Patent ID: 8465163
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: B60R,G01C

Abstract:
1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element; wherein said reflective element, when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror system and is adjusted to a viewing orientation, provides a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle to a driver of the equipped vehicle; wherein a mounting structure mounts said interior rearview mirror assembly to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said mirror casing is adjustable by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle via at least one pivot element of said mounting structure to adjust the rearward field of view of said reflective element when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle; wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises compass circuitry and wherein said compass circuitry comprises a three-axis sensor and associated circuitry; wherein at least a portion of said compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology; wherein said three-axis sensor comprises magnetoresponsive sensing elements and wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements comprise first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements disposed generally orthogonally to each other and a third magnetoresponsive sensing element disposed generally orthogonally to said first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements; wherein said magnetoresponsive sensing elements are disposed in said mirror casing and move in tandem with said mirror casing and said reflective element when said mirror casing is adjusted by the driver of the equipped vehicle relative to the interior portion of the equipped vehicle; wherein processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of said interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by said magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field; and wherein an information display of the equipped vehicle displays the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.