VEHICLE MIRROR ADJUSTMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20110122520A1
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Verheyden, Karl Frans Mario
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0607 with remote position control adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/062 with remote control for adjusting position B60R1/0607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system of automatically adjusting a mirror (14, 16, 18) in a vehicle (10) to provide a driver (1) with an optimized rear view. A camera (24, 26, 28) is provided that is directed at the adjustable mirror (14, 16, 18). A camera capture area (60) is defined in the adjustable mirror (14, 16, 18), and the mirror (14, 16, 18) is automatically adjusted until the eyes (50) of the driver (1) are captured by the camera (24, 26, 28) within the capture area (60).

Claims

1. A method of automatically adjusting a mirror in a vehicle to provide a driver with an optimized rear view, the method comprising:

providing a camera directed at the mirror;

defining a camera capture area in the mirror; and

adjusting the mirror until the eyes of the driver are captured by the camera within the capture area.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of defining the camera capture area comprises:

manually adjusting the mirror;

detecting, with said camera, a position of the eyes of the driver in the manually adjusted mirror; and

defining the camera capture area around the detected position of the eyes.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises repeating the steps of adjusting the mirror position and checking if the eyes of the driver are within the capture area until said eyes are captured within the capture area.

4. A method according to any of claim 1, wherein said adjusting step is executed when the driver is looking into the adjustable mirror.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mirror is located inside the vehicle, the method further comprising the steps of:

defining an optimal position of a border in a further capture area of the camera;

detecting the border of the adjustable mirror; and

adjusting the mirror to bring the border in the defined optimal position.

6. A mirror adjustment system comprising:

a camera having an output;

a processor having an input coupled to the camera output, said processor comprising object recognition algorithms for detecting the eyes of a driver in a defined capture area of a vehicle mirror, detecting a border of the adjustable mirror with said camera, and having an output for providing a signal for adjusting the mirror in response to said object recognition algorithms.

7. A mirror adjustment system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is arranged to define the capture area in response to a manual adjustment of the mirror.

8. A mirror adjustment system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is responsive to a driver looking into the vehicle mirror.

9. A mirror adjustment system according to claim 6, wherein the mirror is a mirror internal to the vehicle, and wherein the processor is arranged to:

define an optimal position of said border in the capture area of the camera;

detect the border of the mirror; and

adjust the mirror to bring the border in the defined optimal position.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a mirror adjustment system according to claim 6; and

an adjustable mirror, wherein the camera is directed at the adjustable mirror, and the adjustable mirror is coupled to the output of the processor.

11. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the mirror is an external wing mirror, and wherein the camera is located on the outside of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the mirror is an external wing mirror, and wherein the camera is located on the inside of the vehicle, said camera being directed at the mirror through a window of the vehicle.

13. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of adjustable mirrors and the mirror adjustment system comprises a respective camera for each adjustable mirror.