Hybrid interior mirror with error recognition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12134352-B2
Application number	US-202117491728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2021
Priority date	Oct 26, 2018
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

An interior rear view mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror housing rotatably attached to a housing holder which is adapted to be attached to an interior of the vehicle, the mirror housing including a first rear view side to which a reflective mirror element is attached, and a second rear view side to which a display device with a display screen is attached to, where a camera is connected to the display device establishing a display system to provide an image to the display screen; and an actuator unit configured to automatically rotate the mirror housing to the first or second rear view side. A vehicle and a method may be used to operate the interior rear view mirror assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rear view mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a mirror housing attached to a housing holder which is adapted to be attached to the vehicle, the mirror housing comprising
at least one reflective mirror element; and
at least one display screen of a display system, wherein at least one camera is comprised of the display system to provide an image to the display screen; and

a switching unit configured to automatically switch between a first rear view presented to a driver of the vehicle on the display screen to a second rear view presented to the driver of the vehicle on the reflective mirror element,
wherein the switching unit is adapted to switch from the first to the second rear view to be visible to the driver in response to an error signal of a malfunction of the display system being detected,
wherein the display system further comprises a function controller adapted to prove a correct function of the display system to ensure that rear traffic is displayed correctly on the display screen and to send-out the error signal in case of the detected malfunction,
wherein the mirror housing comprises an indication area illuminated by a lighting unit to indicate a manual mode, a switching unit mode, or a blocked mode for switching from the second rear view to the first rear view via different colors so that the indication area indicates to the driver which mode can be used to switch between the second and first rear views, and
wherein the reflective mirror element is disposed behind the display screen, on the same side of the mirror housing, such that when the display screen is switched off the reflective element is visible through the display screen.

2. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear view mirror assembly is an exterior rear view assembly.

3. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a second reflective mirror element arranged on a side of the housing opposite the display screen.

4. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 3 , further comprising an actuator unit that is configured to rotate the mirror housing such that either the display screen or the second reflective mirror element is facing a driver.

5. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 4 , wherein the actuator automatically rotates the housing in response to an error signal indicating detection of a malfunction in the display system.

6. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the mirror housing in a time range under one second after the malfunction is detected.

7. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 4 , wherein the indication area also indicates an actuator driven mode, via a different color from a color of the manual mode, switching unit more or blocked mode.

8. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear view mirror assembly is an interior rear view assembly.

9. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 8 , wherein first and second rear view sides are arranged opposite to each other to provide a view of traffic either via the reflective mirror element or via the display screen, with a first rear view side of the housing supporting the reflective mirror element and a second rear side of the housing supporting the display screen.

10. The rear view assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an actuator unit which is adapted to automatically rotate the mirror housing from the second rear view side to the first rear view side in response to an error signal of a malfunction of the display screen being detected.

11. The rear view assembly of claim 10 , wherein the indication area illuminated by the lighting unit also indicates an actuator driven mode, via a different color so that the indication area indicates to the driver which mode can be used to switch and/or rotate between the second and first rear view.

12. The rear view assembly of claim 10 , wherein the actuator unit is adapted to execute the rotation from the second rear view side to the first rear view side in a time range below one second after the malfunction is detected.

13. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 10 , wherein the function controller is adapted to disable the rotation of the mirror housing after having executed the rotation to the first rear view side as long as the malfunction is present.

14. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mirror housing further comprises a latching mechanism to latch a selected rear view side in a correct position.

15. The interior rear view mirror assembly of claim 8 , the housing holder is adapted to enable a rotation of the housing holder relative to the interior of the vehicle either manually or automatically via a corresponding holder actuator.

16. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the switching unit is adapted to execute the switching from the second rear view to the first rear view in a time range below one second after the malfunction is detected.

17. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the function controller is adapted to prove the correct function of the display system periodically or continuously.

18. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the function controller is adapted to check whether recording of rear traffic is prevented or hampered by a contamination of the camera exceeding a predetermined threshold.

19. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the function controller is adapted to check whether electrical errors within the display system comprising at least one or more errors of the group of so-called ghost-scenarios, flickering, presence of a frozen image, image distortion, image pixel failures, provided power is weak or unsecure, exceeds a predetermined threshold.

20. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the function controller is adapted to disable the switching after having executed the switching to the first rear view as long as the malfunction is present.

21. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the indication area is shaped as a frame arranged at least partly around at least one of the display screen or the reflective mirror element.

22. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear view mirror assembly further comprises at least one signal unit to send-out warning signals or traffic relevant hints.

23. The rear view mirror assembly of claim 22 , wherein the signal unit is adapted to indicate at least one of a blind spot warning, temperature, battery status, traffic jam warning, navigation information, multimedia displays, fatigue detection, inspection instructions, weather information, absent calls, incoming calls, calendar appointments, social media information, or autonomous driving instructions.

24. A vehicle comprising the rear view mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear view mirror assembly is attached to the vehicle at a position providing a view of a rear traffic to a driver.

Assignees

• Motherson Innovations Co Ltd

Inventors

• Slama Alexander
• Rötzer Ilka

Classifications

• B60R2001/1215

  with information displays · CPC title

• B60R2300/8026

  in addition to a rear-view mirror system · CPC title

• B60R2011/0085

  with adjustment by rotation in their operational position · CPC title

• B60R2011/0033

  Rear-view mirrors · CPC title

• B60R2001/1253

  with cameras, video cameras or video screens · CPC title