Rearview mirror adjustment system for trailer attached vehicle

• US 8,192,036 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-Woo, Ryu, Jihan, Shin, Kwang-Keun, Litkouhi, Bakhtiar Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L.
• Application Number:
  US12/190,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 359/843, 359/841, 359871-877, 248476-480, 248/487
• US Class Current: 359/843
• 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 system and method for automatically correcting the viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle towing a trailer when the vehicle is traveling around a curve. If the dimensions of the trailer are unknown, then the corrected viewing angle is the same as the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer. If the dimensions of the trailer are known, then trigonometry is used to determine the corrected viewing angle. Depending on whether the road is curving to the right or to the left will determine whether the left side rear-view mirror or the right side rear-view mirror is adjusted.

Claims

1. A method for correcting a viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle that is towing a trailer when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, said method comprising:

identifying a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer;

calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle using the hitch angle, wherein if the length and width of the trailer are known, calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle includes identifying two triangles where a first triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling straight and the trailer is not angled relative to the vehicle and the second triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling around a curve and the trailer is angled relative to the vehicle, said first and second triangles both including a first side from the rear-view mirror being corrected to a front-center location of the trailer, a second side from the front-center location of the trailer to a rear corner of the trailer on the side of the trailer that the mirror being corrected is on and a third side from the rear corner of the trailer to the mirror being corrected; and

changing the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror using the corrected viewing angle.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein if the width and length of the trailer is unknown, the hitch angle is used as the corrected mirror viewing angle.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle includes using the equations W=W′

, D=D′

, φ

′

=φ

−

η

, L′

²=D′

²+W′

²−

2D′

W′

,

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein only the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror on the side of the vehicle towards which the trailer is angled is corrected.

5. A method for correcting a viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle that is towing a trailer when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, said method comprising:

determining that the trailer is at an angle relative to the vehicle;

calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle when the trailer is angled relative to the vehicle, wherein calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle includes identifying two triangles where a first triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling straight and the trailer is not angled relative to the vehicle and the second triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling around a curve and the trailer is angled relative to the vehicle, said first and second triangles both including a first side from the rear-view mirror being corrected to a front-center location of the trailer, a second side from the front-center location of the trailer to a rear corner of the trailer on the side of the trailer that the mirror being corrected is on and a third side from the rear corner of the trailer to the mirror being corrected; and

changing the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror using the corrected viewing angle.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein determining that the trailer is at an angle relative to the vehicle includes using a hitch angle sensor to determine a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein if the width and length of the trailer is unknown, the hitch angle is used as the corrected mirror viewing angle.

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein calculating a corrected mirror viewing angle includes using the equations W=W′

, D=D′

, φ

′

=φ

−

η

, L′

²=D′

²+W′

²−

2D′

W′

,

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein only the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror on the side of the vehicle towards which the trailer is angled is corrected.

10. A system for correcting a viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle that is towing a trailer when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, said system comprising:

a hitch angle sensor that provides a hitch angle signal identifying the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer; and

a controller for calculating a corrected mirror angle using the hitch angle signal, said controller causing the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror to be changed using the corrected viewing angle, wherein if the length and width of the trailer are known, the controller identifies two triangles where a first triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling straight and the trailer is not angled relative to the vehicle and the second triangle is for when the vehicle is traveling around a curve and the trailer is angled relative to the vehicle, said first and second triangles both including a first side from the rear-view mirror being corrected to a front-center location of the trailer, a second side from the front-center location of the trailer to a rear corner of the trailer on the side of the trailer that the mirror being corrected is on and a third side from the rear corner of the trailer to the mirror being corrected.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein if the width and length of the trailer is unknown, the hitch angle is used as the corrected mirror viewing angle.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the controller uses the equations W=W′

, D=D′

, φ

′

=φ

−

η

, L′

²=D′

²+W′

²−

2D′

W′

,

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein only the viewing angle of the rear-view mirror on the side of the vehicle towards which the trailer is angled is corrected.