Control device and method for automatically adjusting view angle of rearview mirror in response to output of navigation system

• US 6,756,888 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exon Science, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Exon Science, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsiao, Shun-Hsiang, Chen, Kuei-Hung, Su, Wen-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US10/047,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/435, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 348/148, 348/149, 359/841, 359/842, 359/843, 359/844, 359/877-879, 701/207, 701/211, 701/213, 701/214, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/436
• 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 control method for automatically adjusting a view angle of a rearview mirror or a CCD camera of a turning vehicle is disclosed. The method includes steps of receiving an output of a navigation system; determining a turning level of the vehicle according to the output of the navigation system; and triggering the rearview mirror or the CCD camera to move to an extent corresponding to the turning level of the vehicle. A control device for automatically adjusting a view angle of a rearview mirror or a CCD camera of a turning vehicle in response to the output of an electronic compass or a global positioning system (GPS) is also disclosed. The control device includes a microprocessor to receive an output of the electronic compass or GPS, determine a turning level of the vehicle according to the output of the navigation system, and trigger the rearview mirror or CCD camera to move to an extent corresponding to the turning level of the vehicle

Claims

1. A control method for automatically adjusting a view angle of a monitoring device of a turning vehicle, comprising steps of:

receiving an output of an electronic compass;

comparing said output of said electronic compass with a preset value;

determining a turning level of said vehicle according to the comparing result of said output of said electronic compass with said preset value; and

triggering said monitoring device to move according to said turning level of said vehicle.

2. The control method according to claim 1 said monitoring device is triggered to move to an extent corresponding to said turning level.

3. The control method according to claim 1 wherein said receiving, comparing and triggering steps are repeated to dynamically adjust a view angle of said monitoring device of said vehicle.

4. The control method according to claim 3 further comprising a step of counting a time period, wherein said time period is accumulatively counted when said turning level is kept to be zero, and said time period is counted over whenever said turning level is determined to be non-zero.

5. The control method according to claim 4 wherein said output of said electronic compass replaces for said preset value to serve as a new preset value, and said monitoring device is triggered to be restored to its initial position when said counted time period exceeds a predetermined value.

6. The control method according to claim 1 wherein said output of said electronic compass is indicative of one of sixteen direction zones, said preset value is indicative of one of said sixteen direction zones, and said turning level is determined to be zero when said output of said electronic compass and said preset value indicate the same direction zone.

7. The control method according to claim 6 wherein said turning level correlates to an angle between said direction zones indicated by said output of said electronic compass and said preset value.

8. The control method according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring device is an exterior rearview mirror.

9. The control method according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring device is a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera.

10. A control device for automatically adjusting a view angle of a monitoring device of a turning vehicle, comprising a microprocessor which repetitively receives an output of an electronic compass, determines a turning level of said vehicle according to said output of said electronic compass, performs a timing operation to accumulatively count a time period when said turning level is determined to be zero, counts over said time period when said turning level is determined to be non-zero, and triggers said monitoring device to move according to said turning level of said vehicle.

11. The control device according to claim 10 wherein said monitoring device is triggered to move to an extent corresponding to said turning level.

12. The control device according to claim 10 wherein said turning level of said vehicle is determined by comparing said output of said electronic compass with a preset value, and said microprocessor has said output of said electronic compass replace for said preset value to serve as a new preset value, and triggers said monitoring device to be restored to its initial position when said counted time period exceeds a predetermined value.

13. The control device according to claim 10 wherein said monitoring device includes an exterior rearview mirror.

14. The control device according to claim 10 wherein said monitoring device includes a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera.

15. A control device for automatically adjusting a view angle of a monitoring device of a turning vehicle, comprising a microprocessor electrically connected to a global positioning system (GPS) and a controller area network (CAN) bus, said microprocessor receiving an output of said GPS, and sending out a digital encoding signal to an actuating device via said CAN bus to trigger said actuating device to rotate said monitoring device when said output of said GPS indicates that said vehicle arrives at a predetermined turning position.

16. A control device for automatically adjusting a view angle of a monitoring device of a turning vehicle, comprising a microprocessor electrically connected to an electronic compass and a controller area network (CAN) bus, said microprocessor receiving an output of said electronic compass, and sending out a digital encoding signal to an actuating device via said CAN bus to trigger said actuating device to rotate said monitoring device when said output of said electronic compass indicates that said vehicle is heading a direction different from a preset direction.

17. The control device according to claim 16 further comprising a timer electrically connected to said microprocessor for counting a time period, wherein said direction that said vehicle is heading replaces for said preset direction to serve as a new preset direction when said counted time period exceeds a predetermined value.

18. A control device for automatically adjusting a view angle of a monitoring device of a turning vehicle, comprising:

a microprocessor repetitively receiving an output of an electronic compass, and determining a turning level of said vehicle according to said output of said electronic compass, and triggers said monitoring device to move according to said turning level of said vehicle; and

a timer electrically connected to said microprocessor for counting a time period, wherein said time period is accumulatively counted whenever said microprocessor determines said turning level is zero, and said time period is counted over whenever said microprocessor determines said turning level is non-zero.

19. The control device according to claim 18 wherein said turning operation of said vehicle is determined by comparing said output of said electronic compass with a preset value, and said microprocessor has said output of said electronic compass replace for said preset value to serve as a new preset value, and triggers said monitoring device to be restored to its initial position when said counted time period exceeds a predetermined value.