Reflection controllable view mirror device for motor vehicle or the like

Claim 2

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device having an electro-optical means, the transmittance of which varies in accordance with voltage applied thereto to change a quantity of light passing therethrough, and a mirror means mounted on the electro-optical means for reflecting said light, comprising: (A) a photo-sensitive means for simultaneously receiving both light passing through the electro-optical means and light, the quantity of which is not varied by the electro-optical means, said photo-sensitive means producing electric signals, the magnitude of which signals correspond with the summation of the light passing through the electro-optical means and the light, the quantity of which is not varied by the electro-optical means, and (B) a control circuit for controlling voltage applied to the electro-optical means so that the magnitude of the electric signals produced by the photo-sensitive means may become equal to a predetermined value.

Claim 3

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the photo-sensitive means comprises a first photo-sensor for receiving the light passing through the electro-optical means and a second photo-sensor for receiving the light, the quantity of which is not varied by the electro optical means.

Claim 4

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the output of the photo-sensitive means is gained as the summation of the output produced by the first and second photo-sensors.

Claim 5

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said photo-sensitive means comprises an optical fiber for guiding to a photo-sensor the light, the quantity of which is not varied by the electro-optical means.

Claim 6

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device comprising (A) an electro-optical means the optical transmittance of which varies in accordance with voltage applied thereto; (B) a mirror means mounted on the electro-optical means for reflecting light passing therethrough and a photo-sensing portion provided adjacent to the mirror means for allowing light to pass therethrough; (C) a photo-sensitive means for receiving light passing through the photo-sensing portion; (D) a calculator circuit for modifying a differential to become a desired value, said differential being produced as a result of varying the output voltage of the photo-sensitive means by alternately applying a reference voltage and a tentatively-set voltage to the photo-sensing portion; (E) a means for setting the quantity of light passing through the electro-optical means; (F) a circuit means including a differential amplifier for comparing the reference voltage (V 17 ) produced by the means for setting with an output voltage (V 40 ) from the calculator circuit to vary the voltage applied to the electro-optical means so that the quantity of light may become equal to the predetermined value of the voltage (V 17 ); and (G) a corrector means for converting the quantity of light falling onto the outer surface of the electro-optical means into electric signals to control the predetermined value of the voltage (V 17 ) in accordance with said electric signals so that the transmittance of the electro-optical means may decrease with the increase of the quantity of light falling onto the outer surface of the electro-optical means.

Claim 7

A reflection controllable rear view mirror device comprising (A) an electro-optical means the optical transmittance of which varies in accordance with voltage applied thereto; (B) a mirror means mounted on the electro-optical means for reflecting light passing therethrough and a photo-sensing portion provided adjacent to the mirror means for allowing light to pass therethrough; (C) a photo-sensitive means for receiving light passing through the photo-sensing portion; (D) a calculator circuit for modifying a differential to become a desired value, said differential being produced as a result of varying the output voltage of the photo-sensitive means by alternately applying a reference voltage and a tentatively-set voltage to the photo-sensing portion; (E) a means for setting the quantity of light passing through the electro-optical means; (F) a circuit means including a differential amplifier for comparing the reference voltage (V 17 ) produced by the means for setting with an output voltage (V 40 ) from the calculator circuit to vary the voltage applied to the electro-optical means so that the quantity of light may become equal to the predetermined value of the voltage (V 17 ); and (G) a corrector means for converting the quantity of light falling onto the outer surface of the electro-optical means into electric signals to control the predetermined value of the voltage (V 17 ) in accordance with said electric signals so that the transmittance of the electro-optical means may decrease with the increase of the quantity of light falling onto the outer surface of the electro-optical means.