Tracking mirror for a tow vehicle
First Claim
1. An automatic adjustment system for maintaining a line of sight between a driver and a rear end of a trailer attached to a tow vehicle, comprising:
- a transmitter and a receiver adapted to be mounted proximal a side-view mirror of the tow vehicle;
a reflector adapted to be mounted proximal the rear end of the trailer, the reflector being arranged to receive a signal from the transmitter and reflect the signal to the receiver, wherein a selected property of the reflected signal has an initial value corresponding to an orientation of the side-view mirror when the line of sight is established;
a control unit for determining a deviation from the initial value of the selected property of the reflected signal; and
an actuator responsive to the control unit and arranged to orient the side-view mirror such that the value of the selected property of the reflected signal is returned to the initial value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic adjustment system for maintaining a line of sight between a driver and a rear end of a trailer towed by a tow vehicle is disclosed. A transmitter and a receiver are coupled proximal a side-view mirror. A reflector is mounted proximal the rear end of the trailer and is adapted to receive a signal from the transmitter and to reflect the signal to the receiver. A control unit is provided for determining a deviation from an initial value of a selected property of the signal, the initial value corresponding to an orientation of the mirror when the line of sight is established. An actuator responsive to the controller orients the mirror such that the value of the selected property of the signal is returned to the initial value.
76 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An automatic adjustment system for maintaining a line of sight between a driver and a rear end of a trailer attached to a tow vehicle, comprising:
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a transmitter and a receiver adapted to be mounted proximal a side-view mirror of the tow vehicle; a reflector adapted to be mounted proximal the rear end of the trailer, the reflector being arranged to receive a signal from the transmitter and reflect the signal to the receiver, wherein a selected property of the reflected signal has an initial value corresponding to an orientation of the side-view mirror when the line of sight is established; a control unit for determining a deviation from the initial value of the selected property of the reflected signal; and an actuator responsive to the control unit and arranged to orient the side-view mirror such that the value of the selected property of the reflected signal is returned to the initial value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A tracking mirror for a tow vehicle, comprising:
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a side-view mirror movably coupled to a front portion of the tow vehicle; a transmitter and a receiver mounted proximal the side-view mirror; a reflector mounted proximal a rear end of a trailer connected to the tow vehicle, the reflector being arranged to receive a signal from the transmitter and reflect the signal to the receiver, wherein a selected property of the reflected signal has an initial value corresponding to an orientation of the side-view mirror when the line of sight is established; a control unit for determining a deviation in the initial value of the selected property of the reflected signal; and an actuator coupled to the mirror, the actuator being responsive to the control unit and arranged to orient the side-view mirror such that the value of the selected property of the reflected signal is returned to the initial value.
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19. A method for maintaining a line of sight between a driver and a rear end of a trailer connected to a tow vehicle, comprising:
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attaching a transmitter and a receiver proximal a side-view mirror of the tow vehicle; attaching a reflector proximal the rear end of the trailer; transmitting a signal from the transmitter to the reflector; reflecting the signal back to the receiver; analyzing the signal to determine a deviation from an initial value of a selected property of the signal corresponding to an orientation of the side-view mirror when the line of sight is established; and orienting the mirror responsive to the deviation such that the value of the selected property of the reflected signal is returned to the initial value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification