Patent ID: 8653959
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: B60D,B60K,B60Q,B60R,G02B,G06K,G09G,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising: an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said rearview mirror assembly, said rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element, said reflective element having a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the equipped vehicle, and said reflective element having a rear portion that is generally opposite said front portion; said reflective element comprising an electrochromic reflective element having an electrochromic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate of said reflective element; said first substrate being closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle than said second substrate when said rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the equipped vehicle; said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; said first surface being closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle than said second surface when said rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the equipped vehicle; said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface; said third surface being closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle than said fourth surface when said rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the equipped vehicle; a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate; a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate, said mirror reflector comprising a transflective mirror reflector; wherein said transflective mirror reflector is at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident thereon; a video display disposed to the rear of said rear portion of said reflective element, said video display emitting light when actuated that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said front portion of said reflective element; wherein said video display comprises a thin film transistor video screen that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes, and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes comprises at least four white light emitting light emitting diodes; wherein said video mirror system comprises a control and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes are operable by said control; wherein said control comprises DC to DC conversion circuitry; wherein said DC to DC conversion circuitry comprises circuitry for converting an ignition voltage of the equipped vehicle to a lower voltage, and wherein said lower voltage is closer to the forward voltage applied across individual white light emitting light emitting diodes of said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes than said ignition voltage; wherein said video display displays video images captured by a rear back-up video camera of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes are powered to backlight said thin film transistor video screen during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle.