Patent ID: 7338190
Filing Date: 2008-03-04
Classification: B60Q,B60R

Abstract:
1. A vehicle rearview mirror system, said rearview mirror system comprising: a rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element; said mirror assembly comprising at least a first photo-sensor and a second photo-sensor, both facing generally in a common direction; said mirror assembly comprising a light piping element; said light piping element piping light to said first photo-sensor from a light environment different from the light environment to which said second photo-sensor is exposed; said first photo-sensor comprising a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation; a spectral filter disposed in front of said first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident at said first photo-sensor; said spectral filter having less than about 10 percent transmission in the near-infrared spectral region; wherein one of said first and second photo-sensors has a rearward field of view relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle; wherein the other of said first and second photo-sensors has a forward field of view relative to the forward direction of the travel of the vehicle; and wherein said forward field of view comprises one of (a) a generally upward field of view; (b) a generally horizontal field of view; (c) a generally sideways field of view; and (d) a generally downwards field of view.