Patent ID: 8344288
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: B60R,H05B

Abstract:
1. An exterior automotive rearview assembly for use in association with a vehicle, the assembly comprising: a mirror element adapted for use with the exterior automotive rearview mirror assembly and having a perimeter, said mirror element being subject to at least one of formation of ice and condensation of water vapor on a surface thereof during a normal operation of said assembly, said mirror element having an inner area and a peripheral area defining a first band around the perimeter and substantially enclosing the inner area; a heating element located behind said mirror element with respect to a viewer, the heating element comprising peripheral and inner heating zones, said peripheral and inner heating zones defined by respectively corresponding electrical trace patterns, said peripheral and inner heating zones respectively corresponding to the peripheral and inner areas of said mirror element, each heating zone being in thermal contact with a corresponding area of the mirror element, said peripheral heating zone arranged in a substantially surrounding relationship with respect to said inner heating zone; and a processor electrically connected with the heating element, the processor configured to switch a current flow among the heating zones to cause the heating element to heat the peripheral area to a first temperature and the inner area to a second temperature to effectuate spatially uneven dissipation of heat over a surface of the mirror element by one or more of (i) heating said peripheral area prior to heating said inner area and (ii) heating said inner area to the second temperature that is lower that the first temperature.