Patent US6396408B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6396408B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Digital electrochromic circuit with a vehicle network
Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc
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Filing: 2001-03-28
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Granted: 2002-05-28
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Expires: 2021-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror system having an electrochromic reflective element, a digital electrochromic drive circuit supplying a drive signal to the reflective element and a garage door opener. The garage door opener includes a transmitter and logic circuit. The logic circuit supplies signals to the transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals. A microcontroller is provided which defines, at least in part, the digital drive circuit and logic circuit. In this manner, the digital electrochromic mirror system and the garage door opener have at least some components in common. The microcontroller communicates over a vehicle network with at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function. The vehicle network may have at least wired interconnections and may further have wireless interconnections.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. Drummond
- 👤 Niall R. Lynam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:36
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R11/00; B60R11/04; B60R1/00; B60R1/02; B60R1/08; B60R1/083; B60R1/088; B60R1/12; B60R2001/1215
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A vehicular rearview mirror system, comprising: a digital electrochromic mirror system, including a digital drive circuit and an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal, said drive circuit providing a drive signal to said reflective element; a garage door opener, including a transmitter and a logic circuit, said logic circuit supplying signals to said transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals; a microcontroller defining, at least in part, said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit, wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system has components in common with said garage door opener; and said microcontroller communicating over a vehicle network with at least one other module performing at least one other vehicle function.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A vehicular rearview mirror system, comprising: a digital electrochromic mirror system, including a digital drive circuit and an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal, said drive circuit providing a drive signal to said reflective element; a garage door opener, including a transmitter and a logic circuit, said logic circuit supplying signals to said transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals; a microcontroller defining, at least in part, said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit, wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system has components in common with said garage door opener; and said microcontroller communicating over a vehicle network with at least one other module performing at least one other vehicle function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle network comprises a plurality of wired network interconnections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 2 wherein said wired network has a protocol selected from the group consisting of a LIN, a CAN and a LAN.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 2 wherein said vehicle network comprises at least one of a wire, a cable and a fiber-optic link.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle network comprises at least partially a wireless network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 5 wherein said wireless network comprises a short-range radio-frequency network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 6 wherein said wireless network at least partially follows a BLUETOOTH protocol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 5 wherein said wireless network comprises at least one of infrared interconnections and radio-frequency interconnections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit are at least partially on a common circuit board.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 including a battery supplying power to said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit that is separate from vehicle ignition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 10 wherein said battery is rechargeable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 11 including a solar power system for charging said battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes at least one additional mirror assembly including another electrochromic reflective element that assumes a partial reflectance level in response to another drive signal and wherein said microcomputer supplies a partial reflectance level value to said additional mirror assembly over said network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 13 wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly and said at least one additional mirror assembly comprises at least one exterior rearview mirror assembly.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said at least one additional mirror assembly comprises at least two mirror assemblies and wherein said at least two mirror assemblies comprise a driver-side exterior mirror assembly and a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes at least one of an instrument panel and a headlight control circuit and wherein ambient light level information is provided to said at least one of an instrument panel and a headlight control circuit over said network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 16 wherein said ambient light level information is developed with said digital electrochromic mirror system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes a reverse gear detection module and wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system responds to reverse gear information sent from said reverse gear detection module over said network to establish a high-reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 including a positioning system for positioning said reflective element and wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes a memory module and wherein said network supplies memory values from said memory module to operate said positioning system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 1 further including a digital sound-processing system, wherein said digital sound-processing system has components in common with said digital electrochromic mirror system and said garage door opener.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
151 words
A vehicular rearview mirror system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror system comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal, a housing for said an electrochromic reflective element, and a circuit board in said housing, a digital electrochromic drive circuit on said circuit board, said drive circuit supplying a drive signal to said reflective element; a garage door opener at least partially on said circuit board, said garage door opener including a transmitter and a logic circuit, said logic circuit supplying signals to said transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals; a microcontroller defining, at least in part, said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit, wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system has components in common with said garage door opener; and said microcontroller communicating over a vehicle network with at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
151 words
A vehicular rearview mirror system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror system comprising an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element assuming a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal, a housing for said an electrochromic reflective element, and a circuit board in said housing, a digital electrochromic drive circuit on said circuit board, said drive circuit supplying a drive signal to said reflective element; a garage door opener at least partially on said circuit board, said garage door opener including a transmitter and a logic circuit, said logic circuit supplying signals to said transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals; a microcontroller defining, at least in part, said digital drive circuit and said logic circuit, wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system has components in common with said garage door opener; and said microcontroller communicating over a vehicle network with at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle network comprises at least wired network connections.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 22 wherein said vehicle network has a protocol selected from the group consisting of a LIN, a CAN and a LAN.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 23 wherein said vehicle network comprises at least one of wire, cable and fiber-optic.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle network is at least partially a wireless network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 25 wherein said wireless network comprises a short-range network.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said wireless network has a BLUETOOTH protocol.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 25 wherein said wireless network comprises at least one of infrared and radio-frequency.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 including a battery supplying power to said digital drive circuit and said garage door opener that is separate from vehicle ignition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 29 wherein said battery is rechargeable.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 30 including a solar system for charging said battery.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
63 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes at least one additional mirror assembly including another electrochromic reflective element that assumes a partial reflectance level in response to another drive signal and wherein said microcomputer supplies a partial reflectance level value to said additional mirror assembly over said network.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 32 wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system comprises an interior rearview mirror system and said at least one additional mirror assembly comprises at least one exterior rearview mirror assembly.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
44 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 33 wherein said at least one additional mirror assembly comprises at least two mirror assemblies and wherein said at least two mirror assemblies comprise a driver side exterior mirror assembly and a passenger side exterior mirror assembly.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
59 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes at least one of an instrument panel and a headlight control circuit and wherein ambient light level information is provided to said at least one of an instrument panel and a headlight control circuit over said network.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 35 wherein said ambient light level information is developed with said digital electrochromic mirror system.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
60 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 wherein said at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function includes a reverse gear detection module and wherein said digital electrochromic mirror system responds to reverse gear information from said reverse gear detection module sent over said network to establish a high reflectance level of said electrochromic reflective element.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
50 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 including a positioning system for positioning said reflective element and wherein said at least one other module performing other vehicle functions include a memory module and wherein said network supplies memory values retrieved from said memory module to operate said positioning system.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
34 words
The vehicle rearview mirror system of claim 21 further including a digital sound-processing system, wherein said digital sound-processing system has components in common with said digital electrochromic mirror system and said garage door opener.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5661455A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-05-27 | 2005-11-26 | 2006-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-05-27 | 2009-11-26 | 2010-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-05-27 | 2013-11-26 | 2014-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |