Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle exterior mirrors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016107579-A1
Application number	US-201414518227-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for controlling retractable exterior mirrors of a vehicle including an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system includes retracting one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates a likelihood of collision between the one of the retractable exterior mirrors and a remote object and extending the retracted exterior mirror when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates no likelihood of collision. One of the exterior mirrors retracts in response to opening an extra-vehicle door and extends in response to closing said extra-vehicle door.

First claim

1 . A method for controlling retractable exterior mirrors of a vehicle including an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system, comprising:
retracting, by a controller, one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates a likelihood of collision between the one of the exterior mirrors and a remote object; extending the one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates no likelihood of collision between the retracted exterior mirror and the remote object; retracting one of the exterior mirrors in response to opening an extra-vehicle door; and extending the retracted exterior mirror in response to closing said extra-vehicle door.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising retracting the one of the exterior mirrors only when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates the likelihood of collision between one of the retractable exterior mirrors and the remote object with the vehicle operating at low speed.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising overriding the retracting of the one of the exterior mirrors.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising extending the one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates no likelihood of collision between the retracted exterior mirror and the remote object only when the vehicle is operating at low speed.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising overriding the extending of the one of the exterior mirrors.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein retracting one of the exterior mirrors in response to opening an extra-vehicle door further comprises retracting one of the exterior mirrors in response to the opening of the extra-vehicle door when an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates a likelihood of collision between the one of the exterior mirrors and a remote object.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extending the retracted exterior mirrors in response to closing said extra-vehicle door further comprises extending the retracted exterior mirrors in response to closing said extra-vehicle door only when an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates no likelihood of collision between one of the exterior mirrors and a remote object.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system comprises an ultrasonic device configured to locate the remote object.

9 . A method for controlling retractable exterior mirrors on a vehicle including an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system, comprising:
indicating, by the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system, an imminent collision between one of the exterior mirrors and a remote object during low-speed vehicle operation and retracting the one of the exterior mirrors in response to said indicating; and extending the retracted one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system discontinues indicating a likelihood of collision between the exterior mirrors in the extended state and the remote object.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising retracting the exterior mirrors in response to opening an extra-vehicle access door; and
extending the exterior mirrors in response to closing said extra-vehicle access door.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
retracting, by a controller, exterior mirrors when a likelihood of collision is indicated by the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system and subsequently extending the retracted exterior mirrors when no likelihood of collision is indicated by the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system; and retracting the exterior mirrors in response to opening an extra-vehicle door and extending the retracted exterior mirrors in response to closing said extra-vehicle door.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising retracting the exterior mirrors only when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates likelihood of collision between one of the retractable exterior mirrors and the remote object with the vehicle operating at low speed.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising overriding the retracting of the one of the exterior mirrors.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising overriding the extending of the one of the exterior mirrors.

15 . A vehicle system, comprising:
retractable exterior mirrors; an on-vehicle spatial monitoring system; and a controller operative to:
retract one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates a likelihood of collision between the one of the exterior mirrors and a remote object;
extend the one of the exterior mirrors when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates no likelihood of collision between the retracted exterior mirror and the remote object;
retract one of the exterior mirrors responsive to opening an extra-vehicle door; and
extend the retracted exterior mirror responsive to closing said extra-vehicle door.

16 . The vehicle system of claim 15 , further comprising the controller operative to retract the exterior mirrors only when the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system indicates likelihood of collision between one of the retractable exterior mirrors and the remote object with the vehicle operating at low speed.

17 . The vehicle system of claim 15 , further comprising the controller operative to notify the vehicle operator of a pending retraction of one of the exterior mirrors.

18 . The vehicle system of claim 17 , further comprising the controller operative to override the retraction of one of the exterior mirrors responsive to an operator request.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the on-vehicle spatial monitoring system comprises an ultrasonic device configured to locate the remote object.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Quinn James F

Classifications

• B60R1/074 Primary

  for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2001/1284

  with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems · CPC title

• B60R1/12

  Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks · CPC title

• B60R2001/1223

  with sensors or transducers · CPC title