US 8,465,163 B2Granted

Interior rearview mirror system

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsRodney K. Blank, Kenneth L. Schierbeek, Niall R. Lynam

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Abstract

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having compass circuitry having a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry. At least a portion of the compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology. The multi-axis sensor comprises at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements. The magnetoresponsive sensing elements may be disposed in the mirror casing and move in tandem with the mirror casing and the reflective element when the mirror casing is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle. Processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of the interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by the magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field. An information display may display the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.

Claims50

Dependent claims

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;
wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a three-axis sensor and associated circuitry;
wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;
wherein said three-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements disposed generally orthogonally to each other and a third magnetoresponsive sensing element disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;
wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said mirror casing and move in tandem with said mirror casing and said reflective element when said mirror casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field;
and
wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.

7 more elements

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;
wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via a pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;
wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver and (vii) a vehicle bus interface;
wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;
wherein electrical wiring for said compass circuitry passes through said pivot element of said mounting structure;
wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;
and
wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field.

7 more elements

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;
wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;
wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;
wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;
wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field;
wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a vehicle bus interface.

7 more elements

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

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;
wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry;
wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology;
wherein said multi-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements;
wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field;
wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance electro-optic reflective element;
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a vehicle bus interface;
and
wherein said associated circuitry comprises at least one of (i) an A/D converter, (ii) a D/A converter, (iii) signal processing circuitry, (iv) memory, (v) signal filtering circuitry, (vi) a display driver.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/646,959Filed 8 Oct 2012 · continuation
Priority: 6 Jun 2002
Published: US 2013/0046444 A121 Feb 2013
Granted: 18 Jun 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01C 17/28
Magnetic compasses: electromagnetic compasses
B60R 1/12
Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or…:…
G01C 17/38
Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes: testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses
B60R 2001/1215
Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks: with information displays

Family

Application60/386,373Us provisional application · filed 6 Jun 2002
Application60/398,240Us provisional application · filed 24 Jul 2002
Application60/420,010Us provisional application · filed 21 Oct 2002
Application10/456,599Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jun 2003
Application60/609,642Us provisional application · filed 14 Sep 2004
Application60/624,091Us provisional application · filed 1 Nov 2004
Application60/636,931Us provisional application · filed 17 Dec 2004
Application60/638,250Us provisional application · filed 21 Dec 2004
Application60/642,227Us provisional application · filed 7 Jan 2005
Application60/653,787Us provisional application · filed 17 Feb 2005
Application60/677,990Us provisional application · filed 5 May 2005
Application60/692,113Us provisional application · filed 20 Jun 2005
Application11/226,628Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Sep 2005
Application11/305,637Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Dec 2005
US 7,004,593 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Feb 2006
Application12/029,073Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2008
US 7,329,013 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Feb 2008
Application12/370,043Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Feb 2009
US 7,490,944 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Feb 2009
Application12/575,726Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Oct 2009
US 7,600,878 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 2009
Application12/766,160Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Apr 2010
US 7,726,822 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jun 2010
Application12/906,519Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Oct 2010
US 7,815,326 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Oct 2010
US 2013/0046444 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Feb 2013
US 8,282,226 B2Parent of this continuation
Application11/305,637Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application12/906,519Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2004/0032675 A1Published application
US 2006/0061008 A1Published application
US 2006/0132939 A1Published application
US 2008/0130149 A1Published application
US 2009/0144996 A1Published application
US 2010/0027145 A1Published application
US 2010/0202075 A1Published application
US 2011/0026152 A1Published application
US 8,465,163 B2This patent

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

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