Patents by Inventor Mark L. Larson
Mark L. Larson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11833971Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head pivotally adjustable about a mirror support. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device is disposed rearward of the mirror reflective element. A touch sensor is disposed at the mirror reflective element and is associated with circuitry at a flexible printed circuit of the video display device. The video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle. Light emitted by the video display device passes through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing of displayed video images by the driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element, at the reflective region of the transflective mirror reflector, reflects at least 40 percent of visible light incident at the front side of the mirror reflective element.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Mark L. Larson, Christopher R. Koetje, Anthony J. LaCross, Eric Peterson
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Patent number: 11807164Abstract: A vehicular video camera display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and an electrochromic reflective element, with a video display device disposed in the casing behind the electrochromic reflective element. With the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, a video display screen of the video display device is operable to display video images that are viewable through the electrochromic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. A rearward-viewing video camera is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and views at least rearward of the vehicle. Control circuitry is disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by the rearward-viewing video camera is communicated as a digital signal from the rearward-viewing video camera via a cable to the control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2023Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Rodney K Blank, Mark L Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230347823Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Patent number: 11794651Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a video display screen and a video processor operable to process captured video image data captured by a rearward-viewing color video camera at the vehicle. The video display screen includes a left display region at a left portion, a right display region at a right portion, and a middle display region that spans between the left and right display regions. The video display screen (i) displays at the left display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a left side lane, (ii) displays at the right display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a right side lane and (iii) displays at the middle display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring rearward of the vehicle in the lane the equipped vehicle is travelling in.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230284386Abstract: A vehicular overhead console module includes a base portion configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle, a primary printed circuit board (primary PCB) accommodated by the base portion, and a secondary printed circuit board (secondary PCB) accommodated by the base portion and spaced from the primary PCB. The secondary PCB is electrically connected to an electronic component accommodated by the base portion and includes electronic circuitry associated with the electronic component. Electronic circuitry of the primary PCB includes a processor for processing electronic signals received from the secondary PCB. The primary PCB and the secondary PCB are secured at the base portion via one or more press-fit pins of the base portion. A flexible electrical connection electrically connects the primary PCB and the secondary PCB and flexes to conform to an inner surface of the base portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Inventors: Michael T. McNally, Kevin M. Wright, Mark L. Larson, John T. Uken
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Patent number: 11697373Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2022Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230191995Abstract: A vehicular video camera display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and an electrochromic reflective element, with a video display device disposed in the casing behind the electrochromic reflective element. With the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, a video display screen of the video display device is operable to display video images that are viewable through the electrochromic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. A rearward-viewing video camera is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and views at least rearward of the vehicle. Control circuitry is disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by the rearward-viewing video camera is communicated as a digital signal from the rearward-viewing video camera via a cable to the control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2023Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230140089Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a rear-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. Each frame of image data captured by the imaging array of the rear-viewing camera includes a plurality of grids, with each grid of the plurality of grids having a respective set of photosensing elements associated with respective rows and columns of photosensing elements. A electro-optic rearview mirror assembly includes an electro-optic mirror reflective element that is controlled responsive to an ambient light condition and a glare light condition. The ambient light condition is determined by processing at least one first grid of the plurality of grids of the frames of image data captured by the rear-viewing camera. The glare light condition is determined by processing at least one second grid of the plurality of grids of the frames of image data captured by the rear-viewing camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Hamid Habibi, Rodney K. Blank, Christopher R. Koetje, Mark L. Larson, Patrick M. Foley, Michael L. Gallas
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Publication number: 20230076687Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230058584Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting assembly. The mirror casing includes a sidewall having an outer end region that circumscribes an open portion of the mirror casing. The outer end region includes a rounded outer surface curving between the open portion and a less-curved outer surface of the sidewall. The mirror reflective element is disposed at the open portion of the mirror casing. The mirror reflective element has a glass substrate having a rounded perimeter edge of at least 2.5 mm and a thickness of less than 2 mm. Curvature of the rounded outer surface of the outer end region of the sidewall matches curvature of the rounded perimeter edge of the glass substrate to provide a curved transition between a flat region at the front surface of the glass substrate and the less-curved outer surface of the sidewall of the mirror casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: John T. Uken, Mark L. Larson, Rodney K. Blank, Joseph D. Suchecki, Craig Kendall
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Patent number: 11577652Abstract: A vehicular video camera display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and an electro-optic reflective element, with a video display device disposed in the casing behind the electro-optic reflective element. With the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior cabin portion of the vehicle, a video display screen of the video display device is operable to display video images that are viewable through the electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. A rearward-viewing video camera is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and views at least rearward of the vehicle. Control circuitry is disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by the rearward-viewing video camera is communicated from the rearward-viewing video camera via a twisted pair wire to the control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20230015198Abstract: A vehicular dual-state interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head including an electrochromic mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device occupies at least 75 percent of the viewable reflective region of the mirror reflective element. With the mirror assembly operating in a first state, the video display device does not display video images and the driver views rearward via reflection at the viewable reflective region and, with the mirror assembly operating in a second state, the video display device displays video images for viewing at the viewable reflective region by the driver. When operating in a daytime mode, the display screen utilizes red pixels, green pixels, blue pixels and clear pixels of the display screen, and when operating in a nighttime mode, the display screen utilizes red pixels, green pixels and blue pixels and does not utilize clear pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Mark L. Larson, John T. Uken, Christopher R. Koetje
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Patent number: 11543724Abstract: A multifunctional rear camera system includes a rear camera and a processor. Responsive to processing of captured image data, the processor generates respective outputs for (i) a rear backup assist function, (ii) a mirror dimming control for at least an electro-optic interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and (iii) ambient light detection. The processor processes a mirror zone of captured image data for mirror dimming control and processes upper corner regions of captured image data for ambient light detection. The processor processes at least lower regions of captured image data for the rear backup assist function. The generated output for the mirror dimming control is provided to the electro-optic interior rearview mirror assembly to control dimming of the electro-optic reflective element. The generated output for the rear backup assist function provides (i) object detection and/or (ii) video display of video images derived from captured image data.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Hamid Habibi, Rodney K. Blank, Christopher R. Koetje, Mark L. Larson, Patrick M. Foley, IV, Michael L. Gallas
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Patent number: 11498486Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Patent number: 11479178Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head and a mounting structure attached at a central region of the mirror back plate. A circuit board is disposed at the mirror back plate to one side of the central region, and first and second electrical connectors are disposed at the rear of the reflective element to the other side of the central region, with the first and second electrical connectors being in electrically conductive continuity with electrically conductive coatings at respective surfaces of the front and rear glass substrates. The electrical conductors are electrically connected between the respective electrical connector and reflectance control circuitry at the circuit board. A wire harness is electrically connected to the circuit board, and a portion of the wire harness passes through the mounting structure and has a connector end for electrically connecting to a vehicle wire harness.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: John T. Uken, Mark L. Larson, Rodney K. Blank, Joseph D. Suchecki, Craig Kendall
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Patent number: 11458897Abstract: A vehicular dual-state interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head including an electrochromic mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device is disposed rearward of the viewable reflective region and occupies at least 85 percent of the viewable reflective region of the mirror reflective element. With the mirror assembly operating in a first state, the video display device does not display video images and the driver views rearward via reflection at the viewable reflective region and, with the mirror assembly operating in a second state, the video display device displays video images for viewing at the viewable reflective region by the driver. Video images displayed by the display screen at a center zone of the viewable reflective region are at unit magnification, and video images displayed at driver-side and passenger-side zones are not displayed at unit magnification.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Mark L. Larson, John T. Uken, Christopher R. Koetje
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Publication number: 20220203899Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head pivotally adjustable about a mirror support. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device is disposed rearward of the mirror reflective element. A touch sensor is disposed at the mirror reflective element and is associated with circuitry at a flexible printed circuit of the video display device. The video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle. Light emitted by the video display device passes through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing of displayed video images by the driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element, at the reflective region of the transflective mirror reflector, reflects at least 40 percent of visible light incident at the front side of the mirror reflective element.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Mark L. Larson, Christopher R. Koetje, Anthony J. LaCross, Eric Peterson
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Publication number: 20220203897Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a video display screen and a video processor operable to process captured video image data captured by a rearward-viewing color video camera at the vehicle. The video display screen includes a left display region at a left portion, a right display region at a right portion, and a middle display region that spans between the left and right display regions. The video display screen (i) displays at the left display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a left side lane, (ii) displays at the right display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a right side lane and (iii) displays at the middle display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring rearward of the vehicle in the lane the equipped vehicle is travelling in.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20220189310Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate, and a blind zone indication module having a light source that is electrically powered to emit light. When the light source of the blind zone indication module is electrically powered, light emitted by the light source passing through (i) a light-transmitting portion of a housing of the blind zone indication module and (ii) a light-transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate illuminates an icon that is viewable to a driver of the vehicle who views the mirror reflective element. Illumination of the icon is responsive to a blind spot detection system of the vehicle detecting presence of another vehicle that is traveling in the same direction and in a lane adjacent to a lane that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and that is approaching or is overtaking the equipped vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Craig Kendall, Jeremy R. Shooks, Mark E. Kramer, Mark L. Larson
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Patent number: 11292389Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head that is pivotally attached via a pivot joint at a mounting structure and that accommodates a reflective element. A display device is disposed within the mirror head. An actuator is disposed within the mirror head and includes an actuator base attached at a rear portion of the reflective element, an actuator body that is pivotally attached at the actuator base, and an electrically operable motor. When the motor is electrically operated, the actuator body pivots relative to the actuator base to pivot the mirror head relative to a socket element of the pivot joint. Pivotal movement of the mirror head relative to the socket element adjusts the reflective element between a mirror mode orientation and a display mode orientation. When the reflective element is in the display mode orientation, the display device is actuated to display video images.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Anthony J. LaCross, Darryl P. De Wind, Mark L. Larson, Rodney K. Blank, Christopher R. Koetje, Eric Peterson