Gentex Corporation

Robertshaw Controls Company

David J Schmidt

Robert R Turnbull

Robert C Knapp

Jon Harold Bechtel

Eric R Fossum

Joseph S Stam

Frederick T Bauer

G Bruce Poe

Robert H Nixon

David L Plangger

Timothy E Steenwyk

Barry K Nelson

Timothy A Bonardi

Neil J Boehm

Gregory J Nagel

Gregg A Chandler

A system is configured to reduce glare form a trailing vehicle. The system may include a forward facing light sensor, partially enclosed in an interior mirror housing. This forward facing light sensor is configured to detect ambient light, such that the system can determine a day time condition or a nighttime condition. The system may also include rear facing light sensors, each included in separate mirror assemblies. Based upon an ambient light detected and a glare of a trailing vehicle, the system may be configured to change the reflectance of an electro-optic element in order to reduce glare independently in the separate mirror assemblies.

Electro-optic mirror system and method thereof

A rearview assembly configured for use with a vehicle and method are provided, wherein the rearview assembly includes a first light sensor generally facing forward with respect to an forward driving orientation of the vehicle and configured to detect ambient light, a second light sensor generally facing forward with respect to a forward driving orientation of the vehicle and configured to detect ambient light, a rearview component configured to display an image rearward of the vehicle, and a processor communicatively connected to the first light sensor, the second light sensor, and the rearview component, wherein the processor is configured to control the rearview component based upon light detected by at least one of the first and second light sensors.

Rearview assembly with multiple ambient light sensors

Equipment on automotive vehicle is controlled by a system including at least one semiconductor light sensor having variable sensitivity to light. Each light sensor generates a light signal indicative of the intensity of light incident on the light sensor. Control logic varies the sensitivity of the light sensor and generates equipment control signals based on received light signals. Sensitivity of light sensors may be varied by changing the integration time for producing charge from light incident on light transducers, by selecting between light transducers of different sensitivity within the light sensor, by using a light transducer with a sensitivity that is a function of the amount of incident light, and the like. Controlled equipment includes devices such as automatically dimming rearview mirrors, headlamps, and moisture removal means.

Vehicle headlamp control utilizing a light sensor having at least two light transducers

A drive control circuit for controlling an electrochromic element is substantially integrated into an integrated circuit, with the exception of resistive elements for dissipating heat away from the integrated circuit. The drive control circuit includes a current regulator for generating a select one of at least two discrete amounts of current to drive the electrochromic element. Further, a control system individually controls a plurality of electrochromic elements and includes shunts coupled in parallel with the individual electrochromic elements. The control system controls the ratio of the reflectance of the individual electrochromic elements as a function of sensed glare.

Electrochromic element drive control circuit

Vehicle equipment control with semiconductor light sensors

A tire monitoring (TM) system includes a peak detector signal filter that is configured to substantially prevent impulse noise from increasing a data slicer threshold, while simultaneously allowing the data slicer threshold to follow the variations in a received message attributable to signal fading. The TM system also automatically determines the location of a plurality of vehicle tires relative to the vehicle, utilizes a single receiver to receive messages of multiple lengths and masks an alarm when a missing ID code corresponds to a stored ID code associated with a flat tire.

Tire monitoring system

Equipment on automotive vehicle ( ) is controlled by a system at least one semiconductor light sensor ( &prime;) having variable sensitivity to light. Each light sensor generates a light signal ( ) indicative of the intensity of light incident on the light sensor. Control logic ( ) varies the sensitivity of the light sensor and generates equipment control signals ( ) based on received light signals. Sensitivity of light sensors ( &prime;) may be varied by changing the integration time ( ) for producing charge from light ( ) incident on light transducers ( ), by selecting between light transducers ( ) of different sensitivity within the light sensor ( ), by using a light transducer ( ) with a sensitivity that is a function of the amount of incident light ( ), and the like. Controlled equipment includes devices such as automatically dimming rearview mirrors ( ), headlamps ( ), and moisture removal means ( ).

A time-independent, event-based system for receiving and discriminating unique codes from multiple transmitters has an event-based detection cycle instead of a time-based detection cycle. The system detects received ID codes from multiple transmitters and compares the received ID codes with registers for ID codes in an array in memory. Counters corresponding to the stored ID codes increment each time there is a match between the received ID code and the stored ID code. After a predetermined total number of increments, the system evaluates the received signals to discriminate between ID codes received from desired transmitters and those from undesired transmitters before resetting the counter. Because the system is event based and not a function of time, it will operate over a wide range of time cycles.

Time-independent, event-based system for receiving and discriminating unique codes from multiple transmitters and method for doing the same

A system and method for optimizing the signal range of a photocell for all ambient lighting conditions. A switched resistor circuit is serially connected to the photocell. The duty cycle of the switched resistor circuit is controlled to provide an optimal signal range for the photocell in both light and dark ambient light conditions.

Adjustment of photoconductive cell

An automobile headlamp and running light control system for controlling an operating state of automobile headlamps and tail/marker lamps, and determining an operating threshold for an automatic dimming rearview mirror system. The headlamp and running light control system including an ambient light sensing arrangement having an ambient light sensor which determines a present ambient light level in a vicinity of the vehicle, a first control arrangement for selecting an operating state of the vehicle lamps in accordance with an output of the ambient light sensor, a second control arrangement for determining the operating threshold of the automatic dimming rearview mirror system in accordance with the output of the ambient light sensor, and a lamp switching arrangement which activates and deactivates the vehicle lamps in response to the first control arrangement.

Automobile headlamp and running light control system

An electronic control system for controlling automotive vehicle vision related equipment including an electrochromic rearview mirror comprising an electrochromic variable reflectance member the reflectivity of which varies as a function of electrical signal levels applied thereto, and an electrically energizable vehicle headlamp, the system including ambient light sensing means, glare causing light sensing means and sky light sensing means, each of said light sensing means being effective to generate an electrical signal indicative of the sensed light level, the system also including microprocessor means operable to apply electrical control signal levels to the electrochromic variable reflectance member to change the reflectivity thereof as a function of sensed ambient and glare causing light levels, the system also including means to effect energization of the vehicle headlamp as a function of the sensed sky light level. The system may also include means to effect energization of the vehicle headlamp as a function of the actuation of the vehicle windshield wiper.

Electronic control system

A microprocessor based household appliance electronic control device is equipped with self-diagnosing cacapability and with selected option capabilities. The control includes input and output lines from an integrated circuit structure through a plug connection to external circuitry. The input/output line appearances from the microprocessor in the plug connection may be decoupled from external circuitry and cross connected to each other by means of a dummy plug. Connection to the dummy plug automatically establishes a test mode of operation for the microprocessor to cycle through a testing sequence to diagnosis internal and external failures. Error codes are provided in a visual display indicative of different types of failures. The controller is also equipped with function altering circuits which are selectively connected or bypassed with strapping diodes. Customized control features are thereby achieved in a universal electronic controller.

Growing community of inventors

Holland, MI, United States of America

David J Schmidt