Abstract:
A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head accommodating an interior rearview mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element has a mirror transflector that transmits near infrared light incident thereon, transmits visible light incident thereon and reflects visible light incident thereon. The mirror transflector includes repeating alternating layers of a higher refractive index layer and a lower refractive index layer. A megapixel camera is disposed within the mirror head behind the mirror reflective element and views through the mirror transflector. A near infrared illumination source is disposed within the mirror head and operable to emit near infrared light that passes through the mirror transflector. Responsive at least in part to the data processor processing captured image data, at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) driver attentiveness is monitored, (ii) driver drowsiness is monitored and (iii) driver gaze direction is monitored.
Abstract:
A vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. The front glass substrate includes a specularly reflective perimeter layer at least partially around a perimeter border region of the rear side of the front glass substrate. At least one light source is disposed behind the perimeter layer. With the vehicular rearview mirror assembly mounted at the vehicle and when the at least one light source is electrically powered, the at least one light source emits light that passes through the perimeter border region of the second side of the front glass substrate and that is visible to a viewer viewing the first side of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic reflective element at the perimeter layer.
Abstract:
A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head accommodating an interior mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element has a mirror transflector that transmits near infrared light incident thereon, transmits visible light incident thereon and reflects visible light incident thereon. A camera is disposed within the mirror head and views through the mirror transflector. The camera includes an imaging sensor having a quantum efficiency (QE) of at least 15% for near infrared light having a wavelength of 940 nm. First, second and third near infrared illumination sources are disposed within the mirror head and operable to emit near infrared light that passes through the mirror transflector. The near infrared illumination sources are at respective locations at the mirror reflective element and, when powered, illuminate respective seat regions for a driver-monitoring function or an occupant-detection function.
Abstract:
A method for making electrical connection to a mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes providing a mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and in contact with a transparent conductive coating and a third surface reflector. A metallic electrical connector is provided that includes an attachment portion and a wire receiving portion. An electrical wire is inserted in the wire receiving portion such that at least one tang of the wire receiving portion engages the electrical wire to secure the electrical wire in the wire receiving portion and to make electrically-conductive connection with the electrical wire. The attachment portion is attached at the front or rear substrate to attach the electrical connector at the mirror reflective element such that the attachment portion electrically conductively connects to the transparent conductive coating or the third surface reflector.
Abstract:
A method of sputter coating a glass substrate includes providing a glass substrate and providing a sputtering assembly for sputtering a coating onto the glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The sputtering assembly includes a backing plate and a separating element disposed on the backing plate. At least one target element is provided and disposed at and in contact with a surface of the separating element. The target element is not bonded the separating element when disposed at and in contact with the surface of the separating element. An expansion gap is provided at or adjacent to the target element to allow for expansion of the target element during the sputtering process. Material from the target element is sputtered and the target element is heated to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The sputtering process coats a surface of the glass substrate with the target element material.
Abstract:
A method of sputter coating a glass substrate includes providing a glass substrate and providing a sputtering assembly for sputtering a coating onto the glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The sputtering assembly includes a backing plate and a separating element disposed on the backing plate. At least one target element is provided and disposed at and in contact with a surface of the separating element. The target element is not bonded the separating element when disposed at and in contact with the surface of the separating element. An expansion gap is provided at or adjacent to the target element to allow for expansion of the target element during the sputtering process. Material from the target element is sputtered and the target element is heated to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The sputtering process coats a surface of the glass substrate with the target element material.
Abstract:
A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly that includes a mirror head accommodating a mirror reflective element. A megapixel camera is accommodated by the mirror head and includes a backside Illumination (BSI) imaging sensor having an at least 2.3 megapixel imaging array of photosensors. The BSI imaging sensor has a quantum efficiency of at least 22% for near-infrared light having a wavelength of 940 nm. A near-infrared illumination source is accommodated by the mirror head. The mirror reflective element and the megapixel camera and the near-infrared illumination source move in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted by a driver of a vehicle. The megapixel camera views at least the eyes of the driver of the vehicle. The near-infrared illumination source, when powered to emit near-infrared light, illuminates at least the eyes of the driver of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a driver monitoring camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle. The driver monitoring camera views a driver of the vehicle when the driver is driving the vehicle. The driver monitoring camera captures image data. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the driver monitoring camera. The vehicular driver monitoring system determines driver performance based at least in part on (i) image processing by the image processor of image data captured by the driver monitoring camera, (ii) a vehicle characteristic and (iii) a condition exterior of the equipped vehicle. The vehicle characteristic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) vehicle speed, (b) vehicle acceleration and (c) vehicle orientation.
Abstract:
A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head accommodating an interior rearview mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element has a mirror transflector that transmits near infrared light incident thereon, transmits visible light incident thereon and reflects visible light incident thereon. The mirror transflector includes repeating alternating layers of a higher refractive index layer and a lower refractive index layer. A megapixel camera is disposed within the mirror head behind the mirror reflective element and views through the mirror transflector. A near infrared illumination source is disposed within the mirror head and operable to emit near infrared light that passes through the mirror transflector. Responsive at least in part to the data processor processing captured image data, at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) driver attentiveness is monitored, (ii) driver drowsiness is monitored and (iii) driver gaze direction is monitored.
Abstract:
An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and with a fourth surface reflector coated at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. Light incident at the first surface of the front substrate passes (i) through the front substrate, (ii) through a transparent electrically conductive coating at the second surface of the front substrate and (iii) through the electrochromic medium, whereby light passing through the electrochromic medium is partially reflected at a third surface reflector and is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector, and wherein light passing through the electrochromic medium that is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector passes through the rear substrate and is at least partially reflected off the fourth surface reflector at the fourth surface of the rear substrate to provide enhanced reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror reflective element.