Lane departure warning mirror

• US 7,400,235 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tsuda, Hiroshi, Kawazoe, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): McNally; Kerri L
• Application Number:
  US11/364,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/435, 340/903, 296/1.11
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers

Abstract

A lane departure warning mirror for a vehicle is disclosed that includes a reflecting member and a supporting member that supports the reflecting member on an area of a vehicle within a driver peripheral vision area, wherein the reflecting member is disposed so that an edge mark in a detection area is mirrored to the driver'"'"'s peripheral vision area.

Claims

1. A lane departure warning device for a vehicle, comprising:

a door side mirror;

an auxiliary reflecting member; and

a support member connecting the door side mirror and the auxiliary reflecting member to the vehicle such that the auxiliary reflecting member is located beneath the door side mirror, such that the auxiliary reflecting member faces at an angle relative to the door side mirror, and such that the door side mirror and auxiliary reflecting member are positioned at a location within the peripheral vision area of a driver, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member includes a surface angled relative to a surface of the door side mirror to provide enhanced viewing of an edge of a lane within a detection area, the detection area located along a lateral edge of the vehicle and including an area directly below the door side mirror.

2. The lane departure warning device according to claim 1, wherein the door side mirror and the auxiliary reflecting member are separate.

3. The lane departure warning device according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member is provided entirely below the door side mirror.

4. The lane departure warning device according to claim 1, wherein the lane departure warning device is provided on at least one of the driver and passenger side front pillars.

5. The lane departure warning device according to claim 1, wherein the detection area includes an area located generally below and rearward of the reflecting member.

6. The lane departure warning device according to claim 1, wherein the detection area includes an area located generally below and forward of the reflecting member.

7. The lane departure warning, device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member is selectively rotatable independent of the door side mirror to a desired angle to provide a reflection of the detection area to the driver.

8. The lane departure warning device according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member is manually rotatable.

9. The lane departure warning device according to claim 7, wherein the lane departure warning device further includes an actuator that automatically rotates the angle of the auxiliary reflecting member to provide a reflection of the detection area within the peripheral vision area of the driver.

10. The lane departure warning device according to claim 1, further including an auxiliary lamp operatively connected thereto, wherein the auxiliary lamp selectively illuminates at least a portion of the detection area.

11. A lane departure warning device comprising:

a lane departure warning system having an auxiliary reflecting member; and

a support member connecting the auxiliary reflecting member to the vehicle such that the auxiliary reflecting member is located beneath a door side mirror, such that the auxiliary reflecting member faces at an angle relative to the door side mirror, and such that the auxiliary member is positioned at a location within a peripheral vision area of a driver, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member includes a surface angled relative to a surface of the door side mirror to provide enhanced viewing of an edge of a lane within a detection area, the detection area located along a lateral edge of the vehicle and including an area directly below the door side mirror.

12. The lane departure warning device according to claim 11, further including an auxiliary lamp that selectively illuminates the detection area.

13. The lane departure warning device according to claim 12, wherein the auxiliary lamp is automatically turned on when a windshield wiper switch is turned on.

14. The lane departure warning device according to claim 12, wherein the auxiliary lamp is automatically turned on when a headlight or parking light switch is turned on.

15. The lane departure warning device according to claim 12, wherein the auxiliary lamp is manually turned on upon an activation of an auxiliary lamp switch by the driver.

17. The lane departure warning device according to claim 11, further including:

at least one of a door side mirror angle detector, a rear view mirror angle detector, and a seat position detector;

a processing unit; and

a control unit;

wherein an orientation of the auxiliary reflecting member is automatically rotated by the control unit based on information from the at least one of the door side mirror angle detector, the rear view mirror angle detector and the seat position detector.

18. The lane departure warning device according to claim 11, further including an eye position detector, wherein an angle of the auxiliary reflecting member is automatically rotated based on information from the eye position detector.

19. The lane departure warning device according to claim 11, wherein the support member is separate from a vehicle door side mirror assembly, and wherein the support member is configured to be attached to an external surface of the vehicle door side mirror assembly.

20. The lane departure warning device according to claim 11, wherein the auxiliary reflecting member is independently rotatable relative to the door side mirror.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a lane departure warning system having a reflecting member; and

a support member connecting the reflecting member to the vehicle such that the reflecting member is positioned at a location within a peripheral vision area of a driver, wherein the reflecting member is configured and arranged to provide enhanced viewing of an edge of a lane within a detection area, the detection area located along a lateral edge of the vehicle; and

a control unit and a driving state detector, wherein when the driving state detector detects a drowsy driving condition or distracted driving condition, the control unit adjusts the configuration of the reflecting member so as to provide viewing of an area which is distant from the detection area.