Patent attributes
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a display device that includes a display screen and a plurality of illumination sources for backlighting the display screen. The display device is at least operable in (a) a first mode wherein the illumination sources are not activated so that the presence of the display device is substantially covert to a driver of the vehicle, (b) a second mode wherein the illumination sources are activated so that information displayed by the display screen is viewable by a driver of the vehicle, and (c) a third mode wherein (i) some of the illumination sources are activated so that information displayed by a corresponding backlit portion of the display screen is viewable by a driver of the vehicle and (ii) others of the illumination sources are non-activated so that the presence of a corresponding non-backlit portion of the display screen is substantially covert to the driver.