AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER FOR POWERED RETRACTABLE SUN VISOR

• US 20110098894A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Zeng, Shuqing, Naik, Sanjeev M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0204 Sun visors

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a vehicle sun visor that uses commonly existing onboard sensors and systems to provide all necessary inputs. The method uses GPS and solar almanac data to determine the location of the sun relative to the vehicle, driver side view mirror angle data to determine the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes within the vehicle, and an existing outside light metering device to determine whether the sun is actually shining on the vehicle, and uses this information to calculate the optimum position of the sun visor. If a forward-looking camera is available on the vehicle, camera images can be used to improve the estimate of the sun position relative to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for automatically controlling a vehicle sun blocker, said method comprising:

determining the position of the sun relative to the vehicle;

estimating the position of eyes of a vehicle driver; and

deploying the sun blocker in a position between the sun and the driver'"'"'s eyes.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring the intensity of sun light on the vehicle, determining whether the vehicle is in a sunny location or a shaded location, and deploying the sun blocker only if the vehicle is in a sunny location.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein estimating the position of the vehicle driver'"'"'s eyes includes using an angular position of a driver side view mirror.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein estimating the position of the vehicle driver'"'"'s eyes includes using images from a driver-viewing camera.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining the position of the sun relative to the vehicle includes using information from a global positioning system receiver and a solar almanac database.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein determining the position of the sun relative to the vehicle also uses information from a forward-looking camera onboard the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein determining the position of the sun relative to the vehicle includes using a Kalman filtering routine.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising allowing the vehicle driver to manually override the position of the sun blocker.

9. The method according the claim 1 further comprising using information from a previous driver imposed sun blocker position to update the position of the sun blocker.

10. A system for automatically controlling a sun blocker for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a solar position estimator for estimating the position of the sun relative to the vehicle;

a driver'"'"'s eye position estimator for estimating the position of eyes of a driver within the vehicle;

a shade detection module for determining whether the vehicle is currently in a sunny location or a shaded location;

a controller for determining a location to position the sun blocker in response to inputs from the solar position estimator, the driver'"'"'s eye position estimator, and the shade detection module; and

an actuator for positioning the sun blocker as determined by the controller.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the driver'"'"'s eye position estimator receives input from either a driver side view mirror position encoder or a driver-viewing camera.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the solar position estimator receives input from a Global Positioning System receiver and a solar almanac database.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the solar position estimator receives additional input from a forward-looking camera.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the solar position estimator uses the input from a Global Positioning System receiver and a solar almanac database and the input from a forward-looking camera in a Kalman filtering algorithm to determine the solar position.

15. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a learning module, said learning module using information about a driver imposed sun blocker position to revise the location to position the sun blocker as determined by the controller.

16. The system according to claim 10 wherein the sun blocker is a mechanical sun visor.

17. The system according to claim 10 wherein the sun blocker is an electro-chromic glass shading system.

18. A system for automatically controlling a vehicle sun blocker, said system comprising:

a solar position estimator which uses Global Positioning System data and a solar almanac database to determine the position of the sun relative to the vehicle;

a driver'"'"'s eye position estimator which uses data from a driver side view mirror position encoder to estimate the location of a driver'"'"'s eyes;

a shade detection module which uses solar irradiation intensity data to determine whether the vehicle is in a sunny location or a shaded location;

a controller for determining a location to position the sun blocker in response to inputs from the solar position estimator, the driver'"'"'s eye position estimator, and the shade detection module; and

an actuator for positioning the sun blocker as determined by the controller.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the solar position estimator uses additional input from a forward-looking camera and uses the Global Positioning System data, the solar almanac database, and the input from a forward-looking camera in a Kalman filtering algorithm to determine the solar position.

20. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a learning module, said learning module using information about a driver imposed sun blocker position to revise the location to position the sun blocker as determined by the controller.