Methods and apparatus for automating the adjustment of rearview mirrors

• US 5,706,144 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bertil A. Brandin
• Original Assignee: Bertil A. Brandin
• Inventors: Brandin, Bertil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US08/475,910
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 359/843, 359/877, 359/900, 307/10.1, 318/568.1, 318/568.13, 318/568.16, 318/568.19, 318/568.21, 348/118, 348/135, 348/139, 348/148, 348/164, 364/424.05
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for automating the orientation of a selected mirror mounted on a vehicle. The apparatus includes location apparatus for sensing the location of the driver'"'"'s eyes, a computer controller, and a mirror positioning mechanism. The location apparatus may include various types of distance sensors and orientation detectors. The controller determines the desired orientation of the selected mirror based upon the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes, known vehicle parameters and vision parameters, and generates control signals. The mirror positioning mechanism receives the control signals and positions the mirror in response thereto. The subject method includes the steps of determining the coordinates of the eyes of an individual using the mirror, determining the desired orientation of the mirror based upon these coordinates and the center point of the mirror and the reflected sightline vector, and then adjusting the orientation of one or more selected mirrors to enable the individual to see a pre-selected reflected sightline.

Claims

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle mirror system which automatically adjusts sideview mirrors based upon an adjustment of a central interior mirror, said method comprising:

orienting a movable central mirror for central rearview visibility by a motor vehicle driver seat occupant so that a desired central rearview light ray reflected from the central mirror is directed towards the eyes of the driver seat occupant and towards a pivot point behind the eyes about which the occupant'"'"'s head pivots to view the central mirror and the sideview mirrors;

detecting the orientation of said central mirror;

generating orientation electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said movable central mirror;

utilizing said orientation electrical signals to determine a general location of the pivot point about which the occupant'"'"'s head pivots to view the central mirror and the sideview mirrors;

generating control signals based upon the determined location of said pivot point of the occupant'"'"'s head;

automatically orienting sideview mirrors for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle based upon said control signals, said sideview mirrors being oriented to reflect prescribed sideview light rays toward said pivot point to enable side rearview vision of said light rays when the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head is pivoted to view said sideview mirrors.

2. A method for operating a mirror system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the approximate distance between said central mirror and said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head;

generating electrical signals based upon the detected approximate distance between said central mirror and said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head;

utilizing said electrical signals based upon the detected approximate distance between said central mirror and said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head to derive said control signals.

3. A method for operating a mirror system for a motor vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing said orientation electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said movable central mirror to determine the direction of a vector normal to a surface of said central mirror;

utilizing i) a predetermined reflected sightline vector extending from a central point of the central mirror along a preselected optical path for central rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant, and ii) said vector normal to the surface of said central mirror, and iii) the detected approximate distance between said central mirror and said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head to derive an approximate length and direction of a vector extending between said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head and said central point of the central mirror so as to determine said approximate location of said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head;

utilizing the determined approximate location of said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head in accomplishing the step of automatically orienting said sideview mirrors for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle.

4. A method for operating a mirror system for a motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the step of utilizing the determined approximate location of said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head in accomplishing the step of automatically orienting said sideview mirrors comprises:

determining the approximate direction of vectors extending between said pivot point and a central point of each of said sideview mirrors; and

utilizing i) said approximated vectors extending between said pivot point and a central point of each of said sideview mirrors, ii) predetermined reflected sightline vectors each respectively extending from a central point of one of said sideview mirrors along a preselected optical path for side rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant to derive respective vector directions normal to the respective surfaces of said sideview mirrors; and

utilizing said vector directions normal to the respective surfaces of said sideview mirrors to derive said orientation of the sideview mirrors for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle.

5. A method for operating a mirror system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing said orientation electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said movable central mirror to determine the direction of a vector normal to a surface of said central mirror;

utilizing i) a predetermined reflected sightline vector extending from a central point of the central mirror along a preselected optical path for central rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant, and ii) said vector normal to the surface of said central mirror, and iii) an assumed lateral position of said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head to derive an approximated length and direction of a vector extending between said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head and said central point of the central mirror so as to determine the approximate location of said pivot point;

utilizing the determined approximate location of said pivot point in accomplishing the step of automatically orienting said sideview mirrors for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle.

6. A method for operating a mirror system for a motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the step of utilizing the determined approximate location of said pivot point of the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head in accomplishing the step of automatically orienting said sideview mirrors comprises:

determining an approximated direction of vectors extending between said pivot point of the driver'"'"'s head and a central point of each of said sideview mirrors; and

utilizing i) said vectors approximately extending between said pivot point and a central point of each of said sideview mirrors, and ii) predetermined reflected sightline vectors each respectively extending from a central point of one of said sideview mirrors along a preselected optical path for side rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant to derive respective vector directions normal to the respective surfaces of said sideview mirrors; and

utilizing said vector directions normal to the respective surfaces of said sideview mirrors to derive said orientation of the sideview mirrors for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle.

7. A method for operating mirror system for a motor vehicle comprising:

orienting a movable central mirror for optimal central rearview visibility by a driver seat vehicle occupant;

detecting the orientation of said central mirror;

generating electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said movable central mirror;

orienting a driver'"'"'s sideview mirror disposed on the exterior driver'"'"'s side of the motor vehicle for optimal rearview visibility by the driver at the driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle;

detecting the orientation of said driver'"'"'s sideview mirror;

generating electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said driver'"'"'s sideview mirror;

utilizing said central mirror orientation electrical signals and said sideview mirror orientation electrical signals to determine a general location of the pivot point about which said occupant'"'"'s head pivots to view said central mirror and said driver'"'"'s side mirror;

generating control signals based upon the determined location of said pivot point of said occupant'"'"'s head and

automatically orienting said passenger'"'"'s sideview mirror for rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at said passenger'"'"'s side of the motor vehicle based upon said control signals.

8. A motor vehicle mirror system for automatically adjusting sideview mirrors for prescribed side rearview visibility of a motor vehicle driver seat occupant based upon a adjustment of a central interior mirror, said mirror system comprising:

a central interior mirror constructed and arranged to be oriented by a motor vehicle driver seat occupant for central rearview visibility;

sideview mirrors disposed on opposite exterior sides of the motor vehicle and being adjustable for rearview visibility at opposite sides of the motor vehicle;

an orientation detector operatively connected with said central mirror and being constructed and arranged to detect the orientation of said central mirror and to generate electrical signals indicative of the detected orientation of said central mirror;

an electronic controller electrically connected with said orientation detector for utilizing (i) an assumed distance between a center point of the central mirror and an imaginary plane extending in a longitudinal direction with respect to the motor vehicle and passing through a single point within the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head about which the occupant'"'"'s head pivots to view said central mirror and said sideview mirrors, and (ii) said electrical signals generated by said orientation detector, to approximate a three dimensional location for said single point, said electronic controller generating controller output signals based upon said approximate three dimensional location of said single point; and

electrically operated motor mechanisms each connected with a respective one of said sideview mirrors, said motor mechanisms being responsive to said controller output signals to orient said sideview mirrors for side rearview visibility by the driver seat occupant at opposite sides of the motor vehicle based upon said approximate location of said single point about which the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head pivots, said motor mechanisms orienting said sideview mirrors to reflect prescribed side rearview light rays towards said single point within the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head to enable side rearview vision of said light rays when the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head is pivoted to view said sideview mirrors.

9. A mirror system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said imaginary plane extending in said longitudinal direction and passing through said single point within the driver seat occupant'"'"'s head is assumed to be coincident with an imaginary plane extending in said longitudinal direction and passing through a center of the driver seat, so that said assumed distance is taken as a distance between the center point of the central mirror and the imaginary plane extending in said longitudinal direction and passing through the center of the driver seat.

10. A mirror system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an activation switch for selectively enabling and disabling said electronic controller.

11. A mirror system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electronic controller comprises a microcomputer having a microprocessor, a RAM memory, and a ROM memory.

12. A mirror system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the microprocessor comprises means for determining an angle formed between said prescribed rearview light rays and vectors between said single point and the center points of the respective sideview mirrors, and wherein said microprocessor generates said output signals based upon said angle.