Method for adjusting a position of a vehicle mirror

• US 10,017,121 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uppal, Vaibhav
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US15/182,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20160368422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking

Abstract

A method for adjusting an angular position of a vehicle based on the position and gaze direction of the eye (or eyes) of a driver of the vehicle, and where the driver'"'"'s line-of-sight intersects the mirror. A camera images the driver'"'"'s eyes and determines and tracks the position, gaze direction, and any changes therein. An electronic controller determines the driver'"'"'s line-of-sight and adjusting an orientation of the mirror of the vehicle in response to the movement of the driver'"'"'s eye, to adjust the driver'"'"'s field-of-view through the mirror. A point of intersection between the line-of-sight and a reference position on the mirror is determined, and an offset direction and/or distance between a datum location on the mirror and the point of intersection may be used to determine the mirror adjustments.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a position and a gaze direction of a driver'"'"'s eye by a vehicle-mounted camera;

determining by a controller a) the eye'"'"'s line-of-sight, b) a point at which the line-of-sight intersects a vehicle mirror surface, and c) an offset direction between b) and a reference position on the mirror; and

automatically adjusting, by a motor, the mirror'"'"'s angular orientation to shift a field-of-view provided by the mirror toward the direction of offset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the controller determining that a magnitude of offset between the point and the reference position has reduced, operating the motor to readjust the angular orientation of the mirror to shift the field-of-view away from the direction of offset.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the controller to detect a driving mode of the vehicle and adjusting the angular orientation of the mirror based upon the driving mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjustments to the angular orientation of the mirror of the vehicle in response to a change in the position of the eye are suppressed when the driving mode is a predetermined driving mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular orientation of the mirror is adjusted dynamically.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the camera to detect an object of interest to the driver; and

adjusting the angular orientation of the mirror such that the object remains within the field-of-view.