The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 03, 1999
Mark D Bugno, Stevensville, MI (US);
Jon H Bechtel, Holland, MI (US);
Frederick T Bauer, Holland, MI (US);
Donald L Tapley, Holland, MI (US);
Timothy A Bonardi, Buchanan, MI (US);
Robert R Turnbull, Holland, MI (US);
Gentex Corporation, Zeeland, MI (US);
Abstract
A rearview mirror assembly is disclosed for use in a vehicle that includes a mirror housing, a mounting structure for pivotally mounting the mirror housing to the vehicle such that the mirror housing may be both vertically and horizontally tilted, a compass sensor disposed in the mirror housing and coupled to a compass processing circuit, and a tilt detector for detecting when the mirror housing has been tilted from a prior position and for generating and transmitting a tilt detection signal to the compass processing circuit. The compass processing circuit may then respond to the reception of the tilt detecting signal by compensating the compass reading and/or display or by recalibrating the compass. The compass may be recalibrated using a variety of techniques, which may include, for example, comparing the sensor output values immediately prior and immediately after a tilt detection signal has been received and adjusting the calibration point by an amount corresponding to any difference between the sensor output levels.