Patents by Inventor Michael J. Baur

Michael J. Baur 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).

  • Publication number: 20250214401
    Abstract: A vehicular driving assist system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head adjustable about a mounting base. The mirror head accommodates an electrochromic mirror reflective element. An electrically dimmable window is disposed at the vehicle and is electrically operable to adjust visible light transmissivity of the electrically dimmable window. The vehicular driving assist system, based at least on processing sensor data captured by a light sensor, determines ambient light at the vehicle. The vehicular driving assist system, based at least on the determined ambient light, (i) adjusts light reflectivity of the electrochromic mirror reflective element and (ii) adjusts visible light transmissivity of the electrically dimmable window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12296750
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a video display screen disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of an electrochromic mirror reflective element of an interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by a rearward-viewing camera is provided to the mirror assembly as digital signals carried by a coaxial cable. Electronic circuitry of the mirror assembly includes (i) auto dimming circuitry and (ii) video processing circuitry. The video display screen (i) displays at a left display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a left side lane, (ii) displays at a right display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a right side lane and (iii) displays at a 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: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20250058724
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element. A driver monitoring camera is accommodated by the mirror head behind the mirror reflective element. With the mirror head adjusted to provide a rearward view to a driver of the equipped vehicle, (i) a normal vector of the mirror reflective element is angled away from a centerline axis of the vehicle and toward the driver side of the interior cabin of the vehicle and (ii) a principal viewing axis of the driver monitoring camera is angled more toward the centerline axis of the vehicle than the normal vector of the mirror reflective element so that the driver monitoring camera views at least a portion of the driver side of the interior cabin and at least a portion of a passenger side of the interior cabin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12208737
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a driver monitoring camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle. The driver monitoring camera views a driver of the vehicle when the driver is driving the vehicle. The driver monitoring camera captures image data. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the driver monitoring camera. The vehicular driver monitoring system determines driver performance based at least in part on (i) image processing by the image processor of image data captured by the driver monitoring camera, (ii) a vehicle characteristic and (iii) a condition exterior of the equipped vehicle. The vehicle characteristic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) vehicle speed, (b) vehicle acceleration and (c) vehicle orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Ian A. McCabe, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20240409028
    Abstract: A vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head accommodating an electrochromic mirror reflective element, which includes a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate, with an electrochromic medium disposed between the substrates. The rear glass substrate has notched portions and corresponding portions of the front glass substrate extend beyond the respective notched portions of the rear glass substrate. Electrically conductive connectors extend along the respective notched portions of the rear glass substrate and electrically conductively connect between the electrically conductive coating at the rear glass substrate and respective electrical connectors at the rear glass substrate. The electrically conductive coating includes a first region electrically conductively connected to one electrical connector and electrically isolated from a second region electrically conductively connected to another electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, John T. Uken
  • Publication number: 20240399958
    Abstract: A vehicular interior electrochromic mirror reflective element includes a planar rear interior mirror-shaped glass substrate and a planar front interior mirror-shaped glass substrate. The front glass substrate is shape cut from a planar glass sheet. A perimeter seal establishes an interpane cavity between the rear glass substrate and the planar glass sheet at a respective planar front glass substrate portion of the planar glass sheet. An electrochromic medium is disposed in the interpane cavity. With the rear glass substrate joined with the respective planar front glass substrate portion of the planar glass sheet via the perimeter seal, the planar glass sheet is shape cut at the respective planar front glass substrate portion and the circumferential perimeter cut edges of glass substrates are processed to provide a circumferential rounded perimeter edge of the vehicular interior electrochromic mirror reflective element having a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12157414
    Abstract: A method for assembling an electrochromic mirror reflective element includes providing front and rear glass substrates, disposing a transparent electrically conductive coating at a second surface of the front glass substrate, and disposing an electrically conductive coating at a third surface of the rear glass substrate. The front and rear glass substrates are joined via a perimeter seal and an electrochromic medium is disposed within an interpane cavity established between the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate and bounded by the perimeter seal. With the front glass substrate joined with the rear glass substrate, and with the electrochromic medium disposed within the interpane cavity, the first and second perimeter edges are ground to round the first and second perimeter edges to provide a rounded perimeter edge of the electrochromic mirror reflective element that has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12134358
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element and adjustable about a mounting structure. The mirror head is adjustable relative to the mounting structure to adjust a rearward view provided by the mirror reflective element. A driver monitoring camera is accommodated by the mirror head behind the mirror reflective element. With the mirror head adjusted to provide the rearward view, a normal vector extending perpendicular to the mirror reflective element is directed toward a driver side of the cabin of the vehicle and, responsive to determination that a passenger is present at a passenger side of the cabin of the vehicle, a principal viewing axis of the driver monitoring camera is angled more toward a centerline axis of the vehicle than the normal vector of the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Publication number: 20240351522
    Abstract: An electrochromic mirror reflective element sub-assembly for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes a front substrate having first and second surfaces with a transparent electrically conductive coating at the second surface, and a rear substrate having third and fourth surfaces, with an electrically conductive coating disposed at the third surface. A perimeter sealing element is disposed between the second and third surfaces and bounding an interpane cavity between the front and rear substrates. The perimeter sealing element includes an adhesive strip adhered to respective perimeter regions of the second and third surfaces. The perimeter sealing element includes a first electrically conductive trace for electrically connecting to the transparent electrically conductive coating and a second electrically conductive trace for electrically connecting to the electrically conductive coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Rex E. Blakeman
  • Publication number: 20240336200
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a tailgate of a vehicle. The system, via processing at an electronic control unit (ECU) of image data captured by the camera, generates video images that are displayed at a display device at an interior portion of the vehicle. The tailgate is pivotable between a closed position and an opened position. When the tailgate is in the closed position, the camera views rearward of the vehicle, and when the tailgate is pivoted to the opened position, the camera pivots relative to the tailgate to view rearward of the vehicle with the tailgate in the opened position. The system controls an actuator to pivot the camera relative to the tailgate to adjust a rearward view of the camera based on processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Publication number: 20240326691
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure and a mirror head adjustable about the mounting structure. The mirror head accommodates a mirror reflective element comprising a glass substrate. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at an interior portion of a vehicle, the mirror head is adjustable about the mounting structure by a driver of the vehicle to adjust the driver's rearward view. The glass substrate includes a periphery surface extending between a planar first surface and a planar second surface and spanning the thickness dimension of the glass substrate. The planar first surface faces the driver of the vehicle. No part of the mirror casing encroaches onto the planar first surface of the glass substrate. The mirror head accommodates a video device for internal cabin surveillance, and wherein the internal cabin surveillance includes detection of drowsiness of the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Michael J. Baur, Timothy G. Perkins
  • Publication number: 20240308427
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head adjustable relative to a mounting structure. A camera is accommodated by and moves with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted. A first subset of image data captured by the camera is processed for monitoring the driver of the vehicle. A spectrally reflecting mirror element is disposed within the interior cabin and spaced from the rearview mirror. The mirror element spectrally reflects light toward the camera that is representative of an obstructed region within the interior cabin not directly viewable by the camera. The mirror element is disposed at an accessory module of the vehicle. A second subset of image data is representative of light reflected from the mirror element. The cabin monitoring system determines presence of an object within the obstructed region based on processing of the second subset of image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12060005
    Abstract: A plurality of vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective elements includes first and second vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective elements, each having a respective planar rear glass shaped substrate and a respective planar front glass substrate. The planar front glass shaped substrates are cut out from a planar glass sheet. Each planar rear glass shaped substrate is joined with a respective planar front glass substrate portion of the planar glass sheet via a respective perimeter seal. With the planar rear glass shaped substrate joined with the planar front glass shaped substrate, the circumferential perimeter cut edge of the planar front glass shaped substrate and the circumferential perimeter cut edge of the planar rear glass shaped substrate are processed to provide a circumferential rounded perimeter edge of the respective vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective element having a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 12005839
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure, a plastic mirror casing, and a mirror reflective element having a glass substrate. The glass substrate includes a periphery surface extending between a planar first surface and a planar second surface and spanning a thickness dimension of the glass substrate. The mirror casing includes a central mounting portion and spaced apart attachment portions. The mirror reflective element is adhesively attached the spaced apart attachment portions. The central mounting portion includes a first pivot element and the mounting structure includes a second pivot element, the first pivot element and the second pivot element forming a pivot joint. The periphery surface of the glass substrate includes a curved outer surface that provides a rounded transition between the planar first surface of the glass substrate and a less-curved outer surface of a side wall of the mirror casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Michael J. Baur, Timothy G. Perkins
  • Publication number: 20240168355
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head that accommodates a variable reflectance mirror reflective element. A camera is accommodated by the mirror head and views through the variable reflectance mirror reflective element. A light emitter is accommodated by the mirror head and is electrically operable to emit near infrared (NIR) light that passes through the mirror reflective element. Responsive to detection of glare light at the variable reflectance mirror reflective element, the vehicular driver monitoring system electrically reduces the reflectance of the variable reflectance mirror reflective element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Publication number: 20240116445
    Abstract: A method for assembling an electrochromic mirror reflective element includes providing front and rear glass substrates, disposing a transparent electrically conductive coating at a second surface of the front glass substrate, and disposing an electrically conductive coating at a third surface of the rear glass substrate. The front and rear glass substrates are joined via a perimeter seal and an electrochromic medium is disposed within an interpane cavity established between the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate and bounded by the perimeter seal. With the front glass substrate joined with the rear glass substrate, and with the electrochromic medium disposed within the interpane cavity, the first and second perimeter edges are ground to round the first and second perimeter edges to provide a rounded perimeter edge of the electrochromic mirror reflective element that has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Publication number: 20240042933
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a video display screen disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of an electrochromic mirror reflective element of an interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by a rearward-viewing camera is provided to the mirror assembly as digital signals carried by a coaxial cable. Electronic circuitry of the mirror assembly includes (i) auto dimming circuitry and (ii) video processing circuitry. The video display screen (i) displays at a left display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a left side lane, (ii) displays at a right display region video images derived from captured image data to display a scene occurring in a right side lane and (iii) displays at a 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: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20240042934
    Abstract: A plurality of vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective elements includes first and second vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective elements, each having a respective planar rear glass shaped substrate and a respective planar front glass substrate. The planar front glass shaped substrates are cut out from a planar glass sheet. Each planar rear glass shaped substrate is joined with a respective planar front glass substrate portion of the planar glass sheet via a respective perimeter seal. With the planar rear glass shaped substrate joined with the planar front glass shaped substrate, the circumferential perimeter cut edge of the planar front glass shaped substrate and the circumferential perimeter cut edge of the planar rear glass shaped substrate are processed to provide a circumferential rounded perimeter edge of the respective vehicular electrochromic mirror reflective element having a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 11858422
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head mounted at a mounting structure. An electro-optic reflective element is attached at an attachment element that attaches at an electrically powered actuator accommodated by the mirror head. The reflective element has a front glass substrate having a first thickness less than 2.3 mm and a rear glass substrate having a second thickness less than or equal to 1.6 mm. The first and second perimeter edges of the glass substrates combine to provide a curved transition from a first surface of the front glass substrate and an outer surface of the mirror head. The mirror head includes a protruding portion that is at least partially received at a notched region of the rear glass substrate. An outer surface of the protruding portion corresponds with the second perimeter edge of the rear glass substrate at the notched region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 11851006
    Abstract: A multi-camera vehicular video display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head that includes a transflective mirror element and a video display screen disposed behind the transflective mirror element. The mirror assembly includes a mechanism that is operable to change orientation of the transflective mirror element relative to a driver of the vehicle. When the mechanism changes orientation to a second position that is tilted away from the eyes of the driver of the vehicle, the video display screen displays video images viewable through the transflective mirror element. When the mechanism changes orientation to a first position that is tilted towards the eyes of the driver of the vehicle, the video display screen does not display video images. The displayed video images are derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least one exterior viewing camera of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamid Habibi, Michael J. Baur