Patent ID: 8154418
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: B60R,G02B,G02F,G06F

Abstract:
1. A mirror system of a vehicle, said mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly having a transflective reflective element, wherein said transflective reflective element has a transflective mirror reflector that is partially reflective of light incident thereon and partially transmissive of light therethrough; wherein said transflective reflective element comprises a main viewing region and a video display viewing region, and wherein said main viewing region is larger than said video display viewing region and encompasses a substantial portion of said mirror reflector of said reflective element; a video display for displaying video images, wherein said displayed video images are viewable through said transflective mirror reflector at said video display viewing region of said reflective element; an information input display comprising a display representative of a plurality of individual alphanumeric input characters, wherein said plurality of individual alphanumeric input characters of said information input display is backlit by a backlighting device; wherein said information input display is disposed behind said reflective element and viewable through said transflective mirror reflector at said main viewing region when said information input display is backlit by said backlighting device, and wherein said information input display is substantially not viewable or discernible to a person viewing said mirror assembly when said mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle and when said information input display is not backlit by said backlighting device; wherein said information input display is disposed at said main viewing region of said reflective element so as to provide an information input display that is larger than said video display; and wherein said information input display is backlit by said backlighting device responsive to at least one of (i) a user input, (ii) a signal indicative of an initial ignition-on condition, (iii) the vehicle ignition on and the vehicle not in motion, and (iv) the vehicle ignition on and the vehicle engine not running, and wherein said backlighting device is deactivated in response to at least one of (i) a period of time elapsing following the activation of said backlighting device, (ii) a period of time elapsing following detection of a touch or proximity of an object at said reflective element, and (iii) movement of the vehicle; a control operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of an object at said reflective element and wherein said control is operable to determine a respective individual alphanumeric input character that is at and behind and corresponds to correlate the determined location of the touch or proximity of the object, and wherein said control generates an output signal indicative of the determined respective individual alphanumeric input character of said information input display.