SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ACTIVE MIRRORS WITH BLIND SPOT DETECTION
First Claim
1. A method to automatically move a side mounted mirror on a host vehicle from an inward position to an outward position in response to a signal from a detector indicative of an object outside an operator normal field of vision, comprising;
- detecting whether the object is outside the normal field of vision and transmitting a data signal from said detector to a controller indicative of the presence of the object outside the normal field of vision;
actuating at least one servo mechanism responsive to a data signal from said controller to move said mirror outwardly to an outward position from said inward position to permit an operator to view said object outside the normal field of vision;
maintaining said mirror outward position for a predetermined period of time based upon hysteresis developed by said detector after said object has moved from detector;
actuating said servo mechanism responsive to a data signal from said controller to move said mirror from said outward position to return to said inward position upon expiration of said predetermined period of time and restore said normal field of vision to said operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, apparatus and method to automatically move a side mounted mirror on a vehicle from an inward position to an outward position in response to a signal from a detector indicative of an object outside an operator normal field of vision. The detector may be a blind spot detection system or a lane departure system, or any other system to detect vehicles in a blind spot. The system, apparatus and method further includes permitting an operator to manually actuate the movement of mirror on a vehicle to determine whether there are any objects in the operator'"'"'s normal field of vision. The systems and method may optionally include hysteresis during mirror movement.
37 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method to automatically move a side mounted mirror on a host vehicle from an inward position to an outward position in response to a signal from a detector indicative of an object outside an operator normal field of vision, comprising;
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detecting whether the object is outside the normal field of vision and transmitting a data signal from said detector to a controller indicative of the presence of the object outside the normal field of vision; actuating at least one servo mechanism responsive to a data signal from said controller to move said mirror outwardly to an outward position from said inward position to permit an operator to view said object outside the normal field of vision; maintaining said mirror outward position for a predetermined period of time based upon hysteresis developed by said detector after said object has moved from detector; actuating said servo mechanism responsive to a data signal from said controller to move said mirror from said outward position to return to said inward position upon expiration of said predetermined period of time and restore said normal field of vision to said operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification