Abstract: An accessory system for a vehicle includes a control and an accessory disposed at and behind a windshield of the vehicle. The accessory includes a forward facing camera viewing forward and through the windshield of the vehicle. The control includes digital circuitry and a microprocessor. The control controls at least the forward facing camera. The control includes a bus interface that connects with a vehicle network of the vehicle. The control sends data via the vehicle network of the vehicle and receives data via the vehicle network of the vehicle. The vehicle network includes a controlled area network. The control may connect with the vehicle network via at least one of (i) a cable connection and (ii) a fiber-optic connection.

Abstract: An accessory system for a vehicle includes a control and an accessory disposed at and behind a windshield of the vehicle. The accessory includes a forward facing camera viewing forward and through the windshield of the vehicle. The control includes digital circuitry and a microprocessor. The control controls at least the forward facing camera. The control includes a bus interface that connects with a vehicle network of the vehicle. The control sends data via the vehicle network of the vehicle and receives data via the vehicle network of the vehicle. The vehicle network includes a controlled area network. The control may connect with the vehicle network via at least one of (i) a cable connection and (ii) a fiber-optic connection.

Abstract: An accessory system for a vehicle includes an accessory disposed at and behind a windshield of the vehicle and a control having digital circuitry and a microcontroller. The accessory includes a forward facing camera that views through the windshield. The microcontroller may control at least one of (i) the forward facing camera, (ii) an actuator of the vehicle, (iii) a garage door opener of the vehicle, (iv) an electro-optic rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, (v) a digital sound processor of the vehicle, (vi) a display of the vehicle and (vii) lighting of the vehicle. The control is operable to at least one of send data to and receive data from at least one other accessory or system of the vehicle via a vehicle network of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element and ambient and glare light sensors. A control circuit is operable to establish a reflectance level of the reflective element. At least one of (a) the mirror system includes a charge accumulation device selectively connected with the ambient or glare light sensor and the control circuit establishes the ambient and glare light levels as a function of time for an output of the charge accumulation device to reach a reference level when connected to the respective light sensor, (b) a common element is used to measure outputs of the light sensors sequentially to correspond errors due to component variations, and (c) the mirror system includes temperature compensation of the glare and/or ambient light sensor and the temperature compensation is responsive to a reference light sensor that is substantially not exposed to light.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior electrochromic reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a control that has circuitry operable to provide a drive signal to the reflective element to vary the reflectance level of the interior electrochromic reflective element. The control includes a bus interface that interfaces with a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle. The interior rearview mirror system includes a forward-facing camera. The control may control at least one of (a) operation of a video display, (b) operation of the forward-facing camera and (c) operation of a headlight control for controlling a headlight of the equipped vehicle. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include a video display operable to display video information for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element and ambient and glare light sensors. A control circuit is operable to establish a reflectance level of the reflective element. At least one of (a) the mirror system includes a charge accumulation device selectively connected with the ambient or glare light sensor and the control circuit establishes the ambient and glare light levels as a function of time for an output of the charge accumulation device to reach a reference level when connected to the respective light sensor, (b) a common element is used to measure outputs of the light sensors sequentially to correspond errors due to component variations, and (c) the mirror system includes temperature compensation of the glare and/or ambient light sensor and the temperature compensation is responsive to a reference light sensor that is substantially not exposed to light.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element and ambient and glare light sensors. A control circuit is operable to establish a reflectance level of the reflective element. At least one of (a) the mirror system includes a charge accumulation device selectively connected with the ambient or glare light sensor and the control circuit establishes the ambient and glare light levels as a function of time for an output of the charge accumulation device to reach a reference level when connected to the respective light sensor, (b) a common element is used to measure outputs of the light sensors sequentially to correspond errors due to component variations, and (c) the mirror system includes temperature compensation of the glare and/or ambient light sensor and the temperature compensation is responsive to a reference light sensor that is substantially not exposed to light.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior electrochromic reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a control that has circuitry operable to provide a drive signal to the reflective element to vary the reflectance level of the interior electrochromic reflective element. The control includes a bus interface that interfaces with a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle. The interior rearview mirror system includes a forward-facing camera. The control may control at least one of (a) operation of a video display, (b) operation of the forward-facing camera and (c) operation of a headlight control for controlling a headlight of the equipped vehicle. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include a video display operable to display video information for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, which includes an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light and a glare light sensor operable to sense glare light. A control is operable to establish a reflectance level of a transflective electrochromic reflective element of the mirror assembly and is responsive to light detection by the ambient light sensor and/or the glare light sensor. A backlit video screen is disposed behind the reflective element and is operable to display information through the mirror reflector of the reflective element. A display intensity control adjusts display intensity responsive to a light detection by the glare light sensor and/or the ambient light sensor and as a function of a ratio of a glare light value sensed by the glare light sensor to an ambient light value sensed by the ambient light sensor.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior electrochromic reflective element that assumes an interior mirror partial reflectance level in response to an interior mirror electrochromic reflective element drive signal. The mirror assembly includes a control that has circuitry operable to provide the drive signal to the reflective element. The control includes a bus interface that interfaces with a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle. The control is in communication with at least one other vehicle accessory via the vehicle bus. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a forward-facing camera. The control may control at least two of (a) dimming of the interior electrochromic reflective element, (b) operation of a video display, (c) operation of the forward-facing camera and (d) operation of a headlight control for controlling a headlight of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, which includes an ambient light sensor operable to sense ambient light and a glare light sensor operable to sense glare light. A control is operable to establish a reflectance level of a transflective electrochromic reflective element of the mirror assembly and is responsive to light detection by the ambient light sensor and/or the glare light sensor. A backlit video screen is disposed behind the reflective element and is operable to display information through the mirror reflector of the reflective element. A display intensity control adjusts display intensity responsive to a light detection by the glare light sensor and/or the ambient light sensor and as a function of a ratio of a glare light value sensed by the glare light sensor to an ambient light value sensed by the ambient light sensor.

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

Abstract: The present invention provides an EC mirror assembly including an EC mirror cell and a control for controlling the reflectivity of the mirror cell, the assembly also including a pair of contact elements independently displaceable relative to the mirror cell while maintaining an electrical connection with the control, the contact elements also being engageable with opposite edges of the mirror cell in order to provide an electrical connection between the control and the mirror cell.

Abstract: A vehicle rearview mirror system includes an electro-optic reflective element, an ambient light sensor that is operable to sense ambient light, a glare light sensor that is operable to sense glare light and a circuit that is responsive to the ambient glare light sensors which establishes a reflectance level of the reflective element. The circuit produces an output that is a function of light sensed by glare and ambient light sensors. The circuit compares an output of a charge accumulation device with a reference, and the circuit selectively connects the glare sensor and the ambient light sensor with the charge accumulation device. The mirror system may include a display operable to project light through the reflective element and may control the intensity of the display as a function of the glare light and ambient light.

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

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror system having an electrochromic reflective element, a digital electrochromic drive circuit supplying a drive signal to the reflective element and a garage door opener. The garage door opener includes a transmitter and logic circuit. The logic circuit supplies signals to the transmitter for transmitting garage door opening signals. A microcontroller is provided which defines, at least in part, the digital drive circuit and logic circuit. In this manner, the digital electrochromic mirror system and the garage door opener have at least some components in common. The microcontroller communicates over a vehicle network with at least one module performing at least one other vehicle function. The vehicle network may have at least wired interconnections and may further have wireless interconnections.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior electrochromic reflective element, a housing for the interior electrochromic reflective element, and digital circuitry supplying a drive signal to the interior electrochromic reflective element. The interior electrochromic reflective element assumes an interior mirror partial reflectance level in response to the interior mirror electrochromic reflective element drive signal. The digital circuitry includes a microcontroller for controlling over a vehicle network at least one other vehicle function. One of the at least one other vehicle function includes an exterior mirror assembly that may include an exterior electrochromic reflective element that assumes an exterior mirror partial reflectance level in response to an exterior mirror electrochromic reflective element drive signal.

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

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: The present invention provides an EC mirror assembly that include s an EC mirror cell and control means for controlling the reflectivity of the mirror cell, the assembly also including a pair of contact elements independently displaceable relative to the mirror cell while maintaining an electrical connection with the control means, the contact elements also being engageable with opposite edges of the mirror cell in order to provide an electrical connection between the control means and the mirror cell.