Apparatus and method for controlling a viewing angle for a vehicle, and a vehicle including the apparatus

• US 10,086,764 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Park, Hyungsoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US15/082,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20170101058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49, 701 36, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling a viewing angle for a vehicle, and a vehicle including the apparatus, are disclosed which may easily determine movements of a following vehicle and increase driving convenience and stability without the need for the driver to look back, by controlling the angle of a side mirror or side camera according to a situation of the vehicle. The apparatus includes an information receiver configured to receive information about a situation of a vehicle, information about a driving direction of the vehicle, and lane information of the vehicle; a motor controller configured to control an angle of a side mirror or side camera that captures a side and rear view of the vehicle; and a viewing angle controller configured to determine whether it is a situation to change the angle of the side mirror or side camera based on the situational information collected by the information receiver, and to then determine an angle between the driving direction of the vehicle, the information of which is received by the information receiver, and a lane, and to control the motor controller based on the determination results.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a viewing angle for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an information receiver configured to receive vehicle component information, driving direction information including a driving direction of the vehicle, and lane information including an orientation of a lane the vehicle is traveling on;

a motor controller configured to control an angle of a side mirror or a side camera attached to the side mirror, wherein the side camera is configured to capture a side view and a rear view of the vehicle;

a viewing angle controller configured to;

change an angle of the side mirror or the side camera by controlling movement of the side mirror or the side camera based on whether the vehicle component information is determined to include a vehicle state for changing the angle of the side mirror or the side camera; and

change the angle of the side mirror or the side camera by controlling movement of the side mirror or the side camera based on whether the driving direction information and the lane information are determined to indicate the orientation of the lane the vehicle is traveling on is not in-line with the driving direction of the vehicle; and

an output unit configured to inform a driver that an angle of the side mirror has been changed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle controller is configured to:

determine a distance from a current location of the vehicle to an adjacent lane, based on the vehicle component information received by the information receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the viewing angle controller is configured to:

determine the angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the adjacent lane, based on the distance.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle controller is configured to control movement of the side mirror or the side camera to change the angle of the side mirror or side camera, if the lane information and the driving direction information correspond to a same lane.

5. A vehicle comprising:

an information collector configured to collect vehicle component information and driving direction information including a driving direction of the vehicle;

an image capturer mounted on the front of the vehicle, wherein the image capturer is configured to obtain lane information including an orientation of a lane the vehicle is traveling on;

an apparatus configured to;

change an angle of the side mirror or the side camera by controlling movement of the side mirror or the side camera based on whether the vehicle component information is determined to include a vehicle state for changing the angle of the side mirror or the side camera; and

change the angle of the side mirror or the side camera by controlling movement of the side mirror or the side camera based on whether the driving direction information and the lane information are determined to indicate the orientation of the lane the vehicle is traveling on is not in-line with the driving direction of the vehicle; and

an output unit configured to inform a driver that an angle of the side mirror has been changed.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine a distance from a current location of the vehicle to an adjacent lane, based on the vehicle component information collected by the information collector.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine the angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the adjacent lane, based on the distance.

8. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

control movement of the side mirror or the side camera to change the angle of the side mirror, if the lane information captured by the image capturer and the driving direction information correspond to a same lane.

9. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the information collector comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a navigation system, a gear level of the vehicle, a speed detector of the vehicle, a Blind Spot Detection (BSD) detector, or an indicator light detector.

10. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the output unit comprises

at least one of an image display, a vibrator, and a sounding unit.

11. A method for controlling a viewing angle for a vehicle, the method comprising:

collecting, by an information receiver included in the vehicle, vehicle component information about a state of vehicle components included in the vehicle, and driving direction information including a driving direction of the vehicle;

obtaining, by an information receiver included in the vehicle, lane information including an orientation of a lane the vehicle is traveling on;

determining whether the vehicle component information includes a vehicle state for changing an angle of the side mirror or side camera;

controlling, by a viewing angle controller, movement of the side mirror or the side camera to change the angle of the side mirror or the side camera based on whether the vehicle component information is determined to include the vehicle state for changing the angle of the side mirror or side camera;

determining, by the viewing angle controller, an angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the orientation of the lane the vehicle is traveling on based on the driving direction information and the lane information;

controlling, by a motor controller, movement of the side mirror or the side camera to change the angle of the side mirror or the side camera based on the determined angle; and

informing a driver that the angle of the side mirror or side camera has been changed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the orientation of the lane the vehicle is traveling on comprises:

determining a distance from a location of the vehicle to an adjacent lane based on the vehicle component situational information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the distance comprises:

determining an angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the adjacent lane, based on the distance.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

controlling movement of the side mirror or the side camera to change the angle of the side mirror or side camera, if the lane information and the driving direction information correspond to a same lane.