INTELLIGENT REAR-VIEW MIRROR SYSTEM

• US 20170113616A1
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power Hong Kong Limited (Thunder Power Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ding, Jia-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 10,043,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness

Abstract

Described herein is a rear view mirror system that is configured to adjust to a user'"'"'s position without direct user interaction. In some embodiments, a camera may be included in the rear view mirror system so that its line of sight is perpendicular to a reflective surface. The camera may capture a digital image of the user. Eye patterns may be identified from the image information to determine an appropriate position for the mirror. In some embodiments, the mirror may be repositioned so that the camera'"'"'s line of sight is directed halfway between the identified eye information and the center of a rear window. In some embodiments, the mirror may be re-adjusted periodically.

Claims

1. A rear view mirror apparatus, comprising:

a mirror housing;

a reflective surface;

a camera device configured to capture image information, the image information including at least a portion of an image of a driver;

a processor device configured to identify an appropriate position for the reflective surface based at least in part on the captured image information; and

a first actuation device configured to rotate the reflective surface within the mirror housing in accordance with instructions received from the processor device.

2. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second actuation device configured to rotate the mirror housing based at least in part on the identified appropriate position.

3. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface is semi-transparent.

4. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 3, wherein the camera is located within the housing, behind the reflective surface.

5. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second reflective surface configured to reflect light away from the driver.

6. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is positioned perpendicular to the reflective surface.

7. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the captured image information includes an image of at least one eye.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, from a camera device, image information including at least a partial image of a driver;

identifying, using one or more image processing techniques, a location of an eye of the driver from the received image information;

determining a location of the eye of the driver with respect to a default position within the received image information; and

adjusting a mirror surface so that a focus of the camera device is located halfway between the location of the eye of the driver and the default position within the image information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an updated image information;

determining that the location of the eye of the driver has changed in the updated image information; and

re-adjusting the mirror surface so that the focus of the camera device is located halfway between the location of the eye of the driver and the default position within the image information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updated image information is received on a periodic basis.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the mirror surface is positioned such that an axis perpendicular to the mirror surface bisects the location of the eye of the driver and the default position.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the location of the eye of the driver is identified by matching patterns in the image information with at least one stored eye pattern.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the default position is the center of a rear window of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle rear-view mirror system, comprising:

A mirror housing;

a mirror unit configured to rest within the mirror housing, the mirror unit including at least one camera and at least one reflective surface;

a first actuation device configured to rotate the mirror unit within the mirror housing;

a processor device; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor device, cause the system to, at least;

capture, via the camera device, image information related to a driver;

determine, from the image information, a degree of rotation; and

provide, to the first actuation device, instructions to rotate the mirror unit within the mirror housing such that the at least one reflective surface is at the determined degree of rotation.

15. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 14, wherein the first actuation device is a servomotor.

16. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 14, further comprising:

a second actuation device configured to rotate the mirror housing; and

wherein the instructions further cause the system to at least;

determine, from the image information, a second degree of rotation; and

provide, to the second actuation device, instructions to rotate the mirror housing such that the at least one reflective surface is at the determined second degree of rotation.

17. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 14, wherein the at least one reflective surface comprises a semi-transparent first reflective surface and a second reflective surface.

18. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 17, wherein the at least one camera device comprises a first camera device positioned perpendicular to the first reflective surface and a second camera device positioned perpendicular to the second reflective surface.

19. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 18, wherein image information captured by the first camera device is used to determine the degree of rotation for the semi-transparent first reflective surface.

20. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executed upon detecting a repositioning event.