Driver-responsive dynamic vehicle mirror system

• US 9,630,558 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Coleman
• Original Assignee: Steven Coleman
• Inventors: Coleman, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/755,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A driver-responsive dynamic mirror system for a vehicle. The present system includes a sensor that is configured to track the direction that the driver is facing and automatically adjust the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s mirrors in response to changes in the direction that the user is facing.

Claims

1. A driver-responsive vehicle mirror system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium operatively connected to the processor;

a driver-monitoring sensor;

at least one vehicle mirror;

wherein the driver-monitoring sensor extends from a pivot arm of a visor and is independently pivotable therefrom;

a logic stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, causes the driver-responsive vehicle mirror system to perform a method, the method comprising the steps of;

detecting a facing direction of a driver via the driver-monitoring sensor;

adjusting an orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror such that the orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror corresponds to the facing direction.

2. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle mirror comprises a first side-view mirror, a second side-view mirror, and a rear-view mirror.

3. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 1, wherein the driver-monitoring sensor comprises a camera.

4. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 1, wherein the logic adjusts the orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror in unison.

5. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one vehicle mirror further comprises:

a pivotable connection to a vehicle;

a motor configured to adjust the orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror.

6. A driver-responsive vehicle mirror system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium operatively connected to the processor;

a driver-monitoring sensor;

at least one vehicle mirror;

wherein the driver-monitoring sensor extends from a pivot arm of a visor and is independently pivotable therefrom;

a logic stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, causes the driver-responsive vehicle mirror system to perform a method, the method comprising the steps of;

storing a default mirror position;

storing a default facing direction of a driver;

detecting a deviation in a facing direction of the driver from the default facing direction;

calculating an adjusted mirror position for each of the at least one vehicle mirror;

adjusting each of the at least one vehicle mirror to each adjusted mirror position.

7. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 6, wherein each adjusted mirror position is calculated by:

calculating an angle between the default facing direction and the facing direction;

calculating an adjusted mirror position corresponding to a magnitude of the angle.

8. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 6, wherein the at least one vehicle mirror comprises a first side-view mirror, a second side-view mirror, and a rear-view mirror.

9. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 6, wherein the driver-monitoring sensor comprises a camera.

10. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 6, wherein the logic adjusts the orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror in unison.

11. The driver-responsive vehicle mirror system of claim 6, wherein each of the at least one vehicle mirror further comprises:

a pivotable connection to a vehicle;

a motor configured to adjust the orientation of each of the at least one vehicle mirror.