Interior rearview mirror system with identifier module

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and a reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a module that provides a specific identifier for telecommunication occurring at least one of to the vehicle in which the interior mirror assembly is mounted and from the vehicle in which the interior mirror assembly is mounted. The module may have a caller identifier for a communication system, with the identifier identifying a subscriber of the communication system for making telephone calls to and from the vehicle in which the interior mirror assembly is mounted. The vehicle in which the interior mirror assembly is mounted may have at least one element operable for establishing the telecommunication with the communication system, and the module of the interior mirror assembly may have an identifier module that identifies a subscriber of the communication system.

1 . An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
 an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and a reflective element; and   said interior rearview mirror assembly including a module that provides a specific identifier for telecommunication occurring at least one of to the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted and from the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted.   
   
   
       2 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said module comprises a detachable module. 
   
   
       3 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said module comprises a caller identifier for telephone calls made to and from the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted. 
   
   
       4 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said module emulates a personal telephone number associated with an owner, driver or occupant of the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted. 
   
   
       5 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said module comprises a caller identifier module that is detachable from a portable cellular phone and that can be detachably inserted into said mirror assembly. 
   
   
       6 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 5 , wherein said telecommunication occurs via a communication system that at least one of makes and receives telephone calls at the telephone number of the portable cellular phone associated with said identifier module when said caller identifier module is inserted in said mirror assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication occurs via a vehicular telematics system. 
   
   
       8 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication occurs via a portable cellular phone in the vehicle. 
   
   
       9 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication occurs via a computer in the vehicle. 
   
   
       10 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said specific identifier comprises an identifier unique to a subscriber of a communication system. 
   
   
       11 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 10 , wherein said subscriber comprises one of an owner, driver or occupant of the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted. 
   
   
       12 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 11 , wherein said unique identifier comprises a phone number. 
   
   
       13 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 10 , wherein said communication system comprises a cellular telephone network. 
   
   
       14 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 10 , wherein said communication system comprises a telematics system. 
   
   
       15 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 10 , wherein said unique identifier comprises a phone number. 
   
   
       16 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said specific identifier comprises an identifier unique to a subscriber of a communication system and wherein said communication system is responsive to at least one of a user input, a voice input and a keypad input at least one of received at and generated at said interior mirror assembly. 
   
   
       17 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 16 , wherein said telecommunication comprises a telephone call carried by said communication system and wherein audio signals of said telephone call are output through at least one vehicle speaker during the duration of said telephone call. 
   
   
       18 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 17 , wherein other audio signals otherwise output through the vehicle speaker are muted and overridden during the duration of said telephone call. 
   
   
       19 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly communicates to an accessory in the vehicle via a wireless communication. 
   
   
       20 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said module of said interior mirror assembly comprises an identifier module that identifies a subscriber of a communication system. 
   
   
       21 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 20 , wherein said identifier module is detachable from a portable cellular phone and can be inserted into said interior mirror assembly. 
   
   
       22 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said telecommunication comprises telecommunication via a communication system and wherein said communication system comprises a language translating function. 
   
   
       23 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a storage space. 
   
   
       24 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 23 , wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a dockable accessory, said dockable accessory being dockable in and removable from said storage space whereby said dockable accessory can be docked in said storage space and accessible to an occupant of the vehicle who can remove said dockable accessory from said storage space and use said dockable accessory independently of said rearview mirror assembly. 
   
   
       25 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 24 , wherein said dockable accessory comprises a light assembly comprising white light emitting light emitting diodes. 
   
   
       26 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 1 , wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a display element for displaying information. 
   
   
       27 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 26 , wherein said display element comprises a touch sensitive display element. 
   
   
       28 . An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
 an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and a reflective element and wherein said reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element;   said interior mirror assembly including a module that provides a specific identifier for telecommunication occurring via a communication system at least one of to the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted and from the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted; and   wherein the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted comprises at least one element operable for establishing said telecommunication with said communication system and wherein said module of said interior mirror assembly comprises an identifier module that identifies a subscriber of said communication system.   
   
   
       29 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 28 , wherein said at least one element comprises at least one of (a) a portable cellular telephone, (b) a computer and (c) in-vehicle module of a telematics system. 
   
   
       30 . An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror system comprising:
 an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and a reflective element;   said interior mirror assembly including a module that provides a specific identifier for telecommunication occurring via a communication system at least one of to the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted and from the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted;   wherein said module comprises a caller identifier for said communication system, said identifier identifying a subscriber of said communication system for malting telephone calls to and from the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted; and   wherein the vehicle in which said interior mirror assembly is mounted comprises at least one element operable for establishing said telecommunication with said communication system and wherein said module of said interior mirror assembly comprises an identifier module that identifies a subscriber of said communication system.   
   
   
       31 . The interior rearview mirror system of  claim 30 , wherein said at least one element comprises at least one of (a) a portable cellular telephone, (b) a computer and (c) in-vehicle module of a telematics system.