Interior rearview mirror system
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield, and an interior rearview mirror assembly including a mirror head and a mirror support. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing, and the mirror support includes a mirror mount that is configured to mount the interior rearview mirror assembly to the mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield. A forward facing camera is disposed at the mirror support and has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield. The forward facing camera is a CMOS camera, and the forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle.
1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said mirror mount, when mounted to said mirror mounting button, provides a breakaway connection;
wherein said mirror support comprises a first pivot element and wherein said mirror head comprises a second pivot element that pivotally attaches at said first pivot element to pivotally mount said mirror head at said mirror support via a single pivot joint;
a forward facing camera disposed at said mirror support, wherein said forward facing camera has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises a CMOS camera; and
wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle.
2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said mirror support houses at least one accessory of the vehicle.
3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2 , wherein said at least one accessory housed by said mirror support comprises at least one of (a) a rain sensor, (b) a light sensor, (c) a tire pressure monitoring system receiver, (d) an antenna, (e) an antenna for an entry system, (f) a component of an electronic toll collection system, (g) an antenna for a global positioning system, (h) a component of a telematic system, (i) a speaker, (j) a microphone, (k) an illumination source, (l) a garage door opener system, (in) a compass sensor and (n) a user actuatable input.
4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said forward facing camera provides input for a camera-based “black box” recorder system.
5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein, with said mirror mount of said mirror support mounted at said mirror mounting button, an upper portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield above said mirror mounting button.
6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 5 , wherein, with said mirror mount of said mirror support mounted at said mirror mounting button, a lower portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield below said mirror mounting button.
7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 6 , wherein said lower portion of said mirror support does not extend below a level that is generally aligned with a lowermost portion of said mirror head when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 7 , wherein said upper portion of said mirror support extends above a level that is generally aligned with an uppermost portion of said mirror head when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein a shadeband is disposed at the vehicle windshield at least proximate to where said mirror mounting button is adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield.
10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein a layer of light absorbing material is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield.
11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 10 , wherein said layer of light absorbing material comprises an at least substantially opaque frit layer.
12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein wiring that supplies at least one of power and a signal to said interior rearview mirror assembly passes through said mirror support.
13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said mirror mount is configured to at least partially receive said mirror mounting button therein to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield.
14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , comprising a vehicular tire pressure monitoring system having a tire pressure indicator assembly operable to provide at least one of an audible tire inflation status indicator and a visual tire inflation status indicator.
15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 14 , wherein said tire inflation status indicator provides indication of the inflation condition of a vehicle tire to a person exteriorly of the vehicle when the person is engaged in an act of adjusting the tire pressure of the vehicle tire, and wherein a control of said tire pressure monitoring system receives inputs from tire pressure sensors sensing pressure of the vehicle tires and produces outputs to actuate said tire inflation status indicator.
16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 15 , wherein said tire inflation status indicator provides a visual tire inflation status indicator and wherein said visual tire inflation status indicator is provided at said interior rearview mirror assembly.
17. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;
wherein a layer of light absorbing material is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said mirror mount, when mounted to said mirror mounting button, provides a breakaway connection;
wherein said mirror support comprises a first pivot element and wherein said mirror head comprises a second pivot element that pivotally attaches at said first pivot element to pivotally mount said mirror head at said mirror support via a single pivot joint;
a forward facing camera disposed at said mirror support, wherein said forward facing camera has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises a CMOS camera; and
wherein wiring that supplies at least one of power and a signal to said interior rearview mirror assembly passes through said mirror support.
18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17 , wherein said layer of light absorbing material comprises an at least substantially opaque frit layer.
19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17 , wherein said mirror support houses at least one accessory of the vehicle, and wherein said at least one accessory housed by said mirror support comprises at least one of (a) a rain sensor, (b) a light sensor, (c) a tire pressure monitoring system receiver, (d) an antenna, (e) an antenna for an entry system, (f) a component of an electronic toll collection system, (g) an antenna for a global positioning system, (h) a component of a telematic system, (i) a speaker, (j) a microphone, (k) an illumination source, (l) a garage door opener system, (m) a compass sensor and (n) a user actuatable input.
20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17 , wherein said mirror mount is configured to at least partially receive said mirror mounting button therein to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield.
21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle.
22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 21 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.
23. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;
wherein a layer of light absorbing material is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said mirror mount, when mounted to said mirror mounting button, provides a breakaway connection;
wherein said mirror support comprises a first pivot element and wherein said mirror head comprises a second pivot element that pivotally attaches at said first pivot element to pivotally mount said mirror head at said mirror support via a single pivot joint;
wherein said mirror support houses at least one accessory of the vehicle;
a forward facing camera disposed at said mirror support, wherein said forward facing camera has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises a CMOS camera; and
wherein wiring that supplies at least one of power and a signal to said interior rearview mirror assembly passes through said mirror support.
24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 23 , wherein said layer of light absorbing material comprises an at least substantially opaque frit layer.
25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 23 , wherein said mirror mount is configured to at least partially receive said mirror mounting button therein to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield.
26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 23 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle.
27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 26 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.
28. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said mirror mount, when mounted to said mirror mounting button, provides a breakaway connection;
wherein said mirror support comprises a first pivot element and wherein said mirror head comprises a second pivot element that pivotally attaches at said first pivot element to pivotally mount said mirror head at said mirror support via a single pivot joint;
a forward facing camera disposed at said mirror support, wherein said forward facing camera has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises a CMOS camera; and
wherein, with said mirror mount of said mirror support mounted at said mirror mounting button, at least one of (a) an upper portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield above said mirror mounting button, (b) a lower portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield below said mirror mounting button, (c) an upper portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield above said mirror mounting button and wherein said upper portion of said mirror support extends above a level that is generally aligned with an uppermost portion of said mirror head when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, and (d) a lower portion of said mirror support extends generally along the vehicle windshield below said mirror mounting button and wherein said lower portion of said mirror support does not extend below a level that is generally aligned with a lowermost portion of said mirror head when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
29. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28 , wherein said mirror support houses at least one accessory of the vehicle, and wherein said at least one accessory housed by said mirror support comprises at least one of (a) a rain sensor, (b) a light sensor, (c) a tire pressure monitoring system receiver, (d) an antenna, (e) an antenna for an entry system, (f) a component of an electronic toll collection system, (g) an antenna for a global positioning system, (h) a component of a telematic system, (i) a speaker, (j) a microphone, (k) an illumination source, (l) a garage door opener system, (m) a compass sensor and (n) a user actuatable input.
30. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28 , wherein at least one of (a) a shadeband is disposed at the vehicle windshield at least proximate to where said mirror mounting button is adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, (b) a layer of light absorbing material is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield, and (c) an at least substantially opaque frit layer is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield.
31. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28 , wherein wiring that supplies at least one of power and a signal to said interior rearview mirror assembly passes through said mirror support.
32. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle.
33. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 32 , wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.
34. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
a mirror mounting button adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head and a mirror support;
wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing;
wherein said mirror support comprises a mirror mount that is configured to mount said interior rearview mirror assembly to said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said mirror mount, when mounted to said mirror mounting button, provides a breakaway connection;
wherein said mirror support comprises a first pivot element and wherein said mirror head comprises a second pivot element that pivotally attaches at said first pivot element to pivotally mount said mirror head at said mirror or support via a single pivot joint;
a forward facing camera disposed at said mirror support, wherein said forward facing camera has a field of view through the vehicle windshield when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at said mirror mounting button at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said forward facing camera comprises a CMOS camera; and
wherein said forward facing camera captures images for a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle and for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.
35. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 34 , wherein said forward facing camera provides input for a camera-based “black box” recorder system.
36. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 34 , wherein a layer of light absorbing material is established at the vehicle windshield and at least partially masks the presence of at least said mirror mounting button when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle windshield.
37. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 36 , wherein said layer of light absorbing material comprises an at least substantially opaque frit layer.
38. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 34 , wherein wiring that supplies at least one of power and a signal to said interior rearview mirror assembly passes through said mirror support.
39. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 38 , wherein said mirror support houses at least one accessory of the vehicle, and wherein said at least one accessory housed by said mirror support comprises at least one of (a) a rain sensor, (b) a light sensor, (c) a tire pressure monitoring system receiver, (d) an antenna, (e) an antenna for an entry system, (f) a component of an electronic toll collection system, (g) an antenna for a global positioning system, (h) a component of a telematic system, (i) a speaker, (j) a microphone, (k) an illumination source, (l) a garage door opener system, (m) a compass sensor and (n) a user actuatable input.