Patent ID: 8534886
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: B60Q,B60R,H04N

Abstract:
1. An exterior mirror vision system for a vehicle, said exterior mirror vision system comprising: a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior mirror vision system, said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a driver-side reflective element housed by said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion; wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one of (i) a driver-side breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a driver-side powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein, when said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said driver-side mounting portion; wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera; wherein said driver-side light module is sealed so as to be substantially water-impervious; wherein said driver-side light module comprises at least one of (a) a driver-side floodlight and (b) a driver-side indicator; wherein, when included in said driver-side exterior rearview or assembly, said driver-side light module generally follows a contour of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said driver-side light module comprises an electrical connection for connecting to a wiring system that couples to an electrical system of the vehicle for powering a driver-side light source of said driver-side light module; a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a passenger-side reflective element housed by said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion; wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises at least one of (i) a passenger-side breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a passenger-side powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein, when said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said passenger-side mounting portion; wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview or assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera; wherein said passenger-side light module is sealed so as to be substantially water-impervious; wherein said passenger-side light module comprises at least one of (a) a passenger-side floodlight and (b) a passenger-side indicator; wherein, when included in said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, said passenger-side light module generally follows a contour of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said passenger-side light module comprises an electrical connection for connecting to a wiring system that couples to an electrical system of the vehicle for powering a passenger-side light source of said passenger-side light module; wherein said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera comprise part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said multi-camera vision system comprises a display device that is operable to display images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle; wherein the displayed images displayed by said display device include an image portion derived from image data captured by at least one of said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera, and wherein said driver-side camera has a driver-side field of view at least in tart rearward of the equipped vehicle and said passenger-side camera has a passenger-side field of view at least in part rearward of the equipped vehicle; wherein said driver-side light module comprises a driver-side floodlight and wherein said passenger-side light module comprises a passenger-side floodlight; wherein said driver-side floodlight, when activated, illuminates a driver-side zone on the ground adjacent the driver side of the equipped vehicle at a cabin entrance at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said passenger-side floodlight, when activated, illuminates a passenger-side zone on the ground adjacent the passenger side of the equipped vehicle at a cabin entrance at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said illuminated driver-side zone is substantially unchanged when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is moved relative to said driver-side mounting portion of said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said illuminated passenger-side zone is substantially unchanged when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is moved relative to said passenger-side mounting portion of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly.