A rear view mirror assembly includes a rear view mirror that is mounted on a windshield of a vehicle and a personal electronic device in remote communication with an extrinsic communication network for sending and receiving text messages. A display is movably integrated into the rear view mirror such that the display is visible to the driver. A communication unit is integrated into the rear view mirror and the communication unit is in communication with the display. The communication unit is in remote communication with the personal electronic device thereby facilitating the display to display text messages received from the personal electronic device. In this way the display facilitates the driver to read the text messages without requiring the driver to look away from the road upon which the vehicle is traveling.

A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior prismatic rearview mirror assembly and a camera disposed at the interior prismatic rearview mirror assembly behind and viewing through a prismatic mirror reflective element into the interior cabin of the vehicle. Supplemental sources of near infrared illumination are disposed at the mirror assembly that are operable to emit near infrared light to illuminate at least the driver-side front seating area within the interior cabin of the vehicle. Presence of the camera behind the prismatic mirror reflective element is not readily apparent to an occupant of the vehicle. The camera at least (a) views the driver-side front seating area of the vehicle and (b) views a passenger-side front seating area of the vehicle. The driver of the equipped vehicle is monitored via processing at the processor of image data captured by the camera.

In one embodiment, a vehicle mirror includes an on-board diagnostics (OBD) transceiver and one or more processors. The processors access OBD data received by the OBD transceiver from an OBD port of a vehicle. The processors further monitor the OBD data to determine whether communications with the OBD port have been lost, determine an OBD speed of the vehicle, and determine an RPM of an engine of the vehicle. The processors further determine a GPS speed of the vehicle from a GPS transceiver. When communications with the OBD port are lost, the processors transition the vehicle mirror to a sleep power state. When communications with the OBD port have not been lost, the processors transition the vehicle mirror to the sleep power state when the OBD speed is determined to be zero for at least a first predetermined amount of time and the RPM of the engine is determined to be less than a threshold RPM amount.

In one embodiment, a vehicle mirror includes an on-board diagnostics (OBD) transceiver and one or more processors. The processors access OBD data received by the OBD transceiver from an OBD port of a vehicle. The processors further determine, from the OBD data, a vehicle type, a change in voltage of the vehicle's battery, and a secondary vehicle factor. When the vehicle is determined to be a combustion engine vehicle, the processors transition the vehicle mirror from a sleep power state to an awake power state when the change in voltage is greater than a predetermined amount and the secondary factor of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold. When the vehicle is determined to be an electric vehicle, the processors transition the vehicle mirror from the sleep power state to the awake power state when any activity is detected in the OBD data and the secondary factor of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined threshold.

This invention relates to security systems. Previously, vehicle vandals and thieves were difficult to stop. Embodiments of the present invention use a vehicle security system (100) includes at least two image capture devices (ICD), sensors, a global positioning system tracking module (GPSTM), a control module (CM), and a monitoring device. The ICD are positioned at predetermined locations of the vehicle for capturing and transmitting images of a target object. The CM receives the captured images and sensor data variables. The CM analyzes the received images and sensor data variables based on predefined criteria to trigger auxiliary units. The CM transmits the images and sensor data variables based on the predefined criteria to the monitoring device. A graphical user interface displays the images for monitoring the vehicle and notifies the user.

A vehicle rearview mirror system for a vehicle having communication capabilities for communicating with at least one of a building-automation device and an electronic toll collection system. The vehicle rearview mirror system may include a wireless communication system configured to communicate with a building-based communication system or a transceiver system of the electronic toll collection system, or both.

A vehicular vision system includes a driver-side exterior mirror assembly, a passenger-side mirror assembly and an interior mirror assembly. The fields of view of the mirror reflective elements of the exterior mirror assemblies are adjustable by the driver via a respective actuator. The exterior mirror assemblies include respective cameras that each have a respective rearward field of view that supplements the field of view of the mirror reflective element when viewed by the driver of the vehicle. A video display is disposed behind the mirror reflector of an interior mirror reflective element such that displayed video images are viewable through the mirror reflector of the interior mirror reflective element. The video display includes a driver-side display portion and a passenger-side display portion that each display images derived from image data captured by the respective camera while not displaying images derived from image data captured by the other camera.

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle equipped with a blind spot monitoring system includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate and a heater pad disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate. A light transmitting aperture of the heater pad is juxtaposed with a light transmitting aperture of the mirror reflector of the reflective element and with a light transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate. The mirror back plate includes first structure that is configured to attach at an actuator. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the light transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate, and, when activated responsive to a blind spot monitoring system of the vehicle, emits light through the light transmitting apertures, forming an illuminated icon viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element.

A video display system for a vehicle includes a video display device disposed in the vehicle so as to be viewable by a driver of the vehicle. A camera is disposed at the vehicle and having an exterior field of view and operable to capture image data. The field of view of the camera encompasses a blind spot of the vehicle. A control includes a data processor. The control, responsive at least in part to processing by the data processor of data captured by at least one sensor of the vehicle, detects an object present exterior of the vehicle that is in the field of view of the camera. Responsive to detection of the object present exterior of the vehicle, the control controls the video display device to episodically and automatically display video images of the object that are derived from image data captured by the camera.

An electric system of a vehicle including an electronically controlled braking system. The electric system has a steering angle sensor unit, at least one control module, at least one first inertia sensor and an electronic braking system central control unit EBS ECU. The at least one control module is external to the steering angle sensor unit. The at least one control module is also external to the EBS ECU. At least one of the at least one control module has mounted within it one of the at least one first inertia sensor.