Patent ID: 8271187
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: B60C,B60N,B60Q,B60R,G01C,G01S,G06K,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. A video mirror system for a vehicle, said video mirror system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said video mirror system, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an electrochromic reflective element; wherein said electrochromic reflective element comprises a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween; wherein a first surface of said front substrate faces generally towards a driver of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein a second surface of said front substrate is opposite said first surface of said front substrate and has a transparent conductive coating established thereat; wherein a third surface of said rear substrate has a transflective mirror reflector established thereat and wherein a fourth surface of said rear substrate is opposite said third surface of said rear substrate; wherein said electrochromic medium contacts said transparent conductive coating at said second surface of said front substrate and said transflective mirror reflector at said third surface of said rear substrate; a video display screen disposed to the rear of said fourth surface of said rear substrate of said reflective element, wherein said video display screen, when actuated, emits light that passes through said transflective mirror reflector of said reflective element to be visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said reflective element; wherein said video display screen comprises a thin film transistor liquid crystal display element; wherein said liquid crystal display element is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes; wherein at least some of said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes are operable to each individually deliver a luminous efficiency of at least about 1 lumen per watt; wherein the presence of said video display screen is only principally visible to the driver of the equipped vehicle, who is viewing said interior rearview mirror assembly when it is attached at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, when said liquid crystal display element is back lit; wherein said reflective element is at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at said fourth surface of said rear substrate of said reflective element at where said video display screen is disposed; wherein a camera having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle is mounted at the rear of the equipped vehicle and wherein, during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle, a video output of said camera is displayed by said video display screen as video images so as to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle; and wherein said video display screen is operable to display at least one of (i) an instruction, (ii) an icon, (iii) a character, (iv) a symbol and (v) indicia.