Vehicle mirror assembly communicating wirelessly with vehicle accessories and occupants

Claim 2

A vehicle mirror-based wireless communication system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element, a housing for said reflective element and a mirror-mounted communication system; and said mirror-mounted communication system including a communication data port in short-range communication with a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle, said communication system further including a communication link from the vehicle to an external provider of information or service, wherein said communication system provides connectivity between said personal accessory and said external provider of information or service.

Claim 3

The communication system of claim 1 including manually operated controls at said interior rearview mirror assembly for facilitating operation of said mirror-mounted communication system.

Claim 4

The communication system of claim 1 including a multi-text display at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 5

The communication system of claim 3 wherein said multi-text display is a multi-pixel display.

Claim 6

The communication system of claim 3 wherein said multi-text display is a reconfigurable display.

Claim 7

The communication system of claim 5 wherein said multi-text display is a scrolling display.

Claim 8

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said communication data port is in short-range communication with a personal accessory having one of a keypad, a touch pad and a stylus actuated screen thereby providing user entry of text data to said communication system.

Claim 9

The communication system of claim 1 including a global positioning system, wherein said communication system communicates vehicle location information from said global positioning system to said external provider of information or service.

Claim 10

The communication system of claim 1 including a link between said communication system and a vehicle bus system whereby said communication system provides connectivity between said personal accessory and said vehicle bus system.

Claim 11

The communication system of claim 1 including a holder for a mobile personal accessory.

Claim 12

The communication system of claim 10 wherein said holder is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 13

The communication system of claim 1 including a dock for docking said personal accessory with said communication data port.

Claim 14

The communication system of claim 12 wherein said dock is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 15

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said data port comprises a wireless communication port.

Claim 16

The communication system of claim 14 wherein said data port comprises an infrared communication port.

Claim 17

The communication system of claim 15 wherein said data port comprises an IrDA infrared data port.

Claim 18

The communication system of claim 14 wherein said data port comprises an RF communication port.

Claim 19

The communication system of claim 17 wherein said data port comprises a short-range wireless communication protocol.

Claim 20

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said data port comprises a wired communication port.

Claim 21

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said personal accessory comprises one of a hand-held telephone, a personal digital assistant, a hand-held personal identifier, and a hand-held remote entry device.

Claim 22

The communication system of claim 20 wherein said personal accessory comprises a hand-held remote entry device selected from the group consisting of an active key fob and a passive key fob.

Claim 23

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said communication link comprises a wireless link.

Claim 24

The communication system of claim 1 including a voice detection and recognition system, wherein said communication system receives data from said voice detection and recognition system.

Claim 25

A vehicle mirror-based wireless communication system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element, and a housing for said reflective element; a remote telematic server that is remote from the vehicle; a vehicular dynamic interactive communication system at said interior rearview mirror assembly, said communication system including a global positioning system for determining a geographic location of the vehicle and a first communication link with said remote telematic server, said interactive communication system further including a multi-text scrolling display; at least one service provider; and a second communication link between said at least one service provider and said telematic server, whereby said communication system communicates identification data to said remote telematic server pertaining to at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle and whereby said at least one service provider provides assistance data to the vehicle via said first and second communication links, said assistance data being customized to said at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle.

Claim 26

A vehicle mirror-based wireless communication system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element, and a housing for said reflective element; a remote telematic server that is remote from the vehicle; a vehicular dynamic interactive communication system at said interior rearview mirror assembly, said communication system including a global positioning system for determining a geographic location of the vehicle and a first communication link with said remote telematic server, said interactive communication system further including a multi-text scrolling display; at least one service provider; and a second communication link between said at least one service provider and said telematic server, whereby said communication system communicates identification data to said remote telematic server pertaining to at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle and whereby said at least one service provider provides assistance data to the vehicle via said first and second communication links, said assistance data being customized to said at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle.

Claim 27

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said first and second communication links are two-way links.

Claim 28

The communication system of claim 25 wherein said at least one service provider comprises one of a gas station, a store, a cinema, a WEB site, a toll center, a banking center, a news center, a weather center, a traffic data center, an advertisement center, and a satellite radio provider.

Claim 29

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said communication system provides communication from the vehicle to said at least one service provider in response to said assistance data.

Claim 30

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said communication system further includes a communication data port for short-range communication with a mobile device that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle.

Claim 31

The communication system of claim 28 wherein said mobile device comprises one of a hand-held telephone, a personal digital assistant, a hand-held personal identifier, and a hand-held remote entry device.

Claim 32

The communication system of claim 28 wherein said mobile device comprises a hand-held remote entry device selected from the group consisting of an active key fob and a passive key fob.

Claim 33

The communication system of claim 28 including a holder for a mobile device.

Claim 34

The communication system of claim 31 wherein said holder is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 35

The communication system of claim 28 including a dock for docking a mobile device with said communication data port.

Claim 36

The communication system of claim 33 wherein said dock is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 37

The communication system of claim 28 wherein said data port comprises a wireless communication port.

Claim 38

The communication system of claim 35 wherein said data port comprises an infrared communication port.

Claim 39

The communication system of claim 36 wherein said data port comprises an IrDA infrared data port.

Claim 40

The communication system of claim 28 wherein said data port comprises an RF communication port.

Claim 41

The communication system of claim 38 wherein said data port comprises a short-range wireless communication protocol.

Claim 42

The communication system of claim 24 including a voice detection and recognition system, wherein said communication system receives data from said voice detection and recognition system.

Claim 43

The communication system of claim 24 including manually operated controls at said interior rearview mirror assembly for facilitating operation of said mirror-mounted communication system.

Claim 44

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said display is a multi-pixel display.

Claim 45

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said display is a reconfigurable display.

Claim 46

The communication system of claim 24 wherein said communication data port provides short-range communication with a mobile device having one of a keypad, a touch pad, and a stylus actuated screen thereby providing user entry of text data to said communication system.

Claim 47

The communication system of claim 24 including a link between said communication system and a vehicle bus system whereby said communication system provides connectivity between a low-power mobile device with a vehicle bus system.

Claim 48

A vehicle mirror-based wireless communication system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element, a housing for said reflective element and a mirror-mounted communication system; said mirror-mounted communication system including a communication data port for short-range communication with a mobile device that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle; a global positioning system for determining a geographic location of the vehicle; a remote telematic server that is remote from the vehicle; said communication system comprising a first communication link with said remote telematic server, whereby said communication system provides connectivity between a low-power mobile device with said remote telematic server; at least one service provider; and a second communication link between said at least one service provider and said telematic server, whereby said communication system communicates identification data to said remote telematic server pertaining to at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle and data from a low-powered mobile device and whereby said at least one service provider provides assistance data to the vehicle via said first and second communication links, said assistance data being customized to said at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle.

Claim 49

A vehicle mirror-based wireless communication system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly including an interior mirror reflective element, a housing for said reflective element and a mirror-mounted communication system; said mirror-mounted communication system including a communication data port for short-range communication with a mobile device that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle; a global positioning system for determining a geographic location of the vehicle; a remote telematic server that is remote from the vehicle; said communication system comprising a first communication link with said remote telematic server, whereby said communication system provides connectivity between a low-power mobile device with said remote telematic server; at least one service provider; and a second communication link between said at least one service provider and said telematic server, whereby said communication system communicates identification data to said remote telematic server pertaining to at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle and data from a low-powered mobile device and whereby said at least one service provider provides assistance data to the vehicle via said first and second communication links, said assistance data being customized to said at least one of the location, identity and direction heading of the vehicle.

Claim 50

The communication system of claim 46 including manually operated controls at said interior rearview mirror assembly for facilitating operation of said mirror-mounted communication system.

Claim 51

The communication system of claim 46 including a multi-text display at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 52

The communication system of claim 48 wherein said multi-text display is a multi-pixel display.

Claim 53

The communication system of claim 48 wherein said multi-text display is a reconfigurable display.

Claim 54

The communication system of claim 50 wherein said multi-text display is a scrolling display.

Claim 55

The communication system of claim 46 wherein said communication data port provides short-range communication with a mobile device having one of a keypad, a touch pad, and a stylus actuated screen thereby providing user entry of text data to said communication system.

Claim 56

The communication system of claim 46 including a link between said communication system and a vehicle bus system whereby said communication system provides connectivity between a low-power mobile device with a vehicle bus system.

Claim 57

The communication system of claim 46 including a holder for a mobile device.

Claim 58

The communication system of claim 54 wherein said holder is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 59

The communication system of claim 46 including a dock for docking a mobile device with said communication data port.

Claim 60

The communication system of claim 56 wherein said dock is at said interior rearview mirror assembly.

Claim 61

The communication system of claim 46 wherein said data port comprises a wireless communication port.

Claim 62

The communication system of claim 58 wherein said data port comprises an infrared communication port.

Claim 63

The communication system of claim 59 wherein said data port comprises an IrDA infrared data port.

Claim 64

The communication system of claim 58 wherein said data port comprises an RF communication port.

Claim 65

The communication system of claim 61 wherein said data port comprises a short-range wireless communication protocol.

Claim 66

The communication system of claim 46 wherein said data port comprises a wired communication port.

Claim 67

The communication system of claim 46 further including a mobile device that is a personal accessory of an occupant of the vehicle, said mobile device being in communication with said communication data port.

Claim 68

The communication system of claim 64 wherein said mobile device comprises one of a hand-held telephone, a personal digital assistant, a hand-held personal identifier, and a hand-held remote entry device.

Claim 69

The communication system of claim 65 wherein said mobile device comprises a hand-held remote entry device selected from the group consisting of an active key fob and a passive key fob.

Claim 70

The communication system of claim 46 wherein said first and second communication links comprise wireless links.

Claim 71

The communication system of claim 46 including a voice detection and recognition system, wherein said communication system receives data from said voice detection and recognition system.