ROAD-ADAPTIVE SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM

• US 20100039720A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-Woo, Shin, Kwang-Keun, Ryu, Jihan, Litkouhi, Bakhtiar Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,297,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors

Abstract

A system and method for automatically adjusting the viewing angle of both side rear-view mirrors on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling on a hill. The system estimates the slope of the hill, and uses the estimated slope to determine a corrected viewing angle of the rear-view mirrors. Depending on whether the vehicle is traveling uphill or down-hill, would depend on which direction the rear-view mirrors will be adjusted.

Claims

1. A method for correcting a viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling on a hill, said method comprising:

determining the slope of the hill;

calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle based on the slope of the hill; and

changing the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror using the corrected viewing angle.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the slope of the hill includes using one or more of a GPS signal and a map database.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle includes calculating the viewing angle using the slope of the hill and the radius of curvature of the hill.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the corrected viewing angle is calculated by the equation:

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the viewing angle of both side rear-view mirrors of the vehicle are corrected based on both uphill and down-hill slopes.

6. A method for simultaneously correcting a viewing angle of both a left and right side rear-view mirror on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling on a hill, said method comprising:

determining the slope of the hill;

calculating a corrected viewing angle based on the slope of the hill and the radius of curvature of the hill; and

changing the viewing angle of the left and right rear-view mirrors using the corrected viewing angle.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein determining the slope of the hill includes using one or more of a GPS signal and a map database.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the corrected viewing angle is calculated by the equation:

9. A system for correcting a viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling on a hill, said system comprising:

means for determining the slope of the hill;

means for calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle based on the slope of the hill; and

means for changing the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror using the corrected viewing angle.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the means for determining the slope of the hill uses one or more of a GPS signal and a map database.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the means for calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle calculates the viewing angle using the slope of the hill and the radius of curvature of the hill.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the means for calculating a corrected viewing angle uses the equation:

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein the means for changing the viewing angle changes the viewing angle of both side rear-view mirrors of the vehicle simultaneously.