Method and apparatus for adjusting vehicle mirrors

• US 6,176,587 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald J. Fredricks
• Original Assignee: Ronald J. Fredricks
• Inventors: Fredricks, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/379,272
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 359/843, 359/872, 359/877, 359/900, 307/10.1, 340/540, 340/555, 340/556, 362/494, 701/49
• 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: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A method and apparatus for use in locating a vehicle driver, passenger or object in the vehicle for controlling vehicle systems including the positioning of vehicle sideview mirrors in relation to the driver'"'"'s eyes to maximize the view of traffic on either side of the vehicle or the characteristics of vehicle airbag deployment. The location of a driver'"'"'s or passenger'"'"'s eyes or the location of an infant'"'"'s seat is derived from the adjustment by the driver (or passenger, if capable of doing so) of adjustable light beam(s) emanating from light source(s) or illuminated indicia, until it (or they) intersect the driver'"'"'s or passenger'"'"'s eyes or illuminate a target, e.g. a child or an infant'"'"'s seat, in the front passenger'"'"'s seat. From the angles of adjustment of the light beam(s) and other known coordinates of the vehicle, the location of the driver'"'"'s or passenger'"'"'s eyes or the target may be computationally derived as a set of Cartesian coordinates. The determined eye location of the driver may be used together with the known mounting locations of the driver'"'"'s and passenger'"'"'s sideview mirror assemblies to derive exterior sideview mirror pitch and azimuth adjustment signal sets correlated to the vehicle blind spots. The adjustment signals are applied to servo motors operating in a feedback control loop to correct the actual driver'"'"'s side and passenger'"'"'s side sideview mirror pitch and azimuth settings to properly reflect images of the driver'"'"'s side and passenger'"'"'s side vehicle blind spots to the driver'"'"'s eyes. The determined eye locations of the driver and passenger or the target location of the infant'"'"'s seat may be also or alternatively employed in the control of the airbag deployment system and in other vehicle safety and comfort systems. The relative fore-aft distance away from the airbag and the height of the person or target can be computed, and airbag deployment force and/or duration adjusted to compensate for deviation from the standard height and fore-aft distance.

Claims

1. In a vehicle operated by a driver and having a plurality of vehicle mirrors comprising a first vehicle mirror and at least one further vehicle mirror, a method of adjusting the plurality of vehicle mirrors to reflect rearward views to the driver'"'"'s eyes comprising the steps of:

detecting an action of the driver related to the desirability of adjusting the vehicle mirrors;

issuing a prompt in response to the detected action of the driver that prompts the driver to adjust the first vehicle mirror,

indicating to the driver when the first vehicle mirror is correctly adjusted to reflect the optimal rearward view to the driver'"'"'s eyes;

determining a mirror adjustment signal for each further vehicle mirror from the adjustment of the first vehicle mirror; and

adjusting each further vehicle mirror using the determined mirror adjustment signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the adjustment of any vehicle mirror by the driver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting a change in the driver'"'"'s seat position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the starting of a vehicle engine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle mirror comprises an interior rearview mirror and the issuing step further comprises the step of:

issuing a prompt that prompts the driver to adjust the interior rearview mirror until an indication of correct adjustment is indicated to the driver.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a light source at a vehicle light source position-that is selectively energizable to emit a light beam in an adjustable light beam direction; and

wherein;

the issuing step further comprises the steps of;

energizing the light source in response to the detected action of the driver; and

prompting the driver to adjust the light beam direction until the light beam is visible to the driver'"'"'s eyes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a light source at a vehicle light source position that is selectively energizable to emit a light beam in a light beam direction that is deflectable with adjustment of the first vehicle mirror; and

wherein;

the issuing step further comprises the steps of;

energizing the light source; and

prompting the driver to adjust the first vehicle mirror until the light beam is visible to the driver'"'"'s eves;

the indicating step further comprises deflecting the light beam into the driver'"'"'s eyes upon adjustment of the first vehicle mirror to a mirror adjustment that reflects the optimal rearward view; and

the step of determining mirror adjustment signals further comprises determining a mirror adjustment signal for each further vehicle mirror from the adjustment of the first vehicle mirror when the light beam is visible to the driver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle mirrors include an interior rearview mirror and the first vehicle mirror is the interior rearview mirror.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting a change in the driver'"'"'s seat position.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the starting of a vehicle engine.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the adjustment of any of the plurality of vehicle mirrors by the driver.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the prompting means further comprises a light source at a vehicle light source position that is energized in response to the detected action of the driver to emit a light beam in an adjustable light beam direction; and

the indicating means further comprises means for deflecting the light beam until the light beam is visible to the driver.

13. In a vehicle operated by a driver and having a plurality of vehicle mirrors comprising a first vehicle mirror and at least one further vehicle mirror, apparatus for adjusting the plurality of vehicle mirrors to reflect rearward views to the driver'"'"'s eyes comprising:

means for detecting an action of the driver related to the desirability of adjusting the vehicle mirrors;

prompting means responsive to the detected action for issuing a prompt to the driver to adjust the first vehicle mirror;

means for indicating to the driver when the first vehicle mirror is correctly adjusted to reflect an optimal rearward view to the driver'"'"'s eyes;

means for determining a mirror adjustment signal for each further vehicle mirror from the adjustment of the first vehicle mirror; and

means for adjusting each further vehicle mirror using the determined mirror adjustment signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting the adjustment of any of the plurality of vehicle mirrors by the driver.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting a change in the driver'"'"'s seat position.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting the starting of a vehicle engine.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first vehicle mirror comprises an interior rearview mirror and the prompting means further comprises means for issuing a prompt that prompts the driver to adjust the interior rearview mirror until an indication of correct adjustment is indicated to the driver by the indicating means.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the prompting means further comprises a light source that emits a light beam in response to the detected action of the driver;

the indicating means further comprises means for deflecting the light beam by adjustment of the first vehicle mirror until the light beam is visible to the driver; and

the determining means further comprises means for determining a mirror adjustment signal for each further vehicle mirror from the adjustment of the first vehicle mirror when the light beam is visible to the driver.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the vehicle mirrors include an interior rearview mirror and the first vehicle mirror is the interior rearview mirror.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting the adjustment of any of the plurality of vehicle mirrors by the driver.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting a change in the driver'"'"'s seat position.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the detecting means further comprises means for detecting the starting of a vehicle engine.