Abstract: An inventive rearview assembly for a vehicle may comprise a mirror element and a display including a light management subassembly. The subassembly may comprise an LCD placed behind a transflective layer of the mirror element. Despite a low transmittance through the transflective layer, the inventive display is capable of generating a viewable display image having an intensity of at least 250 cd/m2 and up to 3500 cd/m2. The display includes a novel backlighting subassembly and novel optical components including a magnifying system, a depolarizer, a reflector, and a reflective polarizer. The display may be configured to display an image having edges contoured to correspond to the edges of the mirror element.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror assembly (600) includes an electrochromic (EC) glass element (303) and a printed circuit board (603) for mounting electrical components. A liquid crystal display (LCD) (615) is mounted to the printed circuit board (603), while a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (608) are also mounted to the same printed circuit board below the LCD (603) for providing backlighting.

Abstract: A vehicular blind spot detection system (700) for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to an object in the vehicle's blind spot, the system includes a first imaging device (707) used typically used to control vehicle lighting and that works to detect objects substantially forward of the vehicle and a second imaging device (709) typically used with a rear camera display (RCD) for detecting objects substantially rearward of the vehicle. A control unit (711) is coupled to the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) that includes a graphic processing unit (713) for processing images captured by the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) for detecting an optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between vehicles and other objects entering the driver's blind spot.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror assembly (600) includes an electrochromic (EC) glass element (303) and a printed circuit board (603) for mounting electrical components. A liquid crystal display (LCD) (615) is mounted to the printed circuit board (603), while a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (608) are also mounted to the same printed circuit board below the LCD (603) for providing backlighting.

Abstract: A vehicular blind spot detection system (700) for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to an object in the vehicle's blind spot, the system includes a first imaging device (707) used typically used to control vehicle lighting and that works to detect objects substantially forward of the vehicle and a second imaging device (709) typically used with a rear camera display (RCD) for detecting objects substantially rearward of the vehicle. A control unit (711) is coupled to the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) that includes a graphic processing unit (713) for processing images captured by the first imaging device (707) and second imaging device (709) for detecting an optical flow of objects within the images so as to discriminate between vehicles and other objects entering the driver's blind spot.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in controlling the direction of light rays and apparatus incorporating the improvements.

Abstract: Rearview assemblies for a vehicle are provided. The rearview assembly includes a housing coupled to a mounting structure that is configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The housing includes a rearward viewing means, and also includes a lamp subassembly. The lamp subassembly includes a single white LED device mounted to a substrate, and also includes an optical assembly with secondary optics for reflecting and refracting light emitted from the LED such that the emitted light forms two separate pools of light external to the rearview assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the lamp subassembly is included in a mounting structure for a vehicle rearview assembly. In still another embodiment, a vehicle optical accessory is provided, in which the vehicle optical accessory has one LED that provides two separate pools of light external to the vehicle optical accessory.