Patent ID: 7004593

Claim:
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle comprising: an interior rearview assembly having a mirror casing and a reflective element said mirror casing being adjustable relative to an interior portion of the vehicle; a compass system comprising a compass sensor, a microprocessor and a display viewable by a driver of the vehicle, said compass system being operable to display directional information indicative of a directional heading of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle; said display comprising a first at least partially light transmissive port formed in a reflective coating of said reflective element and a second at least partially light transmissive port formed in a reflective coating of said reflective element, said display comprising first and second illumination sources positioned behind and generally aligned with corresponding ones of said first and second ports; and said microprocessor being electrically connected to said illumination sources, said microprocessor being operable to selectively (a) directly energize said first illumination source to provide illumination through said first port to indicate a first cardinal directional heading to the driver of the vehicle, (b) directly energize said second illumination source to provide illumination through said second port to indicate a second cardinal directional heading to the driver of the vehicle, and (c) directly energize said first and second illumination sources in combination to provide illumination through said respective first and second ports to indicate an intercardinal directional heading to the driver of the vehicle, said first and second cardinal directional headings comprising respective ones of north, south, east and west, and said intercardinal directional heading comprising one of northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest.