Driver's eyes location determining apparatus and method

• US 5,801,823 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Borje A. Brandin
• Original Assignee: Borje A. Brandin
• Inventors: Brandin, Borje A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US08/806,023
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 250/559.3, 250/559.37, 356/139.03, 359/843, 318/640
• US Class Current: 356/139.03
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/875 for determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

Apparatus for determining the location of the eyes of a driver for a vehicle having a central inside rearview mirror, comprises a distance sensor, an orientation detector, a signal processor. The distance sensor senses the distance between the central mirror and the driver'"'"'s head. The orientation detector detects the orientation of the inside mirror. Once the driver has manually adjusted the inside mirror, the driver operates a switch, which activates both the distance sensor and the orientation detector. The signal processor, preferably a microcomputer, uses the equation of a parabola in space to determine the location of the parabola'"'"'s focus, and thereby determine the location of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

Claims

1. Apparatus for determining the location of the eyes of a driver of a vehicle having a directly adjustable proximate rearview mirror, comprising:

(a) distance sensing means for sensing the distance between the proximate mirror and the driver'"'"'s head and generating distance signals correlatable therewith;

(b) orientation detecting means for detecting the orientation of the proximate mirror after adjustment by the driver to achieve a desired rearview sightline, and generating orientation signals correlatable therewith; and

(c) signal processing means coupled to the distance sensing means and the orientation detecting means for processing the distance signals and the orientation signals and for generating output signals indicative of a current location for the driver'"'"'s eyes based upon an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the signal processing means comprises means for determining an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes and an axis parallel to a rearview vector representing the desired rearview sightline, and falling in a plane containing the rearview vector, the plane being perpendicular to the central mirror, and containing the center point of the mirror, and means for determining the location of the focus of the said parabola.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the signal processing means models the driver'"'"'s head as a rectangular parallelepiped having a front side corresponding to the driver'"'"'s face, and the driver'"'"'s eyes are modelled as a point on the front side midway between the eyes on the driver'"'"'s face.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the signal processing means comprises a microcomputer comprising storage means for storing vehicle parameters, the distance signals, and the orientation signals, determining means for determining the current location for the driver'"'"'s eyes, and signal generating means for generating the output signals.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising activation means operable by the driver for activating the distance sensing means and the orientation detecting means.

6. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the proximate mirror comprises a central inside mirror.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the distance sensing means comprises an infrared sensor mounted adjacent the proximate mirror.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the distance sensing means comprises an ultrasound sensor mounted adjacent the proximate mirror.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein the activation means comprises a manually operated switch.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the orientation detecting means comprises a position sensor coupled to the proximate mirror.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the signal processing means comprises:

(a) storage means for storing a center point signal indicative of the known center point of the proximate mirror; and

(b) processing means operatively coupled to the distance sensing means, the orientation detecting means and the storage means, for processing the center point signal, the distance signals, and the orientation signals, and for generating processed signals indicative of a current location of the eyes of the driver, based upon an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes.

12. A method for determining the location of the eyes of a driver of a vehicle having a directly adjustable proximate rearview mirror, comprising:

(a) sensing the distance between the proximate mirror and the driver'"'"'s head and generating distance signals correlatable therewith;

(b) detecting the orientation of the proximate mirror after adjustment by the driver to achieve a desired rearview sightline, and generating orientation signals correlatable therewith; and

(c) processing the distance signals and the orientation signals and generating output signals indicative of a current location for the driver'"'"'s eyes based upon an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes.

13. Apparatus for determining the location of the eyes of a driver of a vehicle having a directly adjustable proximate mirror having a known center point, comprising:

(a) storage means for storing a center point signal indicative of the known center point of the proximate mirror, and a longitudinal plane signal indicative of a longitudinal vertical plane extending through the middle of the driver'"'"'s seat at a known lateral distance from the center point of the mirror;

(b) orientation detecting means for detecting the orientation of the proximate mirror after adjustment by the driver to achieve a desired reflected sightline, and generating orientation signals correlatable therewith; and

(c) processing means operatively coupled to the orientation detecting means and the storage means, for processing the center point signal, the longitudinal plane signal, and the orientation signals, and for generating a processed signal indicative of a current location of the eyes of the driver, based upon an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the processing means comprises means for determining an equation for a parabola lying in a plane orthogonal to the central mirror and containing the center point of the mirror, having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes and an axis parallel to a rearview vector representing the desired rearview sightline.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14, wherein the processing means models the driver'"'"'s head as a rectangular parallelepiped having a front side corresponding to the driver'"'"'s face, and the driver'"'"'s eyes are modelled as a point on the front side midway between the eyes on the driver'"'"'s face.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15, wherein the processing means includes means for determining the distance between the proximate mirror and the driver'"'"'s head based upon the known lateral distance and the rectangular parallelepiped.

17. A method for determining the location of the eyes of a driver of a vehicle having a directly adjustable proximate mirror having a known center point, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a center point signal indicative of the known center point of the proximate mirror, and a longitudinal plane signal indicative of a longitudinal plane extending through the middle of the driver'"'"'s seat at a known lateral distance from the center point of the mirror;

(b) detecting the orientation of the proximate mirror after adjustment by the driver to achieve a desired reflected sightline, and generating orientation signals correlatable therewith; and

(c) processing the center point signal, the longitudinal plane signal, and the orientation signals, and generating a processed signal indicative of a current location of the eyes of the driver, based upon an equation for a parabola having a focus located at the driver'"'"'s eyes.