System and method for selection of vehicular sideview mirrors via eye gaze

• US 6,397,137 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zhai, Shumin, Alpert, Sherman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/798,495
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49,1 351/209,210 359/877,872,841,843
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators

Abstract

A system and method for automatic selection of a vehicular sideview mirror using the eye gaze of a vehicle operator. Once a particular sideview mirror is selected, it can be adjusted as desired by the vehicle operator. The method and system includes an eye contact detection device or eye gaze tracking device for selecting a left or a right vehicle sideview mirror to adjust by detecting an eye gaze of the vehicle operator.

Claims

1. A system for selecting a sideview mirror of a vehicle comprising:

an eye gaze detector for detecting an eye gaze of an operator;

a data processing apparatus for receiving input from the eye gaze detector and determining whether the operator is looking at a sideview mirror, wherein if the operator is looking at the sideview mirror, the sideview mirror is selected; and

a mirror adjustment control for adjusting the selected sideview mirror.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the eye gaze detector is an eye gaze contact detector for detecting contact of the eye gaze of the operator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the eye gaze detector is an eye gaze tracking device for determining a direction of an eye gaze of an operator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mirror adjustment control is painted with conductive paint for detecting when the operator touches the mirror adjustment control, wherein when the operator touches the mirror adjustment control, the eye gaze detector is activated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus selects the sideview mirror by completing an electrical circuit between the mirror adjustment control and a mirror pane positioning apparatus of the selected sideview mirror.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the eye gaze contact detector is located on an interior door panel of a vehicle door.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the eye gaze tracking device is located on a dashboard of the vehicle in a line of sight with the eye gaze of the operator.

8. A method of automatically selecting a sideview mirror in a vehicle comprising the steps of:

activating an eye gaze contact detector for detecting eye contact in a sideview mirror; and

determining if an operator is looking at the sideview mirror using a data processing apparatus, wherein if the operator is looking at the sideview mirror, a mirror selector switch is set to select the sideview mirror for adjustment by the operator using a mirror adjustment control.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if the operator is not looking at the sideview mirror, further comprising the steps of determining if the operator is looking at a second sideview mirror, wherein if the operator is looking at the second sideview mirror, the mirror selector switch is set to select the second sideview mirror for adjustment using the mirror adjustment control.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of activating is initiated by touching the mirror adjustment control, wherein said mirror adjustment control is painted with conductive paint for detecting when the operator is touching the mirror adjustment control.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sideview mirror is a left vehicular sideview mirror.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the eye gaze contact detector is located on an interior door panel of a first vehicle door.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the data processing apparatus selects the sideview mirror by completing an electrical circuit between the mirror adjustment control and a mirror pane positioning apparatus of the selected sideview mirror.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the data processing apparatus selects the second sideview mirror by completing an electrical circuit between the mirror adjustment control and a mirror pane positioning apparatus of the selected second sideview mirror.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the second sideview mirror is a right vehicular sideview mirror.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein if the operator is not looking at the second sideview mirror, the mirror selector switch is set to a neutral position.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein if the operator is not touching the mirror adjustment control, the mirror selector switch is set to a neutral position.

18. A method of automatically selecting a sideview mirror comprising the steps of:

activating an eye gaze tracking device for detecting a direction of an eye gaze of an operator;

determining if the operator is looking towards a first sideview mirror using a data processing apparatus, wherein if the operator is looking towards the first sideview mirror, a mirror selector switch is set to select the first sideview mirror to be adjusted by the operator using a mirror adjustment control, and if the operator is not looking towards the first sideview mirror, further comprising the steps of;

determining if the operator is looking towards the second sideview mirror using the data processing apparatus, wherein if the operator is looking towards the second sideview mirror, the mirror selector switch is set to select the second sideview mirror to be adjusted by the operator using the mirror adjustment control.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein if the operator is not looking towards the second sideview mirror, the mirror selector switch is set to a neutral position.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the data processing apparatus selects the first sideview mirror by completing an electrical circuit between the mirror adjustment control and a mirror pane positioning apparatus of the selected first sideview mirror.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the data processing apparatus selects the second sideview mirror by completing an electrical circuit between the mirror adjustment control and a mirror pane positioning apparatus of the selected second sideview mirror.