Caseless Rearview Mirror Assembly Using Camera-Based Dimming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional interior rearview mirror assemblies are bulky and heavy, leading to impaired vibration performance, unattractive size, and manufacturing complexity, due to the use of a bulky mirror housing that houses electrochromic circuitry and sensors.
Innovation Solution
A caseless mirror assembly where the mirror reflective element is pivotally attached to a windshield electronics module, eliminating the need for a housing, with control circuitry separate from the mirror and using a single rear backup camera for multiple functions including video display, object detection, glare light detection, and dimming control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bulky mirror housing is used to house electrochromic circuitry and sensors, then the mirror assembly provides complete functionality, but the mirror assembly becomes heavy and impairs vibration performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mirror system into separate functional modules: the mirror housing contains only the reflective element, while the electrochromic circuitry, sensors, and control electronics are relocated to the windshield electronics module. This segmentation allows the mirror housing to be lightweight while the functionality is distributed to a separate location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the electrochromic circuitry, photosensors, and control electronics from the mirror housing and places them in the windshield electronics module. This extraction eliminates the need for a bulky mirror housing while maintaining all necessary functions through wireless or wired communication between the modules.
2Reliability
If a bulky mirror housing is used to house electrochromic circuitry and sensors, then the mirror assembly provides complete functionality, but the mirror assembly becomes large and unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mirror system into a compact mirror housing containing only the reflective element and a separate windshield electronics module containing all electronic components. This segmentation enables the mirror housing to achieve an attractive, compact form factor while the electronics are housed elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts all electronic components (circuitry, sensors, processors) from the mirror housing and relocates them to the windshield electronics module, thereby minimizing the mirror housing volume to only what is necessary for the reflective element and its immediate mounting structure.
3Reliability
If a bulky mirror housing is used to house electrochromic circuitry and sensors, then the mirror assembly provides complete functionality, but the manufacturing becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mirror system into separately manufacturable components: a simple mirror housing that can be produced through standard molding processes, and a separate windshield electronics module that can be assembled independently. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing each component to be optimized and produced separately, then integrated through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex electronic components from the mirror housing, thereby simplifying the mirror housing manufacturing process to focus only on precision optical mounting. The electronics are manufactured and tested separately in the windshield electronics module, reducing overall system manufacturing complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a single rear backup camera is used for multiple functions, then the system achieves multifunctionality, but the image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single rear backup camera that serves multiple functions: providing video images for display, detecting objects for safety warnings, measuring glare light intensity for mirror dimming control, and detecting ambient light levels. This multi-functional use reduces the number of sensors needed while the windshield electronics module processes the various data requirements through software algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from the single camera's image data to control multiple system functions. The captured images are processed to extract information for video display, object detection, glare measurement, and ambient light detection, with the windshield electronics module adjusting mirror dimming and providing safety warnings based on this feedback.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a low-profile mirror head with improved vibration performance, reduced size and weight, and simplified manufacturing, while enabling independent dimming control of multiple mirrors based on image data processing.
Implementation Method 1
a caseless electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element that includes a front transparent glass substrate with a rounded outer circumferential glass edge and a rear substrate with a rounded outer circumferential edge, with an electro-optic medium sandwiched between the front transparent glass substrate and the rear substrate
Implementation Method 2
a front transparent glass substrate with a rounded outer circumferential glass edge and a rear substrate with a rounded outer circumferential edge
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular vision system includes a rear-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. Each frame of image data captured by the imaging array of the rear-viewing camera includes a plurality of grids, with each grid of the plurality of grids having a respective set of photosensing elements associated with respective rows and columns of photosensing elements. A electro-optic rearview mirror assembly includes an electro-optic mirror reflective element that is controlled responsive to an ambient light condition and a glare light condition. The ambient light condition is determined by processing at least one first grid of the plurality of grids of the frames of image data captured by the rear-viewing camera. The glare light condition is determined by processing at least one second grid of the plurality of grids of the frames of image data captured by the rear-viewing camera.