Vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly with user inputs and display elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020285331-A1
Application number	US-202015929798-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	Jan 9, 2004
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head having a mirror casing and a transflective reflective element. Individual user input elements of a plurality of user input elements are arranged in a row below the transflective reflective element. At least one of the individual user input elements is a user input element for an imaging system of the vehicle. Each individual display element of a plurality of display elements is associated with a respective user input element of the plurality of user input elements. Each individual display element of the plurality of display elements is selectively activated by activation of its respective user input element. Each individual display element and its respective user input element are located local to one another such that a cognitive relationship between actuation by a user of the respective user input element and activation of the associated individual display element is established.

First claim

1 . A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror head comprising a mirror casing and a transflective reflective element, wherein the transflective reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector at a surface thereof; wherein the mirror head is adjustably mounted at a mounting structure configured for mounting at an in-cabin portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly; a plurality of user input elements at the mirror head; wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the in-cabin portion of the vehicle, individual user input elements of the plurality of user input elements are arranged in a row below the transflective reflective element; wherein each of the individual user input elements comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a touch sensor and (ii) a proximity sensor; wherein at least one of the individual user input elements comprises a user input element for an imaging system of the vehicle; a plurality of display elements; wherein each individual display element of the plurality of display elements is associated with a respective user input element of the plurality of user input elements; wherein each individual display element of the plurality of display elements is selectively activated by activation of its respective user input element; and wherein each individual display element and its respective user input element are located local to one another such that a cognitive relationship between actuation by a user of the respective user input element and activation of the associated individual display element is established.

2 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a video display system that displays video images derived from image data captured by at least one camera of the vehicle.

3 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one camera of the vehicle comprises at least one rearward viewing camera of the vehicle.

4 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one camera of the vehicle comprises a plurality of rearward viewing cameras of the vehicle.

5 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 4 , wherein at least some of the rearward viewing cameras comprise mirror-mounted cameras.

6 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the in-cabin portion of the vehicle, the individual display elements of the plurality of display elements are arranged above respective ones of the individual user input elements.

7 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display elements is disposed behind the transflective mirror reflector of the transflective reflective element, and wherein each of the plurality of display elements, when activated, displays through the transflective mirror reflector of the transflective reflective element.

8 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein circuitry is disposed in the mirror casing, and wherein at least one user input element, when actuated, provides a user input to at least one element of the circuitry, and wherein the circuitry is associated with a display device disposed behind the transflective mirror reflector of the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly and, when the mounting structure is mounted at the in-cabin portion of the vehicle and when the display device is operated to display information, the displayed information is viewable through the transflective mirror reflector to a driver of the vehicle, and wherein the display device comprises a video display screen.

9 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the individual user input elements are illuminated by backlighting.

10 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the individual user input elements are backlit by a respective light emitting diode.

11 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the individual user input elements comprise touch sensors selected from the group consisting of (i) capacitive touch sensors, (ii) resistive touch sensors and (iii) inductive touch sensors.

12 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the individual user input elements comprise transparent conductive elements.

13 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the individual user input elements comprise a color, a shape and a texture to enhance a user's awareness of presence or function of the individual user input elements.

14 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 13 , wherein the at least some of the individual user input elements are backlit by a respective light emitting diode.

15 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the individual user input elements comprise an enhancement to enhance a user's awareness of presence or function of the individual user input elements, and wherein the enhancement comprises at least one of (i) a backlit etched character formed in a reflective layer of the transflective mirror reflector, (ii) a backlit etched icon formed in a reflective layer of the transflective mirror reflector, (iii) a backlit etched logo formed in a reflective layer of the transflective mirror reflector and (iv) a backlit etched letter formed in a reflective layer of the transflective mirror reflector.

16 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein circuitry is disposed in the mirror casing, and wherein the circuitry comprises, at least in part, a part of a humidity control system of the vehicle, and wherein a sensor is operable to sense a condition at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the vehicle, and wherein, responsive to the sensing by the sensor, an HVAC system of the vehicle is activated.

17 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , comprising at least one accessory comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a microphone, (ii) a light and (iii) an antenna, and wherein at least one of the at least one accessory is integrally molded at a portion of the mirror casing.

18 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein the mirror casing comprises a bezel formed of a molded plastic material in a molding operation, and wherein the user input elements are arranged along a portion of the bezel, and wherein the user input elements are integrally formed at the portion of the bezel during the molding operation that forms the bezel, the user input elements each comprising a molded plastic body portion and a molded plastic flexible portion, the molded plastic material flexible portion connecting the molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of the bezel so that the body portion is movable relative to the remainder of the bezel via flexing of the flexible portion when the user input element is actuated by a user pressing the body portion, and wherein circuitry is disposed within the casing and has electrical actuation switches located proximate to and rearward of the body portions of the user input elements.

19 . The vehicular interior rearview mirror system of claim 18 , wherein the transflective reflective element comprises a front transparent substrate and a rear transparent substrate, and wherein

Assignees

• Donnelly Corp

Inventors

• Lindahl John O
• Whitehead Peter J
• Lynam Niall R
• Uken John T
• Karner Lee
• Hook Richard R

Classifications

• B60R1/12 Primary

  Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks · CPC title

• B60R1/08 Primary

  involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots {, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors (B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• B60R2001/1215

  with information displays · CPC title

• B60R2300/205

  using a head-up display · CPC title