System and method that minimizes hazards of blind spots while driving

• US 9,139,135 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Musaid A. Assaf
• Original Assignee: Musaid A. Assaf
• Inventors: Assaf, Musaid A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): SLATER, ALISON T
• Application Number:
  US13/606,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 340/435
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/34 Blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A blind-spot detection and collision avoidance system and method employ a blind-spot camera located between a side-view mirror and an automobile body. A rear view mirror has an integrated display that displays an indication of objects detected in blind spots. Side and rear view cameras are also included and images captured by these cameras are used to track objects as they are moved about the perimeter of the driver'"'"'s automobile. Additional sensors are used to detect when the automobile is expected to change lanes so the collision avoidance system may be activated.

Claims

1. A blind-spot detection and collision avoidance system for an automobile comprising:

a blind-spot camera integrated into a side-view mirror assembly between a side-view mirror and a driver-side of the automobile adjacent to a driver-side window, said blind-spot camera being oriented by greater than 180°

relative to said side-view mirror so as to provide a different visual operating range than said side view mirror;

a rear view mirror assembly that includes a mirrored portion and a display portion, said display portion configured to present a visual representation of an object detected in a blind spot covered by the visual operating range of the blind-spot camera;

a tracking processor that receives an image captured by the blind-spot camera, said tracking processor including

an object detector configured to detect the object when the object is positioned within a field of view of the blind-spot camera and within a predetermined range from the blind-spot camera, and

a display processor that sends a display signal to the display portion of the rear view mirror assembly in response to the object detector determining that the object is detected to be in the blind spot; and

a rear camera disposed on a back side of said automobile and having a field of view that is directed behind the automobile, said rear camera configured to generate a rear-looking image that is provided to the object detector, wherein said tracking processor receives the rear-looking image and said object detector determines whether the object is detected behind the automobile, and

said display processor includes in the display signal an indication that another object is located behind the automobile so as to be visually presented on the display portion,

said object detector is responsive to an external signal indicating that the automobile is preparing to change driving lanes,

the tracking processor includes an angle rate of change processor that monitors a rate of change of the another object as the another object moves through the field of view of the rear camera and triggers a process to observe said another object in the image of the side tracking camera, and

the angle rate of change processor generates an alert signal when an observed rate of change is at least 10°

per second.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

the display portion of the rear view mirror assembly includes a footprint of the automobile, and the display processor includes location information in the display signal so the display portion can display the representation of the object at a position around the footprint as a visual indication of where the object is positioned with respect to the automobile.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a turn signal detector that generates the external signal when activated so as to place the object detector in an active mode.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a head movement detector that detects a movement of a head of a driver and generates the external signal when the head is detected as being in a predetermined position so as to place the object detector in an active mode.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an eye movement detector that detects an eye movement of a driver and generates the external signal when the eye movement is detected as being at least a predetermined amount so as to place the object detector in an active mode.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a tactile transducer that receives a signal from the tracking processor when the object detector is in an active mode and detects the object, said tactile transducer being attached to at least one of a steering wheel of the automobile and a driver seat of the automobile as a tactile warning of a possible collision if the automobile continues to change driving lanes.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio alert mechanism that receives a signal from the tracking processor when the object detector is in an active mode and detects the object, said audio alert mechanism generates an audible signal as a warning of a possible collision if the automobile continues to change driving lanes.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a side tracking camera that has a field of view oriented perpendicular to a driver side of the automobile, wherein

said tracking processor receives an image captured by the side view camera,

said object detector determines whether the object is detected in the blind spot by analyzing the image from the blind-spot camera and the side-tracking camera.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein

the object detector detects the object as being in the blind-spot when the object occupies at least one of 25% to 100% of the field of view of the blind-spot camera, 30% to 100% of the field of view of the side tracking camera, and 45% to 100% of a combined field of view of the blind-spot camera and the side tracking camera.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a passenger blind spot camera and a passenger tracking camera that respectively provide images to the object detector.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the display portion of the rear view mirror assembly is not a mirrored surface, and is disposed at a side of a mirrored surface portion of the rear view mirror assembly.