Vehicle rearview mirror display system

Claim 2

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; and a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system includes a key-operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag, and wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said key-operated switch.

Claim 3

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 4

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said key operation to disable said airbag occurs separate from and prior to key-operated ignition of the engine of the vehicle by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 5

The rearview mirror system of claim 3 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 6

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said airbag is selected from one of a dash-mounted airbag, a side-mounted airbag and a roof-mounted airbag.

Claim 7

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said airbag comprises a dash-mount ed airbag.

Claim 8

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

Claim 9

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said indicator assembly is located behind said reflective element and is viewed through said element.

Claim 10

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said indicator assembly is located below said reflective element in a lip portion of said housing.

Claim 11

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said indicator assembly is located above said reflective element in a eyebrow portion of said housing.

Claim 12

The rearview mirror sys tem of claim 1 wherein the intensity of the display of said indicator assembly is modulated dependent on the intensity of light levels surrounding the vehicle.

Claim 13

The rearview mirror system of claim 1 wherein said interior mirror assembly further comprises at least one other display function.

Claim 14

The rearview mirror system of claim 12 wherein said at least one other display function is selected from the group comprising a compass display function, a temperature display function, a rain sensor display function and a blind spot detector display function.

Claim 15

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; and a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly at one of above, below and behind said reflective element, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system includes a key-operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag, and wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said key-operated switch.

Claim 16

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; and a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly at one of above, below and behind said reflective element, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system includes a key-operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag, and wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said key-operated switch.

Claim 17

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 18

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said key operation to disable said airbag occurs separate from and prior to key-operated ignition of the engine of the vehicle by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 19

The rearview mirror system of claim 16 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 20

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said airbag is selected from one of a dash-mounted airbag, a side-mounted airbag and a roof-mounted airbag.

Claim 21

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

Claim 22

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said indicator assembly is located behind said reflective element and is viewed through said element.

Claim 23

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said indicator assembly is located below said reflective element in a lip portion of said housing.

Claim 24

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said indicator assembly is located above said reflective element in a eyebrow portion of said housing.

Claim 25

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein the intensity of the display of said indicator assembly is modulated dependent on the intensity of light levels surrounding the vehicle.

Claim 26

The rearview mirror system of claim 14 wherein said interior mirror assembly further comprises at least one other display function.

Claim 27

The rearview mirror system of claim 24 wherein said at least one other display function is selected from the group comprising a compass display function, a temperature display function, a rain sensor display function and a blind spot detector display function.

Claim 28

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system includes a key-operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag; and wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle, and wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said key-operated switch.

Claim 29

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system includes a key-operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag; and wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle, and wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said key-operated switch.

Claim 30

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said key operation to disable said airbag occurs separate from and prior to key-operated ignition of the engine of the vehicle by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 31

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said airbag is selected from one of a dash-mounted airbag, a side-mounted airbag and a roof-mounted airbag.

Claim 32

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

Claim 33

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said indicator assembly is located at one of above, below and behind said reflective element.

Claim 34

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said indicator assembly is located behind said reflective element and is viewed through said element.

Claim 35

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said indicator assembly is located below said reflective element in a lip portion of said housing.

Claim 36

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said indicator assembly is located above said reflective element in a eyebrow portion of said housing.

Claim 37

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein the intensity of the display of said indicator assembly is modulated dependent on the intensity of light levels surrounding the vehicle.

Claim 38

The rearview mirror system of claim 26 wherein said interior mirror assembly further comprises at least one other display function.

Claim 39

The rearview mirror system of claim 35 wherein said at least one other display function is selected from the group comprising a compass display function, a temperature display function, a rain sensor display function and a blind spot detector display function.

Claim 40

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; and a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said control system.

Claim 41

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an airbag system, comprising: an interior rearview mirror assembly positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said mirror assembly including a reflective element and a housing for said reflective element; a passenger-side airbag positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a control system for disabling operation of said airbag; and a passenger airbag disable indicator assembly, said indicator assembly located at said rearview mirror assembly, said indicator assembly providing a display of passenger airbag disable function and indicating when the passenger-side airbag has been disabled; wherein said control system automatically reactivates said airbag if the ignition of the vehicle is turned off after said airbag has been disabled by said control system.

Claim 42

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said control system includes a key- operated switch which provides a key operation in order to disable said airbag.

Claim 43

The rearview mirror system of claim 38 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 44

The rearview mirror system of claim 38 wherein said key operation to disable said airbag occurs separate from and prior to key-operated ignition of the engine of the vehicle by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 45

The rearview mirror system of claim 40 wherein said key-operated switch of said control system is operable by the ignition key of the vehicle.

Claim 46

The rearview mirror system of claim 38 wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

Claim 47

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said airbag is selected from one of a dash-mounted airbag, a side-mounted airbag and a roof-mounted airbag.

Claim 48

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said airbag comprises a dash-mounted airbag.

Claim 49

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

Claim 50

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said indicator assembly is located at one of above, below and behind said reflective element.

Claim 51

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said indicator assembly is located behind said reflective element and is viewed through said element.

Claim 52

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said indicator assembly is located below said reflective element in a lip portion of said housing.

Claim 53

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said indicator assembly is located above said reflective element in a eyebrow portion of said housing.

Claim 54

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein the intensity of the display of said indicator assembly is modulated dependent on the intensity of light levels surrounding the vehicle.

Claim 55

The rearview mirror system of claim 37 wherein said interior mirror assembly further comprises at least one other display function.

Claim 56

The rearview mirror system of claim 51 wherein said at least one other display function is selected from the group comprising a compass display function, a temperature display function, a rain sensor display function and a blind spot detector display function.