Vehicle Mirror Local Dimming for Glare Washout Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle mirrors are susceptible to washout, where bright light sources reduce visibility and contrast in portions of the mirror image, and conventional dimming solutions only allow for uniform dimming across the entire reflective area.
Innovation Solution
A mirror assembly with a light sensor array and a transparent layer having independently controllable sections, allowing for localized dimming based on detected light intensity to reduce reflections in specific regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If uniform dimming is applied across the entire mirror surface, then glare from bright light sources is reduced, but visibility and contrast in non-glare regions are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror surface is divided into multiple independently controllable regions or pixels. Each region can be dimmed individually based on the local light conditions detected by corresponding light sensors, allowing selective glare reduction without affecting other regions' visibility
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the mirror are assigned different dimming properties based on local requirements. Regions experiencing glare are dimmed while regions without glare maintain their original transparency and visibility, creating locally optimized optical properties across the mirror surface
2Object-affected harmful factors
If manual mirror tilting mechanisms are used, then glare can be reduced by repositioning the mirror, but the mechanism is simple and requires user intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror system automatically detects glare conditions using light sensors and adjusts the dimming of specific regions without user intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring light intensity and autonomously controlling the electrochromic regions to reduce glare
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical tilting mechanism is replaced with an electro-optical control system using electrochromic materials and light sensors. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical movement and user intervention, using electrical and optical fields instead
3Extent of automation
If electrochromic glass is used for automatic dimming, then glare reduction is automated, but the dimming is uniform across the entire mirror surface
Solution Approach 1:
The electrochromic glass is segmented into multiple independently controllable regions or pixels, each capable of being dimmed separately. This segmentation enables the automated system to adapt to different local light conditions across the mirror surface
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror system dynamically adjusts the dimming state of each region based on real-time light sensor feedback. The adaptability is achieved through dynamic control of electrochromic regions, allowing the mirror to respond to varying light conditions in different areas
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 effectively reduces glare and prevents washout by locally dimming bright regions, maintaining clear visibility of the entire image without uniformly dimming the entire mirror surface.
Implementation Method 1
a light sensor assembly configured to detect an intensity of light incident on a plurality of regions corresponding to a reflective area of the mirror assembly
Implementation Method 2
the control device is configured to reduce the transparency of a section by applying an electric current to the section
Data Source
AI summary
A mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror element configured to reflect light from a light source and generate an image, a light sensor assembly configured to detect an intensity of light incident on a plurality of regions corresponding to a reflective area of the mirror assembly, and a control device configured to locally reduce an intensity of reflections in a subset of the plurality of regions based on the detected incident light intensity.