Abstract: An exterior reflective mirror element suitable for a vehicle includes a transparent glass substrate having a reflector and a visual indicator display disposed to the rear of the substrate. The visual indicator display may be part of a blind spot detection and display system of the vehicle wherein the visual indicator display is actuated to emit light responsive to a detection by a blind spot detection detector of the equipped vehicle of an overtaking vehicle in a side lane adjacent the side of the equipped vehicle. The visual indicator display includes at least a first indicator at a first location to the rear of the exterior reflective mirror element. A first portion of the reflector may be at least partially removed at the first location in order to establish an at least partially transmissive first portion of the exterior reflective mirror element at the first location.

Abstract: A mirror reflective element system has a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating disposed thereon, and a rear substrate that has a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a third surface electrically conductive coating disposed thereon. An attaching surface of a heating element is attached at the fourth surface. The heating element has an electrically conductive heating element established thereat and includes first and second electrically conductive traces. The electrically conductive heating element and the first and second electrically conductive traces are electrically isolated from one another.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror casing, a reflective element, an information display, a compass sensor and control circuitry. The compass sensor is disposed in the mirror casing and has at least a first magnetoresponsive sensing element and a second magnetoresponsive sensing element. The information display is disposed behind the reflective element whereby information displayed by the information display is viewable through the transflective reflector by a driver of a vehicle when the information display is displaying information. The control circuitry determines a directional heading of the vehicle responsive to the sensing by the first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements, and the control circuitry automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field of the vehicle and generates a signal indicative of the directional heading of the vehicle. The information display displays the directional heading of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for making an articulatable window assembly suitable for use as a side window or a rear lift gate window of a vehicle includes providing a curved tempered glass sheet and at least one mounting member for attachment to the glass sheet. At least one layer of primer is applied to a portion of the inner surface of the glass sheet. A flange of an attachment portion of the mounting member is maintained positioned offset from the primed portion of the inner surface of the tempered glass sheet and with a viscous adhesive disposed therebetween for at least a time period sufficient for the viscous adhesive to achieve an at least partial cure. The offset distance between the flange of the attachment portion of the mounting member and the primed portion of the inner surface of the glass sheet is greater than 0.1 mm and less than 3 mm.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a transparent glass substrate with a transflective reflector established at a surface thereof. The transflective reflector includes at least three thin film layers, which include at least one metallic layer. The transflective reflector exhibits a substantially spectrally neutral reflectant characteristic as viewed by a driver operating a vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly. A backlit active matrix liquid crystal video display screen is disposed behind the transflective reflector. Display information passes through the glass substrate and the transflective reflector for viewing by a driver operating the equipped vehicle. At least one silicon photo sensor is configured to detect ambient light at the vehicle, and the display intensity is adjustable responsive to a sensing of ambient light by the least one silicon photo sensor.

Abstract: An exterior mirror sub-assembly includes a reflective element, a back plate, and a display element having a light source that is activatable to emit light. The display element attaches to a display receiving portion of the back plate and the light source is activatable to emit light through the display receiving portion. The display receiving portion may be configured to orient the display element at a predetermined angle so that light exiting the display element when the light source is activated may be directed (a) generally away from the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle so as to be principally viewed by drivers of other vehicles or (b) generally toward the driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle so as to be principally viewed by the driver of the host vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle rearview mirror system includes a variable reflectance reflective element, an ambient light sensor that is operable to sense ambient light, and a glare light sensor that is operable to sense glare light. A control circuit is responsive to light detection by at least one of the ambient and glare light sensors and establishes a reflectance level of the reflective element. A video display screen is disposed behind the reflective element operable to display video information through the reflective element and viewable through the mirror reflector of the reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when the video display screen is activated, and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when the video display screen is not activated.

Abstract: A digital sound processing system suitable for use in a vehicle comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly that includes at least a first microphone and a second microphone. The first microphone generates a first signal indicative of a vocal input with vehicle cabin noise included therewith and the second microphone generates a second signal indicative of a vocal input with vehicle cabin noise included therewith. A digital signal processor is provided that processes the first signal and the second signal and that provides an output signal with reduced vehicle cabin noise. The digital signal processor preferably comprises a microprocessor executing at least one million instructions per second.

Abstract: An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle includes an assembly adapted for releasable mounting to a receiving structure on the interior surface at a portion of the windshield of the vehicle. A light absorbing layer is at that portion of the windshield and at least partially hides the assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle who is viewing through the windshield when the assembly is normally mounted to the receiving structure. The light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion. At least two accessories are housed by the assembly and one of the two accessories includes a forwardly-viewing camera that views through the light transmitting portion of the light absorbing layer at that portion of the windshield of the vehicle when the assembly is mounted to the receiving structure, and wherein the light absorbing layer comprises a ceramic frit layer.

Abstract: An accessory system for a vehicle includes an accessory module, at least one accessory and an attachment member at an interior surface of a vehicle windshield. The at least one accessory comprises a camera having a lens, with the camera being disposed in the accessory module, and the accessory module comprising structure to angle the camera with respect to a windshield facing portion of the accessory module. The camera has a forward field of view through the vehicle windshield when the accessory module is mounted to the attachment member. The accessory system may include a resilient element disposed between the windshield facing portion and the interior surface of the vehicle windshield to cushion and/or seal the accessory module relative to the interior surface when the accessory module is mounted to the attachment member at the interior surface of the vehicle windshield.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element, a frame portion around a perimeter of the reflective element, and one or more user inputs or buttons movably mounted to the frame portion. At least one bezel segment is positioned partially around the perimeter of the reflective element and frame portion and defines a space or gap along the frame portion between opposed and spaced apart ends of the bezel segment or segments. The input or button is mountable to the frame portion at the space and is movable by a user to engage and actuate an electronic switch within the mirror assembly.

Abstract: A compass compensation system is provided for automatically and continuously calibrating an electronic compass for a vehicle, without requiring an initial manual calibration or preset of the vehicle magnetic signature. The system initially adjusts a two axis sensor of the compass in response to a sampling of at least one initial data point. The system further calibrates the compass by sampling data points that are substantially opposite to one another on a plot of a magnetic field and averaging an ordinate of the data points to determine a respective zero value for the Earth magnetic field. The system also identifies a change in magnetic signature and adjusts the sensor assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle lane change aid system includes a detector that is operative to detect the presence of an other vehicle adjacent the vehicle, an indicator for providing an indication that a lane change maneuver of the vehicle may affect the other vehicle and a control receiving movement information of the vehicle. The control develops a position history of the vehicle at least as a function of the movement information. The control compares the detected presence of the other vehicle with the position history and provides an indication when a lane change maneuver may affect the other vehicle.

Abstract: A system is provided for detecting the presence of a human in a compartment of a vehicle that comprises a pyroelectric sensor and a control coupled to the pyroelectric sensor. The pyroelectric sensor comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element is arranged in an opposed electrical connection with respect to the second sensing element whereby infrared radiation from a human moving within the compartment is selectively detected by one of the first sensing element and the second sensing element, thereby producing an output signal of the pyroelectric sensor. This output signal is received by the control, and the control generates a control signal indicative of detection of a human within the compartment.