Intelligent rear-view mirror system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764694-B2
Application number	US-201514967389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Thunder Power Hong Kong Ltd

Inventors

• Ding jia-wei

Classifications

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• B60R1/04

  mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2011/0033

  Rear-view mirrors · CPC title

• B60R2300/108

  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 title