Interior rearview mirror assembly with driver monitoring system

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror housing having an interior mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element has a mirror transreflector that transmits near IR light incident thereon, transmits visible light incident thereon, and reflects visible light incident thereon. The mirror assembly includes a camera disposed within the mirror housing and viewed through the mirror transreflector. The camera includes an imaging sensor having a quantum efficiency (QE) of at least 15% for near infrared (near IR) light at a wavelength of 940 nm. The mirror assembly further includes first, second, and third near IR illumination sources disposed within the mirror housing and operable to emit near IR light through the mirror transreflector. The near IR illumination sources are angled relative to a planar front surface of the mirror reflective element, respectively, and, when powered, illuminate respective interior cabin areas for a driver monitoring function or a passenger detection function.

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of Chinese invention patent application CN202280032148.6 (international application number PCT / US2022 / 070882), filed on March 1, 2022, entitled "Internal rearview mirror assembly with driver monitoring system". Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 267,316, filed January 31, 2022; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 262,642, filed October 18, 2021; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 260,359, filed August 18, 2021; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 201,757, filed May 12, 2021; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 201,371, filed April 27, 2021; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 200,451, filed March 8, 2021; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 200,315, filed March 1, 2021, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This invention generally relates to the field of interior rearview mirror assemblies for vehicles. Background Technology

[0004] A mirror assembly is known to be adjustablely mounted to the interior of a vehicle, for example via a single-ball or double-ball pivot or joint mounting configuration, wherein the mirror housing and reflective element are adjusted relative to the interior of the vehicle by pivoting movement about the single-ball or double-ball pivot configuration. The mirror housing and reflective element are pivoted by a user who is adjusting the rearward field of view of the reflective element about either or both of the ball pivot joints. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The interior rearview mirror assembly has a driver monitoring camera positioned at the top of the lens head (and preferably concealed within the lens head, wherein the camera observes the interior of the equipped vehicle through a reflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly) to move in coordination with the lens head as the lens head is adjusted relative to the interior portion of the vehicle to adjust the driver's rearward view. The processor can operate to process image data acquired by the driver monitoring camera to determine at least one selected from the group consisting of: (i) driver attention, (ii) driver drowsiness, and (iii) the driver's gaze direction. The processor can also operate to process image data acquired by the driver monitoring camera to determine at least one selected from the group consisting of: (i) whether an occupant / passenger is seated in the front passenger-side seat of the equipped vehicle; (ii) whether an occupant / passenger is seated in the rear seat of the equipped vehicle; and (iii) whether an infant / child is in the interior of the equipped vehicle, and particularly whether the infant / child is in an infant / car seat of the equipped vehicle, even if mostly covered by a blanket. A driver monitoring camera and one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting near-infrared (near-IR) light (and / or one or more laser sources emitting near-IR light) may be disposed in the lens section of the interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and receive and emit light (both visible and near-IR light) through a transflector or reflector of the mirror reflector element. The near-IR LED may be part of a backlight LED array for a video display disposed in the lens section and visible through the transflector of the mirror reflector element. When the driver of the equipped vehicle adjusts the lens section to adjust his or her rearward view, the processor may respond to the processing of image data acquired by the driver monitoring camera, adjusting the processing of the image data acquired by the driver monitoring camera to accommodate the adjustment of the lens section.

[0006] Optionally and preferably, the interior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver monitoring camera disposed at a lens portion (and preferably concealed within the lens portion, wherein the camera observes the interior of the vehicle compartment through a reflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly), the lens portion being adjustable relative to a mounting base configured to be attached to an interior portion of the vehicle. The lens portion includes a mirror housing and a reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver monitoring camera disposed in the lens portion for observing the driver's area of ​​the vehicle and a driver monitoring illumination source / light source disposed in the lens portion operable to illuminate / illuminate the driver's area of ​​the vehicle. The interior rearview mirror assembly also includes an occupant monitoring camera disposed in the lens portion for observing the occupant area of ​​the vehicle (which may be and preferably is the same camera used for driver monitoring) and an occupant monitoring illumination source / light source disposed in the rearview lens portion operable to illuminate / illuminate the occupant area of ​​the vehicle (which may be or at least partially include a driver monitoring illumination source). The interior rearview mirror assembly preferably includes an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry (distributed on a printed circuit board) including at least one data processor operable to process image data frames acquired by a driver monitoring camera and an occupant monitoring camera. The ECU pulses the driver monitoring and / or occupant monitoring camera illumination source only during a frame portion of the image data frames acquired by the driver monitoring and / or occupant monitoring cameras, and pulses the occupant monitoring camera illumination source during a frame portion of the image data frames acquired by the occupant monitoring camera. Synchronously with the pulses to the driver monitoring and / or occupant monitoring illumination sources, the ECU processes the image data acquired by the driver monitoring and / or occupant monitoring cameras via the data processor to monitor the presence of the driver and / or occupant in the interior compartment of the vehicle.

[0007] These and other objects, advantages, uses and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a plan view of the interior rearview mirror assembly; Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the vehicle's interior compartment; Figure 3 It is a plan view of the steering wheel, showing the possible hand positions for the driver; Figure 4-6 A plan view of a mirror assembly with different camera and IR LED positions is shown; Figure 7-11 A view of the auto-dimming interior rearview mirror assembly is shown; Figure 12It is a perspective view of the auto-dimming interior rearview mirror assembly, in which the rear housing and heat sink have been removed to show additional details, wherein the PCB includes an electrochromic driver and / or a near-infrared LED driver, and wherein a data processor for image / data processing of image data acquired by the DMS camera is optionally arranged outside the lens section; Figure 13 It is an exploded perspective view of the automatic dimming interior rearview mirror assembly; Figure 14-21 A view of the prism-type interior rearview mirror assembly is shown; Figure 22 It is an exploded perspective view of the prism-type interior rearview mirror assembly; Figure 23-31 This is a schematic diagram showing the monitored area used by a driver and occupant monitoring system; Figures 32A-32E This is a plan view of the interior rearview mirror assembly, which has different camera and infrared LED positions; Figure 33 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the performance of a driver monitoring system when a camera and one or more infrared LEDs are positioned in the lower region of the lens. Figure 34 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the performance of a driver monitoring system when a camera and one or more infrared LEDs are positioned behind a mirror reflector. Figure 35 and Figure 36 This is a view of the interior rearview mirror assembly, in which a camera and one or more infrared emitters are positioned behind the mirror reflector. Figure 37 and Figure 38 This is a view of another interior rearview mirror assembly, in which a camera and one or more infrared emitters are positioned behind the mirror reflector. Figure 39 and Figure 40 This is a view of the interior rearview mirror assembly, in which a camera and one or more infrared emitters are positioned behind the mirror reflector. Figure 41 This is a schematic diagram showing the rear glass substrate, which is cut from or formed from a larger glass sheet (preferably by laser cutting). Figure 42 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an in-line sputtering process for coating a glass substrate with a transparent electrical conductor on one side and a coating (one or more layers) that transmits near-infrared light, reflects visible light, and transmits light on the other side. Figure 43This is a schematic diagram illustrating an inline sputtering process for coating a glass substrate on one side with a near-infrared transmitting, visible light reflecting, and transmitting coating (one or more layers), wherein a transparent electrical conductor is coated or applied on the near-infrared transmitting, visible light reflecting / transmitting coating (one or more layers); Figure 44 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another inline sputtering process for coating a glass substrate with a near-infrared transmitting, visible light reflecting / transmitting coating or a stack of coatings on one side, using a conveyor belt to move the substrate back and forth between two targets; Figure 45 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another inline sputtering process for coating a glass substrate with a near-infrared transmitting, visible light reflecting / transmitting coating or a stack of coatings on one side, using a conveyor belt to move the substrate back and forth between two targets; Figure 46 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of alternating / repeating layers of near-infrared transmission and visible light reflection mirrors, and illustrating the transmittance and wavelength characteristics of a stack of near-infrared transmission and visible light reflection / transmission multilayer coatings. Figure 47 and Figure 48 This is a view of the interior rearview mirror assembly, in which a camera and one or more infrared emitters are positioned behind the mirror reflector element and have... Figure 46 Near-infrared transmission, visible light reflection / transmission coating; Figure 49 and Figure 50 This is a view of another interior rearview mirror assembly, in which a camera and infrared emitter are positioned behind the mirror reflector and have... Figure 46 The near-infrared transmitting, visible light reflecting / transmitting coating has a broadband anti-reflective layer at the first and fourth surfaces; Figure 51 The characteristics of B 270® Ultra-White Glass are shown; Figure 52 This is a schematic diagram of another mirror-reflecting element, which has... Figure 46 The near-infrared transmission and visible light reflection / transmission coatings in the glass substrate have circumferential conductive channels set at the ITO coating on the third surface of the rear glass substrate. Figures 53-55 This is a view of another interior rearview mirror assembly, which has a camera positioned behind the mirror reflector and has some (or all) of its near-infrared LED lens located below the mirror reflector. Figure 56 This is a view of another interior rearview mirror assembly, in which the PCB and processor are housed in the mirror frame / mount base, and the lens is pivotally attached to the base; Figure 57 This is a schematic diagram showing spectral filtering at the photosensor of the DMS camera; Figure 58 and Figure 59 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of alternating layers of near-infrared transmission and visible light reflection / transmission mirrors, and illustrating the transmittance and wavelength characteristics of the near-infrared transmission and visible light reflection / transmission coatings. Figure 60 and Figure 61 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of alternating layers of near-infrared transmitting and visible light reflecting mirrors, and illustrating the transmittance and wavelength characteristics of the near-infrared transmitting and visible light reflecting coatings; Figure 62 This is an exploded perspective view of a One-Box Electrochromic InteriorDMS Rearview Mirror Assembly; Figure 62A An electrical connector is shown at the ECU PCB of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 63A This is a schematic diagram of a DMS system consisting of a combined electrochromic (EC) dimming circuit and a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly. Figure 63B This is a schematic diagram showing the electrical connection between the camera and the IR light emitter and the ECU; Figure 63C This is a schematic diagram showing the electrical connection between the IR light emitter and the ECU; Figure 63D This is a schematic diagram of a DMS system showing a combination of electrochromic (EC) dimming circuitry and a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 63E This is a schematic diagram showing the camera and sensors of a DMS system in a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 63F This is a schematic diagram of a DMS system showing a combined electrochromic (EC) dimming circuit and a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 63G This is a schematic diagram showing the circuitry of a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 64 This demonstrates the characteristics of the OSLON® Black series (940nm) -50° dual-stacked emitters; Figure 65 The characteristics of the OSLON® Black Series (940nm) - 130°x155 dual-stacked emitter are shown; Figure 66 This is a table showing a stack of transflectors and reflectors on a visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-infrared light transmission transflector substrate suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. Figure 67A and 67B The transmittance and color of the visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-infrared light transmission and reflection substrates are shown; Figure 68A and 68B The transmittance and color of the visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-infrared light transmission and reflection substrates are shown; Figure 69 This is a table showing the optical properties of Guardian ExtraClear® low-iron glass; Figure 70 The properties and transmittance of Corning Infrared Transmitting Glass 9754 are shown. Figure 71 This is a table showing performance data for Pilkington Optiwhite™; Figures 72A-72C yes Figure 62 A view of a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, without showing the housing and mounting structure; Figure 73 and Figure 74 This is a view of a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, showing the mirror mounting base / bracket; Figures 75A-75B This is a view of the ECU PCB; Figure 75C-75E This is a view of the application of thermal interface materials at the PCB and the attachment board; Figures 76A-76B This is a view of the housing of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly; Figure 77A This is a schematic diagram of the Infinity™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly inside a DMS box; Figure 77B This is a schematic diagram of a DMS internal EVO™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly; Figure 78 This is a schematic diagram of a box-type DMS internal Infinity™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly that is adjustablely mounted on the windshield electronics module (WEM); Figure 79An exemplary visible light transmittance profile is shown for a mirror-reflective element (“EC unit”) of a dual-substrate laminated electrochromic transflective element suitable for use in a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. Figure 80 Another exemplary visible light transmittance curve is shown for an EC unit suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly; Figure 81 Another exemplary visible light transmittance curve is shown for an EC unit suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly; Figure 82 This is a perspective view of the imager assembly, in which the outer surface of the driver monitoring camera is coated with a dark / light-absorbing / black coating; Figure 83 The near-infrared emission patterns formed by near-infrared reflectors of two narrow field-of-view LEDs for left-hand drive vehicles and near-infrared emission patterns formed by near-infrared reflectors of two narrow field-of-view LEDs for right-hand drive vehicles are shown. Figure 84A-84C A near-infrared light emitting source is shown, which is located in and supported by a lens section structure of a box-type electrochromic DMS mirror assembly. Figure 85A and 85B This is a top plan view of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly installed in an LHD vehicle. Figures 86A-86C This is a schematic diagram showing an example angle and dimensions of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly in an LHD vehicle; Figure 86D shows the distribution of different driver eye points in the horizontal and vertical planes illuminated by the LHD nFOV LED in the LHD vehicle. Figure 86E The image shows the illumination inside the cabin of an LHD vehicle when the LHD nFOV LED is powered. Figure 87A and 87B This is a top view of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly installed in an RHD vehicle. Figure 88A and 88B This is a schematic diagram showing an example angle and size of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly in an RHD vehicle; Figure 88C shows the distribution of different driver eye points in the horizontal and vertical planes illuminated by the RHD nFOV LED in the RHD vehicle; Figure 88D The image shows illumination inside the cabin of an RHD vehicle when the RHD nFOV LED is powered. Figure 89This shows the illumination inside the vehicle cabin when the wFOV LED is powered. Figure 90 A box-type internal DMS mirror assembly suitable for use on both RHD and LHD vehicles is shown. Figure 91 The rear side of an exemplary EC unit for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly is shown; Figures 91A-91C This demonstrates what happens when a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly is attached to the windshield of the vehicle in which it is fitted. Figure 91 How an exemplary EC unit is oriented; Figure 92 Measures to enhance shielding are shown, wherein the outermost surface of the lens of the driver monitoring camera is separated from the bare glass surface on the back side of the rear glass substrate of the EC unit, wherein the camera observes through the EC unit; Figure 93 It is a perspective view of the mirror reflective element, which has a certain size of spacing from the glare sensor and / or near-infrared irradiation device to enhance shielding; Figure 94 The spectral characteristics of the DMS EC cell in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions are shown in its undimmed (bleached) state and its fully electrodimmed (colored) state. Figure 95 The CIELAB color space diagram is shown; Figure 96 Four exemplary EC cells are shown, wherein the stack of multilayer oxide coatings forming the specular reflector has been adjusted to make the visible light transmittance through the EC cell about 45%T, about 30%T, about 21%T and about 14%T; Figure 97 The overall system output of the camera, as observed through a 45%T visible light filter combined with a 45%T EC unit, is 20.25%. Figure 98 The overall system output of the camera, as observed through an 80%T visible light filter combined with a 30%T EC unit, is 24%. Figure 99 The overall system output of the camera, as observed through a 90%T visible light filter combined with a 21%T EC unit, is 18.9%. Figure 100 The overall system output of the camera, as observed through a 90%T visible light filter combined with a 14%T EC unit, is 12.6%. Figure 101A A box-type Infinity™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown; Figure 101BA box-type EVO™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown; Figure 102 The construction of a box-type Infinity™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown; Figure 103A and 103B It is a perspective view of the internal camera's field of view divided into different areas of interest; Figure 104A and 104B This is a schematic diagram of an example sequence of image data frames used in driver monitoring systems and occupant monitoring systems; Figure 105 This is a schematic diagram of an example sequence of image data frames used in driver monitoring systems and occupant monitoring systems; Figure 106 It is a security architecture diagram of the MIK module, which is an internal DMS mirror component; Figure 107 The light path from the LED to the imager of a camera with a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown. Figure 108 The image shows a frame or area of ​​the driver's head as captured by a camera (and illuminated by LEDs) within a box-shaped internal DMS mirror assembly. Figure 109A and 109B This demonstrates how the position of some light shields can affect the forward field of view, near-infrared illumination, and camera visibility to the eye. Figure 110 The arrangement of the first, second, and third near-infrared irradiation sources on the right side of the lens (to the right side of the camera) as seen by the driver of the vehicle is shown. Figure 111 The spectral response and quantum efficiency of the EV76C660 and EV76C661 imaging sensors are shown. Figure 112 The transmission spectrum of Luminate 7276F is shown; and Figure 113A-113E The different positions of the wFOV and nFOV near-infrared illuminators on the lens section of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0009] Referring now to the accompanying drawings and the illustrative embodiments described therein, the interior rearview mirror assembly 10 for a vehicle includes a housing 12 and a reflective element 14 located at the front portion of the housing 12. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the mirror assembly 10 is configured to be adjustably mounted to an interior portion of the vehicle (e.g., onto a mirror mounting button / element on the interior surface of the vehicle windshield or passenger compartment, or, for example, onto the vehicle roof or the like) via a mounting structure or mounting configuration or assembly. The mirror reflective element preferably comprises a variable reflectivity mirror reflective element, which changes its reflectivity in response to an electric current applied to a conductive coating or layer of the reflective element.

[0010] The mirror assembly includes a driver monitoring system (DMS) comprising a driver monitoring camera 18 disposed in the lower region of the lens and facing at least toward the head region of the driver of the vehicle. The mirror assembly also includes a near-infrared (near-IR) or infrared (IR) light-emitting diode (LED) 20 disposed in the lower region of the lens and operable to emit near-infrared light to illuminate the interior of the vehicle in low-light conditions. Driver monitoring cameras and near-infrared LEDs (one or more) may utilize various aspects of driver monitoring systems described in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2021-0323473 and / or US-2021-0291739, and / or U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 650,255 (Attorney's File MAG04P4412) filed February 8, 2022, and / or No. 17 / 649,723 (Attorney's File DON01 P4410) filed February 2, 2022, and / or U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 267,316 filed January 31, 2022, No. 63 / 262,642 filed October 18, 2021, and No. 63 / 201,757 filed May 12, 2021, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0011] The DMS camera is housed within the lens assembly, moving with the lens assembly (including the mirror housing and mirror reflector, which pivot at a pivot joint connecting the lens assembly to the mounting structure of the interior rearview mirror assembly, which is mounted on the windshield or roof of the vehicle) such that the camera is aligned with the driver's line of sight when the driver aligns the mirror to look rearward. The positioning of the DMS camera and one or more IR LEDs at the lens assembly provides the driver with an unobstructed view. The DMS is preferably housed independently within the interior rearview mirror assembly, thus allowing for easy implementation in a variety of vehicles, including existing vehicles and different models of the same vehicle brand (e.g., installed in BMW 3 Series and BMW X3 models, BMW 5 Series and BMW X5 models, and BMW 7 Series models, etc.). The driver monitoring camera can also provide acquired image data to the Occupant Monitoring System (OMS), or another separate camera can be mounted on the mirror assembly for OMS functionality.

[0012] The mirror assembly may include an auto-dimming mirror reflector (such as an electrochromic mirror reflector) or a prism-type mirror reflector. For a prism-type mirror, when the head or housing is positioned by the driver of the vehicle, a driver-operable toggle moves the housing and reflector, flipping them up / down, typically by about 4 degrees, to switch between a daytime position without reduced glare (where the driver can see the reflection at the mirror reflector) and a nighttime position with reduced glare (where the driver can see the reflection at the surface of the glass substrate of the mirror reflector). With an auto-dimming mirror, once the lens is positioned for a particular driver, it typically does not move.

[0013] Both types of mirrors can be equipped with a video display screen, which is positioned behind the mirror's reflective element and can be observed through the reflective element. This type of video mirror includes a backlit LCD display, and a particular form of video mirror is a full-display mirror (such as the ClearView™ interior rearview mirror assembly provided by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, Michigan, or the FDM™ interior rearview mirror assembly provided by Gentex Corporation, Zeeland, Michigan, USA), in which the video display fills the reflective area, as utilized in U.S. Patents No. 11,242,008; No. 11,214,199; No. 10,442,360; No. 10,421,404; No. 10,166,924; No. 10,046,706 and / or No. 10,029,614, and / or No. US-2021-0162926; No. US-2019-0258131; No. US-2019-0146297; Various aspects of the mirror assembly and system described in U.S. Publications No. US-2019-0118717 and / or No. US-2017-0355312, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In this type of dual-mode interior rearview mirror, the EC lens section moves when switching from conventional reflective mode or mirror mode to live video display mode.

[0014] For prism mirrors and full-view mirrors, the driver initially views the rear of the vehicle by looking at the mirror reflector to align with the mirror. When the mirror flips upward (e.g., to the glare reduction position of a prism mirror or to the video display mode of a video mirror), the DMS can flip downward at a similar angle to keep its primary axis of view facing the driver. Optionally, the DMS camera can have a sufficiently large field of view so that the desired area is not outside the camera's field of view when the mirror flips. The DMS data processor located at the system's ECU can adjust or shift the processing of the image data acquired by the camera based on the orientation of the lens (i.e., when it flips upward or downward), so that a portion of the image data processed for the driver monitoring system represents the desired monitoring area within the vehicle's cabin.

[0015] For different camera positions and driver states, the occlusion rate of the driver's face and body can be calculated. This may not provide "perfect" results because the camera will be closer to or farther from the driver with each change in camera position. Therefore, the constant area used for occlusion rate calculation will also change accordingly. For example, if the camera is very close to the driver, these constant areas may not capture all areas of interest, and if the camera is too far from the driver, the constant areas will capture some background.

[0016] like Figure 4 As shown, the camera can be positioned below the mirror reflector, and for example, at and behind the hole passing through the IR transmissive shield, observing through that hole. Alternatively, and as... Figure 5 As shown, the camera can be positioned behind the transparent lens cover. Optionally, and for example as... Figure 6 As shown, one or more infrared emitters (e.g., infrared or near-infrared emitting LEDs or infrared or near-infrared emitting vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs)) may be disposed at and behind the IR transmission cover.

[0017] exist Figure 4-13 In the illustrated embodiment, the mirror assembly includes an auto-dimming or electro-optical, such as an electrochromic, mirror-reflecting element. Optionally, and for example as... Figure 14-22 As shown, the mirror assembly (with a DMS camera and one or more infrared light emitters) may include a prism-type mirror reflector and can be adjusted between a daytime or normal viewing position and an anti-glare position via a toggle switch of the mirror assembly.

[0018] like Figure 23-31 As shown, the DMS camera views the driver's head area to monitor head movements, eye position, gaze direction, and drowsiness / attention. The DMS camera can also view other areas of the passenger compartment and / or parts of the driver's body (such as the driver's hands) to monitor driver behavior, such as using a mobile phone or having hands on the steering wheel. Optionally, the DMS camera can provide occupant monitoring to determine the presence of occupants and the use of their seatbelts. Figure 24-31 Example dimensions and viewing angles of DMS cameras used for driver monitoring, driver behavior monitoring, and occupant monitoring are shown.

[0019] In vehicles such as BMW, Ford, GM, Tesla, and Subaru (e.g., in...) https: / / www.consumerreports.org / car-safety / driver-monitoring-systems-ford-gm-earn- points-in-cr-tests-a6530426322The conventional Driver Monitoring System (DMS) of the aforementioned General SuperCruise™ or Ford BlueCruise™ is a “two-box” DMS, namely: (i) a camera for monitoring the driver’s head / eyes and a near-infrared emission light source illuminating the driver’s head / eyes are housed in a first box or module (which is usually located at the steering column or overhead area of ​​the vehicle); (ii) electronics / software for analyzing the acquired image data to determine the driver’s gaze direction or head position or eye movement or level of alertness or drowsiness are housed in a separate second box or module, which is located away from or at a certain distance from the first box and is usually connected to the first box via a wired connection (the second box usually includes an ECU, which may be part of the vehicle’s front unit and may optionally provide other features in addition to the DMS).

[0020] See now Figure 62The "one-box" DMS electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly 110 has both a camera 10 for monitoring the driver's head / eyes and a near-infrared emitting light source 8 for illuminating the driver's head / eyes, housed within the interior rearview mirror assembly (and preferably, both are housed within the lens portion of the interior rearview mirror assembly). Therefore, the one-box electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly allows vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) (such as Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, GM, or Ford) to equip their vehicles with similar DMS interior rearview electrochromic mirror assemblies, which include a camera / illumination source / driver monitoring software / related driver monitoring electronics, such as data processing chips (one or more), memory, electronic components, and printed circuit boards (one or more) including an automatic dimming circuit, data processing chips (one or more), memory, electronic components, light sensors for detecting glare and ambient light, and including a power supply, electrical connectors (one or more), a heat sink (one or more), mechanical parts, etc. The one-box interior DMS rearview mirror assembly can therefore be purchased by the OEM from the interior rearview mirror assembly manufacturer and installed by the OEM into the vehicle being assembled (typically mounted to the mirror mounting button or a similar element attached to the inside of the vehicle's windshield). For operation in the equipped vehicle, the one-box interior DMS rearview mirror assembly is connected to the vehicle's wiring harness, through which the ignition voltage is supplied (nominal 12V DC, but can vary from 9V (6V for automatic stop / start) to 16V, alternatively depending on the vehicle type and operating conditions). The one-box interior DMS rearview mirror assembly is supplied with vehicle data via this wiring harness, including vehicle and other data, which is provided via a CAN bus or link (which can transmit vehicle information to the mirror and output distraction warnings, etc.), or via a local area network (LIN) bus or line. The wiring harness may include a reversing stop signal / line that communicates with the internal electrochromic mirror assembly when the driver has selected reverse / reverse advance, an Ethernet link, video input / output lines, power, ground, and / or a GMSL / FPD link (video input / output). Video output may be provided, for example, for video conferencing and / or "selfie" applications. Optionally, for privacy protection, occupant images may be blurred if displayed on an in-cabin display (such as during an in-vehicle video conference) or if wirelessly transmitted to a viewer located away from the vehicle. The system may blur the entire image, leaving only the driver / front passenger or all passengers' faces clear. Optionally, a black bar may be overlaid on a person's face. Image stabilization may be provided to compensate for potential image movement, and / or dynamic image cropping may be applied.

[0021] The vehicle wiring harness also receives outputs / data from a box-type interior rearview mirror DMS, which are used for various features, systems, and functions of the equipped vehicle. The outputs / data from the box-type interior DMS rearview mirror assembly include data related to the driver's head position, the driver's eye gaze direction, the driver's hand position, the driver's drowsiness level, and the driver's attention level, as well as other outputs / data related to (and preferably all of) the following: Emotional state Cognitive Distraction break away Visual interference Degree of sleepiness Microsleep sleep Visual state posture Nodding / shaking Activity Abnormal head posture Hand position classification Object classification Speech laugh cough sneeze yawn Smoking Telephone handling videoconference View target category Child car seat inspection Seatbelt status Passenger size Passenger age gender Existence detection Convenience identification Security Identification Member changes cheat Facial expressions Body posture tracking Eye tracking Head tracking Eyelid dynamics Brightness control Facial search mouth shape Camera pose estimation Frozen image detection Facial occlusion Lens blockage low image quality Infrared light blocking Camera not pointed The internal DMS rearview mirror assembly provides a standalone, one-box DMS solution, which includes a camera / near-infrared source / DMS software and its associated data processing chips (one or more) / automatic dimming circuit / circuit for controlling the external electrochromic mirror reflector element. It is part of the external side mirrors / data processing circuits / communication circuits / memory / power supply / related electronic equipment and hardware / heat sink, etc. of the vehicle, and is packaged, integrated, and housed within the vehicle's internal rearview mirror assembly. It is also preferably concealed within the lens portion of the vehicle's internal rearview mirror assembly, behind the transflector reflector element of the vehicle's internal rearview mirror assembly (and concealed from the driver's field of vision by the transflector reflector element).

[0022] The one-piece internal DMS rearview mirror assembly overcomes and solves many problems associated with concealed integration of this complete DMS capability within the lens section of the internal mirror assembly. One problem overcome is heat / thermal management. The DMS data processor of the one-piece internal DMS rearview mirror assembly may include Seeing Machines' FOVIO driver monitoring (FDM) processor [described in...]. c_ D3_03-Driver-Monitoring-Systems.pdf [(xilinx.com, the description is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety], the processor employs computer vision algorithms that robustly, accurately, and in real-time measure a driver's visual attention to their surroundings, assess the degree of drowsiness, and ultimately detect whether the driver has exceeded a risk threshold. For example, a DMS solution built on Seeing Machines' FDM technology is automatic, inconspicuous, accurate, reliable, and intelligently perceptive. The driver does not need to wear any items or alter his or her behavior. This DMS data processing is complex and extensive, and this data processing of DMS data generates heat. For example, complete DMS processing on an FPGA or similar data processing chip generates at least 2 watts of heat, and multiple near-infrared emitters further generate at least 2 watts of heat, and various other auto-dimming and other circuitry housed within the lens in a DMS all-in-one lens solution generates at least 1 watt of heat. The electronic system housed within the lens section of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, as a whole, can consume at least 5 to 15 watts of power (e.g., about 10 watts) when powered on. This power consumption generates heat within the lens section of the internal rearview mirror assembly. For example, the ECU can consume about 8.5 watts (e.g., 7.386 watts), the LED can consume about 2.1 watts (e.g., 2.078 watts), and the camera / imager board can consume about 0.3 to 0.4 watts (e.g., 0.345 watts).

[0023] The DMS data processor of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly may include a data processing chip that runs AI-based DMS / OSD software / algorithms provided by Smart Eye AB in Gothenburg, Sweden. By studying human eye, facial, head, and body movements, as well as the objects they use, Smart Eye's internal vehicle algorithms can draw conclusions about human alertness, attention, focus, and more.

[0024] The interior rearview mirror assembly used in a vehicle must be usable and operational in all climates / geographical regions (day and night), regardless of where the vehicle is driven. In the sweltering summer heat of states like Arizona or Florida, the housing (typically plastic) of the lens portion of an interior rearview mirror assembly attached to the windshield of a car parked in the sun can reach temperatures of 85 degrees Celsius or higher. If a driver grasps the lens portion upon entering the car to adjust their rearview to their desired setting, their fingers will come into contact with the hot surface. Of course, the temperature of the lens portion's outer surface will decrease once the driver starts the car's ignition / engine / propulsion system, especially when the car's air conditioning is on, although this may take several minutes. Incorporating a DMS within the lens portion may exacerbate this problem (unless improved as described herein), at least because: (i) once the driver starts the vehicle, the in-mirror DMS is actuated, and its extensive data processing generates further heat within the lens portion; and (ii) this further heat generated within the lens portion can affect and even damage / degrade / disrupt the performance of the electronics encapsulated within the lens portion. Even during normal driving, the heat generated when parking in a sunny, hot climate is not a problem. However, the heat generated by the large amount of data processing by the DMS can (at least locally) raise the temperature of the outer surface of the lens to a certain level, which may make the driver holding the lens feel uncomfortable or unpleasant. Furthermore, even during normal driving, the heat generated by the large amount of data processing by the DMS can affect or even damage / degrade / disrupt the performance of the electronic components encapsulated within the lens.

[0025] To overcome this heat / thermal management problem, and as Figure 62As shown, a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 includes a heat sink / chassis 12. The heat sink / chassis 12 is formed of a metal, such as anodized aluminum or magnesium (preferably lightweight), zinc, copper, or brass, or any alloy of the aforementioned materials. For example, the heat sink may comprise a die-cast black anodized aluminum alloy having a conductivity of at least 170 W / mK. The ECU 6 of the box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 includes a rigid multilayer (e.g., at least 3 layers, at least 5 layers, or at least 7 layers, such as 8-10 layers) printed circuit board (PCB) having a front side (facing the EC mirror reflector element 1) and a rear side (facing the metal heat sink / chassis 12), wherein the rear side is separated from the front side by the thickness dimension of the PCB (preferably an FR4 PCB). The ECU 6 includes electronic circuitry disposed on both sides of the PCB. Conductive traces and vias on the PCB interconnect the circuitry disposed on the front and rear sides of the PCB. The function of the heat sink / chassis 12 is to absorb and dissipate the heat generated by the DMS electronics. Without the heat sink / chassis 12, the driver-gripped portion of the lens housing / shell may be hotter than other parts because the heat generator within the lens section is located near the driver's grip area. The heat sink / chassis 12 mitigates / improves / avoids this localized hot spot by absorbing and dissipating the heat locally generated within the lens section by the DMS electronics (including the DMS camera and near-infrared light source, as well as any existing auto-dimming circuitry).

[0026] ECU 6 includes an electrical connector (e.g., a pigtail harness extending from the lens portion and terminating at a multi-pin connector, or a multi-pin connector or the like that part of the lens portion and configured to connect to the vehicle wiring harness) for electrical connection to the vehicle's wiring harness when a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle. For example, and as... Figure 62A As shown, the PCB may have an internal connector that is electrically connected to an external connector, which in turn is electrically connected to the vehicle wiring harness. The wiring harness is electrically connected to the vehicle's power supply or battery (which provides approximately 12V) and has a ground wire, and may also have a reverse braking wire. A CAN communication line (2 wires) or a LIN communication line (1 wire) may be connected to the ECU 6 to provide communication / control for other vehicle components. Optionally, the ECU may have an Ethernet interface / connector (such as a shielded single-pair twisted pair) and may provide a 100 Mbps Ethernet interface for video transmission using H.264.

[0027] The electronic circuitry located on the back of the PCB may include a Xilinx XC7Z020 FPGA, available from Xilinx Inc. in San Jose, California, USA, equipped with DMS software. This software is run by Seeingmachines Ltd. in Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory (website: [website address missing]). http: / / www.seeingmachines.com The algorithm provided by ).

[0028] The heat generated by the circuitry on the PCB, particularly the heat generated on the rear side of the PCB (the side where data processing (such as for DMS) occurs and generates heat), is reduced and dissipated by the radiator / chassis 12. The ECU 6 is nested within the radiator / chassis 12, and heat conduction from the electrical components of the ECU 6 to the radiator / chassis 12 is enhanced through various thermal interface materials / components.

[0029] like Figure 62 As shown, multiple thermal interface material (TIM) elements 7 are disposed on the rear side of the PCB, such as the rear side of the ECU PCB, for example at heat-generating components (e.g., DMS SoC chip, imager PCB, LED PCB, etc.), and in contact with corresponding pads or portions of the heat sink / chassis 12 to dissipate heat generated by the heat-generating components during operation of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly. For example (and as...) Figure 75C-75E As shown, TIM element 7 can be disposed on components on the rear side of the PCB or the heatsink side (so that it is disposed between and in contact with the component and the heatsink), such as SoC, LED PCB (on the side of the LED PCB opposite to the LED), imager PCB (on the side of the imager PCB opposite to the imager), memory, power management integrated circuit (PMIC) chip, power chip, Schottky diode, inductor chip, etc. TIM element can also be disposed on components on the attachment board side of the PCB (so that it is disposed between and in contact with the attachment board), such as Ethernet Phy, Schottky diode, flash memory, reverse diode, LED driver FETs, LED driver IC, etc.

[0030] TIM components can be positioned like thermal paste or thermal pads, and the dispensing device can meter the material to a specific volume or weight at each location. Considering the vertical orientation of the surfaces at the TIM interface connections, the material should possess sufficient vertical stability (i.e., the material should not slip due to gravity and / or extreme temperatures, vibrations, etc.). The interface surfaces of the heatsink or attachment plate can be designed / molded with additional geometry (such as grooves, notches, etc.) to mechanically "lock" the TIM components in place, preventing slippage. Providing such additional construction minimizes or eliminates air gaps between the TIM components and the interface surface / material. TIM components can include non-silicone-based materials to avoid paint contamination / adhesion. The heatsink causes four screw bosses and the ECU to bottom out or offset from the reference, clamped between pins or bosses on the corresponding sides of both the heatsink and the attachment plate, thereby controlling the thickness of the TIM components and preventing them from being further compressed.

[0031] ECU PCB assembly (see) Figure 75A and 75BThe system includes a System-on-Chip (SoC), such as a TI Sitara SoC, a video processing chip (ISP), a detection processing chip and related software, a multipoint control unit (MCU), such as an ARM R5F, and four ARM A53 cores (or other suitable components) for processing. The DMS hardware includes a camera (which acquires image data at 60 frames per second) and three groups or rows of light sources (such as LEDs). The light sources can be powered by constant current drivers, in series (e.g., six near-infrared LEDs configured in three groups of two LEDs each). A FET is included for short-circuiting the RHD or LHD LEDs to turn them off. The drive current is approximately 2.3 amps. Preferably, the current through the near-infrared LEDs is less than 3.5 amps. The ECU operates with a 4-millisecond pulse time (12% duty cycle), but preferably between 5% and 35% duty cycle, depending on the choice of LED type and other considerations. Exposure time (according to IEC 62174) is greater than 1000 seconds during normal operation (at a distance of at least 34 cm) and approximately 20 seconds in cases of misuse (at a distance of 10 cm or less). The SMR (Surface Mount Reflector) ratio of the reflector used for the nFOV LED is approximately 1.78x. The system adjusts the PWM on / off time of the LED to reduce operating temperature and thermal issues. The system can also, or otherwise, regulate the constant current passing through the near-infrared LED. The system may include an onboard thermistor, an internal temperature sensor in the LED driver, an internal temperature sensor in the SoC, or other temperature sensing devices to determine the temperature at or within the lens section. When the temperature is determined to be above a threshold temperature, the vehicle's remote start function can be used to cool the vehicle's interior in summer or heat the vehicle in winter. The system can monitor sunlight and communicate with the vehicle via a CAN / LIN bus to add A / C to the windshield. The system can monitor sunlight and weather and slightly lower the windows to reduce interior heat.

[0032] The in-lens DMS chip running the DMS software / algorithm (such as those from Seeingmachines or Smart Eye) can include a Sitara SoC from Texas Instruments Incorporated of Dallas, TX. The Sitara Arm processor family, developed by Texas Instruments, features application cores including ARM9, ARM Cortex-A8 (which includes a 32-bit RISC ARM processor core), ARM Cortex-A9, ARM Cortex-A15, and ARM Cortex-A53 (which includes a 64-bit RISC ARM processor core). (See Sitara SoC for more details.) Figure 63AThe SoC boasts 2-4 times the computing power of the Cortex-A53, reaching up to 1.4GHz (at 0.85V and 18.5K DMIPS), with a total of 512Kb L2 cache. Computing power is provided by 2770KB of SRAM across all critical memories, ECC (64KB main domain, 432KB dedicated to the HSM module, 1.25MB dedicated to the C7x256V, 512KB L2 cache for the A53 core, and 512KB dedicated to the MCU subsystem). The SoC offers a CSI-2 RX (4L) camera interface at 2.5 Gbps and a parallel interface with 24-bit RGB DPI (up to 2048x1080 at 60fps) for display. The processor can encode / decode up to 3840x2160, or 4K30, at 30fps. The processor's acquisition, viewing, and analysis capabilities include JPEG acquisition (1920x1080, 2K60 at 60fps), visual HWA (VPAC3-Lite, at 360MHz), 12-bit RGB-IR, 300MP / s ISP, and C7x256v (C7x+MMA) at 1GHz with 1.25MB shared SRAM (40 GFLOPS / 0-2TOPS). The processor's memory I / O includes a 16-bit LP / DDR4 with inline ECC (LPDDR4: 3733MT / s, DDR4: 3200MT / s), an Octal-SPI (MCU SS) supporting local execution, and three MMC / SDs. The SoC's automotive I / O includes three CAN-FDs (full-duplex) (two in the MCU subsystem) and an Ethernet switch (two external ports): RMII (10 / 100) or RGMII (10 / 100 / 100), AVB, and TSN. The SoC features high-speed I / O and has two USB 2.0 ports. The SoC's security and protection include: (i) a Cortex-R5F (800MHz) MCUSS with FFI, including 32KB I / O. 32KB D (i) 64KB TCM, dedicated peripherals, and 512KB SRAM; (ii) ASIL-B / SIL support; (iii) a diagnostic toolkit (integrated into the SoC), voltage, temperature, clock, ECC monitors, and error signals; and (iv) SHE 1.1 / EVITA-Full HSM, secure boot, and encryption, where the HSM features dedicated dual M4Fs operating at 400MHz and a total of 432KB of SRAM. At 125dC Tj, the SoC's power consumption is typically less than 3W. The SoC includes advanced low-power standby and suspend states (dedicated R5F operating at 400-800MHz) and CAN standby power of 600uW (50uA@12V). The SoC is packaged in a 17x17mm, 0.8mm ball-pitch package. For example, the AM437xSitara™ processor includes an ARM Cortex-A9 32-bit RISC microprocessor with processing speeds up to 1000MHz.

[0033] Floating-point (also known as "real numbers") numbers are the set of all numbers, including integers, numbers with decimal points, irrational numbers like π, and so on. Data processing in DMS is very intensive and requires a large number of floating-point calculations. Floating-point calculation refers to any finite calculation using floating-point numbers, especially decimals, from a computational perspective. FLOPS (floating-point operations per second) measures how many equations involving floating-point numbers a processor can solve in one second. Computational power / capacity / capability / skill can be expressed in terabytes (mega-floating-point operations per second), gigabytes (billion-floating-point operations per second), and terabytes (trillion-floating-point operations per second). Data processing chips may include FLOPS as a specification to indicate how fast their overall speed is. Specifically, terabytes refer to the data processor's ability to perform one trillion floating-point operations per second. For example, "6 TFLOPS" means that its processor setting can handle an average of 6 trillion floating-point operations per second.

[0034] For a data processing chip suitable for a one-piece DMS internal rearview mirror assembly, the computing power must be sufficient to handle the high-intensity computations required to run the DMS software loaded onto and running on the chip. Therefore, for a data processing chip running DMS software / algorithm / object code (located within the lens section of the one-piece DMS internal rearview mirror assembly), the computing speed is preferably at least 0.1 trillion floating-point operations per second; more preferably at least 0.3 trillion floating-point operations per second; and most preferably at least 0.6 trillion floating-point operations per second. If the chip needs to run other functions or algorithms besides the DMS software, a computing speed of at least 0.5 trillion floating-point operations per second is preferred; more preferably at least 1 trillion floating-point operations per second; and even more preferably at least 1.5 trillion floating-point operations per second.

[0035] The faster the computing speed, the greater the power consumption of the data processing chip. For a data processing chip suitable for use in a DMS (Distributed Mirror System) component within a DMS housing, the power consumption (while running the DMS software / algorithm) is preferably less than 5 watts, more preferably less than 4 watts, and most preferably less than 3 watts. For example, a suitable DMS data processing chip running the DMS software / algorithm at a computing speed of approximately 0.25 trillion floating-point operations per second consumes approximately 2.5 watts of power.

[0036] Optionally, the DMS SoC in the lens unit may include a Xilinx 7020 FPGA from Xilinx, Inc. of San Jose, CA USA. Alternatively, other digital signal processing chips, such as Snapdragon data processors from Qualcomm Technologies Inc. of San Diego, CA USA (which can run on Snapdragon ADP and Snapdragon Ride platforms), may be used as the in-lens data processing chip to run the DMS software. The Snapdragon data processor includes an on-chip data processing system (SoC). The Snapdragon's central processing unit (CPU) uses an ARM architecture, and a single Snapdragon SoC may include multiple CPU cores, an Adreno graphics processing unit (GPU), a wireless modem, a Hexagon digital signal processor (DSP), a Qualcomm Spectra image signal processor (ISP), and other software and hardware.

[0037] The attachment plate may comprise a plastic material (preferably a thermally conductive plastic material), or may comprise an aluminum or magnesium or other metallic material to enhance heat transfer and heat dissipation. Optionally, the attachment plate may comprise a stainless steel fiber-reinforced polycarbonate (PC) acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) material (such as 15% SS fiber filler supplied by Sabic Company, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) for EMI shielding. The radiator surrounds the ECU and is spring-fed at the ECU and attached to the attachment plate (e.g., by screws) using a tongue-and-groove interface on the attachment plate to form a Faraday cage (e.g., by utilizing various aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Provisional Applications No. 63 / 267,316 (filed January 31, 2022), No. 63 / 262,642 (filed October 18, 2021), and No. 63 / 201,757 (filed May 12, 2021), all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). For a single-box Infinity TM The internal DMS rearview mirror assembly can use PC-ABS material for the mounting plate, while for a one-piece EVO... TMThe internal DMS rearview mirror assembly may include a PC-ASA material for the attachment plate, which may be necessary or required for a Class A surface on the peripheral edge of the surround mirror reflector element of the attachment plate. Optionally, the attachment plate may include a stamped aluminum heat diffuser / shield for dispersing heat generated by certain components (during operation) and forming the other half of the Faraday cage together with the radiator. Optionally, and as... Figure 62 , 76A As shown in 76B, the housing may include one or more channels or vents (e.g., upper and lower vents, and / or vents through the back or side of the lens housing / enclosure that the driver of the equipped vehicle can grasp to adjust the lens portion) to increase airflow through the lens portion, thereby reducing the internal cavity temperature and the touch surface temperature of the lens portion (wherein the touch surface temperature of the lens portion is preferably below about 60 degrees Celsius, more preferably below about 50 degrees Celsius). The vents help reduce the thermal junction temperature of heat-generating components (such as SoC and PMIC) and help reduce the overall / average touch temperature. There is no thermal material / interface between the heat sink and the housing. The housing includes an ambient light sensor cone that compresses a foam ring or annulus at the sensor. The housing may be a single-piece housing or a two- or three-piece housing. A mounting base or bracket (e.g., see...) is provided via the housing and the lens mounting base or bracket. Figure 73 and 74 An electrical connector for the ECU can be provided for electrical connection to the vehicle's wiring harness. The mirror base or bracket may be made of aluminum and can be painted black. The mirror glass size may be approximately 243.5 mm x 63 mm (141 cm). 2 ).

[0038] The thermal conductivity of air at room temperature is approximately 0.025 W / m Kelvin (W·m). -1 ·K -1THERM-A-GAP™ GEL25NS (a non-silicone, fully cured, disposable gel from Chomerics, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, USA) has a thermal conductivity of 2.1 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470), which is an order of magnitude higher than that of air. When assembling a cartridge-type electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 at an interior mirror manufacturer, THERM-A-GAP™ GEL25NS can be dispensed in the required amount onto the components of the cartridge-type electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 to enhance thermal conductivity and heat flow from heat-generating components to the radiator / base 12 and / or housing 18. TIM-PUTTY 45 (available from TIMTRONICS, Yaphank, NY, USA) is a low-viscosity, high-conformity, one-component, paste-like, non-curing gel-type dispensable gap filler with a viscous consistency that ensures stress-free, efficient heat transfer between delicate components under minimal pressure. TIM-PUTTY 45 has a thermal conductivity of 4.5 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470). FLEXTEIN® TG845NS (available from Nystein Corporation, New York, NY) is a non-silicone, thermally conductive dispensable gel with a thermal conductivity of 4.5 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470), low thermal resistance, low compressibility, and RoHS compliance. BERGQUIST LIQUI FORM TLF 4500CGEL-SF (available from Henkel Corporation, Stamford, Connecticut) has a thermal conductivity of 4.5 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470), a silicone-free formulation, optimized shear-thinning rheology for improved 1K dispensing rate, excellent wetting and superforming properties with low assembly stress, and is suitable for low-stress interface applications. This high thermal conductivity material [preferably having a thermal conductivity greater than 2 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470), more preferably greater than 3 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470), and most preferably greater than 4 W / mK (compliant with ASTM D5470)] can be dispensed in the desired amount onto the components of a box-type electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 (or used in other ways) to enhance thermal conductivity and heat flow from the heat-generating components to the radiator / chassis 12 and / or to the housing 18.

[0039] The thermal properties of the one-piece electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 make it suitable and safe for use in vehicles.

[0040] Optionally, a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly may include a thermally conductive element located and in close contact with a portion of the circuit board to conduct and / or dissipate heat generated by the circuitry or circuit board of the ECU, for example by utilizing various aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent No. 7,855,755 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). The thermally conductive element may include any suitable thermally conductive material, such as a metallic material or a thermally conductive plastic or similar material. Optionally, the thermally conductive material includes thermally conductive polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), such as COOLPOLY.RTM.E5101 thermally conductive PPS available from CoolPolymers, Inc., Warwick, Rhode Island (RI). The thermally conductive element is formed, for example by molding or similar means, and positioned at the rear of the mirror housing, for example, at or within a hole or opening formed or provided at the rear of the mirror housing.

[0041] Optionally, the thermally conductive element can be molded into the desired shape, for example by injection molding or similar methods, so that the rear or outer surface of the thermally conductive element matches or substantially matches the outer surface of the mirror housing in the area where the thermally conductive element is located. Therefore, the thermally conductive element can be injection molded and can be molded using selected or different pigments and / or materials to provide different colors and / or textures to substantially match the outer surface of the mirror housing, making it essentially invisible or indistinguishable to the consumer. Preferably, the thermally conductive material is loaded with graphite or other suitable conductive materials to enhance conductivity. U.S. Patent No. 7,855,755 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) discloses thermally conductive elements and materials suitable for thermal management of heat generated within the lens section of a cartridge-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly. Furthermore, if the thermal management of heat generated within the lens section of a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly requires active cooling, a cooling fan attached to the lower housing portion of the mirror housing can be used. This cooling fan can guide airflow between heat dissipation fins on the outer side of the housing (and preferably, the heat dissipation fins are thermally connected to one or more heat generators disposed within the lens section via thermal elements), and is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. US-2021 / 0368082 and / or US-2021 / 0306538 (which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety).

[0042] Optionally, one or more thermally conductive elements may comprise metallic materials, such as magnesium or other suitable heat-dissipating materials. For example, magnesium alloys, such as magnesium AM40A-F, or other suitable metallic materials or metal alloys may be used to achieve the desired heat transfer and dissipation. The metallic thermally conductive elements (one or more) may be die-cast (or otherwise formed) into the desired shape and may be formed or profiled to substantially match the outer surface of the mirror housing to reduce the visibility of the thermally conductive elements at the mirror housing. Optionally and ideally, the metallic thermally conductive elements may be painted or coated on their outer surface to match the color of the plastic of the mirror housing, thereby at least partially or substantially concealing the presence of the thermally conductive elements outside the mirror housing. Optionally, the metallic thermally conductive elements may be powder-coated to improve durability. Any external coatings, paint layers, or skin layers on the outer surface of the thermally conductive elements preferably also include thermally conductive materials or paints to enhance the conduction and dissipation of heat through the thermally conductive elements to the exterior of the mirror housing. Optionally and ideally, a plastic grid or vent-like structure or grille can at least partially cover the outer surface of the heat sink or heat-conducting element, making it difficult for a person's hand to touch the actual surface of the heat-conducting element. This reduces the likelihood of discomfort if a person touches the heat-conducting element after the display has been activated and used for a long time. Such a grid, vent, or grille allows airflow and heat dissipation at the heat sink and can also shield or cover the heat sink at or near a windshield to reduce the solar load at the heat sink, such as the solar load that may occur on sunny days.

[0043] During the operation of the DMS / OMS function, heat of up to 10 watts or more may be generated. For example, the ECU may generate 7.5 watts of heat, the pulses of the LEDs may generate 2 watts of heat, and the operation of the camera may generate 0.5 watts of heat. The LEDs are pulsed on and off, so the power consumption is less than if they were continuously powered [LEDs can be controlled in a PWM manner, with a pulse rate of, for example, 4 milliseconds (12% duty cycle when the DMS camera acquires image data at 30 frames per second)]. The heat generated by the various electronic components within the lens assembly (such as the DMS SoC chip running the DMS software / algorithm or the near-infrared light source) is dissipated by a heat sink / chassis to cool the electronic components in the lens assembly and by heat dissipation at the housing (to reduce touch temperature). The touch or surface temperature at the housing is preferably less than or equal to 50 degrees Celsius. Ventilation is included at the housing to help reduce touch temperature. Therefore, the lens assembly includes heat dissipation and heat exchange (dissipating and exchanging heat to the outside of the lens assembly) functions.

[0044] Figure 63AThis is a schematic diagram of an electrochromic (EC) dimming circuit and DMS system, comprising a box-type electrochromic internal DMS rearview mirror assembly 110. Note that instead of an electrically dimmable EC mirror reflector, another type of electro-optic mirror reflector (e.g., a liquid crystal mirror reflector, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 10,166,92 and 9,493,122, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) can be used. Furthermore, for a single-box DMS prism-type interior rearview mirror assembly, the socket 15 of the single-box electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 will be replaced by a toggle mechanism and bracket; the EC mirror reflector 1 of the single-box electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 will be replaced by a prism-type glass substrate coated with a transflector that reflects and transmits visible light and transmits near-infrared radiation on its second surface; and the housing 18 of the single-box electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly 110 will be replaced by a housing with a hole for a toggle / latch.

[0045] The DMS interior rearview mirror assembly 110 includes multiple near-infrared light emitting sources. These near-infrared sources may include multiple near-infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or near-infrared emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), such as a row, a string, or a group of sources, like LEDs or VCSEL lasers. The near-infrared sources include a first wide field-of-view (wFOV) source, a second narrow field-of-view (nFOV) source located to one side of the wFOV source, and a third nFOV source located to the other side of the wFOV source. As used herein, the terms “nFOV” and “wFOV” refer to the illumination field or field of view, or directivity, or full width at half maximum (FWHM), or beam angle of each of the nFOV and wFOV sources at 50% intensity.

[0046] like Figures 63A-63CAs shown, a row, string, or group of two (or more) narrow field-of-view (nFOV) near-infrared LEDs (which may be arranged horizontally or vertically, or in a matrix of rows and columns, or otherwise) are disposed within (or at least partially surrounded by) a near-infrared reflector (such as a 14.1mm x 6.92mm x 6.5mm reflector, for example, available from CoreLED Systems, LLC, Livonia, Michigan) on a first rigid PCB. The first rigid PCB is connected board-to-board to a second rigid PCB via a flexible multi-line planar ribbon cable (comprising multiple individual conductive lines, such as four lines, laid flat and parallel to each other). A row, string, or group of two (or more) wide field-of-view (wFOV) near-infrared LEDs (which may be arranged horizontally or vertically, or in a matrix of rows and columns, or otherwise) are disposed on the second rigid PCB. The second rigid PCB is connected to a third rigid PCB via a flexible multi-line planar ribbon cable (comprising multiple single conductive lines laid flat and parallel to each other). Two (or more) narrow field-of-view (nFOV) near-infrared LEDs (which may be arranged horizontally or vertically, or in a matrix of rows and columns, or otherwise) are disposed within a reflector on a third rigid PCB. The third rigid PCB includes a flexible multi-line planar ribbon cable terminating at an electrical connector that connects to a corresponding electrical connector on the PCB of ECU 6. While some figures show a group of three near-infrared light sources (LHD nFOV, wFOV, and RHD nFOV) on separate rigid PCBs interconnected by a flexible ribbon connection, other arrangements of the illumination sources in the lens section are possible. For example, all light sources may be located on one PCB, or two rows of light sources may be located on one PCB, and one row of light sources may be located on another PCB, and so on. The reflector may comprise approximately 0.01-inch thick 260½ hardness brass that has been stamped and polished, which may be post-tinned (e.g., 5 microns of tin plated on a copper flash), or other suitable near-infrared reflective material (such as aluminum), which may be surface-mounted / soldered onto the respective LED PCB to guide, direct, focus, or collimate the near-infrared light emitted by the respective LED toward the appropriate driver or passenger area or cabin area in the vehicle.

[0047] like Figure 110 As shown, wFOV LEDs are arranged horizontally, one next to another and spaced apart, while nFOV LEDs are arranged vertically, one higher than the other and closer together (and surrounded or encircled by their respective reflectors). Figure 110 In the illustrative embodiment shown, each of the LHD and RHD groups composed of nFOV LEDs includes two vertically stacked LEDs, and each group has its own reflector. Figure 110As can be seen, horizontally arranged wFOV LEDs have a larger spacing than vertically arranged nFOV LEDs. Each group of LEDs is stacked vertically to reduce the total distance to the red light filter / mirror reflector, thus minimizing the aperture (the holes through the attachment plate and the tape that attaches the mirror reflector to the attachment plate). This arrangement of wFOV and nFOV LEDs reduces cost and packaging space.

[0048] Irradiator electric actuator (see) Figure 63C ) drives the LED and acts by storing energy in a capacitor (see Figure 63C (An example schematic diagram of the illuminator driver) is used to prevent power surges in the vehicle (such as a 2.3A surge). During the LED's "off time," the illuminator driver increases the voltage of the storage capacitor (24V+) and releases the stored energy into the LED during the "on time." This reduces the vehicle's average current consumption.

[0049] A single-unit DMS interior rearview mirror assembly includes a filter at the LED to attenuate or block visible light. For example, the LED filter may include Luminate. TM 7276F is a visible light opaque compound that is black and blocks or filters light from 200-860 nm, while allowing light greater than 990 nm to pass through (see...). Figure 112 The filter comprises a ready-to-mold thermoplastic having the appearance of black polycarbonate granules. Target transmittance values ​​are: 5% at 875 nm, 50% at 910 nm, 80% at 986 nm, and 85% at 1000 nm. The filter is molded into a rectangular plate, or other shapes as needed. The plate thickness transmitting near-IR light at 940 nm is at least 0.5 mm in its thickness direction, more preferably at least 1 mm, and most preferably at least 1.25 mm, but preferably less than 6 mm, more preferably less than 4 mm, and most preferably less than 2.5 mm. For example, the filter may be 63.02 mm wide x 23.6 mm high x 1.3 mm thick. The LED filter improves the shielding of the system by limiting visible light to prevent any visible light emitted by the near-IR LED from being visible through the specular reflection element (and thus reduce or avoid the visibility of the LED's red light emission at the specular reflection element when the LED is energized). LED filters can also block or limit ambient light from entering the lens area through the LED and EC unit, allowing the viewer to see the location inside the vehicle cabin.

[0050] The one-piece DMS interior rearview mirror assembly also includes an IR blocking filter located in front of the EC glare sensor. The IR blocking filter at the EC glare sensor blocks a certain percentage of IR light from reaching the EC glare sensor. The EC glare sensor IR blocking filter can be 17.28mm wide x 11.85mm high x 1.02mm thick.

[0051] During operation of the DMS (Display Monitor System) interior rearview mirror assembly, circuitry ECU 6 controls the LEDs and camera. For example, the camera can acquire image data at a frame rate of 60 frames per second (fps), and the LHD n-FOV LED, w-FOV LED, and RHD n-FOV LED employ pulse width modulation to acquire certain frames of the acquired image data when some or all of the LEDs are powered. During DMS operation (and, for example, every other image data frame), the LHD n-FOV LED and w-FOV LED pulse on; and during OMS operation (and, for example, every ten image data frames), all LHD n-FOV LED, w-FOV LED, and RHD n-FOV LED pulse on. Example pulse patterns and image data frame acquisition rates are shown in... Figure 104A , 104B And 105, and discussed below.

[0052] Cameras used in security applications typically employ near-infrared (NIIR) floodlight illumination around 850 nm. However, the sensitivity of these conventional cameras decreases at longer wavelengths in the NIIR spectral region. Therefore, these conventional security cameras are less sensitive to 940 nm light than to 850 nm light; when using a 940 nm NIIR illuminator, they have a 50% smaller range compared to using an 850 nm NIIR illuminator. Furthermore, while 850 nm infrared light is largely not perceived as "light" by the human eye, a slight red glow is visible at LED light sources. For the in-cabin DMS and ODS of this invention, 940 nm NIIR illumination is preferred, especially when the in-lens camera has a quantum efficiency of at least 15% at 940 nm. Compared to 850 nm illumination, less "red light" is perceptible to the human eye when using 940 nm illumination, thus enhancing the shielding effect of the near-IR emission light source within the lens section emitted through the mirror reflector. Furthermore, water absorbs near-IR light at 940nm, and therefore, due to atmospheric moisture, solar radiation is attenuated at 940nm in its illumination spectrum. Consequently, ambient sunlight inside the vehicle cabin (especially when driving a convertible on a sunny day with the roof down) has a dip or trough at 940nm, which reduces any tendency for ambient sunlight inside the vehicle cabin to interfere with the DMS / ODS function.

[0053] Preferably, the nFOV LED comprises the SFH 4728AS A01 OSLON® Black near-IR emission (centroid wavelength of 940nm) -50° LED, which is available from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Leibnizstraße 4, D-93055, Regensburg, Germany (see [link to product details]). Figure 64 When the box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly 110 is mounted on the windshield or front of the vehicle, the FOV of the Osram Black series (940nm) LED is 50 degrees horizontally and 50 degrees vertically (without a reflector). With a reflector, the FOV, directivity, half-maximum full width (FWHM), or beam angle at 50% intensity of the nFOV LED is approximately 41 degrees vertically and 41 degrees horizontally. When operating in the box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly 110, the forward current through each OSLON Black series (940nm) LED is at least 500 mA, more preferably at least 750 mA, and most preferably approximately 1000 mA. Figure 64 The relative spectral emission and other characteristics of the SFH 4728AS A01 OSLON® Black near-IR emitting (centroid wavelength 940 nm) -50° LED are shown. The total radiative flux (measured with an integrating sphere) exceeds 1000 mW / sr at a forward current of approximately 1 ampere. The total radiative flux (with a forward current of approximately 5 amperes and a pulse duration of approximately 100 microseconds) can exceed 5000 mW. Forward current I... F The minimum current is 10mA, and the maximum is 5A. Maximum power consumption P tot Approximately 5W. Under forward current I... F The value is 1A, and the pulse duration is t. p The time is 10ms, and the ambient temperature T A At 25°C, (i) peak wave λ peak typ. It is 950nm, and (ii) the centroid wavelength λ centroid typ. It is 940nm. 50% I rel,max Spectral bandwidth (FWHM) λ is typically 37nm. Half-angle Typically 25°. The forward current through the LED is I. F =1.5A and pulse t p At 100µs, the radiation intensity I e Typically 1980mW / sr. The forward current through the LED is I. F =5A and pulse t p At 100µs, the radiation intensity I e Typically 5900 mW / sr. F=1A and T p Radiation intensity I at 10ms e It is 1350mW / sr. F = 1 A and T p Radiation intensity I at 10 ms e The range is 1120 to 1800 mW / sr. The size (L x W) of the active chip area is typically 1 mm x 1 mm.

[0054] Preferably, the wFOV LED comprises SFH 47278AS A01 OSLON Black Series (940 nm) - 130° x 155° near-IR emitting (centroid wavelength of 940 nm) LED, which is available from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Leibnizstraße 4, D-93055, Regensburg, Germany (see [link to documentation]). Figure 65 When a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly 110 is installed on the windshield or front of the vehicle, the FOV, directional, or half-maximum full width (FWHM) or beam angle at 50% intensity of the wFOV LED (for Osram Black Series (940nm) LED) is 155 degrees horizontally and 130 degrees vertically. Figure 65 The relative spectral emission and other characteristics of the SFH 47278AS A01 OSLON Black Series (940 nm) - 130° x 155° LED are shown. With a forward current of approximately 1 ampere, the total radiative flux (measured using an integrating sphere) exceeds 1000 mW / sr. The total radiative flux (with a forward current of approximately 5 amperes and a pulse duration of approximately 100 microseconds) can exceed 1500 mW. Forward current I... F The maximum is 1.5A. At t p ≤450µs; the maximum forward current under a pulse with D≤0.005 is 5A. Power consumption P tot The maximum is approximately 5W. Forward current I F The pulse duration is t and is 1A. p The time is 10ms, and the ambient temperature T A At 25 degrees Celsius, (i) peak wavelength λ peak typ. The wavelength is 950 nm, and (ii) the centroid wavelength λ centroid typ. It is 940nm. 50% I rel,max Spectral bandwidth at (FWHM) λ is typically 37nm. Half-angle (Minor axis) is typically 65 degrees; half angle The major axis is typically 77.5 degrees. The forward current through the LED is I. F=1.5A and pulse t p At 100µs, the radiation intensity I e Typically, it is 450 mW / sr. In I F =1A and t p At 100µs, the total radiative flux Φ e Typically 1340 mW. In I F =1.5A and t p Total radiative flux Φ at 100µs e Typically 1970 mW. The dimensions (L x W) of the active chip area are typically 1mm x 1mm.

[0055] When operating in a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly 110, the forward current through each OSLON black series (940nm) LED is at least 500 mA, more preferably at least 750 mA, and most preferably at least 1000 mA.

[0056] The combination of nFOV and wFOV light sources allows the system to utilize different groups to meet the illumination requirements of LHD and RHD vehicles. For LHD vehicles, LHD nFOV and wFOV LEDs are the primary light sources for driver monitoring, while LHD nFOV, wFOV, and RHD nFOV LEDs are all used for occupancy monitoring to detect front and rear seat passengers, children in child seats, etc.

[0057] Irradiance (radiant flux received per unit area of ​​surface) at the driver's head (and especially at the driver's eyes for drowsiness detection) is important, particularly during nighttime driving when the interior of the vehicle is dark and the DMS camera in this area relies primarily on near-IR illumination emitted by a near-IR light source within the lens. The near-IR irradiance near the driver's eyes is preferably at least 1 W / m². 2 More preferably at least 1.8 W / m 2 And the optimal value is at least 2.5 W / m 2 (Especially for a specific driver seated in a particular vehicle equipped with a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly, within 99% of the eye ellipse according to SAE J194), while the near-IR irradiance for occupant detection at the front passenger seat position is preferably at least 0.15 W / m². 2 More preferably, it is at least 0.25 W / m 2 And the optimal value is at least 0.4 W / m 2 Furthermore, the near-IR irradiance for occupant detection in areas such as rear seats is at least 0.1 W / m². 2For optimal performance, at least 0.15 W / m 2 More preferably, and at least 0.2 W / m 2 This is the optimal choice.

[0058] like Figure 107 As shown, the light emitted by the LED and reflected by the reflector passes through a red light filter and a specular reflector to illuminate the driver's head area, and is reflected towards the camera, returning through the specular reflector and the camera lens. Under 100% LED power conditions, the light path (irradiance) of a narrow FOV (nFOV) LED is reduced so that only 74% reaches the driver. However, in the worst-case scenario, peak power must be used. Therefore, 178% of the LED irradiance power is required for exposure limiting. Irradiance is primarily proportional to the current flowing through the LED.

[0059] like Figure 108 As shown, the camera sees (and the LED illuminates) the driver's head box or area. Figure 109A and Figure 109B The diagram illustrates how forward field of view, near-IR illumination, and camera-to-eye visibility are affected by the position of certain visors (showing drivers of different sizes in different seating positions relative to a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly). Figure 86D shows different eye points projected onto the horizontal plane relative to the light source for left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles and the DMS (with the LEDs positioned on the right side of the lens), while Figure 88C shows different eye points projected onto the horizontal plane relative to the light source for right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles and the DMS (with the LEDs positioned on the right side of the lens). All the closest driver eye points are sufficiently bright to meet irradiance requirements – nominal targets of 15° vertically / 20° horizontally.

[0060] The DMS SoC, located within the lens section, can sense its silicon die temperature and enter a "throttling mode" when needed to reduce power output (throttling down operating temperature). This "throttling mode" can include reducing the computational algorithm feature set and / or lowering the SoC clock frequency, as well as reducing the frame rate (e.g., dropping from 60fps to 30fps). The ECPWM duty cycle and drive voltage can be altered to reduce power consumption within the lens. Cell gaps can be reduced to allow for lower drive current. IR power can also be reduced. Using LC optical switches in a single-cell DMS / OMS configuration reduces thermal issues. This reduces the required IR LED drive power. Fans, heat pipes, thermal interface materials (TIM), and alternative heat dissipation materials (e.g., copper) can all be used to improve cooling. Heatsink fin design also plays a role in cooling capacity.

[0061] For example, if the temperature is determined to be above a threshold level, the system can provide thermal management and roll back or reduce processing operations occurring within the lens section. The system can determine the temperature within the lens section via an onboard thermistor, an external thermistor, an LED driver with a thermistor, or a processor with a thermistor within the lens section. To protect the electronic components within the lens section and / or to avoid exacerbating the temperature of the lens housing of the one-box DMS internal rearview mirror assembly (which has been stored under high temperature / sunlight conditions, causing the lens housing to reach or exceed 85 degrees Celsius), various countermeasures can be employed. Depending on the temperature sensing capability of the onboard chip and / or external thermistor compared to the onboard thermistor, the operation of the DMS can be temporarily reduced for a period of time (up to 1 minute, up to 5 minutes, up to 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes, etc.) and / or until the temperature detected by the thermistor drops below the threshold temperature. For example, the system can pulse the LED at a slower rate and / or acquire image data at a reduced frame rate, or power the LED at a reduced power level (i.e., the system can reduce the maximum intensity of the LED and / or reduce the switching pulse rate of the LED and / or reduce the image acquisition rate). Optionally, the system can output a signal (e.g., via CAN communication) to turn on the vehicle's air conditioning. Optionally, if the temperature exceeds a threshold temperature, the system can provide an alert to the driver indicating that the DMS / OMS function is temporarily unavailable.

[0062] During operation, the DMS camera acquires image data frames (e.g., at a frame acquisition rate of 30fps or 60fps), and appropriate LEDs are turned on and off for the corresponding acquired image data frame pulses. The LED pulse rate is synchronized with the camera's frame acquisition rate; that is, the LEDs are only turned on (and emit near-IR illumination) when the imager is exposed and collecting energy. For example, if the camera acquires image data frames at a rate of 30fps, each frame lasts approximately 33ms, but the imager is only exposed (and collects light energy, converting incoming photons into electrons photoelectrically) for a portion of this time (e.g., 4ms). The LEDs are electrically repetitive pulses, ensuring that they are only powered during the 4ms period when the imager is collecting energy (however, the LEDs can be on for slightly longer periods to ensure they are powered throughout the entire exposure period). The pulse duty cycle is approximately 12%. Synchronization of the LEDs so that they are not powered for the entire frame time (33ms) reduces heat generation, improves thermal management, and avoids prolonged near-IR illumination in the driver's or passenger's eyes. For DMS, and to facilitate video conferencing and driver selfies, the system utilizes the full-color (RGB) capability of the DMS camera, thus merging the three (R, G, B) signals into a single signal or frame. For OMS, the system does not require color and can use the DMS camera as a monochrome camera, while simultaneously improving the camera's sensitivity to incident light. Regarding the duty cycle pulses of the near-IR light source (such as nFOV LED or wFOV LED) located within the lens section, a duty cycle of at least 8% is preferred; a duty cycle of at least 10% is more preferred, and a duty cycle of at least 12% is most preferred. However, for eye safety and to reduce thermal load, a duty cycle of less than 40% is preferred; a duty cycle of less than 30% is more preferred, and a duty cycle of less than 20% is most preferred.

[0063] Optionally, the system can reduce the LED power (current applied to the LED) during daytime operation and / or dynamically change or adjust the pulse duty cycle based on the main conditions inside the vehicle (such as day or night, whether driving is in sunny or cloudy weather, or whether the vehicle has just been started after being immersed in the hot summer sun, causing the interior mirror temperature to reach 60-80 degrees Celsius or higher). Optionally, the system can increase the LED power (applied current) and / or change or adjust the LED pulse duty cycle to facilitate observation through the driver's glasses, particularly the driver's sunglasses.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 11,205,083 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), the DMS camera can acquire image data frames at a first rate, and the near-IR light emitter can emit electrical pulses at a second rate. The plurality of near-IR light emitters can operate in two modes: (i) a first mode in which a near-IR light emitter among the plurality of near-IR light emitters disposed in the lens section operates to emit near-IR light to illuminate an area within the field of view of the DMS camera (e.g., the driver's head area or the front or rear seat area); and (ii) a second mode in which a reduced number of near-IR light emitters among the plurality of infrared light emitters operates to emit near-IR light to illuminate the area.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 11,240,427 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), a near-IR irradiation source (which, when powered, emits light that illuminates at least a portion of the vehicle's driver) disposed in the lens section is controlled to modulate the intensity of the light emitted by the modulated irradiation source. A DMS SoC chip within the lens section processes image data acquired by a DMS camera of the portion of the driver illuminated by intensity-modulated near-IR light to distinguish (i) portions of the acquired image data resulting from the portion of the driver illuminated by intensity-modulated near-IR light from the irradiation source from the irradiation source from the driver's side, and (ii) portions of the acquired image data resulting from the portion of the driver illuminated by ambient cabin light from the cabin. The controller filters the acquired image data to reduce the distinguishable portions resulting from ambient cabin light.

[0066] The near-IR signal emitted by the LED is preferably at a wavelength of 940nm, making it easier for the DMS processor to recognize (as water in the atmosphere absorbs 940nm light, ambient sunlight at this wavelength is reduced). The DMS camera includes a filter that allows / passes through light of this wavelength while attenuating other light. Therefore, the camera will operate with an enhanced 940nm signal, which improves driver monitoring when the driver is wearing sunglasses. Other light inside the vehicle (i.e., ambient light) is filtered, allowing the camera to focus on the 940nm wavelength and thus avoid "seeing" reflections from the sunglasses. The DMS function provides dynamic camera control (increasing or decreasing exposure time or frame acquisition rate) and LED control (increasing or decreasing LED power and / or increasing or decreasing on-time) to adapt to changes in illumination and / or to driver sunglasses or similar conditions.

[0067] Figure 66 The image shows a transmittance / reflectance substrate suitable for visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-IR light transmission in a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly 110 (transmittance characteristics and color distribution are shown in the figure). Figure 67A and 67BThe substrate coated with the reflector stack is a flat, soda-lime glass substrate of the vehicle interior mirror shape with a plate thickness of 2 mm. For use as a rear substrate in a laminated EC unit (as disclosed herein in its entirety in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,274,501, 7,184,190, and / or 7,255,451, incorporated herein by reference), and to reduce the overall weight of the assembly, a thinner glass substrate is preferred. For example, the plate thickness of the glass substrate is preferably 1.6 mm or less, and the plate thickness of the glass substrate is preferably 1.1 mm or less. Furthermore, low-iron glass (as described herein) is preferred to improve overall visible light transmittance and near-IR light (e.g., 940 nm) transmittance. For example, Guardian UltraClear® low-iron glass (available from Guardian Glass Company, 2300 Harmon Rd, Auburn Hills, MI, USA) is more transparent and has a more neutral color than standard soda-lime float glass, and is available in thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 12mm. Additionally, Guardian ExtraClear® low-iron glass (available from Guardian Glass 19, rue du PuitsRomain L-8070 Bertrange Grande-Duchy de Luxembourg) is also available. Guardian ExtraClear® low-iron glass has... Figure 69 The optical properties are shown. Additionally, Corning Infra Red Transmitting Glass 9754 (see...) can also be used. Figure 70 It is preferably used in conjunction with an infrared cutoff filter that blocks the transmission of infrared radiation with wavelengths exceeding 1 micrometer through a glass substrate.

[0068] For glass substrates coated with transflectors (such as...) Figure 66 The visible light reflectance of the first surface (measured according to SAE J964a, which is an SAE recommended practice for determining the total reflectance and specular reflectance of vehicle mirrors with flat and curved surfaces, and for determining the diffuse reflectance and haze of mirrors with flat surfaces) is preferably at least 45%R, more preferably at least 55%R, and most preferably at least 65%R. The glass substrate coated with the transflector (e.g.) Figure 66The visible light transmittance of the embodiment shown is preferably at least 15%T, more preferably at least 20%T, and most preferably at least 25%T, and preferably less than 35%T, more preferably less than 30%T [measured using CIE standard irradiation material D65 and a photodetector, the photodetector having a spectral response that follows the CIE photoluminescence efficiency function (which simulates the response of the human eye in the visible light region)]. The glass substrate used for coating the transflector (e.g.) Figure 66 The near-IR emission light source (as shown in the embodiment) preferably has a near-IR transmittance of at least 60%T at the near-IR emission peak wavelength (e.g., 940nm), more preferably at least 70%T, and most preferably at least 80%T.

[0069] A box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly 110 preferably includes a dual-substrate laminated EC mirror reflective element having (i) a front glass flat substrate (having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being separated from the first surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate) and (ii) a rear glass flat substrate (having a third surface and a fourth surface, the fourth surface being separated from the third surface by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate). In the box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly 110, the rear substrate includes Figure 66 The reflective mirror substrate comprises a multilayered stack of coatings including a third surface of the rear substrate of a dual-substrate laminated EC reflective element (also known as an "EC cell"). A front substrate and a rear substrate are juxtaposed within the EC cell, and an electrochromic medium is sandwiched between (a) a second surface of the front glass substrate (which comprises a transparent conductive coating, preferably ITO, having a sheet resistance preferably less than 30 ohms / square, more preferably less than 25 ohms / square, and most preferably less than 20 ohms / square) and (b) the multilayered stacked reflective coating surface of the rear glass substrate. The electrochromic medium (i) contacts the transparent conductive coating at the second surface of the front glass substrate and (ii) contacts the outermost layer of the multilayered stacked reflective coating surface of the rear glass substrate. This allows for conductive contact with the EC medium. The outermost layer of the third surface coated with the multilayer stacked transflector of the rear glass substrate includes a transparent conductive coating (preferably an indium tin oxide layer, i.e., ITO), whose sheet resistance is preferably less than 30 ohms / square, more preferably less than 25 ohms / square, and most preferably less than 20 ohms / square.

[0070] Note that, Figure 66 In this alternating multi-layered stacking, and depending on other factors in the overall structure, fewer, more, or different layers can be used. For example, as Figure 68A and 68BThe diagram illustrates a third surface conductive reflector for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. This method incorporates a single semi-metallic / semi-conductive silicon (Si) layer as the fifth layer of a 7-layer stack, exhibiting a high T% (approximately 90%) at 940 nm and approximately 40% in the visible light region. Furthermore, its visual appearance is neutral. The advantage of this design is the reduction in the number of layers and the decrease in the overall stack thickness. For a multilayer stack of thin-film coatings forming the reflector of the internal mirror reflector of the box-type DMS internal rearview mirror assembly suitable for this invention, the total physical stack thickness (i.e., the sum of the physical thicknesses of all individual thin-film coating layers in the multilayer stack) is preferably less than 1500 nm; more preferably less than 1000 nm; and most preferably less than 750 nm. This makes the DMS stack easier to manufacture and less expensive. The overall thickness is less than 600 nm. Of course, it is possible to use more than one Si semiconductor layer in the multilayer stack.

[0071] Because silicon has a high refractive index (3.5 to 4) (but its extinction coefficient is higher than that of dielectrics such as NbO, TiO2, or SiO2), specular reflectors may include silicon layers. Alternatively, germanium layers may be used in specular reflectors. These layers alternate between high-refractive-index and low-refractive-index layers to achieve an optimal match between transmittance and reflectance. Using high-refractive-index silicon or germanium layers can reduce the number of layers. Each layer has a different refractive index, and the magnitude of this difference relates to the number of layers required to achieve the desired effect. A larger refractive index difference between layers results in fewer layers being needed. Because the sputtering deposition rate of NbO / Nb2O5 is faster than that of TiO2, niobium oxide can be used instead of titanium oxide in specular reflectors.

[0072] Layers are sputtered onto a substrate used for mirror-reflecting elements using pressed oxide ceramic targets. These targets are preferably rotating targets (magnetrons). The vacuum chamber in which the layer is deposited may contain a mixture of oxygen and argon. The layer is preferably sputtered by mid-frequency (approximately 40 kHz) sputtering (MF sputtering). A dual rotating magnetron configuration is preferred, with two targets side-by-side. A 40 kHz sinusoidal alternating voltage (positive and negative) is applied. This process can use two (or more) dual targets per chamber. Silicon can be sputtered using pure silicon targets.

[0073] The target optical design for multilayer stacking aims to achieve a visible light transmittance of at least 20%T and a near-IR light transmittance of at least 60%T, and to achieve this in the most economical and efficient manner. The number of layers, the refractive index of the layers, and the sputtering rate of the layers must be balanced to achieve the desired effect economically. This process can utilize various aspects of the process described in U.S. Patent No. 5,751,489, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0074] Intermediate-frequency (IF) AC sputtering (e.g., at 40 kHz) is a preferred deposition technique in multi-station / multi-target inline conveyor tray / disk vacuum deposition processes for alternating coatings of dielectric high-refractive-index / low-refractive-index thin films. These alternating coatings constitute a multilayered stack of transflective elements forming a mirror-transmitting element of a box-type DMS internal rearview mirror assembly. Compared to RF sputtering, IF AC sputtering (also known as dielectric AC sputtering) is better suited for coating dielectrics because it operates in the kHz rather than MHz frequency range, thus requiring less complex and expensive power supplies, and is a process adaptable to large-scale applications. MF or IF AC power supplies cover a wide range of voltage outputs from 300V to 1200V (typically in the 25 to 300kW range) and frequencies from 20 to 70 kHz, with 40 kHz being the most common. To form the niobium oxide or silicon dioxide layer of such a multilayer transflective element, reactive sputtering is preferred, which introduces a reactive gas (oxygen) into a plasma to form an oxide layer deposited on the substrate to be coated. In mid-frequency AC sputtering, two cathodes are used, and the AC current switches back and forth between them. Each reverse switch cleans the target surface to reduce charge buildup on the dielectric that causes the arc, which sprays droplets into the plasma and hinders uniform film growth.

[0075] As the substrate moves past the target, the target sputters and deposits material onto the moving substrate. A 25 nm thick film is deposited on a carrier that moves continuously under the sputtering target at 1 m / min. For ITO: NDDR is (10 nm·m / min) / (KW / m), with a maximum power density of ~10 KW / m at the target length. Generally, for constant deposition power levels and sizes, the deposition rate of NbO is about 2.5 times that of SiO2 or TiO2 analogs. Typically, for constant deposition power levels and sizes, the deposition rate of ITO is about twice that of NbO / Nb2O5 and about five times that of SiO2 or TiO2 analogs.

[0076] Combined with arc detection and suppression circuitry, MF or IF AC sputtering offers the advantages of improved process stability and increased deposition rates, while overcoming the problem of the anode potentially being coated with an insulating coating, which is encountered when reactive sputtering of dielectric coatings is performed using DC sputtering. In the case of AC sputtering, the cathode serves as the anode every half cycle, providing a "clean" anode surface. IF AC sputtering of multilayer HI / LO refractive index coatings for the specular reflectors of mirror reflectors in a one-piece DMS interior rearview mirror assembly preferably uses dual magnetrons to confine electrons above the target and reduce arcing for process control. Optionally, "balanced" or "unbalanced" magnetrons can be arranged side-by-side, tilted towards each other, or face-to-face.

[0077] As an alternative to inline vacuum deposition, the deposition of various thin-film dielectric coatings for forming multilayer HL stacked mirror reflectors can be performed on glass substrates in a batch vacuum deposition chamber. For example, multiple individually cut mirror-shaped glass substrates can be loaded into planetary jigs within the vacuum deposition chamber. For deposition of, for example, niobium oxide and silicon oxide layers, a cylindrical vacuum chamber can be equipped with two (one for NbO and one for SiO2) dual-frequency AC sputtering deposition targets. As the glass substrate rotates through the sputtering targets in the vacuum chamber, the corresponding layers are sputtered onto the glass substrate. This rotation can improve the uniformity of coating on multiple coated substrates. Alternatively, electron beam evaporation can be used, where niobium oxide and silicon oxide / silica, etc., from individual crucibles in a multiple-crucible turret are evaporated using an electron beam.

[0078] A single-cassette electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly 110 preferably includes a single-cassette Infinity electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly or a single-cassette EVO electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. For a single-cassette Infinity electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly (e.g., utilizing various aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,827,913; 9,174,578; 8,508,831; 8,730,553; 9,598,016 and / or 9,346,403, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), the outer peripheral edge of the first glass substrate or front glass substrate provides a curved, continuous transition between the flat front surface of the front glass substrate and the outer surface of the sidewall of the mirror housing, wherein the rear glass substrate is nested within the mirror housing. For a box-type EVO electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly (e.g., utilizing various aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent Nos. 10,261,648; 7,360,932; 7,289,037 and / or 7,255,451, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), the mirror reflector is attached to an attachment plate, and the wall structure of the mirror housing or attachment plate extends from the front side of the mirror housing, or the attachment plate extends beyond and across the peripheral circumferential edge of the front glass substrate without encroaching upon or overlapping the front surface of the glass substrate of the mirror reflector.

[0079] In the EVO retraction device, the thickness of the front and rear glass substrates can be less than 2 mm (e.g., each can be 1.6 mm, or the front glass substrate is 1.6 mm and the rear glass substrate is 1.1 mm). However, the one-piece Infinity electrochromic interior DMS rearview mirror assembly uses a front glass substrate with a circular / arc outermost circumferential edge (accessible to the driver when used in the equipped vehicle) with a radius of at least 2.5 mm. This is formed by grinding / polishing the outermost circumferential edge of an internal mirror-shaped cut glass substrate. To achieve the required 2.5 mm circular / arc circumferential edge radius, the cut glass substrate must have a thickness greater than 2 mm, typically 3 mm. Therefore, the front glass substrate used in the EC unit of the one-piece Infinity electrochromic interior DMS mirror assembly can include a 3 mm thickness. Considering this thickness, using low-Fe glass as the front substrate in the EC unit of the one-piece Infinity electrochromic interior DMS mirror assembly is particularly advantageous for improving visible light transmittance and near-IR light transmittance through the EC unit. In this regard, Pilkington Optiwhite™ low-iron transparent float glass with a thickness of 3 mm and above (available from Pilkington North America in Toledo, Ohio, USA) is particularly advantageous for use in box-type Infinity electrochromic internal DMS mirror assemblies. Pilkington Optiwhite™ is an ultra-transparent, low-iron float glass; it is virtually colorless and does not exhibit the green cast inherent in other transparent glasses. Pilkington Optiwhite™ is available in thicknesses ranging from 3 mm to 19 mm. From Figure 71 As can be seen, the visible light transmittance is at least 90%T, which is a particular advantage for similar components such as the Infinity electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly.

[0080] Pilkington Optiwhite™, with a thickness of 6mm, is also advantageously used in a box of prism-type internal DMS mirror assemblies. Traditional internal prism rearview mirrors (sometimes called "day / night mirrors" or "flip-up mirrors") are manually tilted or flipped by the driver of the vehicle at night to reduce light intensity and glare, primarily for use with high-beam headlights of vehicles approaching from behind, which would otherwise reflect directly into the driver's eyes at night. Traditional prism mirrors are made from a single piece of glass with a wedge-shaped cross-section (its front and rear surfaces are not parallel – the flat front surface is typically at a 4-degree angle to the plane of the rear surface, etc.), and silver is coated on its rear surface (second surface) to form the prism mirror element. The wedge-shaped prism glass substrate begins with a 6mm thick internal mirror-shaped glass substrate with parallel front and rear surfaces. The wedge shape is formed through grinding and polishing. The Infinity Prism Internal DMS Mirror Assembly is preferably manufactured starting with 6mm thick Pilkington Optiwhite™ low-Fe float glass, which is polished / ground to the desired shape and coated on its subsequent (second) surface with a multi-layered stack of visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-IR light transmission.

[0081] One-box DMS internal Infinity™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly (such as in Figure 77A(Illustrated schematically) includes a plastic mirror housing or shell 18 formed by a plastic injection molding process [preferably by injection molding of PC / ASA, an amorphous thermoplastic alloy of polycarbonate (PC) and ASA (acrylic-styrene-acrylate terpolymer), which provides enhanced heat resistance and enhanced mechanical properties]. The electrochromic / electroluminescent mirror reflector 1 includes a front glass substrate 1a and a rear glass substrate 1b separated from the front glass substrate by a peripheral seal 1c, wherein an electrochromic medium 1d (which is electrodimmable) is sandwiched between the front and rear glass substrates and bounded by the peripheral seal. The front glass substrate has a flat first glass surface (which is the flat front surface of the internal mirror reflector) and a flat second glass surface separated from the flat first glass surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate. The front glass substrate includes a peripheral surface extending between the flat first glass surface and the flat second glass surface and spanning the thickness dimension of the front glass substrate. When a box-type DMS interior Infinity™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly is installed on the windshield or front of the equipped vehicle (e.g., via mounting structure 19), the flat first surface faces the driver of the vehicle. A transparent conductive coating is disposed on the flat second glass surface and contacts the electro-optic (i.e., electrochromic) medium. The front glass substrate has a specularly reflective and conductive peripheral band established along the peripheral boundary region of the flat second surface of the front glass substrate, which circumvents the peripheral boundary region of the second glass surface of the front glass substrate, so that when the interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the equipped vehicle, the peripheral seal is concealed from the driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the interior rearview mirror assembly. The rear glass substrate has a flat third glass surface and a flat fourth glass surface (which is the flat rear surface of the interior mirror reflective element), and the flat third glass surface of the rear glass substrate is coated with a multilayer transmissive / reflective / near-IR transmissive (preferably with a median dominant wavelength of 940 nm). The outermost layer of the stack constituting the transflector includes a transparent conductive coating (preferably indium tin oxide, and preferably having a sheet resistance of less than 30 ohms per square, more preferably less than 25 ohms per square, and most preferably less than 20 ohms per square) which is in contact with an electro-optic (typically electrochromic) medium.

[0082] The circumferential outer periphery of the front glass base of the interior rearview mirror assembly includes a circularly curved outer glass surface that provides a circular transition between the flat first glass surface of the front glass base 1a and the less curved outer surface of the sidewall of the mirror housing 18 or attachment plate 5. The circumferentially curved / circular outer glass surface of the front glass base has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm, and when the interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted on the equipped vehicle, this glass surface is exposed to, accessible to, and visible to the driver of the equipped vehicle. No part of the mirror housing (or the front plastic bracket / attachment element on which the electrochromic / electro-optical mirror reflector element is mounted) may extend into or cover the flat first glass surface of the front glass base (i.e., the flat front surface of the interior mirror reflector element). The cross-sectional dimensions of the front glass base are larger than those of the rear glass base, such that the front glass base extends beyond the corresponding edge of the rear glass base. The rear glass base is received on and surrounded by the sidewall of the front plastic bracket / attachment element on which the electrochromic / electro-optical mirror reflector element is mounted. The rear glass substrate 1b is preferably attached to the front plastic bracket / attachment element 5 on which the electrochromic / electro-optic mirror reflector is mounted by double-sided adhesive tape 2 (located between the fourth glass surfaces of the rear glass substrate; i.e., the flat rear surface of the internal mirror reflector).

[0083] Therefore, in the Infinity™ interior rearview mirror assembly (Infinity™ is a trademark of MagnaMirrors of America, Inc. of Holland, Michigan, USA), the mirror reflective element disposed on the mirror housing (and pivotable relative to the mounting portion of the assembly together with the mirror housing) includes an outermost glass substrate (accessible to the driver of a vehicle equipped with the Infinity™ interior rearview mirror assembly). This glass substrate has a flat front glass surface, a flat rear glass surface, and a circumferential peripheral edge surrounding the periphery of the glass substrate, extending across a thickness dimension separating the flat front and flat rear glass surfaces. The front peripheral edge portion of the circumferential peripheral edge includes a circular glass surface that circumferentially surrounds and circumferentially extends beyond the periphery of the glass substrate, and this circular glass surface at least partially spans the thickness dimension of the glass substrate. This circular glass surface has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm. No part of the mirror housing overlaps, covers, or encroaches upon the circular glass surface of the glass substrate. When the mounting portion is installed inside the windshield of the equipped vehicle, the circular glass surface of the glass substrate is exposed to and accessible to the driver of the equipped vehicle. Preferably, the radius of curvature of the circular glass surface is uniform around the periphery of the glass substrate. The mirror assembly includes an attachment surface, and preferably, the mirror reflective element is adhered to the attachment surface to secure the mirror reflective element within the mirror assembly.

[0084] EVO™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly inside a single-box DMS unit (such as in Figure 77BIn the schematic diagram, the electrochromic / electro-optical mirror reflector 1 includes a front glass substrate 1a and a rear glass substrate 1b separated from the front glass substrate by a peripheral seal 1c, wherein an electrochromic medium 1d (which is electrodimmable) is sandwiched between the front and rear glass substrates and bounded by the peripheral seal. The front glass substrate has a flat first glass surface (which is the flat front surface of the internal mirror reflector) and a flat second glass surface that is separated from the flat first glass surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate. The front glass substrate includes a peripheral surface that extends between the flat first glass surface and the flat second glass surface and spans the thickness dimension of the front glass substrate. When a box-type DMS internal EVO™ electrochromic rearview mirror assembly is installed in the windshield or front section of the equipped vehicle (e.g., via mounting structure 19), the flat first glass surface faces the driver of the vehicle. A transparent conductive coating is disposed on the flat second glass surface and is in contact with the electro-optical (i.e., electrochromic) medium. The front glass substrate has a specular reflective and conductive peripheral band established along the peripheral boundary region of a flat second glass surface of the front glass substrate, which circumferentially borders the peripheral boundary region of the second surface of the front glass substrate to conceal the peripheral seals from a person observing the interior rearview mirror assembly when the interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the equipped vehicle. The rear glass substrate has a flat third glass surface and a flat fourth glass surface (which is the flat rear surface of the interior specular reflective element), and the flat third glass surface of the rear glass substrate is coated with a multilayer transmissive / reflective / near-IR transmissive (preferably with a median dominant wavelength of 940 nm) transmissive reflector. The outermost layer of the stack of layers constituting the transmissive reflector includes a transparent conductive coating (preferably indium tin oxide, and preferably having a sheet resistance of less than 30 ohms / square, more preferably less than 25 ohms / square, and most preferably less than 20 ohms / square) which is in contact with an electro-optic dielectric.

[0085] Therefore, in the EVO™ interior rearview mirror assembly (EVO™ is a trademark of MagnaMirrors of America, Inc., Holland, Michigan, USA), the mirror reflector is nested within / supported by an electrochromic / electro-optic mirror reflector in an attachment element or plastic molded part or bracket 5. The rear glass substrate 1b is preferably attached to the front plastic bracket / attachment element 5 to which the electrochromic / electro-optic mirror reflector is mounted via double-sided adhesive tape 2 (which is disposed between the fourth glass surfaces of the rear glass substrate, i.e., the flat rear surface of the internal mirror reflector). A circumferential wall structure 5a extends from the mirror element attachment side of the attachment element or plastic molded part or bracket. The circumferential wall structure spans the rear glass substrate, spans the electrochromic medium, and spans the thickness dimension of the front glass substrate. However, the circumferential wall structure does not overlap with, nor cover, / encroach upon, the flat first (front) glass surface of the front glass substrate (i.e., the flat front surface of the internal mirror reflector). When the mirror assembly is used in a vehicle equipped with it, the circumferential wall structure prevents the driver from contacting any cut edges of the front and rear glass bases, and in particular protects against contact with the outer circumferential cut edges of the front glass base.

[0086] In the EVO™ interior rearview mirror assembly, the mirror reflector includes an outermost glass substrate having a flat first glass surface and a flat second glass surface, and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the foremost / outermost glass substrate. The circumferential edge spans the thickness dimension of the glass substrate between the first and second glass surfaces. The first glass surface of the glass substrate includes the front or outermost surface of the interior mirror reflector, which is closest to the driver of the vehicle equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly when it is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle. The mirror reflector includes a specular reflector disposed on a surface of the mirror reflector that is not the first glass surface of the glass substrate. A plastic molded part is circumferentially disposed around and external to the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping or covering / encroaching on the first glass surface of the glass substrate. The plastic molded part includes: (a) a portion that engages with the circumferential edge of the foremost / outermost glass substrate; and (b) a portion having an outwardly curved surface that extends substantially adjacent to the first glass surface of the foremost / outermost glass substrate and has no sharp edges. The plane of the first glass surface of the foremost / outermost glass substrate is substantially flush with the outermost portion of the plastic molded part. An outer curved surface of the plastic molded part provides a curved transition between the plane of the first glass surface of the glass substrate and the plane of the generally smaller curved portion of the plastic molded part. The generally smaller curved portion is located behind, adjacent to, and contiguous with the outer curved surface of the plastic molded part. The plastic molded part includes at least a portion of the mirror housing of an interior rearview mirror assembly. The mirror housing moves cooperatively with the mirror reflector when the mirror reflector is moved to set the field of vision to a setting desired by the driver of the equipped vehicle. The plastic molded part includes a pocket portion in which the mirror reflector is received, and when the mirror reflector is received in the pocket portion, at least a portion of the plastic molded part is located behind the glass substrate. The plastic molded part includes a structure for attaching a rearview mirror housing cap portion thereon. The rearview mirror housing cap portion is configured to attach to the structure of the plastic molded part.

[0087] Traditional interior rearview mirror assemblies use a plastic bezel that overlaps and extends over / over the flat outermost surface of the foremost / outermost glass base used in traditional interior rearview mirror assemblies, framing the foremost / outermost glass base to protect the driver from contact with its sharp outer edges. While such conventional framed mirrors can be used in a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly, they are not preferred. The Infinity™ interior rearview mirror assembly does not use this bezel or frame. The EVO™ interior rearview mirror assembly does not use this bezel or frame. The Infinity™ and EVO™ interior rearview mirror assemblies are frameless (also known as frameless) interior rearview mirror assemblies.

[0088] Optionally, and as in Figure 78 As shown, a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly (in Figure 78 The image shows an Infinity-O-shaped DMS box. TM An electrochromic rearview mirror assembly can be adjustablely mounted at a pivot joint 20a of a mirror mounting base, foot, or bracket 20, which includes circuitry and cameras and / or sensors. This mounting base, foot, or bracket can operate independently of or with the DMS of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly. For example, the foot or bracket includes a PCB 22 with circuitry on one or both sides. The mirror mounting base or foot includes two forward-facing cameras, one of which includes a forward-facing camera module 24a for use with the vehicle's driver assistance systems (and acquires image data for, for example, lane detection, pedestrian detection, vehicle detection, collision avoidance, ACC, traffic sign recognition, traffic light detection, automatic headlight control, etc.), and the other forward-facing camera includes an event recording camera 24b that acquires video images for recording events. One of the forward-facing cameras can acquire color video image data for augmented reality display, where the video image is displayed on a video screen inside the vehicle for the driver to observe, and navigation information or instructions or commands are overlaid on the displayed video image to help the driver see and understand navigation instructions and how those instructions relate to the real-time video of the vehicle ahead displayed on the video screen.

[0089] The mirror mounting base or bracket 20 also includes a rearview camera 26, which is positioned in the upper region of the bracket housing (near the vehicle roof 30) and angled downwards to observe the rear seats of the vehicle. By positioning the fixed camera 26 higher within the vehicle cabin and above the lens, the camera 26 provides an enhanced view of the rear seats of the vehicle. Optionally, the mirror mounting base or bracket may also, or otherwise, include another non-camera or non-imaging sensor 28 (e.g., a radar sensor, lidar sensor, or ultrasonic sensor) that can sense the front of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle, or the interior of the vehicle cabin (for similar occupant detection, and has a field of view / sensing range unobstructed by the lens of the interior rearview mirror assembly, and has the advantage of being non-adjustable, i.e., remaining fixed / immovable when the driver uses the interior mirror reflective element to move / adjust the lens to set their desired rear view). The mirror mounting base or bracket 20 may include a heat sink and / or another printed circuit board housing electronic components, and may include a box-type structure in which the PCB receives power from the vehicle and provides communication with a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly and / or other vehicle systems. The bracket's PCB may include a data processor (such as an EYEQ4 or EYEQ5 image processing chip available from MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD in Jerusalem) for processing image data acquired by a camera, or feeding the camera's output to electronic components housed within the lens section of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly, or for feeding them to other onboard systems of the equipped vehicle. The electronic components and / or sensors housed in the mirror mounting base or bracket share common electronic components / circuit (and communicate with) the electronic components and / or sensors housed in the lens section. For example, image data acquired by a forward-facing camera located in the bracket may be provided (via wiring through a wiring conduit established by a ball-and-socket pivot joint that allows the lens section to be adjusted relative to the bracket) to the electronics housed in the lens section. The power source housed within the lens section can power the electronic components housed in the lens mounting base or bracket. The memory located within the lens section can transmit and / or receive data from the electronic components housed in the lens mounting base or bracket.

[0090] The above structure allows manufacturers of interior rearview components to supply multifunctional unit parts / components / modules to OEM automakers such as Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, or Toyota, where the mounting base includes a windshield electronics module (WEM) that includes electronics (and related software) for interior mirror functions, DMS / OCS functions, and ADAS functions, connectors, internal wiring / connections, PCBs, and other hardware. For example, when an OEM automaker installs the WEM-interior mirror unit module in a vehicle assembled by that OEM automaker, the WEM-interior mirror unit module includes at least some of the following options: (i) an auto-dimming electro-optical (e.g., electrochromic) interior mirror transflector element; (ii) a DMS / OCS camera and associated near-IR light emitter and DMS data processor; (iii) a camera that looks forward through the windshield of the vehicle, which acquires image data for data processing to detect objects present outside the vehicle; (iv) a color camera that looks forward through the windshield of the vehicle, which acquires color image data for use in an event recorder or augmented reality display system of the vehicle; and (v) radar or lidar or other sensors whose sensing field can enter the interior of the vehicle for occupant detection. In this regard, the WEM-interior mirror unit module can utilize the structure and incorporated attachments disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,090,213 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and discloses an attachment mounting system for a vehicle including spaced-apart fasteners adhered to a surface of the vehicle windshield, and a frame having receiving portions spaced apart from each other in a manner corresponding to the spacing of the fasteners, and each receiving portion being configured to receive a corresponding fastener). Furthermore, the WEM-interior mirror unit module can utilize the structures and attachment-containing structures disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,188,963, 6,690,268, and / or 7,480,149 (which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety).

[0091] Figure 79An exemplary visible light transmittance profile of a dual-substrate laminated electrochromic transflective mirror element (“EC unit”) suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly is shown. The visible light transmittance in the 380-750 nm region is approximately 45%T. A camera observing the interior of the vehicle compartment from inside the lens section through a multi-layered stack of oxide coatings (which constitutes a transflective mirror with visible light transmission / reflection / near-IR transmission coated on the third surface of the EC unit itself (i.e., the side of the rear substrate that is contacted by the electrochromic medium sandwiched between the front and rear substrates) observes through a camera lens filter (shown in Figure AA) with a visible light transmittance of approximately 45% in the 380-750 nm region. Therefore, the overall system has a visible light transmittance of approximately 20% in the 380-750 nm region.

[0092] Figure 80 Another example visible light transmittance curve is shown for an EC unit suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. The visible light transmittance in the 380-750nm region is approximately 30%T. A camera observing the interior of the cabin from inside the lens section through a multi-layered stack of oxide coatings (which constitutes a visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-IR transmission specular reflector coated onto the third surface of the EC unit itself (i.e., the side of the rear substrate that is contacted by the electrochromic medium sandwiched between the front and rear substrates) observes the interior of the cabin via a camera lens filter (such as...) with a visible light transmittance of approximately 80% in the 380-750nm region. Figure 80 As shown in the figure. Therefore, the transmittance of the entire system for visible light in the 380-750nm region is approximately 24%.

[0093] Figure 81 Another example visible light transmittance curve is shown for an EC unit suitable for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly. The visible light transmittance in the 380-750nm region is approximately 25%T. A camera observing the interior of the cabin from inside the lens section through a multi-layered stack of oxide coatings (which constitutes a visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-IR transmission specular reflector coated onto the third surface of the EC unit itself (i.e., the side of the rear substrate that is contacted by the electrochromic medium sandwiched between the front and rear substrates) observes the interior of the cabin via a camera lens filter (such as...) with a visible light transmittance of approximately 80% in the 380-750nm region. Figure 81 As shown in the diagram, the overall system transmittance of visible light in the 380-750nm region is approximately 20%.

[0094] When a box-type electrochromic interior DMS mirror assembly is installed in a vehicle (typically mounted on a mirror mounting button or similar element attached to the inside of the windshield), the visible light transmission / visible light reflection / near-IR transmission specular reflector coated on the third surface of the EC unit makes it difficult for a driver sitting in the front driver's seat and normally observing the interior rearview mirror to see, especially, the presence of the driver observation camera (as well as the IR emitter and other electronics). This is at least because some drivers may feel uneasy about being photographed / recorded by a camera while driving (for reasons such as privacy, and despite the safety features / purposes of the DMS). In addition to the camera observing through a specular reflector coated on the third surface of the EC unit (through which the IR emission source is emitted), light entering the internal cavity of the lens unit through the EC unit can be blocked by similar light-absorbing (e.g., black) paint, coating, or tape, plate, adhesive tape, or attachment or bracket, so that the local area of ​​the specular reflector that allows the camera to observe through the only channel (through which the IR emission source is emitted) enters the cavity of the lens unit through the EC unit.

[0095] The box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly employs various measures to enhance concealment, ensuring that the internal structure of the lens section (and especially the presence of the driver monitoring camera and driver illumination near-IR light source within the lens section's cavity) is concealed from the driver of the vehicle during normal operation. These measures include preferably ensuring that the visible light transmittance in the 380-750nm region through the specular reflector (coated onto the third surface of the EC unit) is in the range of 20%T to 35%T (more preferably in the range of 15%T to 35%T, and most preferably in the range of 20%T to 30%T). Further measures include rendering / coating / dyeing the outer surface of the driver monitoring camera to a dark / light-absorbing / black color, such as... Figure 82 As shown. This concealment enhancement measure includes the use of a dual-bandpass lens filter that limits visible light and limits near-IR light, positioned behind the specular reflector of the EC unit (see...). Figures 79-81 This allows the driver monitoring camera to observe through the optical filter, thereby reducing the driver's perception of the presence of the camera within the lens of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

[0096] Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in vehicles enhance driving / traffic safety through features such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), lane departure warning, blind spot detection, and other types of collision prevention / mitigation technologies. The one-piece DMS interior mirror assembly of this invention economically improves the safety of vehicles equipped with ADAS.

[0097] For example, a box-type DMS (Distracted Driver Monitoring) interior mirror assembly in a vehicle can determine whether the driver is distracted. If the in-mirror DMS determines that the driver is distracted, it can increase the distance before the vehicle's AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) system begins to stop, or the vehicle's lane-keeping assist system can become more sensitive and take over more vehicle control when distraction or drowsiness is detected. The preferred box-type DMS interior mirror assembly of the present invention uses a camera (concealed within the lens section) to monitor the driver using advanced algorithms and technologies to detect data points on the driver's eyes and face. By combining near-IR illumination of the driver's eyes / face / head provided by an nFOV (near-IR) LED located in the lens section, the driver's attention level is tracked by detecting eye movements, monitoring head position, monitoring eyelid movements, and determining the driver's gaze direction. If the DMS electronics housed in the lens section of the box-type interior DMS mirror assembly determine that the driver is not paying enough attention to the road or is drowsy, a warning or alarm (which can be visual, auditory, and / or tactile or sensory) will be issued within the vehicle's cabin to remind the driver to pay closer attention to driving. The DMS system within the lens section of a cartridge-type DMS interior mirror assembly generates warnings or alarms as signals or information output on the vehicle's onboard communication network / bus [e.g., on the Controller Area Network (CAN) communication bus or on the Ethereum communication bus]. In response to this output / signal generated by the in-mirror DMS, the vehicle will issue an alert to the driver and / or take other actions. Data communication is bidirectional, wherein vehicle data (including data generated or associated with the vehicle's ADAS system) is transmitted / carried / transmitted to the cartridge-type DMS interior mirror assembly via a CAN communication bus or Ethereum communication bus, etc.

[0098] In addition to monitoring the driver's alertness and state through the driver monitoring camera and detecting distraction, drowsiness, and microsleep to promptly alert the driver, the one-box DMS interior mirror assembly can also process the data acquired by the driver monitoring camera using facial recognition technology and / or other biometric detection algorithms. Once a specific driver is identified as driving the equipped vehicle (preferably based on a driver profile stored within the one-box DMS interior mirror assembly or accessed via wireless cloud communication between the equipped vehicle and a remote database / service provider), the one-box DMS interior mirror assembly can output signals / information via the vehicle's CAN or ETHERNET communication bus to adjust personal comfort and convenience settings to the settings typically preferred by the identified driver (such as optimal seat position, desired exterior mirror position, favorite radio station, and / or preferred interior temperature).

[0099] The average male head circumference measurement is between approximately 57 cm (22.5 inches) and 61 cm (24.2 inches). The average face length is approximately 117 mm for men and 110 mm for women. The average face width is approximately 148 mm for men and 140 mm for women. A camera in a cassette-type DMS interior mirror assembly acquires image data frames (typically at least 15 frames per second or at least 30 frames per second, and optionally 60 frames per second). When driving, the driver faces forward and looks directly at the windshield of the vehicle. The driver is typically seated at an eye-to-mirror center distance of approximately 400 mm (16 inches) to approximately 800 mm (31 inches).

[0100] ISO 4513:2010 of the International Organization for Standardization Road vehicles—visibility—for driver eye position Methods for determining the ellipse of the eyeThis describes the eye ellipse (eye range of motion), a statistical representation of the driver's eye position when using and observing the interior rearview mirror in a vehicle. A three-dimensional ellipse (eye ellipse) model is used to represent the tangent-truncated percentile of the driver's eye position. Procedures are provided for constructing tangent-truncated eye ellipse models for the 95th and 99th percentiles of a 50 / 50 mixed-gender adult user population. The interior rearview mirror position, size, and shape are defined in RREG 79 / 795 and E / ECE / 324 / Rev.1 / Add.45 / Rev.5, which are subsequently related to the driver's eye position – referred to as the "eye ellipse" in SAE J941 (Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice) and as the "eye point" / "eyeball point" in RREG 77 / 649. RREGs are directives of the Council of the European Union, while E / ECEs are directives for the United Nations. The US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 111 specifies the minimum requirements for the field of view of rearview mirrors in the United States. Its calculation of the field of view is based on the eye ellipse, which is defined in SAE Recommendation J941. The eye ellipse is a tangent ellipse that defines the position of the driver's eyes in a given vehicle. For a 95% eye ellipse, any plane tangent to the eye ellipse will divide space into two regions, one containing 95% of the predicted eye position and the other containing the remaining 5%. For a 99% eye ellipse, any tangent plane will divide space into regions containing 99% and 1% of the eye position. Theoretically, it is possible to generate an eye ellipse that divides space into regions containing any percentage of the eye position. However, SAE J941 only provides definitions for the 95% and 99% eye ellipses.

[0101] Irradiance (radiant flux received per unit area of ​​the surface) at the driver's head (and especially at the driver's eyes for drowsiness detection) is important, particularly during nighttime driving when the interior of the vehicle is dark and the DMS camera in the lens unit relies primarily on near-IR illumination emitted by a near-IR light source in the lens unit. The near-IR irradiance at the driver's eyes, etc., is preferably at least 1 W / m². 2 More preferably at least 2W / m 2 And more preferably at least 2.5W / m 2This is particularly relevant for specific drivers seated in the driver's seat of a particular vehicle equipped with the one-box DMS interior rearview mirror assembly of the present invention, especially within the 99% eye ellipse specified in SAE J194. To ensure that the required irradiance is delivered to different drivers who may be driving a vehicle equipped with the one-box DMS interior mirror assembly and for their head movements, the near-IR emission source of the mirror provides appropriately high irradiance in an area of ​​the driver's head where it is expected to be visible, with an area of ​​at least 80 mm x 80 mm; more preferably at least 100 mm x 100 mm; and even more preferably at least 150 mm x 150 mm.

[0102] When adjusting the interior mirror assembly so that the driver can see out the rear window of the vehicle using the interior mirror, the driver can turn his or her head toward the grasped lens section to adjust the interior rearview mirror's field of view or rear view to the desired setting / direction for that particular driver. The near-IR irradiator, used in conjunction with an nFOV near-IR emitting LED within the lens section, concentrates and focuses illumination onto the driver's head, particularly the driver's face, especially the driver's eyes, and most importantly, the driver's eyelids / pupils (an indicator of drowsiness and where the driver is looking).

[0103] Regarding the near-IR light source housed in the internal chamber of the lens section Figure 83 The diagram illustrates near-IR emission patterns formed by two narrow field-of-view (nFOV) 940nm LEDs in a left-hand drive vehicle, and near-IR emission patterns formed by two narrow field-of-view (nFOV) 940nm LEDs in a right-hand drive vehicle. The surface-mounted LEDs can emit in all directions—therefore the reflectors can form directional cones or patterns of near-IR illumination. Figure 84A-84C This illustrates how these near-IR light sources are positioned within the lens section structure of a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly and supported by it / angled to it [relative to the plane (its fourth surface) on the rear side of the rear glass surface of the EC unit]. As shown... Figure 84C As shown, the LHD nFOV LED forms an angle of approximately 20 degrees with respect to the front surface of the specular reflector, the wFOV LED forms an angle of 0 degrees with respect to the front surface of the specular reflector, and the RHD nFOV LED forms an angle of approximately 10 degrees with respect to the front surface of the specular reflector. Also as... Figure 84CAs shown, the wFOV LED is preferably physically close to the mirror reflector (but can be slightly offset to enhance shielding), so that most or all of the near-IR light emitted by the wFOV LED enters the vehicle compartment, while the nFOV LED is separated from the mirror reflector (by a surface-mounted reflector) and at an angle, so that the near-IR light emitted by the nFOV LED is guided or concentrated by the reflector into the driver's area inside the vehicle compartment.

[0104] like Figure 85A As shown, when a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly is installed on the windshield and angled toward the driver ( Figure 85A (As shown in the illustration for left-hand drive vehicles), the lens is tilted or angled at approximately 10-30 degrees relative to the vehicle's transverse axis, which is perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. Figure 85B As shown, the n-FOV emitter emits light to illuminate the driver's head, wherein the angle or width of the illuminating beam is approximately 60 degrees, and the main axis of the illuminating beam is between 10 and 30 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, more preferably between 15 and 25 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, for example, approximately 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector (i.e., the angle between the circuit board on which the nFOV emitter is disposed and the flat front surface of the mirror reflector is approximately 10-30 degrees, more preferably between 15 and 25 degrees relative to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, for example, approximately 20 degrees relative to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector). Figure 86A and 86B The dimensions, angles, and configuration of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly installed on an LHD vehicle are shown. Figure 86C The geometry and equations that can be used to determine the angle of an LHD nFOV LED are shown.

[0105] exist Figure 87A In the case where a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly is installed on the windshield and angled toward the driver ( Figure 87A (As shown in the illustration for right-hand drive vehicles), the lens is tilted or angled at approximately 10-30 degrees relative to the vehicle's transverse axis, which is perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. Figure 87BAs shown, the n-FOV emitter emits light to illuminate the driver's head, wherein the angle or width of the illuminating beam is approximately 60 degrees, and the main axis of the illuminating beam is between 0 and 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, more preferably between 5 and 15 degrees relative to the line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, for example, about 10 degrees relative to the line perpendicular to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector (i.e., the circuit board on which the nFOV emitter is disposed has a non-zero angle relative to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, up to about 20 degrees, more preferably between 5 and 15 degrees relative to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector, for example, about 10 degrees relative to the flat front surface of the mirror reflector). Figure 88A The angle and configuration of a box-type internal DMS mirror assembly installed on an RHD vehicle are shown. Figure 88B The geometry and equations that can be used to determine the angle of LHD nFOVLED are shown.

[0106] Therefore, the angle of the LHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source (relative to the flat surface of the mirror reflector) may differ from the angle of the RHD wFOV near-IR irradiation source (relative to the flat surface of the mirror reflector) and be in the opposite direction (i.e., the main emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source is angled towards the left side of the lens (and the vehicle), while the main emission axis of the RHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source is angled towards the right side of the lens (and the vehicle). Alternatively, the angle of the LHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source (relative to the flat surface of the mirror reflector) may be the same as the angle of the RHD wFOV near-IR irradiation source (relative to the flat surface of the mirror reflector), but in a laterally opposite direction. For example, the angle between the nFOV near-IR irradiation source and the flat surface of the mirror reflector can be between 5 degrees and 25 degrees, such as between 10 degrees and 20 degrees, for example, 15 degrees, where the main emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source is angled to the left side of the lens portion (and the vehicle), and the main emission axis of the RHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source is angled to the right side of the lens portion (and the vehicle). In other words, the LHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source can be at, for example, -15 degrees relative to the flat surface of the mirror reflector, while the RHD nFOV near-IR irradiation source can be at, for example, +15 degrees.

[0107] The primary line of sight of the DMS camera passes perpendicularly through the flat front surface of the mirror reflector element located at the lens section of the box-type DMS interior mirror assembly. When the box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in an LHD or RHD vehicle, the field of view of the centrally located DMS camera includes the driver's eye area within the head / eye ellipse when the driver adjusts the lens section. Due to various reasons, including the central area of ​​the lens section's chamber being filled by the DMS camera and the ball-and-socket pivot joint around which the lens section moves when the driver adjusts the mirror in the equipped vehicle, the nFOV near-IR emission light source, designed to illuminate the driver's eye area within the head / eye ellipse, is located within the lens section at a distance d mm from the centerline of the center of the transverse mirror reflector element's length dimension. Figure 85A , 85B As shown in 86A and 86B, the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is angled relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector, such that when a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted on an LHD vehicle and the driver adjusts the lens, the main emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is tilted towards the driver. Similarly, and as... Figure 87A , 87B As shown in 88A, the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is angled relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector, such that when a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is installed on an RHD vehicle and the lens is adjusted by the driver, the main emission axis of the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is tilted towards the driver.

[0108] For LHD applications of a single-box DMS interior rearview mirror assembly, as the size d increases (i.e., as the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is farther from the centerline of the mirror reflector), the angle that the main emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source must face relative to the plane of the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector must be larger in order to provide illumination to the driver of the LHD vehicle. However, for RHD applications of a single-box DMS interior rearview mirror assembly, as the size d increases (i.e., as the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source is farther from the centerline of the mirror reflector), the angle that the main emission axis of the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source must face relative to the plane of the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector must be smaller in order to provide illumination to the driver of the RHD vehicle. Therefore, for applications where a single-box DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in an LHD vehicle, the angle of the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector is, for example, approximately 20 degrees, and the distance d (between the mirror centerline and the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source) is approximately 50 mm. For applications where a single-box DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in an RHD vehicle, the angle of the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector is, for example, approximately 10 degrees, and the distance d (between the mirror centerline and the RHD nFOV near-IR emission light source) is approximately 89 mm.

[0109] Therefore, as the distance d increases, the corresponding angle of the LHD nFOV near-IR emission source (relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector) increases, while the corresponding angle of the RHD nFOV near-IR emission source (relative to the flat front side / surface of the mirror reflector) decreases.

[0110] like Figure 90 As shown, a one-piece internal DMS mirror assembly is suitable for use in LHD or RHD vehicles (e.g., by utilizing various aspects of the systems described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 267,316, filed January 31, 2022; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 262,642, filed October 18, 2021; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 201,757, filed May 12, 2021, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). When the one-piece internal DMS mirror assembly is installed in an LHD vehicle (see... Figure 85A , 85B (86A, 86B) When the driver is sitting in the driver's seat and observing the internal mirror reflector, the camera observes the position of the LHD driver's eyes and the light emitter (one or more) illuminates the position of the LHD driver's eyes.

[0111] therefore, Figure 85A and Figure 85BThis illustrates (in a left-hand drive vehicle) how a driver adjusts the mirror of a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly so that the driver can use the mirror reflector to look behind through the rear window of the vehicle. Depending on the specific driver's seating position and size, the front (outermost) side of the flat interior mirror reflector forms an acute angle relative to the vehicle's lateral axis (viewed from above in a plan view), ranging from approximately 10 to 30 degrees. Figure 85A It can also be seen that the nFOV LED is located at a certain distance to the right of the center of the lens (where the DMS camera is located). Figure 87A and 87B The situation inside the RHD vehicle is shown. From Figure 84C As can be seen, the angle θ (for RDH vehicles, the corresponding angle δ) between the main emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR emission light source and the straight line passing vertically through the mirror reflector element of the lens portion of the box-type DMS Infinity™ electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly shown is θ. Angle θ is typically between approximately -10 degrees and approximately -35 degrees (e.g., -20 degrees). Angle δ is typically between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 25 degrees (e.g., 10 degrees).

[0112] Figure 86D shows the distribution of LHD nFOV LED illumination at different driver eye points in an LHD vehicle in both the horizontal (i.e., from above) and vertical (i.e., from behind the windshield) planes. As shown in Figure 86D, any head / eye within contour A will have at least 2.5 W / m². 2 Near-IR irradiance. Figure 86E This illustrates the illumination inside the cabin of an LHD vehicle when an LHD nFOV LED (with a surface-mount reflector) is powered. Figure 86E As shown, the horizontal half-beam angle of the LHD nFOV LED is 41.4 degrees, and the vertical half-beam angle is 40.9 degrees. Figure 88C shows the distribution of the driver's eye points illuminated by the RHD nFOV LED in an RHD vehicle in the horizontal plane (i.e., from above) and the vertical plane (i.e., from behind the windshield). As shown in Figure 88C, any head / eye within contour line B will have at least 2.5 W / m 2 Near-IR irradiance. Figure 88D This illustrates the interior illumination of an RHD vehicle cabin when RHD nFOV LEDs (with surface-mounted reflectors) are powered. Figure 88D As shown, the horizontal half-beam angle of the RHD nFOV LED is 41.4 degrees, and the vertical half-beam angle of the LHD nFOV LED is 40.9 degrees. Figure 89 This shows the lighting conditions inside the vehicle cabin when the wFOV LED is powered. Figure 89As shown, the horizontal half-beam angle of the wFOV LED is 155 degrees, and the vertical half-beam angle of the wFOV LED is 130 degrees.

[0113] from Figure 90 As can be seen, the LHD nFOV (the plane relative to the flat rear side of the internal rearview mirror reflector) is angled, and the RHD nFOV (the plane relative to the flat rear side of the internal rearview mirror reflector) is also angled. However, the direction of the main emission axis of the RHD nFOV is different from and opposite to that of the LHD nFOV.

[0114] The illumination provided by the light source meets automotive safety requirements, including Safety Goal 2 (ASIL B). According to IEC 62471:2006, this system should be classified as an exempt system. The system operates under safe conditions, therefore it should not emit IR radiation.

[0115] like Figures 84A to 90 As shown, the driver monitoring camera is located at the center of the lens. In RHD vehicles, the nFOV near-IR LED monitoring the driver's head is positioned sideways towards the lens and tilted at an acute angle of approximately 10 degrees [relative to the plane behind the rear surface of the EC unit's fourth surface], and viewed along this sideways direction away from the lens. In LHD vehicles, the nFOV near-IR LED illuminating the driver's head is positioned closer to the center area of ​​the lens (at the location where the driver monitoring camera is installed), and at an acute angle of approximately 20 degrees [relative to the plane behind the rear surface of the EC unit's fourth surface], and viewed along a direction opposite to the direction of the other nFOV LEDs. The wFOV near-IR LED providing general cabin / occupant illumination is positioned in the lens between the locations of the nFOV LEDs, with its main viewing axis perpendicular to the plane behind the rear surface of the EC unit's rear glass.

[0116] Therefore, when the propulsion system of the equipped vehicle (such as the engine in an internal combustion engine vehicle or the electric drive unit in an electric vehicle) is ignited and / or started, the box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly is powered. When powered, the DMS camera acquires image data frames at a frame acquisition rate of at least 15 fps, preferably at least 30 fps, more preferably at least 60 fps. During driving, the ECU of the box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly can determine whether the vehicle is traveling in a left-hand drive (LHD) or right-hand drive (RHD) country. This can be based on data provided by the equipped vehicle, which is based on the current geographical location of a similar vehicle determined by a system similar to GPS. Furthermore, when the vehicle first leaves its assembly plant, the relevant automaker will position the steering column on the left side of the front cabin area for LHD vehicles and on the right side for RHD vehicles. When the vehicle is set to be either a left-hand drive or a right-hand drive vehicle, or the driver's position is known, the image processing of the image data acquired by the DMS camera is configured to process image data representing the driver's area (e.g., the left front seat area of ​​a left-hand drive vehicle or the right front seat area of ​​a right-hand drive vehicle) for DMS frame acquisition, and to control or power the light source to provide enhanced illumination of the driver's area for DMS frame acquisition. In a preferred embodiment, the light source of a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly includes a first set of light sources (wFOV light source) positioned between a second set of light sources (e.g., a left (LH) light source) and a third set of light sources (e.g., a right (RH) light source).

[0117] For left-hand drive vehicles equipped with a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, during the acquisition of a set of DMS images (for driver monitoring functions), the LHD nFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) and the wFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) are energized. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source is combined at a minimum of 1.25 W / m². 2 More preferably at least 1.8W / m 2 And the optimal value is at least 2.3W / m 2The irradiance of the wFOV light source illuminates the head area of ​​the driver (who is seated on the left side of the vehicle). The LHD nFOV near-IR light source has a narrow cone / area of ​​illumination field that encompasses / illuminates the driver's head frame area (and thus provides enhanced irradiance to the driver's face). During the acquisition of the acquired image data frames for the DMS group used for driver monitoring functions, the wFOV near-IR light source is also powered, but the LHD nFOV near-IR light source is not powered. This selective powering of one of the LHD and RHD light sources instead of the other (in the case of LHD driving, where the LHD light source is powered and the RHD light source is not powered) avoids the wasteful generation of heat within the lens by powering the RHD light source, which has little irradiance on the driver sitting on the left side of the vehicle. However, the wFOV light source increases the irradiance to a certain extent in the driver's head frame area, while also illuminating the area where the driver's hands are located (steering wheel, center console, etc.). Therefore, in both LHD and RHD vehicles, the wFOV light source is powered for all times of vehicle power supply and operation. Therefore, for DMS frame acquisition in left-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will only power the LHD nFOV and wFOV lights, as these lights will illuminate the driver of the left-hand drive vehicle. The RHD nFOV light, when powered, will not cover any part of the LHD driver's body in any way; therefore, the RHD nFOV light will not be powered during DMS frame acquisition in LHD vehicles. Conversely, in RHD vehicles, the situation is exactly the opposite. For DMS frame acquisition in right-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will only power the RHD nFOV and wFOV lights, as these lights will illuminate the driver of the right-hand drive vehicle.

[0118] For left-hand or right-hand vehicles equipped with a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, all three sets of near-IR light sources (LHDnFOV, wFOV, and RHD nFOV) are powered during the acquisition of the OMS group in the acquired image data frame (for occupant monitoring functions), thereby maximizing near-IR floodlight illumination within the vehicle cabin, particularly for illuminating areas such as the second-row rear seats or even the third-row rear seats.

[0119] For left-hand drive vehicles equipped with a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, during the acquisition of the OMS group in the acquired image data frame (for occupant monitoring or occupant detection functions), the LHD nFOV light source, wFOV light source, and RHD nFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) are all powered. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV light source, wFOV light source, and RHD nFOV light source is combined to achieve at least 0.1 W / m². 2 Preferably at least 0.15W / m 2 And more preferably at least 0.2W / m 2 The irradiance is applied to the second row or rear seats and passenger seating area, and the irradiance provided by the wFOV light source and the RHD nFOV light source is combined to provide at least 0.15 W / m². 2 Preferably at least 0.25W / m 2 And more preferably at least 0.4W / m 2 The irradiance irradiates the area of ​​the front passenger seats.

[0120] Therefore, for DMS frame acquisition of left-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will only power the LHDnFOV and wFOV light sources, as these light sources will illuminate the driver of the left-hand drive vehicle; and for OMS frame acquisition of left-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will power the LHD nFOV, wFOV, and RHDnFOV light sources.

[0121] Similarly, for right-hand drive vehicles equipped with a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, during the acquisition of the DMS group (for driver monitoring functions) in the acquired image data frame, an RHD nFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) and a wFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) are powered. The illumination provided by the RHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source is combined at a minimum of 1.25 W / m². 2 More preferably at least 1.8W / m 2 And the optimal value is at least 2.3W / m 2The irradiance of the RHD nFOV light source illuminates the head area of ​​the driver (located on the right side of the vehicle). The RHD nFOV light source has a narrow field cone that covers the driver's head frame area (thus providing enhanced irradiance at the driver's face without increasing the input power of the RHD nFOV light source, while also reducing heat generation in the system and reducing the number of LEDs required), while the wFOV light source increases the irradiance of the driver's head frame area to some extent, but also illuminates the area where the driver's hands are located (steering wheel, center console, etc.). Therefore, for DMS frame acquisition of right-hand drive vehicles, the box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will only power the RHD nFOV and wFOV light sources, as these light sources will illuminate the driver of the right-hand drive vehicle. The light emitted by the LHD nFOV light source when powered does not cover any part of the RH driver, and therefore the LHD nFOV light source will not be powered during DMS frame acquisition.

[0122] For right-hand drive vehicles equipped with a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly, during the acquisition of the OMS group in the acquired image data frame (for occupant monitoring or occupant detection functions), the RHD nFOV light source, wFOV light source, and LHD nFOV light source (preferably multiple near-IR emitting LEDs, including at least two LEDs, and more preferably four or fewer LEDs) are all powered. The illumination provided by the RHD nFOV light source, wFOV light source, and LHD nFOV light source is combined to achieve at least 0.1 W / m². 2 Preferably at least 0.15W / m 2 And more preferably at least 0.2W / m 2 The irradiance is applied to the second row or rear seats and passenger seating area, and the irradiance provided by the wFOV light source and the LHD nFOV light source is combined to provide at least 0.15 W / m². 2 Preferably at least 0.25W / m 2 And more preferably at least 0.4W / m 2 The irradiance irradiates the area of ​​the front passenger seats.

[0123] Therefore, for DMS frame acquisition of right-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will only power the RHDnFOV and wFOV light sources, as these light sources will illuminate the driver of the right-hand drive vehicle; and for OMS frame acquisition of right-hand drive vehicles, the single-box internal DMS rearview mirror assembly will power the RHD nFOV, wFOV, and LHDnFOV light sources.

[0124] The illumination protocols / schemes described herein can be dynamic, as they can be adjusted based on current driving conditions. For example, the illumination protocol can be adjusted based on daytime / nighttime conditions (by daytime or nighttime); the illumination protocol can be adjusted in response to the level of ambient cabin illumination, such as on sunny days versus cloudy days, or at dawn versus dusk; or the illumination protocol can also be adjusted (e.g. for thermal management) to temporarily reduce cabin illumination for a limited period of time after ignition or start-up when the vehicle is parked in the sun on a hot, sunny day.

[0125] Regardless of whether the box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly is installed in an LHD or RHD vehicle, for occupant detection purposes, the illumination field of the DMS camera preferably covers the seating positions (front and rear) of the vehicle's occupants. Similarly, to provide near-IR floodlight illumination to such passengers seated in the vehicle's interior, the illumination field of the wFOV near-IR illuminator must cover the seating positions (front and rear) of the vehicle's passengers, regardless of whether the box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly is used in an LHD or RHD vehicle. However, for DMS functionality to be effective, it is ideal that the driver's face / head / body receive the strongest possible near-IR illumination. Therefore, for LHD vehicles, it is ideal that the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is directed towards the LHD vehicle's driver, while for RHD vehicles, it is ideal that the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is directed towards the RHD vehicle's driver. Given the limited space in the central area of ​​the DMS lens section to accommodate the camera, wFOV near-IR illuminator, nFOV near-IR illuminator, and lens pivot connector and similar / related hardware, for practical reasons, the nFOV near-IR illuminator is positioned to the left or right of the camera.

[0126] Therefore, and as Figure 84C , 86B As shown in 86C, 88A, 88B and 90 (and as described above), the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is tilted or angled toward the left side of the vehicle, wherein the greater the distance between the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator and the center of the lens, the greater the tilt angle, and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator needs to be tilted or angled toward the right side of the vehicle, wherein the greater the distance between the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator and the center of the lens, the smaller the tilt angle.

[0127] Alternatively, for practical reasons, such as manufacturing and packaging considerations and cost, it is ideal to position the nFOV near-IR illuminator centrally located on one side (e.g., the left) or the other side (e.g., the right) of the camera centrally positioned in the lens section, or to position the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on one side (e.g., the left) and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on the other side (e.g., the right). For example, and as... Figure 113A As shown, a box-type internal DMS rearview mirror assembly can center a camera and a wFOV near-IR illuminator in the lens section (with the camera centrally located above or below the wFOV near-IR illuminator), with one nFOV near-IR illuminator (e.g., an LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator for illuminating the driver of an LHD vehicle) positioned on the left side of the lens section (to the left of the camera), and another nFOV near-IR illuminator (e.g., an RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator for illuminating the driver of an RHD vehicle) positioned on the right side of the lens section (to the right of the camera). Alternatively, it is possible to position the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on the right side of the lens section and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on the left side of the lens section.

[0128] Optionally, the nFOV near-IR illuminator can be positioned more centrally within the lens section (e.g., above or below the centrally located wFOV near-IR illuminator). For example, and as... Figure 113B As shown, the wFOV near-IR illuminator can be located in a central position (e.g., above or below a centrally positioned camera), and the nFOV near-IR illuminator can be positioned at or above (or below) the wFOV near-IR illuminator. Figure 113B As shown, one nFOV near-IR illuminator (e.g., an LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator for illuminating the driver of an LHD vehicle) is positioned to the left of the lens's centerline (on the left side of the camera), and the other nFOV near-IR illuminator (e.g., an RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator for illuminating the driver of an RHD vehicle) is positioned to the right of the lens's centerline (on the right side of the camera). Alternatively, the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator can be positioned to the right of the lens's centerline, and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator can be positioned to the left of the lens's centerline. It is also possible to arrange the LHD and RHD nFOV near-IR illuminators vertically along the lens's centerline, with one above the other.

[0129] Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator can be centrally positioned (e.g., above or below a centrally positioned camera), and both nFOV near-IR illuminators can be positioned on one or the other side of the lens section. For example, and as... Figure 113C As shown, the wFOV near-IR illuminator is located in a central position (e.g., above or below a centrally positioned camera), and the LHD and RHD nFOV near-IR illuminators are located on the right side of the lens, wherein the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is positioned closer to the center of the lens than the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator. Alternatively, and as... Figure 113D As shown, the wFOV near-IR illuminator is positioned centrally (e.g., above or below a centrally positioned camera), and the LHD and RHD nFOV near-IR illuminators are positioned on the left side of the lens assembly, wherein the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is positioned closer to the center of the lens assembly than the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator. Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator and / or the nFOV near-IR illuminator may be positioned in the lower region of the lens assembly (see...). Figure 113C and Figure 113D Alternatively, it can be placed in the upper area of ​​the lens (see...). Figure 113E Therefore, and as Figure 113E As shown, one or both of the nFOV near-IR illuminators can be located at a higher position in the upper region of the lens, and / or the wFOV near-IR illuminator can be located at a higher position in the upper region of the lens.

[0130] Inside the vehicle (whether LHD or RHD), the driver grasps the lens to adjust the viewing angle of the internal mirror reflector, allowing the driver to see out the rear window of the vehicle. The camera moves in coordination with the driver's movement of the lens. In doing so, the driver's head position / orientation is seen by the driver monitoring camera within the lens.

[0131] Figure 91 The rear side of an exemplary EC unit for a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly is shown. Figures 91A to 91C This demonstrates what happens when a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly is attached to the windshield of the vehicle in which it is fitted. Figure 91 The exemplary EC unit shown is oriented as follows. Vehicles manufactured by OEM automakers (such as GM, BMW, Ford, Toyota, Honda, etc.) are intended for use in left-hand drive countries (such as the United States, France, China, and Germany) and right-hand drive countries (such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, and Japan). Taking the BMW X5 SUV as an example, the BMW X5 SUV is assembled at BMW's assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. The one-piece electrochromic interior DMS mirror assembly according to the invention can be installed on the windshield of all BMW X5 SUV vehicles assembled in South Carolina, USA, regardless of whether any X5 SUVs supplied and assembled in the United States are used in the United States (LHD country) or exported to the United Kingdom (RHD country) for use in the United Kingdom.

[0132] Measures to enhance shielding (which enhance the shielding of the camera and near-IR illuminator located in the lens section and behind the mirror reflector) include, for example Figure 92 The illustrated measure involves a spaced-out gap between the outermost surface of the lens of the driver monitoring camera and the bare glass surface on the back of the rear glass substrate of the EC unit (as observed by the camera through the EC unit). This gap is preferably at least 0.5 mm, more preferably at least 1 mm, and most preferably at least 2 mm, but preferably not exceeding 4 mm. Similarly, such a gap in a glare sensor or near-IR illumination device (as shown in Figure AJ) can be used to enhance shielding. Figure 93 The image shows a double-sided tape spacer (with release film still attached).

[0133] These enhanced shielding measures include: minimizing the size of the reflector used in conjunction with the nFOV near-IR LED, removing (or darkening) (where possible) any surfaces that reflect light, and positioning these components within the lens assembly away from the lateral edges of the mirror assembly, as far away as possible from the vehicle's side windows through which sunlight might enter the vehicle's cabin. Furthermore, as... Figures 84A to 84C As shown, the IR filter box can be configured / constructed to have a certain degree (preferably a small degree) of FOV obstruction and a minimized horizontal gap.

[0134] This enhanced shielding includes the use of small, non-reflective glare sensors, such as the TIOPT4001 high-speed, high-precision, digital ambient light sensor, commercially available from Texas Instruments Incorporated of Dallas, Texas. The TI OPT4001 high-speed, high-precision, digital ambient light sensor features precise optical filtering to closely match the human eye's excellent near-infrared (IR) suppression capabilities.

[0135] Such measures / components / devices for enhancing shielding include the use of coatings or the like within the lens chamber (and on the hardware / structure housed by the lens chamber) to absorb light that may enter the lens chamber. Thus, dark coatings or surface treatments, light-harvesting elements or surfaces, flocked surfaces (involving the direct application of short monofilament fibers (typically nylon, rayon, or polyester) to a substrate previously coated with an adhesive) and the like can be used within the lens chamber to absorb / harvest external ambient light that enters the lens chamber and adversely affects shielding.

[0136] This enhanced shielding measure includes coating a fourth surface of the EC cell with an opaque thin film of metallic chromium (preferably with a physical thickness of at least 50 nm) to form a fourth surface specular reflective metal mirror. The first reflectivity of this coating, according to SAE J964a, is approximately 60%R to approximately 68%R (if sputtered by vacuum deposition). This fourth surface chromium (or other metallic specular reflector coating, such as titanium, Hastelloy, ruthenium, or a thin Ru / thick Cr bilayer) enhances / improves the total visible light reflectivity of the EC cell in areas other than the region where the EC cell specular reflector element forms the light-transmitting window (preferably by laser ablation / etching of the metallic thin film specular reflector on the fourth surface). In cases where the fourth surface metallic reflector has been ablated to form the light-transmitting window, the metallic coating may be locally ablated to form a localized partial light reflection / transmission area for observation by a DMS camera or for illumination by a near-IR LED. As an alternative, a metallic mirror reflector can be deposited on the fourth surface of the back substrate, using a gradient mask to reduce abrupt / sharp transitions from high light reflection to high light transmission in local window areas.

[0137] This enhanced shielding includes the use of 3M™ light control films or 3M light redirection films (available from 3M Inc. in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA). 3M micro Venetian blind films control the distribution (viewing angle) of light perpendicular to their venetian structure. ALCF-A and LCF are Venetian blind films with a low birefringence polycarbonate substrate. ALCF-A has a 60-degree viewing angle. ALCF-A+ is a Venetian blind film incorporating a reflective polarizer (DBEF). 3M ALCF-P is a Venetian blind film with a 60-degree viewing angle and is available with a matte hard coating.

[0138] In addition to monitoring alertness, DMS cameras can also be used for in-vehicle video conferencing and, for example, for driver selfies. When video conferencing is required, a high-resolution camera is preferred (preferably a color camera using a CMOS imaging array with at least one million photosensitive elements arranged in rows and columns). For example, a DMS camera preferably uses at least 2.3 megapixels; more preferably at least 5.0 megapixels; and most preferably at least 5.5 megapixels, particularly for detecting details / features / biometric characteristics of the monitored driver's eyes.

[0139] Figure 94The spectral characteristics of the DMS EC cell in the visible and near-IR spectral regions are shown in its undimmed (faded) state and its fully electrodimmed (colored) state. To balance the power requirements of the EC (electrochromic rearview mirror) so that it (i) has sufficient visible light %T to meet the needs of the DMS and is also suitable for video conferencing; (ii) has uncolored spectral reflectance (in its faded state) that appears “silver” and “normal” to the driver compared to the usual view of an internal electrochromic rearview mirror assembly supplied to OEM automakers by, for example, MagnaMirrors of America, Inc. of Holland, Michigan; (iii) has a light-sensitive reflectance of at least 40%R (measured according to SAE J964a, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety); (iv) high near-IR transmittance, especially at the peak emission wavelength (e.g., 940 nm) of the near-IR irradiation used; and (v) provides privacy to the driver seated in the driver's seat, i.e., the lens section houses the camera, near-IR irradiator, DMS processor, and associated mechanical hardware (e.g., PCB). A typical EC unit for a one-piece electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly has: ○ In the faded state of the EC unit, the visible light transmittance in the 380-750nm region is in the range of 20%T-30%T (preferably in the range of about 22%T to about 25%T for shielding purposes). ○ When the EC cell is completely darkened, the visible light transmittance in the 380-750nm region is in the range of 10%T-20%T (preferably about 16%T to balance other factors). ○ Visible light reflectance (measured according to SAE J946a) is in the range of 40%R to 65%R (preferably in the range of about 43%R to about 55%R to balance other factors). ○ In both faded (complete visible light reflection) and completely darkened (EC colored) states, the near-IR transmittance near 940 nm is preferably at least 50%T (more preferably at least 60%T, and most preferably at least 70%); and ○ The colorless, color-neutral silver appearance is observed and judged by the driver from the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0140] Color can be represented using the CIELAB color space (also known as L*a*b*), defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) in 1976. CIELAB uses three values ​​to represent color: L* represents perceived brightness, and a* and b* represent the four distinct colors in human vision: red, green, blue, and yellow. The color values ​​used here are based on the CIE standard D65 illuminant and a 10-degree observer, with L* representing the object's brightness, a* defining the green and red (positive) components, and b* defining the blue and yellow (positive) components.

[0141] For the multilayer mirror reflectors used in the DMS mirrors described herein, the first surface reflectivity (i.e., the reflectivity of the multilayer mirror reflector directly irradiated by incident radiation without passing through the back glass substrate deposited by the multilayer mirror reflector) peaks at approximately 550 nm at the multilayer stack design wavelength. As the design wavelength decreases below approximately 450 nm, the color of the reflected light shifts towards blue (indicated by a decrease in the b* value), and towards yellow / red at design wavelengths of approximately 500 nm and above (indicated by an increase in the b* and a* values). Depending on the specific application requirements of the DMS EC cell (or DMS prism substrate), adjusting the optical thickness, refractive index, and / or the number of layers in the multilayer stack constituting the mirror reflector stack can provide a specific reflectivity spectral distribution. For example, by appropriately adjusting the layer thickness for the multilayer mirror reflector, a given reflectivity with a more or less slight yellow tint can be obtained, or different reflectivities with a more or less slight blue or red tint can be obtained.

[0142] Traditional vehicle interior rearview mirrors use a highly reflective metallic thin film coating of silver metal (or, for example, Ag / Au or Ag / Pd alloys, such as 90% Ag / 10% Au) for their mirror reflectors.

[0143] Drivers who observe and use interior mirrors while driving are accustomed to seeing achromatic / neutral / non-chromatic mirror reflectivity, for example, according to the CIELAB color space (see...). Figure 95When observing using a CIE standard D65 illuminator and a 10-degree observer (D65 represents white light and the XYZ trichromatic values ​​are X=94.811; Y=100; Z=107.304), for a prism-type interior mirror reflector (such as the prism-type interior rearview mirror assembly supplied by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, Michigan, USA), the driver sees the metallic silver "color" (in the CIELAB color space) as L*=96.28; a*=-2.81; and b*=2.46 [using an illuminator D65; C*=3.58 (chromaticity)]. For electrochromic interior mirror reflective elements (such as those used in an auto-dimming electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly supplied by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc. of Holland, Michigan, USA), the metallic silver "color" (in the CIELAB color space) seen by the driver is: L*=83.1; a*=-4.03; and b*=3.58 [using irradiator D65; C*=4.34 (chromaticity)], and for electrochromic interior mirror transmissive elements, the metallic silver "color" (in the CIELAB color space) seen by the driver is: L*=89.39; a*=-3.84; and b*=4.92 [using irradiator D65; C*=4.96 (chromaticity)].

[0144] Furthermore, when the driver observes this internal specular reflector at a certain angle, color neutrality (as seen / measured by the driver sitting in the front seat on the driver's side in a vehicle equipped with normal driving) is maintained / preserved by the multi-layered stacked film used for the specular reflector. The HL stacked coating of the specular reflector constituting the specular reflector is designed / selected such that the absolute value of a* is less than 5 under normal incidence, and the absolute value of b* is also less than 5 under normal incidence.

[0145] The multi-layered stacked film of the specular reflector in the specular reflector element of the one-box DMS interior rearview mirror of the present invention maintains / retains the achromatic / neutral / uncolored reflection that the driver expects and is accustomed to seeing while driving, and the specular reflector element of the one-box DMS interior rearview mirror has a neutral reflective color with |a*| and |b*| < 12 for a viewing angle of up to at least 45 degrees. If any color shift occurs at the viewing angle, the multi-layered stacked film for the specular reflector minimizes this shift.

[0146] Given two colors in the CIELAB color space: ( L 1 *,a 1 *,b 1 * )and(L 2 *, a 2 *,b 2 * The color difference formula is: The C* (chroma, relative saturation) of a color with coordinates (L*, a*, b*) in the CIELAB color space is: The hue h° (hue angle, the angle of the hue in the CIELAB color wheel) for a color with coordinates (L*, a*, b*) in the CIELAB color space is: The multilayer stacked film of the specular reflector of the specular reflector element of the one-box DMS interior rearview mirror of the present invention preferably retains any chromatic aberration (at any viewing angle of up to 45 degrees for the driver) between 2.3 and 3.2; more preferably between 2.3 and 2.8; and most preferably between 2.3 and 2.5.

[0147] The tri-color system visually matches a color to the three primary colors of red, green, and blue under standardized conditions; the three results are represented by X, Y, and Z, and are called the tri-color values, which can be graphically represented on a standard chromaticity diagram. The chromaticity diagram was developed by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) in 1931, based on x, y, and z values, where x = X / (X+Y+Z), y = Y / (X+Y+Z), and z = Z / (X+Y+Z). Since x+y+z = 1, if two values ​​are known, the third value can always be calculated, and therefore the z value is usually omitted. The Y value under the tri-color system represents the mirror reflectance experienced / seen (during the day) by the driver of a vehicle equipped with a box-type electrochromic internal DMS mirror assembly (whose EC unit is in its non-darkening / fading state) or a vehicle equipped with a box-type prism internal DMS when observing and using the internal mirror. The mirror reflector of the internal DMS rearview mirror assembly preferably has a Y value (using a CIE standard irradiator D65 and normal incidence) of at least 41; more preferably at least 50, and most preferably at least 55. Y, as used herein, represents the overall visible light reflectivity of the DMS EC unit or the DMS prism reflector.

[0148] Figure 96Four example EC cells are shown, wherein the stacking of the multilayer oxide coatings forming the specular reflector is adjusted such that the visible light transmittance through the EC cell is approximately 45%T, approximately 30%T, approximately 21%T, and approximately 14%T, respectively. Figure 97 As can be seen, the overall system output of the camera observed through the 45%T visible light lens filter, combined with the 45%T EC unit, is 20.25%. (For example...) Figure 98 As shown, the overall system output of the camera viewed through an 80%T visible light lens filter combined with a 30%T EC unit is 24%. Figure 99 As shown, the overall system output of the camera combined with the 21%T EC unit, viewed through a 90%T visible light lens filter, is 18.9%. From Figure 100 As can be seen, the overall system output of the camera viewed through the 90%T visible light lens filter combined with the 14%T EC unit is 12.6%. The lower the visible light %T transmittance through the EC unit, the higher the visible light reflectance of the EC unit. The system visible light transmittance balance of approximately 18%T to approximately 28%T (more preferably around 20%T to 25%T, and most preferably around 22% to 24%) through the EC unit is required to facilitate video conferencing using the color DMS camera in the lens section (which is viewed through the specular reflector of the EC unit), while allowing the DMS / OMS to provide the required illumination intensity for the driver and other occupants in near-IR illumination, and simultaneously concealing various one-box DMS hardware in the lens section, while providing the driver with an uncolored, "silver" specular reflective element so that they can see with sufficiently high reflectance when driving during the day or night.

[0149] Figure 101A A box-type Infinity™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown, and Figure 101B A box-type EVO™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown. Figure 102 The construction of a box-type Infinity™ prism-type internal DMS mirror assembly is shown.

[0150] Therefore, a one-piece interior DMS mirror assembly provides a one-piece DMS solution where the electrical / electronic / mechanical / mirror components (camera, near-IR illuminator, vision processing ECU, and mirror reflector) are integrated into the vehicle's interior rearview mirror assembly. For auto-dimming interior mirrors, the electronics and photosensors (in glare conditions during nighttime driving) used to adjust the reflectivity of the interior mirror reflector (and any electrically dimming exterior mirrors present in the vehicle) are housed within the lens section. The camera, near-IR light source (such as a near-IR LED), and ECU are preferably located behind the mirror reflector within the lens section. The camera uses an RGB / IR CMOS image sensor to support DMS / OMS, Selfie, and video streaming features. Supported features include driver monitoring, video streaming, facial recognition, interior monitoring, Selfie, presence detection, child seat detection, and child presence detection. A 100Mbps Ethernet interface for video transmission is preferably included.

[0151] Optionally, the one-piece internal DMS rearview mirror assembly may include a safety architecture, such as Figure 106 As shown. The ECU's processor can communicate with the vehicle system via CAN full-duplex communication (module-level security 1) and via Ethernet (module-level security 2). Alternatively, this communication can be via coaxial cable or other communication devices. The camera serial interface is a specification of the Mobile Industry Processor Interface Alliance (MIPI). It defines the interface between the camera and the host processor. The CSI-2 protocol includes transport and application layers and natively supports C-PHY, D-PHY, or a combination of C / D-PHY. MIPI C-PHY provides high throughput, a minimized number of interconnect signals, and excellent energy efficiency to connect displays and cameras to the application processor. This is due to the efficient three-phase coding unique to C-PHY. D-PHY is a serial interface technology that uses differential signaling to provide scalable data channels and source-synchronous clocks for bandwidth-constrained channels to support energy-efficient interfaces for streaming applications such as displays and cameras. It provides half-duplex functionality for applications that benefit from bidirectional communication with a transmission rate of up to 2.5 gigabits per channel. C-PHY requires fewer conductors, does not require a separate clock channel, and offers the flexibility to allocate individual channels to any port on the application processor in any combination via software control. Due to their similar basic electrical specifications, C-PHY and D-PHY can be implemented on the same device pins. Three-phase symbol encoding provides approximately 2.28 bits per symbol through a three-wire conductor group per line. This enables high data transfer rates at lower switching frequencies, further reducing power consumption.

[0152] like Figures 32B to 32EAs shown, the mirror assembly may include an IR light emitter located behind the mirror reflective element. Figure 32B and 32E ) and / or a camera located behind the mirror reflector element ( Figures 32C to 32E By positioning the camera and IR light emitter behind a mirror reflector, the camera is hidden or concealed and is invisible to the driver or occupants of the vehicle, eliminating the need to expand the lower or chin area of ​​the lens assembly to provide space for the camera and / or light emitter. The camera can be tilted or offset to provide the optimal view for the driver or occupants. Figure 33 and Figure 34 An embodiment is shown in which the camera and IR light emitter are positioned below a mirror reflector. Figure 33 This illustrates the transmission characteristics of a lens or cover, or an embodiment positioned behind a mirror-reflecting element and observed / emitted through the mirror-reflecting element. Figure 34 (This shows the transmission characteristics of a transmissive reflector or a transmissive mirror reflector.)

[0153] like Figure 35 and Figure 36 As shown, the lens may include a driver monitoring camera and a near-IR emitter or floodlight element disposed behind the mirror reflector. Optionally, the mirror reflector may include a backlight thin-film transistor (TFT) video display or element disposed behind the mirror reflector and visible through the mirror reflector. Figure 35 and Figure 36 The mirror assembly has a transmissive or transmissive-reflective mirror reflector disposed on a third surface of the rear glass substrate, the third surface being opposite to and in contact with an electrochromic medium that also contacts a transparent electrical conductor or conductive coating on a second surface of the front glass substrate. The transmissive-reflective mirror reflector may have an opening or window (e.g., through laser ablation) established through which a DMS camera and a near-IR floodlight illuminator are positioned and observed / emitted. A near-IR transmissive / visible light reflective layer is disposed on a fourth surface of the rear glass substrate, at least at the location of the near-IR floodlight illuminator, and optionally at the location of the DMS camera.

[0154] The window or opening formed by the specular reflector may include an area without a specular reflector coating, or may include multiple strips or dots of specular reflector coating in the area where the camera and near-IR floodlight illumination device are located. For example, and as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,743,203; 8,727,547 and 7,636,188 (which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), partial removal (e.g., by laser etching or ablation) of a metallic high specular reflective layer or coating (such as a silver alloy reflective layer) allows light incident in front of the internal specular reflective element (EC or prism) to reach the imager positioned behind the reflective element and behind the specular reflector without being obstructed or absorbed by the metallic layer (in the absence / complete removal of the metallic layer). Similarly, near-IR radiation emitted by one or more sets of near-IR light-emitting diodes (positioned behind and emitting light through the specular reflector) will not be obstructed or absorbed by the metallic layer. However, the elements of the metallic reflective layer, resembling prison bars where the reflective coating is ablated by the laser, partially conceal / make the presence of cameras and IR floodlights behind the reflective elements less noticeable to the driver or occupants inside the vehicle. The degree of transmittance through the laser-ablated local area is proportional to the ratio of the ablated metallic reflective coating material to that local area (the remaining metallic reflective coating material and the location of the ablated area).

[0155] Instead of using a silver-based or silver alloy-based reflector coating, a specular reflector may optionally employ a stack of visible light reflection and IR transmission (e.g., by utilizing aspects of a specular reflector element described in U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Optionally, the specular reflector element may have a glass substrate coated with a silver-based specular reflector, one or more laser-etched windows at a third surface reflector, and at a fourth surface, a sheet of glass formed thereon having a special IR transmission coating (of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, which is incorporated above).

[0156] like Figure 37 and Figure 38As shown, the mirror assembly has a transmissive / reflective mirror reflector disposed on a fourth surface of the rear glass substrate, wherein a third surface of the rear glass substrate has a transparent electrical conductor that is opposite to and in contact with an electrochromic medium, which also contacts a transparent electrical conductor or conductive coating on a second surface of the front glass substrate. The transmissive / reflective mirror reflector on the fourth surface may have an opening or window formed therethrough (e.g., by laser ablation), with a DMS camera and a near-IR floodlight illuminator disposed behind and through the respective window for observation / emission. A near-IR transmissive / visible light reflective layer is disposed on the fourth surface of the rear glass substrate, at least at the location of the near-IR floodlight illuminator, and optionally at the location of the DMS camera.

[0157] Optionally, and as Figure 39 and Figure 40 As shown, the fourth surface may have a near-IR transmissive / visible light reflective layer, which provides a specular reflector on the entire fourth surface of the rear glass substrate, wherein the DMS camera and the near-IR floodlight illumination device are positioned behind the near-IR transmissive / visible light reflective layer and are observed / emitted through the near-IR transmissive / visible light reflective layer.

[0158] therefore, Figure 39 and Figure 40 The rear glass substrate of the mirror reflector is coated with a transparent electrical conductor on one side (the third surface) and with a near-IR transmissive, visible light reflective / transmissive coating on the other side (the fourth surface). (See reference.) Figure 41 and Figure 42 Multiple back glass substrates can be formed by cutting (e.g., by laser cutting) from a large glass sheet, and each glass substrate is coated on both sides. For example... Figure 42 As shown, a formed glass substrate is placed on a conveying device and a transparent electrical conductor (such as an ITO layer or coating) is coated on one side (the final third surface of the mirror reflector). It is then flipped so that multiple layers can be coated on the other side (the final fourth surface of the mirror reflector) to create a transflector coating at the fourth surface that transmits near-IR light and reflects visible light (e.g., by utilizing various aspects of the mirror reflector and coating process described in U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

[0159] Optionally, the formed glass substrate is placed on a conveying device and coated only on one side (the final third surface of the electrochromic mirror reflective element) to provide a reflector mirror element with transmission and reflection from the third surface. For example, and as... Figure 43As shown, a formed glass substrate is placed on a transport device and coated with multiple layers only on one side (the final third surface of the specular reflector) to create a near-IR-transmitting, visible-light-reflecting transflector coating at the third surface (as described by utilizing various aspects of the specular reflector and coating process as described in the above-combined U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501). The coated substrate can then be further coated with a transparent electrical conductor (e.g., an ITO layer or coating) that contacts the electrochromic medium of the specular reflector.

[0160] The glass substrate may include a glass substrate for a prism-type reflective element (typically formed by grinding / polishing a glass substrate of 6 mm or about to its thickness to give it a prismatic / wedge-shaped cross-section), or may include a flat / planar back glass substrate for an internal electrochromic reflective element (wherein, depending on the specific application, layers of visible light reflective and near-IR light transmittance coatings may be disposed or coated on a third or fourth surface). For example, and according to the above-combined U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, the layers stacked on the fourth surface may include alternating layers of low-index materials (such as silicon oxide or silica) and high-index materials (such as titanium dioxide or similar materials). The number of alternating layers and the respective thickness of the layers are selected to spectrally tune the stacking of the layers to provide the desired transmittance of light or radiation with a specific spectral band (such as near-IR light) while reflecting light within another spectral band (such as visible light).

[0161] The manufacturing or coating process includes providing a glass sheet, cutting a mirror shape or glass substrate from the sheet, and coating the surface of the glass substrate with, for example, half-wave ITO (which preferably has a sheet resistance of less than 20 ohms / square, for example, about 10-15 ohms / square) or full-wave ITO (which has a sheet resistance of less than 10 ohms / square, for example, about 8 ohms / square). The coated glass substrate is placed in a sputtering deposition chamber with the coated side facing up for further coating of alternating layers.

[0162] Reactive sputtering vacuum deposition chambers can have two chamber sections or isolation zones, each with a corresponding cathode group (such as planar magnetron or rotating magnetron sputtering deposition cathodes known in vacuum technology). For example, and as... Figure 44 As shown, a set of cathodes / targets (see Figure 44 The “A” in the diagram can be located in one chamber section, and another set of cathodes / targets (see...) Figure 44 The “B” in the text can be located in another chamber segment that is adjacent to and aligned with the first chamber segment, wherein there is a wall or barrier or shield between the two chambers, the wall or barrier or shield having an orifice through which a conveying device for conveying the substrate extends, such that the conveying device extends through the two chamber segments, and the wall or barrier or shield can reduce cross-deposition from one chamber segment to another adjacent chamber segment.

[0163] The glass substrate (or optionally, a large flat / flat glass sheet, if the large glass sheet is coated with multiple layers of reflective material before the individual mirror shapes are cut from the substrate, which is then coated with reflective material) is placed on a bracket, on a conveyor, or on a tray and moved to the first chamber section. Figure 44 In the process illustrated, a glass substrate is first coated with a transparent conductive coating or layer (such as ITO) on one side, then flipped over so that the uncoated side of the glass substrate faces upwards. The substrate is then conveyed to chamber A, or coating location, where target A is activated, and then conveyed to chamber B, where target B is activated, such that the upward-facing side of the substrate is coated with a layer or coating. Target A in the first chamber or coating location may include, for example, a titanium target, and the target in the second chamber may include, for example, a silicon target. When the glass substrate is positioned at the first coating location (below target A), group A / targets are powered or actuated to coat the upward-facing or exposed surface of the glass substrate with titanium dioxide (via oxygen reactive sputtering deposition). Once a titanium dioxide layer of the desired thickness has been sputtered onto the glass substrate, the target can be deactivated, and / or the conveying device moves the substrate to a second location to coat the next layer.

[0164] The second chamber may be spaced apart from or separated from the first chamber (e.g., by a barrier or shield). A holder or tray for placing the substrate moves under the barrier between coating positions. When the glass substrate is positioned in the second position, group B / target is powered or activated to coat a second material, such as silica (deposited via oxygen reactive sputtering), onto the upward or exposed surface of the glass substrate (which is already coated with material A). Once a silica layer of the desired thickness has been sputtered onto the glass substrate, the target and / or transport device can be deactivated to move the glass substrate.

[0165] The transport device then moves the substrate from target B / position back to target A / position to coat the next layer of titanium dioxide. The transport device then reverses direction and moves the glass substrate back to group A / target, then begins sputtering deposition or coating of the third layer (e.g., the second layer of titanium dioxide) onto the glass substrate. After the desired thickness of the third layer has been established, group A / target is stopped, and the transport device reverses again (back to the "forward" direction) to move the glass substrate back to the second chamber and activates the group / target in the second chamber to sputter deposit or coat the fourth layer (e.g., the second layer of silicon dioxide) onto the glass substrate.

[0166] The process of activating / deactivating the group / target and shuttling or moving the transport device is repeated until the desired or selected number of alternating layers (of desired or selected respective thicknesses) are coated on the glass substrate to provide the desired or selected spectrally tunable alternating layers. Thus, the alternating layers are provided via a single chamber and transport device, wherein barriers / shiels exist between regions of the chamber, and a tray / transport device supporting the coated glass substrate(s) passes through these regions. Alternatively, by activating and deactivating the DC magnetron target (which may be a planar magnetron target or a rotating magnetron target; rotating targets are suitable for reactive DC sputtering from a silicon target in an oxygen-rich vacuum chamber to deposit silicon dioxide), the vacuum chamber may not require barriers, and the computer control of the system can instead position the substrate under the appropriate group or target and activate only the group / target for depositing the layer. The alternating layers may be coated on the surface of the rear glass substrate that ultimately becomes a third surface of the EC mirror reflector, or on the surface of the rear glass substrate that ultimately becomes a fourth surface of the EC mirror reflector.

[0167] exist Figure 44 In the illustrated embodiment, ITO is first coated on one side of the glass substrate (the side that eventually becomes the third surface of the reflective element), and then flipped so that alternating layers of coatings that form visible light reflection and near-IR light transmission are coated on the other side (i.e. the side that eventually becomes the fourth surface of the reflective element).

[0168] Optionally, and as Figure 45 As shown, a glass substrate can be loaded into a vacuum chamber and coated on one side (ultimately the side of the third surface of the reflective element) with alternating layers of TiO2, SiO2, TiO2, SiO2, etc. (e.g., by moving the glass substrate back and forth between group A / target / position and group B / target / position via a conveyor). After the required alternating layer stacking is completed, the coated glass substrate is moved to the third (C) group / target for coating the stack with a transparent conductive layer (such as ITO or the like).

[0169] Optionally, the conveyor can shuttle back and forth between targets / positions, having a conveyor line and a sputtering chamber / system including a conveyor line with two loading locks. A glass substrate (one or more) can be loaded at one end at a loading lock, coated with ITO, and then coated with materials A and B (by shuttling back and forth between targets A and B, and then removed by the conveyor at another loading lock at the opposite end). Optionally, depending on the specific application of the coated glass substrate, the ITO coating can be performed as a final coating. Furthermore, ITO is preferably applied to a substrate heated to at least 200 degrees Celsius; more preferably to a substrate heated to at least 275 degrees Celsius; and most preferably to a substrate heated to at least 350 degrees Celsius.

[0170] Optionally, the cathode can be turned on or off as the substrate moves into or out of these positions. The target may include a rotating sputtering target and rotate during use. In the illustrated process, the target includes metallic titanium and silicon targets, which can provide reactive sputtering deposition in an oxygen-rich environment to deposit TiO2 and SiO2 onto the glass substrate. Optionally, during the reactive sputtering deposition of the coating in alternating layers (in an oxygen-rich vacuum chamber environment), the glass substrate may be heated (e.g., to temperatures above 150 degrees Celsius, or above 250 degrees Celsius, or above 350 degrees Celsius).

[0171] Controlling the sputtering process allows alternating layers to have different thicknesses. Different thicknesses can be achieved by adjusting the speed of the transport device as it moves the glass substrate under the corresponding target, and / or by increasing / decreasing the electrical power to the DC magnetron sputtering target to increase / decreasing the sputtering / deposition rate of the corresponding target, using one or both of these methods. The process may include selecting specific metal and dielectric materials for sputtering (and determining the appropriate or desired thickness of each layer), and then selecting the transport device speed and / or sputtering device power to achieve the desired or selected or determined thickness of each layer in the layer stack. The system can provide alternating layers via a transport device and sputtering system, where multiple alternating targets (with barriers between adjacent targets) run along the transport device, allowing the transport device to move the substrate through multiple coating positions. Alternatively, the transport device can operate at a constant speed (placing multiple glass substrates on the transport device and moving them sequentially through multiple coating positions), and each sputtering target can operate at a selected power level, providing a selected or determined degree of sputtering / deposition rate to its respective target to provide the desired or determined specific layer thickness at the glass substrate.

[0172] Therefore, the coating process can alternately coat multiple layers (e.g., alternating layers of TiO2 and SiO2) on one side or surface of a glass substrate (or multiple glass substrates or glass sheets that have not yet been cut into a single mirror glass shape or substrate). Figure 46 An example of such a layer stack (with an ITO layer) is shown, and the figure also illustrates the relationship between transmittance and wavelength for the coated glass substrate. Computer control of the vacuum deposition chamber selectively controls individual DC magnetron sputtering targets and the travel speed and direction of the tray / transfer device to coat a prescribed multilayer stack of alternating high RI (such as titanium dioxide or niobium oxide) / low IR (such as silicon dioxide) layers onto an internally mirror-shaped glass substrate. For the third surface transflector of a dual-substrate stacked EC mirror reflector element, it is covered with a final layer of ITO.

[0173] Figure 47 and Figure 48 An electrochromic mirror reflective element is shown, wherein its third surface transmits light or reflects light through a mirror, including... Figure 46The stack of layers is shown. The near-IR floodlight and the driver monitoring camera are positioned behind the mirror reflector.

[0174] Figure 49 and Figure 50 Another electrochromic mirror reflective element is shown, whose third surface transmits light or reflects light through a mirror, including... Figure 46 The stack of layers is shown. The specular reflective element includes a broadband (near IR 940 nm) antireflective layer / stack at a first surface (front or outer surface of the front glass substrate) and / or a fourth surface (rear surface of the rear glass substrate). This antireflective coating reflects both visible and near IR light. The antireflective coating may be disposed or formed on the rear surface (fourth surface) and / or the front surface (first surface) of the specular reflective element. A near IR floodlight illumination device and a driver monitoring camera are positioned behind the specular reflective element. Figure 49 and Figure 50 In the illustrated embodiment, the glass substrate comprises Schott B270® ultra-clear glass (see...). Figure 51 As described below, this glass provides consistent light transmittance across a wavelength range from ultraviolet to near-IR.

[0175] Now refer to Figure 52 The internal dual-substrate stacked electrochromic mirror reflective element includes a metallic conductive reflective peripheral hiding layer on an ITO coating located on a second surface of the front glass substrate, and circumferentially highly conductive metallic channels on an ITO coating on top of alternating stacks of layers located on a third surface of the rear glass substrate. These metallic conductive channels on the second surface ITO coating can reduce the thickness of the ITO coating. To increase the overall near-IR transmittance through the EC mirror reflective element, the ITO layer deposited on the second glass surface of the front substrate can have a sheet resistance greater than 20 ohms / square, for example greater than 25 ohms / square, or greater than 30 ohms / square, and preferably less than 70 ohms / square, more preferably less than 50 ohms / square, and even more preferably less than 35 ohms / square. By making the sheet resistance of the metallic conductive reflective peripheral hiding layer less than 5 ohms / square (preferably less than 3 ohms / square, and more preferably less than 1 ohm / square), and simultaneously reducing the physical thickness of the ITO layer, a simultaneous increase in near-IR transmittance can be achieved. Choosing a metallic material (such as silver or a silver alloy instead of chromium) and / or increasing the physical coating thickness (such as 150 nm instead of 15 nm) and / or the width of the hidden layer (such as 12 mm instead of 8 mm) can make the surrounding hidden layer more conductive, thus facilitating the use of a thinner second surface ITO layer.

[0176] Similarly, circumferentially highly conductive metal channels at the coated rear glass substrate can provide similar advantages. Figure 52As can be seen, the rear peripheral band is circumferentially set at the ITO layer deposited on the alternating stack of TiO2 and SiO2 layers, which allows for a reduction in the thickness of the ITO layer while still achieving the required dimming performance.

[0177] For interior floodlighting devices (e.g., near-IR illumination for driver head and / or eyes, such as in SAE Level 3 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for driver monitoring), the interior rearview mirror assembly provides ample area for housing multiple (e.g., at least two, preferably at least six, and more preferably at least ten) near-IR LEDs that emit near-IR radiation via mirror reflectors. The main axes of the near-IR radiation emitted by these multiple near-IR LEDs can be angled relative to each other to preferentially direct the emitted near-IR radiation toward a position within the interior of the vehicle where the driver's head is visible, wherein the lens portion of the interior rearview mirror assembly has been adjusted by the driver so that the driver can look rearward through the vehicle's rear window. The advantage of using such a large number of near-IR LEDs, preferably at different angles, is that localized hot spots behind the reflectors are avoided when the near-IR LEDs are powered to their maximum capacity.

[0178] like Figures 53 to 55 As shown, the interior rearview mirror assembly may have a visible light / near IR driver monitoring camera positioned behind (and viewed through) an electrochromic mirror reflector element, wherein some (or all) of the near IR LEDs are located at the lens portion and do not emit light through the mirror reflector element. The lens portion may include a mirror housing therein that receives the mirror reflector element, such as an EVO... TM Mirror assembly (as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,277,059; 8,049,640 and / or 7,289,037, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) and / or INFINITY TM Mirror components (such as those in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,827,913; 9,174,578; 8,508,831; 8,730,553; 9,598,016 and / or 9,346,403, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0179] Currently, at least three types of EC interior rearview mirror assemblies are commercially available and used in vehicles worldwide. One type is the EC interior rearview mirror assembly with basic / additional features; another type is a video mirror utilizing an approximately 3.5-inch video display screen positioned behind and facing / at the passenger side (when the interior rearview mirror assembly is used in the vehicle); and a third type is a full-display mirror, such as the FDM available commercially from Gentex. TMThe mirror assembly and the CLEARVIEW, which is commercially available from Magna Mirrors of America, Inc. TM A mirror assembly that can operate in two modes (e.g., by utilizing various aspects described in U.S. Patent Nos. 11,214,199; 10,442,360; 10,421,404; 10,166,924 and / or 10,046,706 and / or U.S. Publications US-2021-0162926; US-2021-0155167; US-2019-0258131; US-2019-0146297; US-2019-0118717 and / or US-2017-0355312, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0180] In the EC mirror structure of basic / additional content and video mirrors, only a portion of the mirror reflective element is likely to be transmissive and reflective (partial light transmission and partial light reflection). In any of the three mirror structures or types mentioned above, from a driver / consumer appreciation perspective, it is preferable to mount the camera and near-IR LEDs (for DMS and other interior purposes) behind the EC mirror reflective element, as the presence of this hardware is largely concealed from the driver's view. However, alternatively, some or all of the near-IR LEDs can be positioned (e.g., Figures 53 to 55 (As shown) The near-IR LEDs are positioned at the lower basket portion of the mirror housing, the upper eyebrow portion of the mirror housing, or the left and / or right side portions of the mirror housing, such that near-IR radiation emitted by the near-IR LEDs in this positioning does not pass through and be attenuated by the internal rearview mirror reflector. Since the size / diameter of these near-IR LEDs is significantly smaller than the size / diameter of cameras used in driver monitoring systems, hiding the camera behind the reflector while leaving at least some or all of the near-IR LEDs in the mirror assembly unhidden can be an economically attractive option between DMS performance and aesthetics / consumer appeal.

[0181] Prismatic and electrochromic internal mirrors, commercially manufactured by companies such as Gentex Corporation (Zeeland, Michigan, USA) and Magna Mirrors of America, Inc. (Holland, Michigan, USA), use soda-lime glass substrates with an iron oxide (Fe) content close to 0.1%. While this approach works well in most automotive rearview applications, mirror reflective elements preferably use low-iron (also known as low-Fe) glass substrates with an iron oxide level as low as 0.01% or even lower. Ultra-clear low-iron glass (with an iron content of only 10% of ordinary soda-lime glass) is a "water-white" glass with visible light transmittance of at least 8% higher than conventional soda-lime glass. Reducing the iron content also decreases absorption in the near-IR region (such as at or near 940 nm). Therefore, using this low-iron glass for both the front and rear substrates in a dual-substrate laminated EC mirror structure allows more near-IR light emitted by one or more sets of near-IR LEDs behind the glass to pass through the EC mirror reflector in the EC interior mirror assembly mounted on the inside of the vehicle's windshield, illuminating objects inside the cabin, such as the driver's head / eyes. Similarly, using this low-iron glass for both the front and rear substrates in a dual-substrate laminated EC mirror structure allows more near-IR light reflected from the driver's head / face to pass through the EC mirror reflector in the EC interior mirror assembly, thus being detected by the camera behind the DMS glass. Glass suitable for use as reflective elements in EC internal mirror assemblies includes Crown Glass B270®, designed to provide consistent light transmittance across a wavelength range from ultraviolet to near-infrared, and available from SCHOTT North America, Inc., RyeBrook, NY 10573, USA (https: / / www.schott.com / en-us / products / b-270). The spectral and product characteristics of Schott B270 glass are described in [link to product description]. Figure 51 The information is provided in the text.

[0182] Traditional soda-lime glass has a transmittance of about 80% and an absorptivity of about 9%, while low-iron glass has a transmittance of about 90% and an absorptivity of about 2%.

[0183] Another type of glass with high near-IR transmittance is Corning 9754 (https: / / www.corning.com / microsites / coc / oem / documents / aerospace-defense / Infrared-Transmitting-Glass-9754.pdf), a transparent germanate glass composition with high transmittance in both the visible and near-IR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is available from Corning France in Bagneaux-sur-Loing, France.

[0184] Another type of glass with high near-IR transmittance is Guardian ULTRACLEAR® low-iron glass, available from Guardian Industries' Glass Group in Bertrange, Luxembourg (https: / / www.guardianglass.com / eu / en / products / glass-type / low-iron-glass). In a dual-substrate laminated EC mirror structure, both visible light and near-IR transmittance through the EC mirror reflective element can be increased by: (i) applying a broadband antireflective coating / coating stack (as known in optical antireflective techniques) to the rearmost glass surface (i.e., the rear glass surface of the rear glass substrate, known in EC techniques as the fourth surface), which reduces the reflectivity of both incident visible light and incident near-IR radiation from a typical level of about 4%R to about 0.5% (or even lower), and / or (ii) applying a broadband antireflective coating / coating stack (as known in optical antireflective techniques) to the frontmost glass surface (i.e., the front glass surface of the front glass substrate, known in EC techniques as the first surface), which reduces the reflectivity of both incident visible light and incident near-IR radiation from a typical level of about 4%R to about 0.5% (or even lower). For example, antireflective coatings, coating stacking, and techniques / processes disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,076,674 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) filed March 9, 1990, by Niall R. Lynam as U.S. Patent Application No. 07 / 491.447 and entitled “Reduced first surface reflectivity electrochromic / electrochemichromic rearview mirror assembly” can be used. Broadband antireflection coatings for visible and infrared ranges are disclosed by F. Lemarquis et al. in “Broadband antireflection coatings for visible and infrared ranges” (https: / / www.researchgate.net / publication / 334640999_Broadband_antireflection_coatings_for_visible_and_infrared_ranges) at DOI:10.1117 / 12.2536066;International Conference on Space Optics - ICSO 2018 (July 2019), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.An AR coating suitable for mirror components is disclosed in H. Ganesha Shanbhogue, CL Nagendra, MN Annapurna, S. Ajith Kumar’s “Multilayer antireflection coatings for the visible and near-infrared regions” and GKM Thutupalli’s “Multilayer antireflection coatings for the visible and near-infrared regions” in Appl. Opt. 36, 6339-6351 (1997) (https: / / www.osapublishing.org / ao / abstract.cfm?URI=ao-36-25-6339), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0185] When the EC medium in a dual-substrate laminated EC mirror structure, for example, is darkened / dimmed to reduce glare to the driver from the headlights of other vehicles approaching from behind, both visible light and near-IR transmittance through the dual-substrate laminated EC mirror structure decrease, typically by 10-20%, depending on the degree of glare from other vehicles. To compensate for this deficiency, the gain of the camera located behind the EC medium (and through which it observes the vehicle cabin) can be increased accordingly when the EC medium is darkened / dimmed to maintain the overall viewing sensitivity of the camera inside the vehicle's interior. Similarly, to compensate for the darkening / dimming of the EC medium, the electrical power of the near-IR LED behind the EC medium (and through which it emits light) can be increased to increase the intensity of the near-IR light emitted by the near-IR LED (typically emitting light at or around 940 nm), thereby maintaining the required level of near-IR floodlight / illumination inside the vehicle's interior even when the EC medium is darkened / dimmed.

[0186] Furthermore, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the desired DMS signal detected / distinguished by a camera in the presence of background noise (e.g., near-IR radiation from the environment / cabin due to sunlight, interior illumination from the vehicle, other road traffic, or street lighting), the near-IR light emitted by the near-IR LED can be modulated (amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, or a combination thereof), and the signal acquired by the camera can be filtered / demodulated / digitally analyzed to enhance true signal detection and reduce noise. In this regard, a phase-locked loop (PLL) synchronization / detection known in detection techniques can be used. A PLL is a control system that generates an output signal whose phase is correlated with the phase of the input signal. There are several different types; the simplest is an electronic circuit consisting of a variable-frequency oscillator and a phase detector in the feedback loop. The oscillator generates a periodic signal, and the phase detector compares the phase of this signal with the phase of the input periodic signal, adjusting the oscillator to maintain phase matching. Suitable or applicable PLL circuits and techniques may be disclosed, for example, in “Introduction to phase-locked loop system modeling” by Wen Li, Senior Systems Engineer of the Advanced Analog Product Group, and Jason Meiners, Design Manager of the Mixed-Signal Product Group, in Analog Applications Journal (SLYT015 - May 2000 Analog and Mixed-Signal Products) (https: / / www.ti.com / lit / an / slyt169 / slyt169.pdf?ts=1615122679096&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F), the full text of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, the intensity of the light emitted by the in-mirror near-IR LED can be modulated in amplitude and / or frequency and / or phase, and the PLL can be used to lock the signal output by the in-mirror camera (which is based on the near-IR light / radiation received by the camera) to distinguish (i) the desired near-IR component that is in phase with the emitted modulated near-IR radiation and has its modulation characteristics and (ii) signal noise (due to the near-IR level in the cabin and / or other external near-IR sources, such as sunlight), which is not in phase with the near-IR component in the camera's output signal, which is of interest and represents the near-IR radiation reflected back to the in-mirror camera from, for example, the driver's head or the driver's eyes.

[0187] Maintaining phase synchronization between input and output also means keeping the input and output frequencies the same. Therefore, in addition to a synchronization signal, a phase-locked loop (PLL) can track the input frequency or generate frequencies that are multiples of the input frequency. These characteristics can be used for computer clock synchronization, demodulation, and frequency synthesis.

[0188] For example, and as John Noble filed U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 759,951 based on PCT / AU2018 / 050776 (July 27, 2018), entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING SIGNAL TONOISE RATIO IN OBJECT TRACKING UNDER POOR LIGHT" According to U.S. Publication No. US-2020-0327323, published April 28, 2020 and October 15, 2020, under Section 371 of the Conventions (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), a microprocessor-based circuit controller housed within the lens section of an interior rearview mirror assembly can process at least one subgroup of images acquired by a camera positioned behind a mirror reflector and generate LED control signals to control multiple near-IR LEDs also located within the lens section, behind the mirror reflector (and emitting near-IR light therethrough), thereby controlling their drive current amplitude and pulse duration to alter the intensity of the near-IR radiation emitted by the LEDs. The controller can selectively adjust the drive current amplitude and / or pulse duration of the near-IR LEDs based on determined illumination characteristics of the previous one or more acquired images acquired by an interior observation camera (observing through the mirror reflector) located within the lens section. When the EC medium darkens and / or the near-IR reflections radiated back to the lens from objects inside the cabin (such as the driver's head or eyes) are weak or diluted by high ambient or other external near-IR radiation from inside the cabin, the controller can increase the camera gain and / or the intensity of the near-IR radiation emitted by the LED. Therefore, in situations where the signal-to-noise ratio of an image is too low to accurately distinguish / track the driver's eyes and surrounding objects in the image (e.g., when the driver is wearing tinted glasses or sunglasses, or when the solar radiation inside the cabin is high due to incident solar radiation, such as inside a convertible, or when the sunroof, especially a panoramic sunroof, is open), the near-IR floodlight illumination inside the cabin is encoded / marked by frequency / amplitude / phase modulation (and the encoded / marked signal is distinguished from non-coded noise using digital filtering and phase-locked loop techniques known in signal processing, for example). Combined with the determined illumination characteristics based on the previous one or more acquired images obtained by the cabin observation camera, the drive current amplitude and / or pulse time of the near-IR LED are selectively adjusted. This not only helps to achieve good DMS performance, but also allows and makes the optical multilayer stacked design of the internal mirror reflector less complex and more economical, and helps to achieve higher visible light reflectivity of the internal mirror reflector.

[0189] The outermost layer of the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter is in direct contact with the EC medium and must be conductive to allow for dimming of the EC medium. It must also be transmissive to both visible and near-IR radiation to meet the needs of the DMS when a camera and / or near-IR LED (located behind the mirror reflector) observes / emits / receives radiation through the EC medium. This outermost layer of the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter can be a transparent conductive layer, preferably indium tin oxide (ITO). To meet the commercial expectation of fast and uniform dimming of the internal EC mirror reflector, the sheet resistance of the outermost ITO layer of the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter is preferably less than about 30 ohms per square meter, more preferably less than about 20 ohms per square meter, and even more preferably less than about 15 ohms per square meter. Since ITO is a near-IR absorber (up to about 10%, depending on the physical thickness of the ITO coating), it is preferable that the outermost ITO layer of the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter is thin and optically balanced with the alternating high-RI / low-RI layers in a multilayered stack. Therefore, achieving a sheet resistance of 20 ohms per square meter or even higher for the ITO layer helps to achieve a higher overall near-IR transmittance through the EC mirror reflective element.

[0190] In this regard, the use of highly conductive metal channel coatings / coating stacks (such as...) Figure 52 As shown), the peripheral boundary of the outermost layer of the ITO surrounding the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter (whose size does not encroach on the area of ​​the EC reflective element visible to the driver) allows for the use of a thinner (and therefore higher sheet resistance) outermost layer of the ITO for the third-surface multilayer mirror reflector / transmitter. The circumferentially oriented metallic high-conductivity channel can be, for example, a chromium metal layer or a silver layer or a silver alloy layer (such as an alloy of 93% Ag / 7% Au), with a physical coating thickness greater than 30 nm, more preferably greater than 50 nm, and more preferably greater than 100 nm, and a width extending inward from the outer edge of the rear glass substrate preferably from about 3 mm to 15 mm, more preferably from about 5 mm to 12 mm, and more preferably from about 7 mm to 9 mm, and has a sheet resistance preferably less than about 5 ohms / square, more preferably less than about 3 ohms / square, and more preferably less than about 1 ohm / square.

[0191] Furthermore, since the ITO transparent conductor on the second glass surface located at the rear of the front glass substrate is itself surrounded by a metallic conductive reflective peripheral hidden layer (with a thin-film resistance of less than 5 ohms per square meter), the ITO coating on this second surface can be made thinner to further enhance near-IR transmission through the EC mirror reflective element. The effects on the speed or uniformity of EC dimming can be addressed, for example, by adjusting the spacing between the front and rear substrates, adjusting the concentration of the EC component in the EC medium, utilizing leakage current suppressors, and methods known in EC technology.

[0192] Therefore, the mirror assembly includes a DMS camera and a near-IR light emitter behind and through the mirror reflector. During the day or under high ambient light conditions, near-IR floodlighting may be unnecessary or undesirable because the driver's area is adequately illuminated by ambient light from within the vehicle. However, during dusk to dawn, when illumination conditions are lower, such near-IR illumination may be necessary or useful. Furthermore, under these lower illumination conditions, the required backlight level for the video display (e.g., for a full-view video mirror, or for a video mirror with a smaller video display positioned behind and visible through the mirror reflector) is reduced (thus reducing the intensity of the displayed video image at night). Therefore, the heat load generated by the video display backlight is low at night.

[0193] For video mirrors with full-mirror displays, a large video display screen is positioned over and behind the entire reflective area. A backlit TFT display screen is used, backlit by an array of light-emitting diodes. For larger full-mirror displays, the backlight LEDs generate heat when operating at high intensity to display video images under daylight conditions. However, under lower lighting conditions (such as dusk to dawn), the backlight LEDs operate at a reduced intensity, thus generating less heat than during daytime operation.

[0194] Therefore, the near-IR LEDs used for the DMS camera can be part of the LED backlight array. This allows the near-IR LEDs to operate at higher intensity at night without generating as much heat as the entire backlight array does during daytime video mirror operation. Thus, the backlight array can incorporate several near-IR LEDs (such as nested or grouped near-IR LEDs, or a ring of near-IR LEDs or the like), which are powered under low ambient light conditions for use with the DMS camera and driver monitoring system. The near-IR LEDs of the backlight LED array can be selectively addressed separately from the visible light emitting LEDs of the backlight array used for backlighting the video display, and can be powered at higher levels at night because the visible light emitting LEDs of the backlight array are not powered at higher levels under these lower illumination conditions.

[0195] The usable area behind the internal mirror reflector where a near-IR LED can be placed is large, for example, 120 cm. 2 Up to 150 cm 2Or left and right. Furthermore, since the transmissive reflector makes its presence behind the reflective element in the lens section concealed from the driver observing the reflective element while driving the equipped vehicle, a large number of near-IR LEDs (e.g., 10, 20, or 50 or more) can be placed behind the transmissive reflector of the internal reflective element (and concealed by it). Therefore, by using a large number of near-IR diodes, placing them behind the internal reflective element and emitting radiation (when powered) through the internal reflective element, sufficient cabin floodlight illumination (e.g., illuminating the driver's eyes) can be achieved even when the near-IR transmittance through the internal reflective element is low (e.g., greater than 10%T but less than 20%T; or greater than 20%T but less than 30%T; or greater than 30%T but less than 40%T; or greater than 40%T but less than 50%T). Furthermore, not all of the multiple near-IR LEDs need to be powered at all times [although each can typically be operated via pulse width modulation (PWM) to change the emitted near-IR intensity]. Some groups of near-IR LEDs do not need to be powered at all times, but are powered when appropriate / needed. For example, when the EC medium darkens / fades (thus reducing near-IR transmission through the EC internal mirror reflector), near-IR LEDs that are not powered when the EC medium is in its non-darkened / faded state are powered to compensate for the near-IR transmission loss caused by the darkened / faded EC medium. Furthermore, using a distorted lens (instead of a spherical lens that projects a circular image onto the camera sensor) for the rear-mounted element camera allows for the projection of an elliptical image onto the camera sensor by optics that squeeze more horizontal information out of the image scene. This helps improve signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) by converging the reflected visible light collected by the camera / reflected near-IR light into a more limited / smaller area of ​​interest within the cabin (e.g., the area of ​​interest where the driver's head / eyes are expected to be).

[0196] Furthermore, the internal mirror reflector (which is typically about 20cm to 22cm long and about 6cm to 9cm wide, and has a surface area of ​​about 120cm²) 2 Up to 198cm 2The cavity (formed and surrounded by a mirror housing / shell) behind the camera (or within a range of the left or right) has ample space to accommodate (i) multiple cameras, and / or (ii) cameras with physically large light-gathering / contraction / concentrating optics, and / or (iii) cameras with physically large imaging arrays. Furthermore, since such cameras (one or more) and such physically large camera / camera optics are concealed behind the transmissive and reflective mirror elements of the internal (EC or prism-type) mirror assembly, the presence of such cameras (one or more) and such physically large camera / optics / imaging arrays is not offensive from the perspective of automotive styling or driver / consumer acceptance. For example, two separate 3cm diameter lenses / optics can be accommodated in the internal mirror assembly and concealed behind their transmissive and reflective mirror reflectors. Using multiple cameras (and especially cameras with high dynamic range and high gain opportunities) and / or large optics and / or large imaging arrays allows for the use of DMS for transmission and reflection of internal mirror elements even when the visible and near-IR transmittance through the internal mirror element may be low (e.g., the internal mirror element may have less than 15%T of visible light but greater than 5%T of visible light, and less than 50%T of near-IR but greater than 15%T of near-IR; or the internal mirror element may have less than 15%T of visible light but greater than 7%T of visible light, and less than 50%T of near-IR but greater than 20%T of near-IR; or the internal mirror element may have less than 15%T of visible light but greater than 10%T of visible light, and less than 50%T of near-IR but greater than 30%T of near-IR).

[0197] The system can determine low-light conditions based on image processing of image data acquired by a DMS camera or another camera in the vehicle (or optionally, an ambient light sensor at the vehicle's location), and can actuate the near-IR emitter when the system determines that the ambient light level is below a threshold level. Optionally, the system can adjust the threshold level for near-IR emitter operation based on whether the vehicle's sunroof or moonroof is open or whether the convertible top is down, which may affect the amount of light inside the vehicle's cabin. Optionally, the system can determine low-light conditions in response to the vehicle's GPS. For example, the GPS can determine whether the vehicle is located during the day or night based on its location and current time (and thus approximate the ambient light level).

[0198] Therefore, the interior rearview mirror has an embedded camera, an IR illuminator, and a processor. The processor processes the acquired image data for driver monitoring applications. The DMS camera and IR illuminator are fixed inside the lens assembly, and thus both components are connected to the mirror body. Therefore, the camera's field of view changes depending on the driver, as the lens assembly is adjusted to the driver's preferred rearward viewing angle.

[0199] The processor may be located within the lens unit and process the acquired image data to detect and inform the driver of distraction or other valuable information. For example, the processor may determine the driver's attention and / or direction of gaze (by processing image data acquired from the driver monitoring camera), and in response to determining that a hazard exists in front of the vehicle (by processing image data acquired from the forward-facing camera) and in an area not currently being observed by the driver, the system may issue an alert to inform the driver of a potential danger requiring his or her attention. The alert may include an audible alert, a tactile alert, or a visual alert (such as a warning indicator or display of the detected hazard on the vehicle's video display or head-up display).

[0200] Electroluminescent (e.g., electrochromic (EC)) mirror-reflective element sub-assemblies transmit near-infrared light and reflect visible light. Therefore, the mirror-reflective element effectively allows IR LED emission through the reflective element and allows a camera to "see" through the mirror-reflective element, while simultaneously allowing the mirror-reflective element to achieve its intended rearward observation purpose. The IR LED can be actuated, at least in part, in response to ambient light levels within the vehicle's cabin and at the driver's head area, where the light level is determined by a light sensor or by processing image data acquired from a driver monitoring camera.

[0201] Mounting a fixed, inward-facing DMS camera within a pivotable rearview camera unit presents unique challenges regarding the camera's field of view. To account for changes in the camera's field of view as the camera unit is adjusted, the mirror's driver monitoring processor calculates the camera's position and angle within the vehicle based on image data acquired by the camera and processed by the processor. For example, the system can process the image data acquired by the camera to determine where a specific feature is located within the camera's field of view (e.g., relative to a specific area of ​​the field of view, such as the center area), and thus, the driver monitoring system determines the driver's head position by identifying one or more positions of specific fixed vehicle features (e.g., rear window, pillar, center console, or the like) determined in the acquired image data. The system can adjust the processing of the image data acquired by the camera to accommodate changes in the position of known or specific vehicle features. For example, if the mirror's nominal configuration has a specific feature at a predetermined lateral and / or vertical distance from the center of the image data, and if it is determined that this specific feature has moved or shifted from its predetermined distance position to one side or the other, the processor moves or adjusts the processing of the acquired image data to accommodate the lateral and / or vertical movement of the specific feature.

[0202] In the DMS, a high-resolution camera (preferably a CMOS camera with an imaging sensor including at least one megapixel photoelectric sensor arranged in multiple rows and columns, and preferably at least 3 megapixels and more preferably at least 8 megapixels) is used to allow details of the driver's eyes (e.g., iris dilation, blink rate, drowsiness, etc. or similar details) to be tracked / detected. Complex and extensive image / data processing is performed on image data acquired by cameras (one or more) in the lens section of the interior compartment, which are observed through internal mirror reflective elements, to extract the information required for the DMS from the acquired image data. Therefore, a data / image processing chip capable of processing billions or trillions of operations per second is used. For example, a data / image processor capable of at least 0.1 TOPS (trillion operations per second), more preferably at least 0.2 TOPS, and most preferably at least 0.5 TOPS is preferably used.

[0203] Processing DMS data at such a high rate consumes significant power. For example, DMS processing can consume / dissipate at least 2W of power, at least 5W in some applications, and at least 10W in others. Therefore, as... Figure 56 As shown, the PCB including the circuitry for the DMS and the data processor / image processor / controller may optionally not be arranged inside the lens assembly, but rather in the mirror bracket / mount base of the interior rearview mirror assembly to which the lens assembly is pivotally attached. Electrical / signal cables can pass between (i) the circuitry located in the mirror bracket / mount base and (ii) the camera and near-IR LED located inside the lens assembly via a pivot joint that pivotally attaches the lens assembly to the mirror bracket / mount base. By mounting the processor in the mirror bracket / mount base instead of inside the lens assembly, heat dissipation due to the power consumption of the circuitry arranged in this way is enhanced.

[0204] For a DMS camera positioned behind and viewed through the specular reflector of the specular reflector element of the one-piece DMS internal rearview mirror assembly of the present invention, a back-illuminated (BSI) imaging sensor is preferably used. As described in U.S. Patent No. 7,741,666 (whose entire contents are incorporated herein by reference), a back-illuminated imaging sensor comprises an imaging array fabricated on the front surface of a semiconductor Si wafer. The imaging array receives light passing through the back side of the silicon wafer. However, in order to detect visible light from the back side, the silicon wafer must be very thin. Microlenses may be included on the back side of the wafer to improve the sensitivity of the back-illuminated sensor to visible light. DMS cameras require good visible light sensitivity (for example, for color video conferencing within a vehicle cabin), but also high near-IR sensitivity (e.g., 940 nm) to detect details of the driver's eyes / pupils (and / / or the presence of occupants in the second or third row of rear seats) based on the relatively weak reflections from body parts far from near-IR illumination (e.g., the driver's eyes / head / hands) and other objects located far from the DMS camera's lens within the interior of the vehicle or from the occupants. Therefore, for the visible light / infrared DMS camera of the one-piece DMS interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for this invention, increasing the thickness of the Si semiconductor wafer used for the DMS camera's imaging sensor allows near-IR light to be collected more effectively by the Si wafer; a thicker silicon layer is particularly important because near-IR light penetrates deeper into the silicon before being absorbed. Imaging in the near-IR (700–1000 nm) spectral region requires a thicker photon absorption region compared to imaging in the visible spectral region (400–700 nm), because infrared photons are absorbed more deeply in silicon than visible photons. Increasing the thickness of the epitaxial layer or epitaxial substrate used in the CMOS imaging sensors employed in DMS cameras improves near-IR sensitivity. To mitigate the degradation in the imaging sensor's ability to resolve spatial features, a thicker Si layer can be combined with a higher pixel bias voltage and / or a lower level of epitaxial doping.

[0205] Quantum efficiency (QE) represents the efficiency with which an imaging sensor converts incident photons into electrons (e.g., if a sensor has a QE of 100% and is exposed to 100 photons, it will generate 100 electron signals). For complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging sensors (such as those currently used in automotive cameras), the sensitivity of the near-IR spectrum is limited by the absorption length in the silicon layer, where photons are struck to generate electrons. Around 940 nm in the near-infrared spectral region, the QE of such conventional imaging sensors is typically below 15%, and some are below 10%. Because infrared photons absorb deeper in silicon than visible photons, imaging sensors need to have a thicker photon absorption region to effectively image in the near-infrared (700 nm to 1000 nm) region. For example, increasing the silicon thickness of the epitaxial silicon layer of the substrate used in CMOS imaging sensors to 3.0 μm to 5.1 μm can improve the QE by nearly 40% at the near-IR wavelength of 940 nm. Preferably, using a thicker epitaxial silicon layer is accompanied by a higher pixel bias voltage and / or a lower epitaxial silicon doping level. Using an anti-reflective layer and / or backscattering technology can improve the QE of the image sensor at 940nm wavelength by more than 40%, which is approximately 400% higher than that of conventional CMOS imaging sensors.

[0206] In a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly, a CMOS imaging sensor with enhanced near-IR sensitivity is preferably used. For example, a near-IR optimized variant of the CMV4000 imaging sensor, available from AMS AG of Premstaetten, Austria, can be used. The CMV4000 imaging sensor is a high-sensitivity, pipelined global shutter CMOS image sensor with a 2048x2048 pixel resolution. Preferably, the color version of the CMV4000 imaging sensor is used with a color filter applied in a Bayer RGB pattern and with an in-mirror camera that uses microlenses to image incident light onto the CMV4000 imaging sensor. The near-IR optimized variant of the standard CMV4000 image sensor is fabricated on a 12µm epitaxial silicon wafer. The thicker epitaxial silicon layer significantly improves the QE above wavelengths above 600nm. Around 900nm, the QE approximately doubles, increasing from 8% to 16%. This translates to a doubling of the sensitivity value around 940nm compared to a camera using an imaging sensor not optimized for near-IR detection.

[0207] For example, the EV76C660 or EV76C661 image sensor, available from Teledyne e2v SAS at Saint-Egrève Cedex, France, can be used in a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly. The EV76C661 imaging sensor is a 1.3-megapixel (square pixel with microlenses) CMOS image sensor with an electronic global shutter operable to provide a high readout speed of 60 fps at full resolution. Both the EV76C660 and EV76C661 are members of Teledyne e2v's Ruby family of CMOS imaging sensors, offering enhanced sensitivity and performance beyond what is typically provided by front-illuminated imaging sensors. The pixels are 5.3µm x 5.3µm square with microlenses. Figure 111 The spectral response and quantum efficiency of the EV76C660 and EV76C661 imaging sensors are shown. The quantum efficiency in the near-IR (NIR) spectrum is excellent (greater than 20% at 940 nm).

[0208] For example, the OX05B1S imaging sensor, available from OMNIVISION in Santa Clara, California, can be used in a box-type DMS interior rearview mirror assembly. The OX05B1S imaging sensor utilizes OMNIVISION's NYXEL® near-infrared (NIR) technology. NYXEL® technology features improved QE for enhanced sensitivity to the near-infrared spectrum. These improvements include the imaging sensor utilizing thicker silicon to increase photon absorption opportunities; the imaging sensor using deep trench isolation to create barriers between pixels to eliminate crosstalk and improve module pass-through; and the image sensor using a carefully managed optical scattering layer to prevent defects in dark areas of the image and lengthen photon paths. The OX05B1S is a 5-megapixel (MP) RGB-IR BSI global shutter imaging sensor with a pixel size of 2.2 µm x 2.2 µm and includes integrated network security features. The OX05B1S has a near-IR QE of 36%.

[0209] The CMOS imaging sensor for a one-piece DMS interior rearview mirror assembly preferably has a near-IR QE of at least 15% near 940 nm; more preferably at least 22%; and most preferably at least about 32%. The thickness of the epitaxial silicon layer of the CMOS imaging sensor for the one-piece DMS interior rearview mirror assembly is preferably at least about 3.5 μm; more preferably at least about 4.5 μm; and most preferably at least about 5.5 μm.

[0210] Preferably, in addition to being within the lens section, the housing / encapsulation of the circuitry within the interior rearview mirror assembly is performed in such a manner that the mirror bracket / mounting base minimizes intrusion into the driver's forward line of sight through the vehicle's windshield. The mounting or housing of the mirror bracket / mounting base and the PCB therein can utilize aspects of the modules described in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,487,159; 8,256,821; 7,480,149; 6,824,281 and / or 6,690,268, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0211] Therefore, the system may include a DMS PCB, an IR LED, and a DMS camera disposed within the lens section of the mirror assembly. The DMS PCB receives vehicle input from the vehicle (e.g., via the vehicle's Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus and / or the vehicle's Controller Area Network (CAN) bus). The DMS PCB may also receive input from exterior or forward-facing cameras. The DMS PCB may also provide control signals to the camera and IR LED to actuate and deactivate them, and to control the operation of the camera and LED.

[0212] Driver monitoring systems (including cameras and processors) can utilize U.S. Patent Nos. 10,065,574, 10,017,114, 9,405,120 and / or 7,914,187 and / or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2021-0323473, US-2021-0291739, US-2020-0202151, US-2020-0143560, US-2020-0320320, US-2018-0231976, US-2018-0222414, US-2017-0274906, and US-2017-02173. The entire contents of the systems described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17 / 450,721 (Attorney General’s File No. MAG04 P4306), filed October 13, 2021, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0213] Optionally, the mirror assembly may include a memory actuator that positions the lens section in a pre-selected orientation in response to the determination of a specific driver of the vehicle (or in response to user input, such as memory seat settings and features). When the memory actuator and DMS are combined in the interior rearview mirror assembly, image processing using machine vision object detection techniques and algorithms by the image processor of the controller located in the lens section behind the mirror reflector can physically calibrate or optimize the lens section position relative to the driver's specific eye point (and thus calibrate or optimize the mirror reflection seen by the driver at the mirror reflector). In doing so, the field of view of the driver monitoring camera will also be optimized by positioning the driver's face / head within the common area of ​​the camera's imager. The camera will be fixed to the lens section (therefore, when the mirror angle is adjusted, the camera will also adjust accordingly), and the processing by the image processor using object detection techniques and algorithms will detect the position of the driver's face in the image data acquired by the camera. Then, based on this position information, the controller or ECU can use feedback from the memory system in the actuator to drive the memory actuator to a new position.

[0214] The mirror system uses image processing of image data acquired by a DMS camera in the lens unit to identify signs of distraction and / or fatigue by determining / tracking the driver's head and eye positions (e.g., pitch, roll, and / or yaw of the driver's head or eyes), and can determine whether there are other objects in the driver's hands, such as a mobile phone, water bottle, coffee cup, food, or similar items. The mirror system can also use image processing of image data acquired by the DMS camera for driver identification, such as identifying the driver and associating that driver with corresponding memory features (e.g., external mirror memory settings and / or internal mirror memory settings). The inward-facing DMS camera can locate the driver's head position and adjust the lens unit (and / or mirror reflector element) accordingly. The system can identify the driver when the driver enters the vehicle and can move the camera and lens unit to a previously recorded or stored position (which can be initially set by the driver when he or she first drives the vehicle).

[0215] This system can utilize any suitable face or eye tracking software or system, such as FaceTrackNoIR or the like, which can utilize a standard camera without associated illumination. The internal lens unit includes an internal camera, a memory actuator, and drivers for the EC unit and infrared LEDs, which control or drive the EC unit and infrared LEDs. The DMS PCB can be located externally to the lens unit (e.g., on the vehicle console or similar location) and includes circuitry and associated software for processing image data acquired by the camera and controlling the memory actuator accordingly. The DMS PCB can also operate at least partially in response to vehicle data provided via the vehicle's CAN bus.

[0216] Optionally, the driver monitoring system can be integrated with the vehicle's Camera Monitoring System (CMS). The integrated vehicle system incorporates multiple inputs, such as from interior or driver monitoring cameras, front or exterior cameras, and rear and side cameras from the CMS, providing the driver with unique collision mitigation capabilities based on the complete vehicle environment and the driver's state of awareness. Depending on the available space and electrical connections for the specific vehicle application, image processing and detection and determination are performed locally within the interior rearview mirror assembly and / or overhead console area.

[0217] The CMS camera and system may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Patent Nos. 11,242,008, US Publication Nos. 2021-0162926, 2021-0155167, 2018-0134217 and / or US-2014-0285666, and / or PCT Application No. PCT / US2022 / 070062, filed January 6, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Connections between the camera and controller or PCB(s) and / or between the display and controller or PCB(s) may be made via appropriate coaxial cables that can provide power and control to the camera (via the controller) and can provide image data from the camera to the controller, and can provide video images from the controller to the display device. Connections and communications may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Patent Nos. 10,264,219, 9,900,490, and / or 9,609,757, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0218] The mirror-reflecting element includes a variable reflectivity electro-optic mirror-reflecting element, such as an electrochromic mirror-reflecting element or a liquid crystal mirror-reflecting element. For example, the mirror-reflecting element may include a stacked variable reflectivity electro-optic (e.g., electrochromic) reflective element assembly having a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate, with an electro-optic medium (e.g., an electrochromic medium) sandwiched between them and defined by a peripheral seal. The front substrate has a front surface or a first surface (the surface that typically faces the driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted on the vehicle) and a rear surface or a second surface opposite to the front surface, and the rear substrate has a front surface or a third surface and a rear surface or a fourth surface opposite to the front surface. The electro-optic medium is disposed between the second and third surfaces and defined by a peripheral seal of the reflective element (e.g., known in the field of electrochromic mirrors). The second surface has a transparent conductive coating (e.g., an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer, or a tin oxide-doped layer or any other transparent semiconducting layer or coating or the like (e.g., indium cerium oxide (ICO)), indium tungsten oxide (IWO), or an indium oxide (IO) layer or the like, or a zinc oxide layer or coating, or a zinc oxide coating or the like doped with aluminum or other metallic materials (e.g., silver or gold or the like), or other oxides or the like doped with suitable metallic materials, or, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), while the third surface has a metallic transflector coating (or multilayer or coating) established thereon. The front or third surface of the back substrate may include one or more transparent semiconductor layers (e.g., ITO layers or the like) and one or more metallic conductive layers (e.g., layers of silver, aluminum, chromium, or the like, or alloys thereof), and may include, for example, the multiple layers disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,274,501, 7,184,190, and / or 7,255,451 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).Specular reflectors may include any suitable coating or layer, such as reflective coatings or layers, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,626,749; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; No. .6,002,511; No.5,567,360; No.5,525,264; No.5,610,756; No.5,406,414; No.5,253,109; No.5,07 6,673; No.5,073,012; No.5,115,346; No.5,724,187; No.5,668,663; No.5,910,854; No.5,142,407 The coating or layer described in and / or No. 4,712,879 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) is disposed on the front surface of the rear substrate (often referred to as the third surface of the reflective element) and opposite to the electro-optic medium (e.g., an electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear substrates) and is defined by a peripheral seal (but alternatively, the mirror reflector may be disposed on the rear surface of the rear substrate (often referred to as the fourth surface of the reflective element)).

[0219] The third surface defines the active EC region or surface of the rear substrate within the peripheral seal. The coated third surface can also be coated to define an extended region (e.g., by utilizing aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,274,501, 7,184,190, and / or 7,255,451, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) for providing electrical connection of the conductive layer to the electrical clip of the connector or busbar, such as the type described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,066,112 and 6,449,082 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0220] Optionally, the reflective element may include an opaque or substantially opaque or concealed peripheral layer, coating, or strip disposed around a peripheral edge region of the front substrate (e.g., at a peripheral region of the rear surface or second surface of the front substrate) to conceal or obscure or peripherally seal the driver's line of sight when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. Such a concealed layer or peripheral strip may be reflective or non-reflective and may utilize aspects of the peripheral strip and mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,066,112; 7,626,749; 7,274,501; 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 8,508,831 and / or 8,730,553 (all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). Optionally, the peripheral band may include a chromium / chromium coating or a metallic coating, and / or may include a chromium / chromium or metallic coating with reduced reflectivity, for example, by using an oxidized chromium coating or a chromium oxide coating or a "black chromium" coating or the like (e.g., by utilizing aspects of the mirror assembly described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,184,190 and / or 7,255,451, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). Optionally, other opaque or substantially opaque coatings or bands may be implemented.

[0221] When the mirror assembly is normally installed in or within the vehicle, the reflective element and mirror housing can be adjusted relative to the base portion or mounting assembly to adjust the driver's rearward field of vision. The mounting assembly may include a single-ball or single-pivot mounting assembly, whereby the reflective element and housing can be adjusted relative to the vehicle's windshield (or other interior part of the vehicle) around a single pivot joint, or the mounting assembly may include other types of mounting configurations, such as a double-ball or double-pivot mounting configuration or the like. The socket or pivot element is configured to receive a ball member of the base portion, such as for a single pivot or single ball mount structure or a double pivot or double ball mount structure or the like (e.g., pivot mount assemblies of the type described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,318,870; 6,593,565; 6,690,268; 6,540,193; 4,936,533; 5,820,097; 5,100,095; 6,877,709; 6,329,925; 7,289,037; 7,249,860 and / or 6,483,438, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0222] The mirror assembly may include any suitable construction, such as a mirror assembly in which a reflective element is nested within a mirror housing and has a border portion of a peripheral region of the front surface of the external reflective element. Alternatively, the mirror housing may have curved or angled peripheral edges around the reflective element that do not overlap with the front surface of the reflective element (e.g., by utilizing aspects of the mirror assemblies described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,289,037; 7,360,932; 7,626,749; 8,049,640; 8,277,059 and / or 8,529,108, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). Such mirror assemblies include, for example, mirror assemblies with a rear base having an electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element nested within a mirror housing, and a front base having a curved or sloping peripheral edge; or mirror assemblies having, for example, a prism-type reflective element disposed at the outer peripheral edge of a mirror housing, and a prism-type base having a curved or sloping peripheral edge, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,508,831; 8,730,553; 9,598,016 and / or No. 9,346,403 and / or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2014-0313563 and / or US-2015-0097955, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference (and electrochromic mirrors and prism-type mirrors of such configuration may be traded under the name INFINITY). TM The mirror was purchased from the assignee of this application.

[0223] Optionally, the mirror housing may include a frame portion that externally borders a peripheral region of the front surface of the reflective element, or the peripheral region of the front surface of the reflective element may be exposed (e.g., by utilizing aspects of the mirror reflective element described in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,508,831 and / or 8,730,553 and / or U.S. Publications US-2014-0022390; US-2014-0293169 and / or US-2015-0097955, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0224] Optionally, the mirror assembly may include a prism-type reflective element. The prism-type mirror assembly can be mounted or attached to an interior portion of the vehicle (e.g., the inner surface of the vehicle's windshield) via the aforementioned mounting means, and the reflective element can be tossed, flipped, or adjusted between its daytime reflectivity position and its nighttime reflectivity position by any suitable toggle mechanism, for example, by utilizing U.S. Patent Nos. 7,420,756; 7,338,177; 7,289,037; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,249,860; 6,318,870; 6,598,980; 5,327,288; 4,948,242; 4,826,289; 4,436,371 and / or 44,435,042. All aspects of the mirror assembly described in and / or U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0085653, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0225] The mirror construction and DMS embodiments described herein can utilize the construction and coating disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, filed as U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 528,269 by McCabe et al., September 19, 2003, entitled “Mirror Reflective Element Assembly” (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). For example, a mirror-reflective element, such as a third-surface reflective element, a mirror element, a fourth-surface reflective element, a prism-type reflective element, or the like, is sufficiently and spectrally selectively transmitted or spectrally tuned to allow a specific spectral range or band of light to pass through the display at the rear surface of the mirror-reflective element. The layers of the reflective element are selected or spectrally tuned to match one or more predetermined or selected spectral bands or wavelength ranges, thus allowing light of the predetermined spectral band to pass through while substantially reflecting light of other spectral bands or wavelengths, and eliminating the need for windows or holes formed in the reflective metal layer of the reflective element. For example, a transmissive electrochromic element or unit may be configured to include a front substrate and a rear substrate, and a near-IR irradiation source / floodlight and imaging device at a rear surface or a fourth surface of the rear substrate. Semiconductor layers or coatings (e.g., ITO, tin oxide, or the like) are deposited on the front or third surface of the rear substrate, while semiconductor layers (e.g., ITO, tin oxide, or the like) are deposited on the rear or second surface of the front substrate. An electrochromic medium and a seal are disposed or sandwiched between the semiconductor layers, wherein an electrical connector is positioned at least partially along at least one edge of each semiconductor layer. The transmissive unit also includes an infrared or near-infrared transmission (IRT) stack or layer positioned or stacked on the rear surface of the rear substrate. A protective cover or sheet of glass is adhered or secured to the rear surface of the IRT stack, for example, via an optically matched adhesive layer, preferably an index-matching adhesive that is index-matched to the protective cover or sheet. The protective cover may include glass, or may include other transparent or substantially transparent materials, such as plastics, polycarbonate, acrylic, or the like. An IRT stack comprises multiple dielectric layers or coatings (e.g., at least five or at least seven layers) spanning the rear surface of a back substrate, which act as a cold mirror stack, allowing near-infrared and infrared light or radiation energy to pass through while substantially reflecting visible light. The IRT stack may include titanium oxide layers alternating with silicon oxide layers. The titanium oxide layers provide a higher refractive index (2.385), while the silicon oxide layers provide a lower refractive index (1.455). This alternating combination of lower and higher refractive indices provides enhanced near-infrared transmittance while providing visible light reflectance.

[0226] In one exemplary embodiment, the IRT stack includes nineteen such alternating layers having: a first titanium oxide layer approximately 72 nm thick on the rear surface of the rear substrate; a first silicon oxide layer approximately 32 nm thick on the first titanium oxide layer; a second titanium oxide layer approximately 94 nm thick on the first silicon oxide layer; a second silicon oxide layer approximately 110 nm thick on the second titanium oxide layer; a third titanium oxide layer approximately 64 nm thick on the second silicon oxide layer; a third silicon oxide layer approximately 85 nm thick on the third titanium oxide layer; a fourth titanium oxide layer approximately 62 nm thick on the third silicon oxide layer; a fourth silicon oxide layer approximately 128 nm thick on the fourth titanium oxide layer; and a third silicon oxide layer approximately 60 nm thick on the fourth silicon oxide layer. The ITO layer comprises: a titanium pentoxide layer, a fifth silicon oxide layer approximately 98 nm thick on the fifth titanium oxide layer, a sixth titanium oxide layer approximately 57 nm thick on the fifth silicon oxide layer, a sixth silicon oxide layer approximately 94 nm thick on the sixth titanium oxide layer, a seventh titanium oxide layer approximately 54 nm thick on the sixth silicon oxide layer, a seventh silicon oxide layer approximately 77 nm thick on the seventh titanium oxide layer, an eighth titanium oxide layer approximately 36 nm thick on the seventh silicon oxide layer, an eighth silicon oxide layer approximately 83 nm thick on the eighth titanium oxide layer, a ninth titanium oxide layer approximately 58 nm thick on the eighth silicon oxide layer, a ninth silicon oxide layer approximately 97 nm thick on the ninth titanium oxide layer, and a tenth titanium oxide layer approximately 28 nm thick on the ninth silicon oxide layer. Clearly, other thicknesses and combinations of layers can be used to achieve the desired levels of transmittance and reflectance. Therefore, the transmissive element provides a fourth-surface transmissive mirror element having multiple alternating layers of silicon oxide and titanium oxide to enhance near-infrared transmittance through the ITO layer and the substrate.

[0227] The titanium oxide layer provides a high refractive index, while the silicon oxide layer provides a low refractive index. The combination of alternating layers with lower and higher refractive indices provides enhanced near-infrared transmittance while offering high reflectivity for most visible light, except in the desired spectral region or for visible light with a desired, selected, or target wavelength. Therefore, the transmissive-reflective element can be used in conjunction with a near-infrared light emitting source, which can be combined with an imaging source or camera and an on-demand display element that can emit light at a desired or selected wavelength or color (e.g., blue light at 430 nm), making it visible to the driver or occupants of a vehicle through the reflective element. IRT stacks of other dielectric materials can also be used (e.g., alternating stacks of niobium oxide with a higher refractive index and silicon dioxide with a lower refractive index).

[0228] The IRT stack preferably provides an NIR transmittance of greater than or equal to 15%T, more preferably greater than 20%T, and most preferably greater than 25%T, and provides a specular, color-neutral (preferably silver) reflectance level of greater than or equal to 50%R, more preferably greater than 60%R, and most preferably greater than 70%R (as seen / available to a driver using and observing the interior mirror reflector in an equipped vehicle), and preferably such an IRT stack is environmentally resilient / tolerant to degradation due to heat / cold / weathering, etc., when used for interior mirror reflectors.

[0229] Optionally, the near-IR transmittance of the transflector (which preferably comprises a multilayer stack of dielectric coatings) can exceed the light-sensitive visible light transmittance of the transflector. Preferably, the higher or improved near-IR transmittance is between wavelengths of 800 nm and 1000 nm, more preferably between wavelengths of 820 nm and 980 nm, and even more preferably between wavelengths of 920 nm and 960 nm.

[0230] Visible light blocking / near-IR light transmission spectral filtering can take various forms. For example, one form of spectral filtering can be characterized by no visible light transmittance (e.g., less than 10%T of the visible light transmittance, preferably less than 5%T, more preferably less than 2%T of the visible light transmittance), at least 35% transmittance for light with wavelengths greater than about 900 nm, more preferably at least 45% transmittance for light with wavelengths greater than about 900 nm, and even more preferably at least 55% transmittance for light with wavelengths greater than about 900 nm. Furthermore, the high near-IR region of the spectral filter can be notched / strip-shaped so that, using the principles described in the above-incorporated U.S. Patent No. 7,274,501, infrared transmission is attenuated above about 1000 nm.

[0231] Optionally, spectral filtering can be used and applied to each pixel of the multi-pixel imaging array constituting the DMS camera, such that the pixels are spectrally filtered to attenuate or block visible light incident on the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the windshield of the equipped vehicle (in order to reduce the saturation of the imaging array on sunny days / in convertibles / when the sunroof is open due to high ambient light inside the vehicle / sunlight). The spectral filter used has high near-IR transmittance to allow near-IR light emitted from one or more rows of near-IR LEDs behind the mirror reflector to leave the interior mirror reflector element, incident on the driver's head in the DMS, be reflected back to the interior mirror reflector element, and then pass through the near-IR transmittance spectral element again to reach the infrared sensing pixels of the DMS camera's imager. Alternatively, spectral filtering for the imaging sensor array can be constructed as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,446,470 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), wherein color (R, G, B) filters and IR filters are positioned at the pixels of the photosensitive imaging array such that some photoelectric sensors or pixels are sensitive to visible light, and other photoelectric sensors or pixels are sensitive to near-infrared light (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 57 Using this structure that utilizes dispersed RGB color-sensitive pixels and near-IR primary sensitive pixels, a DMS camera mounted on a mirror can acquire full-color video as seen inside the vehicle's interior. The near-IR pixels of the DMS camera primarily respond to near-IR light (which can be provided by a near-IR light emitter when the illumination level is below a threshold level, such as at dusk and night), without being saturated by visible light. If it is not necessary to display the video image acquired by the in-mirror camera on a video screen located inside the vehicle's interior for the driver's viewing, the pixels of the imaging array can be spectrally filtered such that visible light is over-blocked (or at least blocked to the point of incidence below a low threshold level, e.g., less than 5% of the incident visible light), while near-IR radiation is allowed to pass through (or at least allowed to the point of incidence above a high threshold level, e.g., more than 80% of the incident near-IR radiation). In this regard, step spectral filtering can be used when the percentage of transmission in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum is low (e.g., less than 5%), and when the transmittance rises to a high percentage transmittance level (e.g., greater than 80%) at the beginning (or after) of the near-IR region. For near-IR LEDs emitting at, for example, 940 nm, the percentage of transmission of the spectral filter at or near 940 nm should be high to enhance the performance of the DMS.

[0232] In another exemplary embodiment, the second-surface (non-electrochromic) transflector can have approximately 90% T at 940 nm. This stack uses alternating Nb₂O₅ and SiO₂ layers. IRT stack (see [link to IRT stack]). Figure 58 and 59The structure includes alternating layers having: a niobium layer (Nb₂O₅) approximately 13 nm thick on the back surface or a second surface of a glass substrate, followed by a silicon oxide layer approximately 36 nm thick on the niobium layer, then another niobium layer approximately 44 nm thick on the silicon oxide layer, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 22 nm thick on the niobium layer, then another niobium layer approximately 41 nm thick, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 29 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 131 nm thick, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 31 nm thick, and then another... A niobium layer approximately 49 nm thick, followed by another silicon oxide layer approximately 23 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 29 nm thick, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 106 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 91 nm thick, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 100 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 28 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 27 nm thick, then another silicon oxide layer approximately 84 nm thick, then another niobium layer approximately 33 nm thick, and then another silicon oxide layer approximately 179 nm thick. Clearly, other thicknesses and combinations of layers can be used to achieve the desired levels of transmittance and reflectivity. Therefore, the transmissive reflective element provides a second-surface transmissive reflective mirror element having multiple alternating layers of silicon oxide and niobium (Nb₂O₅) to enhance near-infrared transmittance through the silicon oxide and niobium layers and the glass substrate.

[0233] Optionally, the mirror substrate may be coated with an elemental silicon (silicon metal) layer. For example, and referencing Figure 60 and Figure 61 The third surface conductive reflector of the electrochromic (EC) driver monitoring system (DMS) mirror has a high transmittance T% (approximately 90%) at 940 nm and a reflectance of approximately 40%R in the visible light region (in... Figure 60 In the figure, the darker curve is the T% curve. Furthermore, the visual appearance is neutral. The stack of coatings disposed on a glass substrate (e.g., a 1.6 mm thick glass substrate) comprises a titanium oxide (TiO2) layer approximately 164 nm thick, followed by a silicon oxide (SiO2) layer approximately 20 nm thick, then a titanium oxide layer approximately 43 nm thick, then a silicon oxide layer approximately 128 nm thick, then a silicon metal (Si) layer approximately 20 nm thick, then a silicon oxide layer approximately 63 nm thick, and then an ITO layer approximately 120 nm thick.

[0234] Therefore, the reflective element incorporates a single silicon (Si) half-metal layer at the 5th layer of the 7-layer stack, exhibiting a high T% (approximately 90%) at 940 nm and an R% (approximately 40%) in the visible light region. The advantage of this design is a significant reduction in the number of layers and the overall stack thickness. This makes DMS stacking easier and reduces manufacturing costs. The overall thickness is less than 600 nm.

[0235] The advantages of using an elemental silicon layer (silicon metal layer) in a coating stack include the specific optical properties provided by the elemental silicon layer and the excellent sputtering rate of elemental silicon (preferably by sputtering from a cylindrical elemental silicon target in a rotating sputtering target, preferably by DC magnetron sputtering) compared to the sputtering rate of a silicon oxide target or reactive sputtering in an oxygen atmosphere, for forming a silicon oxide / silicon dioxide layer or coating. Alternatively, and less preferably, an elemental germanium (Ge) or germanium metal (Ge metal) layer can be used in the stack instead of the silicon metal layer.

[0236] Full-view mirrors (FDM), such as the FDM available from Gentex Corporation. TM Mirror assembly and CLEARVIEW, available commercially from MagnaMirrors of America, Inc. TMThe mirror assembly, featuring a video display screen [e.g., a backlit thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal (LC) display or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) video screen], is positioned behind a transflector, with the video screen spanning the entire driver-visible electrochromic color-changing area of ​​the internal EC mirror reflector element. This FDM can operate in two modes (changeable from one mode by driver-operated toggle or by a motor actuated via, for example, touch input). In one mode, the driver observes the rear of the vehicle through the reflection from the transflector, and the video display screen does not display any video image and is hidden behind the transflector. In the other mode, the driver cannot see the rear of the vehicle through the reflection from the transflector, and the video display screen displays a video image visible to the driver of the equipped vehicle (typically acquired by a rear-view imaging camera mounted at the rear of the equipped vehicle). In FDM using a backlit TFT LCD video screen, the cabin monitoring camera and the cabin illumination near-IR LED, located in the lens section behind the internal EC mirror reflector, are positioned behind the video display screen. The camera must be viewed through the video display screen, and the near-IR LED must emit light through the video display screen regardless of whether it is displaying a video image. Therefore, to achieve this, high-power near-IR LEDs can be used (with appropriate heat dissipation / cooling provided if needed, including the use of forced ventilation, such as by a fan). For example, high-power near-IR LEDs are available from Opto Diode Corporation in Camario, California, which can generate up to 250mW of DC from a single chip; up to 1000mW of DC can be generated from an array (https: / / www.osapublishing.org / ao / viewmedia.cfm?uri=ao-36-25-6339&seq=0). High-power near-IR LEDs are also available from Luminus, Inc. of Sunnyvale, California, which offers single-junction and double-junction LEDs with high power density and uniform emission, providing a variety of wavelengths from 730 nm to 940 nm and a variety of viewing angles (lens type) from 40 degrees to 130 degrees, with drive current density operation up to 5 A / mm². 2Offering a variety of package configurations (3.45mm x 3.45mm SMT or large copper core board package), and surface mount technology packaging, this cost-effective compact high-power near-IR LED utilizes an integrated on-board chip design, enabling easy system integration and optimal cooling in an ultra-high radiative intensity (mW / sr) package, thereby providing focused, long-projection beam near-IR illumination (https: / / www.luminus.com / products / ir). One or more such compact high-power near-IR LEDs (which are SMD mountable) can be included in a backlight device for a backlit TFT LCD video screen used in FDM. Furthermore, at the location where the camera's lens optics are observed through a mirror reflection element in the lens section, the LCD pixels at this location can remain unchanged in FDM mode, while the remaining pixels of the video screen display the video image, and the backlight at the location where the camera's lens optics are observed through the TFT LCD screen is provided by the near-IR LED.

[0237] A camera mounted in the interior rearview mirror and an accompanying near-IR floodlight can observe / illuminate the interior of the vehicle and can be used, for example, to determine the presence of children unintentionally left in a parked vehicle, which might otherwise pose a danger due to heat, cold, or other hazardous factors. Interior cabin monitoring provided by the vehicle's DMS can be enhanced or supplemented by other sensors mounted on the interior rearview mirror assembly or elsewhere in the vehicle cabin (e.g., the roof, roof console, seats, or side walls). Such supplementary occupant sensing sensors can include any one or more ultrasonic sensors, one or more lidar sensors, one or more passive infrared detection (PID) sensors, or any combination thereof. Therefore, this system can utilize and improve interior occupant detection safety systems, such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,097,226; 6,783,167; 6,768,420; 6,621,411; 6,485,081 and / or 6,480,103, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. For example, and preferably, alone or in addition to any other occupant sensors, the system can detect the presence of, for example, a child or infant, such as sleeping under a blanket or crouching on the floor in the gap between the front and rear seats, or in an open area behind the rear seats. Furthermore, the occupant detection system can utilize sensors such as heart rate sensors (e.g., by utilizing aspects of the system described in U.S. Patent No. 8,258,932, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) or similar biometric sensing devices.

[0238] The mirror assembly may include user-actuable inputs operable to control any accessories and / or accessory modules or the like associated with or connected to the mirror assembly. For example, the mirror assembly may include touch-sensitive elements or touch sensors or proximity sensors, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,594,222; 6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; 6,627,918; and 7,224,324. Touch-sensitive elements of the type described in, and / or U.S. Publications US-2014-0022390 and / or US-2014-0293169 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), or proximity sensors of the type described, for example, U.S. Patents US-7,224,324; 7,249,860 and / or 7,446,924 and / or U.S. Publication US-2006-0050018 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). Or, for example, membrane switches, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 7,360,932 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), or detectors, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,255,541; 6,504,531; 6,501,465; 6,492,980; 6,452,479; 6,437,258 and / or 6,369,804 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), and / or similar types.

[0239] Optionally, the user input or button may include user input for a garage door opening system, such as the vehicle-based garage door opening system of the type described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,396,408, 6,362,771, 7,023,322 and / or 5,798,688 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). Optionally, the user input may also include, or otherwise include, user input for a vehicle telematics system, such as the ONSTAR® system found in General Motors vehicles and / or, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; 5,632,092; 5,798,688; 5,971,552; 5,924,212; 6,243,003; 6,278,377; and 6,420,975; 6,477,464; 6,946,978; 7,308,341; 7,167,796; 7,004,593; 7,657,052. The systems described in and / or U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 6,678,614 and / or U.S. Patent Publication No. US-2006-0050018 (all the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0240] Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more other displays, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,530,240 and / or 6,329,925 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), and / or on-demand transflective displays, and / or video displays or screens, such as those in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,890,955; 7,855;755; 7,734,392; 7,370,983; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7 ,255,451; No.7,195,381; No.7,184,190; No.7,046,448; No.6,902,284; No.6,690,268; No.6,428,172; No.6,420 ,975; No.6,329,925; No.5,724,187; No.5,668,663; No.5,530,240; No.5,416,313; No.5,285,060; No.5,193,029 And / or No. 4,793,690, and / or the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. US-2006-0050018; US-2009-0015736; US-2009-0015736 and / or US-2010-0097469 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0241] Video cameras or sensors can utilize various aspects of cameras or sensors, such as CMOS imagi...

Claims

1. A vehicle driver monitoring system, the vehicle driver monitoring system comprising: A vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes an interior rearview lens portion adjustablely attached to a mounting base configured to mount the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly in an interior portion of the interior compartment of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle driver monitoring system. The internal rearview camera section houses electronic circuitry. The internal rearview camera section houses a mirror-reflecting element; The mirror reflective element has a flat front surface and a flat rear surface opposite to the flat front surface, and wherein, when the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior portion of the interior compartment of the equipped vehicle, the flat front surface is closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle than the flat rear surface. A driver monitoring megapixel camera housed within the internal rearview camera section; The driver monitoring megapixel camera is operable to acquire image data frames; Wherein, when the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the vehicle's interior compartment, the driver monitors the megapixel camera to observe the driver's head and at least the front passenger seat area in the vehicle's interior compartment. Near-infrared illuminator housed within the internal rearview lens section; When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the vehicle's interior compartment, and the interior rearview lens is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle relative to the mounting base to provide the driver with a rearview field of view for the mirror reflection element, the driver monitoring megapixel camera and the near-infrared illuminator move in coordination with the interior rearview lens. The mirror-reflective element includes a mirror-transmitting reflective element, wherein the mirror-transmitting reflective element transmits near-infrared light incident thereon, transmits visible light incident thereon, and reflects visible light incident thereon; The driver monitoring megapixel camera observes through the specular reflective element; The near-infrared illuminator emits near-infrared light through the specular reflective element when electrically operated to emit near-infrared light; Wherein, when the rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior portion of the vehicle's interior compartment and when the near-infrared illuminator is electrically operated to emit near-infrared light, near-infrared light is used to illuminate at least the eyes of the driver of the vehicle; and Specifically, when the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior portion of the vehicle's interior compartment, and when the near-infrared illuminator is electrically operated to emit near-infrared light, near-infrared light is used to illuminate at least the front passenger seat area in the vehicle's interior compartment.

2. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises at least one near-infrared light emitter that illuminates at least a rear passenger seat area in the interior compartment of the equipped vehicle with near-infrared light when the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in an interior portion of the interior compartment of the equipped vehicle and when the near-infrared illuminator is electrically operated to emit near-infrared light.

3. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera acquires image data frames at a frame acquisition rate of 60 frames per second.

4. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) at least one narrow field-of-view (nFOV) near-infrared illuminator and (ii) at least one wide field-of-view (wFOV) near-infrared illuminator.

5. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and at least one of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared illuminator pulses with a duty cycle of at least 8% and less than 40% relative to the reciprocal of the rate at which image data frames are acquired by the megapixel camera monitored by the driver.

6. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the vehicle's interior compartment, the appropriate near-infrared light emitter among the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared light illuminator is pulsed in response to the corresponding image data frame acquired by the megapixel camera monitored by the driver.

7. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and wherein each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein at least one of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared illuminator emits near-infrared light when the imaging array of the driver monitoring megapixel camera photoelectrically converts incident photons into electrons.

8. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the vehicle, at least one of the multiple near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared light illuminator is located closer to the driver's head than another near-infrared light emitter of the near-infrared light illuminator is located in the interior rearview lens unit.

9. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the equipped vehicle, (i) at least one of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared light illuminator is tilted toward the driver's head, and (ii) at least another of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared light illuminator is tilted away from the driver's head.

10. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit (ECU) includes a processor operable to process image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera.

11. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior part of the vehicle's interior compartment, the processor processes image data acquired by the driver-monitored megapixel camera to determine at least one selected from the group consisting of: (i) driver attention, (ii) driver drowsiness, and (iii) driver gaze direction.

12. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the processor processes image data acquired by the driver monitoring megapixel camera to monitor at least the front passenger seat area in the interior compartment of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) has a computing speed of at least 0.1 trillion floating-point operations per second.

14. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) operates with a power consumption of less than 5 watts.

15. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the electronic circuitry housed in the internal rearview lens portion of the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes the electronic control unit (ECU).

16. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the electronic control unit (ECU) is located in the equipped vehicle at a position remote from the rearview mirror assembly inside the vehicle.

17. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein image data acquired by a driver monitoring megapixel camera housed in the interior rearview lens section is serialized by a serializer housed in the interior rearview lens section and provided as digital serial data via a wired connection connecting the electronic circuitry housed in the interior rearview lens section of the interior rearview mirror assembly to the electronic circuitry of an electronic control unit (ECU), and wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU includes a processor operable to process the image data acquired by the driver monitoring megapixel camera, the image data being provided as digital serial data via the wired connection between the electronic circuitry housed in the interior rearview lens section and the ECU, and wherein the digital serial data provided from the interior rearview lens section to the ECU via the wired connection is deserialized at the ECU and processed at the processor of the ECU.

18. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the wired connection comprises a coaxial cable.

19. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the wired connection comprises a shielded twisted-pair cable.

20. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior portion of the vehicle's interior compartment, the driver monitoring megapixel camera acquires a series of image data frames, wherein each series of acquired image data frames includes: (i) multiple driver monitoring image data frames processed at the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) for driver monitoring functions, and (ii) multiple occupant monitoring image data frames processed at the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) for occupant monitoring functions, wherein when the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) processes the driver monitoring image data frames, at least the eyes of the driver of the vehicle are monitored, and wherein when the processor of the electronic control unit (ECU) processes the occupant monitoring image data frames, at least the front passenger seat area in the interior compartment of the vehicle is monitored.

21. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to claim 20, wherein the driver monitoring image data frame and the occupant monitoring image data frame do not overlap.

22. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises an imaging array of at least 5 megapixels.

23. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises an imaging array of at least 8 megapixels.

24. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes a vehicle interior electro-optical rearview mirror assembly.

25. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the imaging array of the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises a back-illuminated (BSI) imaging array.

26. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the mirror-reflecting element has a visible light reflectivity of at least 40%R for visible light incident at the flat front surface of the mirror-reflecting element.

27. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes a vehicle interior rearview electrochromic mirror assembly.

28. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the specular reflective element has a near-infrared light transmittance of at least 50%T around 940 nm.

29. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the specular reflective element has a visible light transmittance of at least 15%T.

30. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the specular reflective element (i) has a visible light transmittance of 20-25%T; and (ii) has a visible light reflectance of at least 43%R for visible light incident at the flat front surface of the specular reflective element.

31. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes a vehicle interior full-view rearview mirror assembly.

32. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes a vehicle interior electro-optical rearview mirror assembly.

33. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes an in-vehicle electro-optical Infinity component. TM Rearview mirror assembly.

34. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared illuminator comprises (i) a plurality of wide field-of-view (wFOV) near-infrared light emitters and (ii) a plurality of narrow field-of-view (nFOV) near-infrared light emitters.

35. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared illuminator comprises at least one vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).

36. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the near-infrared illuminator comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitters, and each of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters is electrically operable to emit near-infrared light, and wherein the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared illuminator comprises at least one near-infrared light-emitting diode (LED).

37. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly includes a frameless vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly.

38. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, With the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the interior of the vehicle, the driver monitoring megapixel camera observes the driver's hands in the vehicle.

39. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 38, wherein image data acquired by the driver monitoring megapixel camera is processed at the electronic control unit (ECU) to detect the hand position of the driver in the equipped vehicle.

40. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of near-infrared light emitters of the near-infrared light illuminator is disposed within a near-infrared light reflector.

41. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, When the rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the vehicle, the near-infrared illuminator, when electrically operated to emit near-infrared light, has an illumination field covering the front and rear seating positions of the occupants of the vehicle.

42. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the equipped vehicle, the driver monitoring megapixel camera observes the driver's eyes in the equipped vehicle, and wherein the image data acquired by the driver monitoring megapixel camera is processed at the electronic control unit (ECU) to detect iris dilation.

43. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the equipped vehicle, the driver monitoring megapixel camera observes the driver's eyes, and wherein the image data acquired by the driver monitoring megapixel camera is processed at the electronic control unit (ECU) to track the blink rate.

44. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the vehicle, the image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera is processed at the electronic control unit (ECU) for monitoring by the driver of the vehicle using a mobile phone.

45. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, With the rearview mirror assembly installed in the interior of the vehicle, the electronic control unit (ECU) processes image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera to monitor the driver's hands on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

46. ​​The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the vehicle, the electronic control unit (ECU) processes the image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera to monitor the occupants of the vehicle using their seat belts.

47. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the equipped vehicle, the driver of the equipped vehicle is identified by processing image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera at the electronic control unit (ECU) via at least one of the following groups: (i) facial recognition and (ii) biometrics.

48. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, When the rearview mirror assembly is installed in the interior of the vehicle and image data acquired by the driver-monitoring megapixel camera is processed at the electronic control unit (ECU), an alarm is generated if micro-sleep is detected in the driver of the vehicle.

49. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the mirror reflective element has a near-infrared light transmittance of at least 50%T around 940 nm.

50. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the mirror reflective element has a near-infrared light transmittance of at least 60%T around 940 nm.

51. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera includes a global shutter imaging sensor.

52. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 51, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises at least a 2.3-megapixel imaging array.

53. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 52, wherein the imaging array of the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises a back-illuminated (BSI) imaging array.

54. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises a CMOS imaging sensor.

55. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 54, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera includes a global shutter imaging sensor.

56. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 55, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises at least a 2.3-megapixel imaging array.

57. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 54, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises an RGB-IR BSI global shutter imaging sensor.

58. The vehicle driver monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises an RGB-IR BSI global shutter imaging sensor, and wherein the driver monitoring megapixel camera comprises at least a 2.3-megapixel imaging array.

59. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 58, wherein the megapixel camera comprises at least a 5-megapixel imaging array.

60. The vehicle driver monitoring system of claim 59, wherein the megapixel camera comprises an imaging array of at least 8 megapixels.

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