US 12,289,564 B2
Vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly with near infrared light emitter and DMS camera and light absorption filter
Mark L. Larson, Grand Haven, MI (US); and John T. Uken, Jenison, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/472,315.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/377,113, filed on Sep. 26, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0106986 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 7/18 (2006.01); B60R 1/04 (2006.01); B60R 1/08 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01); H04N 23/21 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); G02B 5/30 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 7/18 (2013.01) [B60R 1/04 (2013.01); B60R 1/088 (2013.01); B60R 1/12 (2013.01); B60R 1/1207 (2013.01); H04N 23/21 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); G02B 5/3025 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular cabin monitoring system, the vehicular cabin monitoring system comprising:
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head attached to and adjustable about a mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein the mirror head accommodates a mirror reflective element;
wherein the mirror reflective element comprises (i) a planar glass substrate, (ii) a transflective mirror reflector disposed at a surface of the planar glass substrate and (iii) a light absorption film;
wherein the light absorption film comprises a polarizer film;
a camera accommodated by the mirror head and operable to capture image data;
wherein the camera views through (i) the planar glass substrate, (ii) the transflective mirror reflector and (iii) the light absorption film;
a light emitter accommodated by the mirror head and electrically operable to emit near infrared (NIR) light;
wherein the light emitter, when electrically operated, emits NIR light that passes through (i) the planar glass substrate, (ii) the transflective mirror reflector and (iii) the light absorption film;
an electronic control unit (ECU) having electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera;
wherein the light absorption film (i) attenuates greater than 60 percent of visible light that is incident on the light absorption film and transmits less than 40 percent of visible light through the light absorption film and (ii) attenuates less than 30 percent of NIR light that is incident on the light absorption film and transmits greater than 70 percent of NIR light through the light absorption film;
wherein, with the mounting structure attached at the interior portion of the vehicle and when the light emitter is electrically operated to emit NIR light, the camera captures image data representative of NIR light that is emitted by the light emitter and passes through the (i) the planar glass substrate, (ii) the transflective mirror reflector and (iii) the light absorption film and that is reflected back from within an interior cabin of the vehicle and passes back through the (i) the planar glass substrate, (ii) the transflective mirror reflector and (iii) the light absorption film to be incident at the camera; and
wherein, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, the vehicular cabin monitoring system at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) detects an occupant present within the interior cabin of the vehicle and (ii) monitors the occupant present within the interior cabin of the vehicle.