Patent ID: 8686840

Claim:
An accessory system for a vehicle, said accessory system comprising: an accessory disposed at and behind a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory system; wherein said accessory comprises a forward facing camera, said forward facing camera viewing through the windshield of the equipped vehicle; a control; wherein said control comprises digital circuitry and a microcontroller; wherein said microcontroller controls at least one of (i) said forward facing camera, (ii) an actuator of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a garage door opener of the equipped vehicle, (iv) an electro-optic rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, (v) a digital sound processor of the equipped vehicle, (vi) a display of the equipped vehicle and (vii) lighting of the equipped vehicle; wherein said control is operable to at least one of send data to and receive data from at least one other accessory or system of the equipped vehicle via a vehicle network of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said at least one other accessory or system of the equipped vehicle comprises at least one of (i) an electro-optic exterior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) an antenna, (iii) a memory system, (iv) a sensor, (v) an alarm, (vi) a controller, (vii) a transmitter, (viii) a garage door opener and (ix) a mechanical system.