Intelligent rear-view mirror system

• US 9,764,694 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power Hong Kong Limited (Thunder Power Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ding, Jia-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAPODAS, DRAMOS
• Application Number:
  US14/967,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/108 using 'non-standard' camera systems, e.g. camera sensor used for additional purposes i.a. rain sensor, camera sensor split in multiple image areas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/80 characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

Described herein is a rear view mirror system that is configured to adjust to a user'"'"'s position without direct user interaction. In some embodiments, a camera may be included in the rear view mirror system so that its line of sight is perpendicular to a reflective surface. The camera may capture a digital image of the user. Eye patterns may be identified from the image information to determine an appropriate position for the mirror. In some embodiments, the mirror may be repositioned so that the camera'"'"'s line of sight is directed halfway between the identified eye information and the center of a rear window. In some embodiments, the mirror may be re-adjusted periodically.

Claims

1. A rear view mirror apparatus, comprising:

a mirror housing;

two reflective surfaces, one of which is a semi-transparent reflective surface;

two camera devices configured to capture image information, a first camera device configured to capture image information in night conditions and a second camera device configured to capture image information in day conditions, each of the two camera devices positioned perpendicular to a different reflective surface of the two reflective surfaces, wherein either the first camera device or the second camera device is activated based on a level of light entering the mirror housing indicating day conditions or night conditions, and wherein the image information is captured by the activated camera device and includes at least a portion of an image of the driver;

a processor device configured to identify an appropriate position for one of the reflective surfaces based at least in part on the captured image information; and

a first actuation device configured to rotate the one of the reflective surfaces within the mirror housing in accordance with instructions received from the processor device; and

a second actuation device configured to rotate the mirror housing based at least in part on the identified appropriate position; and

, wherein

the processor is further configured to effectuate adjustment of a first mirror surface through the first and second actuation devices so that a focus of the first of two camera devices is located halfway between the location of the eye of the driver and the default position within the image information, wherein the one of two camera devices is positioned perpendicular to the first mirror surface and a second of the two camera devices is positioned perpendicular to a second mirror surface.

2. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is located within the mirror housing, behind the reflective surface.

3. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface other than the semi-transparent reflective surface is configured to reflect light away from the driver.

4. The rear view mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the captured image information includes an image of at least one eye.

5. A method comprising:

determining, based on a level of light entering a mirror housing indicating a day condition or a night condition, a first of two camera devices to be activated;

receiving, from the first of two camera devices, image information including at least a partial image of a driver;

identifying, using one or more image processing techniques, a location of an eye of the driver from the received image information;

determining a location of the eye of the driver with respect to a default position within the received image information; and

adjusting a first mirror surface so that a focus of the first of two camera devices is located halfway between the location of the eye of the driver and the default position within the image information, wherein the one of two camera devices is positioned perpendicular to the first mirror surface and a second of the two camera devices is positioned perpendicular to a second mirror surface.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an updated image information;

determining that the location of the eye of the driver has changed in the updated image information; and

re-adjusting the mirror surface so that the focus of the camera device is located halfway between the location of the eye of the driver and the default position within the image information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the updated image information is received on a periodic basis.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the mirror surface is positioned such that an axis perpendicular to the mirror surface bisects the location of the eye of the driver and the default position.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the location of the eye of the driver is identified by matching patterns in the image information with at least one stored eye pattern.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the default position is the center of a rear window of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle rear-view mirror system, comprising:

a mirror housing;

a mirror unit configured to rest within the mirror housing, the mirror unit including;

a semi-transparent first reflective surface;

a second reflective surface angularly offset from the semi-transparent first reflective surface;

a first camera device positioned perpendicular to the first reflective surface; and

a second camera device positioned perpendicular to the second reflective surface;

a first actuation device configured to rotate the mirror unit within the mirror housing;

a processor device; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor device, cause the system to, at least;

determine, based on a level of light entering the mirror housing indicating a day condition or a night condition, one of either the first camera device or the second camera device to be activated;

capture, via the determined one of the first camera device or the second camera device, image information related to a driver;

determine, from the image information, a degree of rotation determined to bisect a default position of the mirror housing and a facial feature identified in the image information; and

provide, to the first actuation device, instructions to rotate the mirror unit within the mirror housing such that one of the first reflective surface or the second reflective surface is at the determined degree of rotation.

12. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 11, wherein the first actuation device is a servomotor.

13. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second actuation device configured to rotate the mirror housing; and

wherein the instructions further cause the system to at least;

determine, from the image information, a second degree of rotation; and

provide, to the second actuation device, instructions to rotate the mirror housing such that the at least one reflective surface is at the determined second degree of rotation.

14. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 11, wherein image information captured by the first camera device is used to determine the degree of rotation for the semi-transparent first reflective surface.

15. The vehicle rear-view mirror system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executed upon detecting a repositioning event.