Rear-View Mirror Mounting Assembly for ECU Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear-view mirror systems face issues with heat dissipation due to electronic components, leading to reduced lifespan and operational inefficiencies, particularly in high-temperature conditions, and prior solutions are complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
A simplified rear-view mirror system design with the electronic control unit and first image acquisition unit integrated into a mounting assembly, using flexible flat connecting means for image data transmission and eliminating bulky coaxial cables, along with a processor unit for image cropping and panning, reducing component complexity and enhancing thermal dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If electronic components are integrated inside the motor vehicle (in display device or ECU housing), then device complexity is reduced, but thermal dissipation becomes insufficient leading to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU is extracted from the interior of the motor vehicle and mounted on the mounting assembly at the exterior. This separation removes the heat-generating electronic component from the thermally constrained interior environment, allowing it to operate in a location with better natural thermal dissipation while reducing the thermal load on interior components like the display device.
Solution Approach 2:
The ECU mounting location is moved from the three-dimensional interior space to the exterior surface mounting assembly. This spatial repositioning to a different dimension (exterior vs. interior) provides access to external ambient air for thermal management without requiring complex internal cooling systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional coaxial cables and serializer/deserializer connections are used for image data transmission, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical coaxial cable and serializer/deserializer connection system is replaced with a flexible flat cable connection. This substitution simplifies the mechanical interface between the mounting assembly and the display device while maintaining adequate signal transmission for image data, reducing both complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible flat cable is used instead of rigid coaxial cables. The flexible nature of this thin film connector allows for simpler routing and connection between components while maintaining electrical connectivity for image data transmission, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Temperature
If multiple separate components (camera module housing, ECU housing, display device) are used, then thermal dissipation is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU and mounting assembly are merged into a single integrated unit. This combination reduces the total number of separate components and housings while maintaining effective thermal dissipation, as the integrated design allows the ECU to be positioned on the exterior mounting assembly where it can dissipate heat more effectively than if it were enclosed in a separate interior housing.
Data Source
AI summary
A rear-view mirror system comprises a mounting assembly arranged outside a motor vehicle, and a first image acquisition unit at least partially received within the mounting assembly configured to acquire a captured image from the exterior of the vehicle. A display device is provided inside the vehicle for displaying to a user a displayed image derived at least in part from the captured image. An electronics carrier comprises an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the first image acquisition unit so as to generate an image signal for the display device to show the displayed image. The ECU is arranged, together with the electronics carrier, at least partially within the mounting assembly.