Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes an electro-optic reflective element, a photo sensor and a light concentrator. The electro-optic reflective element has a front substrate with a first surface and a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating disposed on a second surface, and the electro-optic reflective element has a rear substrate with a third surface transflective metallic reflector disposed at a third surface thereof. The photo sensor is disposed behind a fourth surface of the rear substrate and operable to detect light passing through the transflective metallic reflector and the electro-optic reflective medium disposed between the second and third surfaces. The light concentrator is disposed between the photo sensor and the fourth surface of the rear substrate, and the light concentrator receives light passing through the transflective metallic reflector of the electro-optic reflective element and concentrates light onto a light sensing surface of the photo sensor.

Abstract: A vehicular blind spot indicator mirror includes a transparent glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated onto the substrate. Visible light reflectance by the mirror reflector coated substrate is at least about 40 percent visible light reflectance for visible light incident upon a front side of the mirror reflector coated substrate. A blind spot indicator light display is disposed to the rear of the mirror reflector coated substrate and emits visible light upon a detection by a blind spot detector. Light emitted by the display passes through the transparent glass substrate to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front side of the substrate. The display is operable, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, to exhibit a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts as measured with the display placed behind, and emitting light through, the transparent glass substrate.

Abstract: A driver attitude detection system for a vehicle includes a forward facing imaging sensor for capturing image data of a scene occurring forwardly of and in the direction of forward travel of an equipped vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the forward facing imaging sensor. A control, responsive at least in part to image processing by the image processor of the captured image data, is operable to determine driver performance and generate a control output indicative of driver performance. The driver attitude detection system may include at least one monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle characteristic of the equipped vehicle, and the control may, responsive at least in part to the at least one monitoring device, be operable to determine driver performance and generate the control output.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a front substrate connected with a rear substrate via a perimeter seal, whereby, when so connected, at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate protrudes beyond the front substrate. A first electrical connection establishes electrical connection at the front substrate and a second electrical connection may establish electrical connection at the rear substrate. An electrically conductive perimeter hiding band is disposed around a border region of the front substrate and substantially hides the seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver normally operating the vehicle and viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror information display system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A display device is disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element and includes a display screen backlit by a plurality of light emitting diodes supported by a circuit board disposed rearward of the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The light emitting diodes of the circuit board are disposed to the rear of the display screen to provide backlighting of the display screen when activated. Information displayed by the display device is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. When the plurality of light emitting diodes is activated and the display device is displaying information, light emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes passes through the display screen and through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A heater pad for a variable reflectance mirror reflective element of a vehicular mirror assembly includes a flexible substrate, an electrically conductive heating element, and first and second electrically conducting elements. The first electrically conducting element is in electrical connection with a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating of the equipped mirror reflective element and the second electrically conducting element is in electrical connection with a third surface electrically conductive coating of the equipped mirror reflective element when the equipped mirror reflective element is normally equipped with the heater pad. The electrically conducting elements and the heating element are electrically isolated from one another.

Abstract: A vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and an electrochromic mirror reflective element. At least a portion of a front substrate of the reflective element extends beyond a corresponding portion of a rear substrate of the reflective element to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of the reflective element, with no part of the rear substrate extending beyond any part of the front substrate. Electrical connections are made to conductive coatings or layers at the front and rear substrates. The electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region to conceal the presence of the perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The mirror casing provides a bezelless mirror casing where no portion of the mirror casing overlaps the first surface of the front substrate.

Abstract: A heater pad for a variable reflectance mirror reflective element of a vehicular mirror assembly includes a flexible substrate, an electrically conductive heating element, and first and second electrically conducting elements. The first electrically conducting element is in electrical connection with a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating of the equipped mirror reflective element and the second electrically conducting element is in electrical connection with a third surface electrically conductive coating of the equipped mirror reflective element when the equipped mirror reflective element is normally equipped with the heater pad. The electrically conducting elements and the heating element are electrically isolated from one another.

Abstract: A vehicular signal mirror includes a reflective mirror element comprising a mirror reflector on a light-transmitting substrate. The visible light reflectance is at least about 40% for visible light incident upon the front side of the reflective mirror element. A turn signal light display and/or a blind-spot indicator light display is disposed to the rear of the reflective mirror element and configured so that the light emitted by the light display passes through the reflective mirror element to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front of the reflective mirror element. The light display exhibits, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts as measured with the light display placed behind, and emitting light through, the reflective mirror element.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a front substrate connected with a rear substrate via a perimeter seal, whereby, when so connected, at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate substantially protrudes beyond the front substrate. A first electrical connection establishes electrical connection to an electrically conductive layer at the second surface of the front substrate and a second electrical connection establishes electrical connection to a mirror reflector at the third surface of the rear substrate. A perimeter band is disposed around a border region of the front substrate and substantially hides the seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver normally operating the vehicle and viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.

Abstract: A rearview mirror system includes an electro-optic reflective element having a specularly reflecting indicia reflector established at a second surface of a front substrate. The indicia provides a visible contrast between light incident at the mirror reflector and light incident at the indicia reflector so that when the mirror reflective element is in its high reflectance state, indicia information is subtly viewable by a person viewing the reflective element. The indicia may convey information that informs that the rearview mirror assembly is an automatic dimming type, informs of a brand logo and/or informs of a personalization logo. The mirror assembly may include a video display screen and contrast enhancement means for enhancing the viewability of the video display screen when the rearview mirror assembly is operated in high ambient lighting conditions. A control may determine a driver performance in response to a sensing device and a vehicle monitoring device.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a transparent substrate and a multi-zone mirror reflector established at a surface thereof. The mirror reflector includes at least a first zone and a second zone, and wherein at least one metallic reflective layer is commonly established at the surface and across the first and second zones of the mirror reflector. A display device is disposed behind the second zone of the mirror reflector and, when the display device is operating to emit display information, emitted display information passes through the second zone of the mirror reflector for viewing by a driver operating the equipped vehicle. The second zone has a degree of transmissivity of light therethrough that is greater than a degree of transmissivity of light through the first zone of the mirror reflector.

Abstract: A video mirror system for a vehicle comprising an interior rearview mirror assembly having a transflective electro-optic reflective element that transmits at least about ten percent of visible light incident thereon and reflects at least about sixty percent of visible light incident thereon. A display module is disposed at a rear of the transflective electro-optic reflective element and comprises a plurality of individual light sources. A thermally conductive element may be in substantial thermal contact with the display module and is exposed at a rear casing portion of the mirror assembly so as to draw heat generated by the display module away from the display module and to the exterior of the interior rearview mirror assembly. The exposure of the thermally conductive element at the rear casing portion may be substantially not discernible to a viewer viewing the rear casing portion of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

Abstract: A vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly and a video display disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the mirror reflective element assembly. The transflective mirror reflector includes at least one electrically conducting metal layer and is disposed at a third surface of the rear substrate such that a perimeter border region of the third surface is substantially devoid of the electrically conducting metal layer. A third surface electrical conductor disposed at the third surface is in electrical connection with the transflective mirror reflector and may extend from the transflective mirror reflector and from the perimeter seal toward a perimeter edge of the rear substrate. The rear substrate may extend beyond a perimeter edge of the front substrate where the third surface electrical conductor is disposed, and the third surface electrical conductor may be electrically accessible outboard of the perimeter seal.

Abstract: A system and method for sputtering a coating onto a glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber includes providing a backing plate with a separating element disposed at the backing plate. At least one target element or tile is disposed on a surface of the separating element, wherein an expansion gap is provided to allow for expansion of the target relative to the separating element during the sputtering process. The method includes sputtering material from the target and heating the target to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The separating element may be a sheet having a low-coefficient of friction surface, and the target may be disposed on the low-coefficient of friction surface of the separating element. The separating element may thermally insulate the target from the backing plate, whereby the target may be heated to a substantially greater temperature than the backing plate during the sputtering process.

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: A display mirror assembly includes a reflective mirror element having a semitransparent mirror reflector coated onto a light-transmitting substrate. Visible light transmission through the reflective mirror element is at least 3 percent and visible light reflectance by the reflective mirror element is at least 40 percent for visible light incident upon the front side of the reflective mirror element. The reflective mirror element does not exhibit substantial spectral selectivity in its reflectance of visible light incident upon its front side. A display device is disposed to the rear of the reflective mirror element and configured so that light emitted by the display device passes through the semitransparent mirror reflector to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front. When electrically powered, a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts as measured with said display device placed behind, and emitting light through, the reflective element is achieved.

Abstract: A vehicular video mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a transflective reflective element. The mirror system includes a video display device at a casing of the mirror assembly rearward of the transflective reflective element, with the video display device having a video screen and a plurality of individual white light emitting light sources operable for backlighting the video screen. The intensity of light emitted by the white light emitting light sources is variable responsive to detection of light by at least one photosensor. The video screen may be operable to display video images captured by a rear back-up camera of the equipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle. Light emanating from the white light emitting light emitting diodes may pass through a brightness enhancement film and a light diffuser to be incident at a transflective reflector of a second substrate of the mirror assembly.

Abstract: A reflective mirror assembly includes an electro-optic reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle equipped with the reflective mirror assembly. The electro-optic reflective element includes an electro-optic medium disposed between a front substrate and a rear substrate in a cavity established by a seal that connects the front substrate to the rear substrate and that spaces them apart. An overhang region at a first edge region of the front substrate extends beyond a corresponding first edge region of the rear substrate. A transparent electrical conductor is disposed at the front substrate and a mirror reflector is disposed at the rear substrate. An electrically conducting tab extends outward from said seal at least partially to the edge of the rear substrate while making electrical contact with the mirror reflector. At least one hiding layer is disposed around a perimeter region of the front substrate.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a reflective element assembly having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween. A substantially non-transparent perimeter band is disposed at the second surface of the front substrate and around a perimeter border region of the second surface of the front substrate. The perimeter band is not specularly reflective to visible light that passes through the first substrate and is incident on the perimeter band. A first electrical connection is at the first electrically conductive layer at a first overhang region and a second electrical connection is at the second electrically conductive layer. The perimeter band is dimensioned so as to render the presence of the perimeter seal and at least the first electrical connection substantially unobservable to a driver normally viewing the reflective element assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly.