Auto-adjusting side-view mirrors

• US 9,919,652 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dupuis, Michael, Orris, David Joseph, Lorenzo, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/146,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20170320439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49, 349843, 359841, 359872, 359881
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors

Abstract

A vehicle side-view mirror control system includes a pair of extendable side-view mirrors and a controller configured to receive and store one or more trailer identifying indicia and one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations. The controller is configured to control translation of at least one of the pair of side-view mirrors to a one of the one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations according to the one or more stored trailer identifying indicia. The one or more trailer identifying indicia define or identify a specific trailer having been previously towed by the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle side-view mirror control system, comprising:

a pair of extendable side-view mirrors; and

a controller configured to receive and store one or more trailer identifying indicia that each define a specific trailer having been previously towed by the vehicle and one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations that each include a side-view mirror extension length;

wherein the controller is configured to control translation of at least one of the pair of side-view mirrors to the side-view mirror extension length that corresponds to the one or more stored trailer identifying indicia.

2. The side-view mirror control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively linked to at least one motor which drives the translation of the at least one of the pair of extendable side-view mirrors to the one of the predetermined configurations.

3. The side-view mirror control system of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations includes both the side-view mirror extension length and a side-view mirror reflective surface orientation.

4. The side-view mirror control system of claim 3, wherein the side-view mirror reflective surface orientation is determined according to the side-view mirror extension length.

5. The side-view mirror control system of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations are further keyed to a vehicle occupant identity.

6. The side-view mirror control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the one or more predetermined trailer identifying indicia by way of a communication between the trailer and the vehicle when the trailer is attached to the vehicle.

7. The side-view mirror control system of claim 6, wherein the communication is by a wired connection or is a wireless communication.

8. A vehicle including the side-view mirror control system of claim 1.

9. The side-view mirror control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control translation of the at least one of the pair of side-view mirrors to a second, different predetermined extension length that corresponds to the one or more trailer identifying indicia in response to detecting a different vehicle occupant operating the vehicle.

10. A method for controlling a vehicle extendable side-view mirror, comprising:

communicating one or more trailer identifying indicia to a controller associated with the vehicle, wherein each of the one or more trailer identifying indicia define a specific trailer having been previously towed by the vehicle; and

by the controller, translating at least one of a pair of extendable side-view mirrors to a predetermined extension length that corresponds to the one or more communicated trailer identifying indicia.

11. The method of claim 10, including operatively linking the controller to at least one motor which drives the translation of the at least one of the pair of extendable side-view mirrors to the predetermined configuration.

12. The method of claim 10, including translating the at least one of the pair of extendable side-view mirrors to the predetermined extension length and to a side-view mirror reflective surface orientation.

13. The method of claim 12, including determining the side-view mirror reflective surface orientation according to the side-view mirror extension length.

14. The method of claim 10, including further determining the predetermined configuration according to a vehicle occupant identity.

15. The method of claim 10, including determining, by the controller, the one or more communicated trailer identifying indicia by way of a communication between the trailer and the vehicle when the trailer is attached to the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, including providing the communication between the trailer and the vehicle by a wired connection or as a wireless communication.

17. The method of claim 10, comprising translating the at least one of the pair of extendable side-view mirrors to a second, different predetermined extension length that corresponds to the one or more trailer identifying indicia in response to detecting a different vehicle occupant operating the vehicle.

18. A vehicle side-view mirror control system, comprising:

a pair of extendable side-view mirrors;

a controller configured to receive and store one or more trailer identifying indicia that each define a specific trailer having been previously towed by the vehicle and one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations that each include a side-view mirror extension length; and

at least one motor operatively linked to the controller and to the pair of extendable side-view mirrors;

wherein the controller is configured to, by the at least one motor, control translation of the pair of side-view mirrors to the side-view mirror extension length that corresponds to the one or more stored trailer identifying indicia.

19. The side-view mirror control system of claim 18, wherein the one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations includes the side-view mirror extension length and a side-view mirror reflective surface orientation.

20. The side-view mirror control system of claim 18, wherein the one or more predetermined extendable side-view mirror configurations are further keyed to a vehicle occupant identity.