Patents Assigned to Donnelly Corporation
  • Patent number: 11833965
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element assembly. The mirror reflective element assembly includes a main reflective element backing plate and a main reflective element. The main reflective element includes a glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated at a surface thereof. The mirror reflector-coated glass substrate of the main reflective element is attached at the main reflective element backing plate. The mirror reflective element assembly includes an auxiliary reflective element backing plate and an auxiliary wide angle reflective element. The auxiliary wide angle reflective element is positioned on the auxiliary reflective element backing plate. The auxiliary reflective element backing plate is attached to the main reflective element backing plate via an attachment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11628773
    Abstract: A method for forming a reflective element for a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes providing a roll of an ultrathin glass sheet, the ultrathin glass sheet having a thickness dimension of less than or equal to 0.8 mm and greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. An elongated sheet of transparent plastic material if formed. The elongated sheet has a planar first side and a planar second side opposite the planar first side and separated from the planar first side by a thickness of the elongated sheet. The ultrathin glass sheet is unrolled from the roll of the ultrathin glass sheet and the unrolled ultrathin glass sheet is applied to the first side of the elongated sheet. A reflective layer is applied to the second side of the elongated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11242009
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly having a skull-cap mirror shell that includes an inboard wall that faces generally toward an exterior driver-side of the equipped vehicle and that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at an aperture established at the inboard wall of the skull-cap mirror shell and provides a viewing area of at least two square centimeters. An illumination source of the blind spot indicator is activated responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of a rearward approaching or overtaking equipped vehicle. Illumination of the blind spot indicator by activation of the illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and is generally not viewable by a driver of a vehicle forward of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11130442
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a handle portion movable to open a vehicle door and an illumination module having an illumination source and a light guide that extends at least partially along the length of the handle portion. When the exterior door handle assembly is normally mounted at the door handle region of the vehicle door and when the illumination source is powered, the light guide is illuminated and the illumination is viewable by a person viewing the handle portion from outside the vehicle. The exterior door handle assembly may include an emblem or icon that is back lit by light emitted by a back-lighting illumination source of the exterior door handle assembly. The emblem or icon is visible to the person viewing from outside the vehicle when back lit by light emitted by the back-lighting illumination source but is covert when not back lit by such emitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Dingman, Brett A. Gorby, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 11072286
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John O. Lindahl, Peter J. Whitehead, Niall R. Lynam, John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook
  • Patent number: 10829052
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a prismatic mirror reflective element having a glass substrate with a planar front surface and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the glass substrate. A plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping onto the front surface of the glass substrate, with an outermost part of the plastic molding providing a curved transition between the planar front surface of the prismatic mirror reflective element and another part of the plastic molding. The outermost part of the plastic molding includes an outer curved surface and lacks an exposed sharp edge. The plastic molding includes a portion of a mirror housing of the interior rearview mirror assembly. A mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10793068
    Abstract: A camera monitoring system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a video display screen disposed behind the interior mirror reflective element. The video display screen is operable to display video images derived at least in part from image data captured by at least one video camera of a plurality of video cameras of the equipped vehicle. Image data captured by at least a driver-side viewing video camera and a passenger-side viewing video camera is provided to an image processor and is processed by the image processor to detect vehicles present exterior of the equipped vehicle. Responsive at least in part to detection of another vehicle, video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the driver-side viewing video camera, a rear viewing video camera and/or the passenger-side viewing video camera are displayed by the video display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10766421
    Abstract: An electro-optic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a front substrate and a rear substrate. A surface of the front substrate and a surface of the rear substrate oppose one another and are spaced apart by a perimeter seal, with an electro-optic medium disposed between the surfaces and bounded by the perimeter seal. A transparent electrically conductive coating is established at the surface of the front substrate, and a specularly reflective mirror reflector is established at the surface of the rear substrate. The specularly reflective mirror reflector includes a stack of thin film layers having (i) an environmentally stable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer including chromium, (ii) an environmentally vulnerable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer and (iii) a transparent electrically conductive thin film layer including aluminum doped zinc oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Ian A. McCabe, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10688931
    Abstract: An exterior sideview mirror assembly suitable for use on a vehicle includes a housing portion, an attachment portion, and a mirror backing plate element with a main mirror element at a first portion of the mirror backing plate element and an auxiliary curved mirror element at a second portion of the mirror backing plate element. The auxiliary field of view of the auxiliary curved mirror element views into a blind spot that is outside a primary field of view of the main mirror element when viewed by a driver of the vehicle. A principal axis of the primary field of view may be directed more towards the side of the vehicle than is a principal axis of the auxiliary field of view, and the principal axis of the auxiliary field of view may be directed more downwards than the principal axis of the primary field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10664115
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle having a field of view at least forward, rearward and/or exterior of the equipped vehicle. An image projection device is disposed in the vehicle and includes a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light. Light emitted by the at least one light source, when operated, is projected by the biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the vehicle so as to form video images that are viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the vehicle. The video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield include video images derived from image data captured by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John O. Lindahl, Peter J. Whitehead, Niall R. Lynam, John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook
  • Patent number: 10661716
    Abstract: An electrically variable reflectance mirror reflective element includes front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal. A perimeter layer is disposed at a second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of the front substrate. The perimeter layer conceals the perimeter seal from view by a driver of a vehicle. No part of the rear substrate extends beyond any part of the front substrate. At least a portion of the mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of the third surface of the rear substrate extends from under the perimeter seal outward towards at least a portion of the perimeter edge of the rear substrate. The mirror reflector includes a stack of thin films that includes at least a first metal thin film and a second metal thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian A. McCabe, Desaraju V. Varaprasad, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10623704
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imager disposed at the vehicle and viewing exterior the vehicle. A control includes an image processor and is operable to process captured image data for at least a first application and a second application and to adjust the image sensor to at least two settings and to process captured image data via at least two processing techniques. The control is operable to synchronize the at least two settings of the image sensor and the at least two processing techniques to extract respective information from the captured image data for the first and second applications. The control adjusts a setting of the image sensor to capture image data suitable for the first application or the second application. The image processor processes captured image data via a processing technique suitable for the first application or the second application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph Camilleri, Joel S. Gibson, Kenneth Schofield
  • Patent number: 10589686
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes a driver-side exterior mirror assembly having a driver-side mirror casing that includes an inboard portion that faces generally toward an exterior driver-side of the equipped vehicle and that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. A driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is disposed at the inboard portion of the driver-side mirror casing. An illumination source of the driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module illuminates responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of an overtaking vehicle. Responsive to detection of an overtaking vehicle, the illumination source is illuminated to provide a hazard indication to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle not to make a lane change maneuver. Illumination of the illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10538202
    Abstract: A method of making a mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes providing front and rear substrates, and disposing an electrically conductive layer and a metallic reflector at respective surfaces thereof. With the substrates joined and with an electrochromic medium disposed in an interpane cavity, light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and the front substrate is non-spectrally selective when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium. At least a portion of the mirror reflector extends under the perimeter seal and towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate. A display is disposed to the rear of the rear substrate of the mirror reflective element at a light-transmitting window. The display is operable responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian A. McCabe, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam, Donald L. Bareman
  • Patent number: 10449903
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element having a glass substrate with a planar front surface and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the glass substrate. A mounting element is disposed at the rear of the mirror reflective element and includes a pivot element that is configured to pivotally mount the mirror reflective element at the vehicle. A plastic molding receives the mirror reflective element therein such that a portion of the plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping onto the front surface of the glass substrate. The portion of the plastic molding provides a curved rounded transition from the front surface of the glass substrate to a side surface of the plastic molding. The plastic molding includes at least a portion of a mirror housing of the interior rearview mirror assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10351052
    Abstract: An exterior door handle assembly includes a strap-handle portion pivotally movable to open a vehicle door, a circuit element, a light emitting diode, a light pipe, and an elongated light-transmitting cover. The light emitting diode is disposed proximate an end region of the strap-handle portion and proximate an end region of the light pipe. The strap-handle portion includes structure configured to receive the light emitting diode and the circuit element thereat. The light-transmitting cover is attached to the strap-handle portion and covers the light pipe. The strap-handle portion includes a user input that is actuatable by a person to lock or unlock the vehicle door. When the light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes along the light pipe and passes through the light-transmitting cover so as to be viewable by a person viewing the door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Dingman, Brett A Gorby, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 10166927
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element having a glass substrate with a planar front surface and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the glass substrate. A mounting element is disposed at the rear of the mirror reflective element and includes a pivot element that is configured to pivotally mount the mirror reflective element at the vehicle. A plastic molding receives the mirror reflective element therein such that a portion of the plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping onto the front surface of the glass substrate. The portion of the plastic molding provides a curved rounded transition from the front surface of the glass substrate to a side surface of the plastic molding. The plastic molding includes at least a portion of a mirror housing of the interior rearview mirror assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10144355
    Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head. The mirror head includes a first microphone operable to generate a first audio signal and a second microphone operable to generate a second audio signal. An audio sound processor is operable to process the first and second audio signals to enhance human voice to noise clarity. Responsive to processing by the audio sound processor of the first and second audio signals, an audio output is generated that, at least in part, distinguishes a human voice present in the vehicle from noise present in the vehicle. The audio output includes an input to an audio system of the vehicle that transmits wirelessly to a remote receiver. Processing by the audio signal processor of the first and second audio signals to enhance human voice to noise clarity utilizes electronic noise cancelation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy G. Skiver, Joseph P. McCaw, John T. Uken, Jonathan E. DeLine, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10139978
    Abstract: A head up display system for a vehicle includes an image projection device disposed in the vehicle and having a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light. Light emitted by the at least one light source is projected by the biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the vehicle. The image projection device is disposed at one of (i) an accessory module disposed in the vehicle, (ii) an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the vehicle, and (iii) a dashboard of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John O. Lindahl, Peter J. Whitehead, Niall R. Lynam, John T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook
  • Patent number: 10131280
    Abstract: A video mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including a mirror case and a reflective element, and a video display device disposed in the mirror case and operable to display video images that are viewable by the driver of the vehicle. The reflective element includes a transflective mirror reflector and the video display device is fixedly disposed to the rear of the reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes an on-screen display controller operable to receive a video signal from a camera disposed at the vehicle. The on-screen display controller is operable to overlay a graphic overlay onto a video signal received from the camera such that a video feed generated by the on-screen display controller includes the graphic overlay. The video display device comprises a metallic enclosure that is electrically grounded when the interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Mark E. Kramer, Andrew D. Weller, Peter J. Whitehead, Rodney K. Blank, Niall R. Lynam