 Aug 2002
Application60/405,392Us provisional application · filed 23 Aug 2002
Application60/406,166Us provisional application · filed 27 Aug 2002
Application10/287,178Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 2002
Application10/456,599Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jun 2003
Application10/645,762Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Aug 2003
Application10/755,915Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Jan 2004
Application11/624,356Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Jan 2007
US 2008/0180529 A1Pre-grant publication · published 31 Jul 2008
US 7,474,963 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,167,796 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,004,593 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/645,762Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,678,614 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,477,464 B2Parent of this continuation
Application10/287,178Parent of this continuation
US 7,446,650 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application11/624,356Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,690,268 B2Parent of this continuation
Application10/755,915Parent of this continuation
US 7,195,381 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,690,268 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2001/0039475 A1Published application
US 2002/0003571 A1Published application
US 2002/0159270 A1Published application
US 2003/0065444 A1Published application
US 2004/0032675 A1Published application
US 2004/0128065 A1Published application
US 2004/0145457 A1Published application
US 2007/0118287 A1Published application
US 8,095,310 B2This patent

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

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Citations

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