Electronic rearview mirror control method and device, electronic rearview mirror and program product

Abstract

The invention is suitable for the technical field of automotive electronics, and provides an electronic rearview mirror control method and device, an electronic rearview mirror and a program product. The electronic rearview mirror control method comprises the steps that if it is detected that an electronic rearview mirror of a vehicle is abnormal, a display screen of the electronic rearview mirror is controlled to be switched from a display mode to a mirror face mode; and in the mirror surface mode, the display screen serves as a physical mirror surface to reflect and display a side rear picture of the vehicle. According to the invention, the hardware cost, the size and the complexity can be reduced while the accident risk is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of automotive electronics technology, and in particular relates to an electronic rearview mirror control method, device, electronic rearview mirror and program product. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic rearview mirrors, as a replacement for traditional optical rearview mirrors, are widely used in modern vehicles. They capture the scene to the side and rear of the vehicle using cameras, optimize the image through an image processing unit, and display the image in real time on a screen. This design reduces blind spots, improves aerodynamics, and supports advanced features such as night vision or obstacle warning. However, when an electronic rearview mirror malfunctions, the driver will not be able to access the image, potentially leading to traffic accidents. Traditional solutions often employ redundancy, such as adding a backup camera or a backup display, but this increases hardware cost, size, and complexity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides an electronic rearview mirror control method, device, electronic rearview mirror, and program product, which can reduce the risk of accidents while reducing hardware costs, size, and complexity.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electronic rearview mirror control method, including: If an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror is switched from display mode to mirror mode; in mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle.

[0005] In this embodiment, by controlling the display screen to switch from display mode to mirror mode when an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen can act as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle when the electronic rearview mirror is abnormal. This side and rear view is the real scene directly reflected by the display screen as a physical mirror. Therefore, when the electronic rearview mirror is abnormal, the display screen can continuously provide the driver with a side and rear view by acting as a physical mirror, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. Moreover, there is no need to add hardware devices such as backup cameras or backup displays, which reduces hardware costs, size and complexity.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect, after controlling the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror to switch from display mode to mirror mode, the method further includes: If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have returned to normal, the display screen is controlled to switch from the mirror mode to the display mode; In the display mode, the display screen shows the electronic rearview mirror image, which is generated based on the original image captured by the camera of the electronic rearview mirror.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect, before detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, the method further includes: Automatic mode switching function; the automatic mode switching function refers to the function of controlling the display screen to switch modes by detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is abnormal.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the electronic rearview mirror control method further includes: In the display mode, if a user triggers a switch to the mirror mode, the automatic mode switching function is paused. If the user triggers a switch back to the display mode, or if the electronic rearview mirror restarts, the automatic mode switching function is restored. Alternatively, if the automatic mode switching function switches to the mirror mode based on the aforementioned mode switching function, and it is detected that the user triggers the switch to the display mode, then the automatic mode switching function is paused. If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to be restarting, the automatic mode switching function will be restored.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the display screen integrates an electrochromic layer; the method of switching the display screen from the display mode to the mirror mode includes: Send a first control signal to the driver IC of the display screen; The first control signal instructs the driver IC to disable the pixels of the display screen, causing the display screen to enter a dark state, and to activate the electrochromic layer, causing the electrochromic layer to become a mirror state; The method of switching the display screen from the mirror mode to the display mode includes: Send a second control signal to the driver IC; The second control signal instructs the driver IC to suppress the electrochromic layer, making the electrochromic layer transparent, and to reactivate the pixels of the display screen, making the display screen enter a bright state.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, after sending the first control signal to the driver IC of the display screen, the method further includes: Read the voltage feedback signal of the electrochromic layer; If the voltage feedback signal indicates that the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer meets the mirror state requirement, a prompt message is issued to indicate that the mirror mode has been switched.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the detection method for an abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror includes: If an abnormal signal is received from the SoC, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning; the abnormal signal is generated by the SoC when it detects an abnormality in the camera of the electronic rearview mirror, or when it detects a continuous loss of a certain number of frames, or when it detects that the display screen is frozen. Alternatively, when the SoC periodically outputs a pulse signal through the GPIO pin and the MCU's GPIO pin is configured in input mode, the pulse signal is detected using an interrupt or polling detection method. If the pulse signal is not detected for M consecutive times, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where M is an integer greater than 1. Alternatively, the power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror can be read. If the power supply voltage is less than a first preset value or greater than a second preset value, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where the first preset value is less than the second preset value.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic rearview mirror control device, comprising: The switching control module is used to control the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror to switch from display mode to mirror mode if an abnormality is detected in the electronic rearview mirror of the vehicle; in mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic rearview mirror, including a memory, an MCU, a display screen, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the MCU. When the MCU executes the computer program, the electronic rearview mirror implements the electronic rearview mirror control method as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a computer, implements the electronic rearview mirror control method as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0015] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when run, causes the electronic rearview mirror control method as described in any one of the first aspects above to be executed.

[0016] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an electronic rearview mirror control method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is another schematic flowchart of the electronic rearview mirror control method provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the electronic rearview mirror control device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic rearview mirror provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0020] It should be understood that, when used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or a collection thereof.

[0021] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0022] Furthermore, in the description of this application and the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0023] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0024] Electronic rearview mirrors rely on electronic devices such as cameras, processing chips, displays, and voltage. When these devices malfunction—for example, due to camera damage, software crashes, power outages, or display abnormalities—the driver will be unable to access the rearview mirror image (i.e., the view of the vehicle's sides and rear), potentially leading to traffic accidents. Traditional solutions often employ redundancy, such as adding backup cameras or displays, but this increases cost, size, and complexity.

[0025] Based on this, this application provides an electronic rearview mirror control method, device, electronic rearview mirror, and software product. In this application embodiment, by controlling the display screen to switch from display mode to mirror mode when an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen can act as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle when the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions. This side and rear view is the real scene directly reflected by the display screen as a physical mirror. Therefore, when the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions, by using the display screen as a physical mirror, it can continuously provide the driver with a side and rear view, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. Moreover, there is no need to add hardware devices such as backup cameras or backup displays, reducing hardware costs, size, and complexity.

[0026] For ease of understanding, this application describes an embodiment using an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display as an example, but this does not constitute a limitation on the type of display screen for electronic rearview mirrors.

[0027] OLED displays can use high-reflectivity switchable OLED panels. In display mode, they act as active displays, while in mirror mode, high reflectivity is achieved by controlling pixel states and surface treatment.

[0028] Optionally, the OLED display integrates an electrochromic layer or a micromirror array. When an electrochromic layer is integrated into the OLED display, the reflectivity can be controlled by applying a driving voltage to the electrochromic layer, thereby achieving mode switching. When a micromirror array is integrated into the OLED display, the reflectivity can be controlled by mechanically tilting the reflective mirrors.

[0029] Optionally, the surface of the OLED display can be hardened with a scratch-resistant coating.

[0030] Due to their high contrast, fast response speed, and controllable pixel characteristics, OLED displays can support dynamic reflection modes, making them suitable for use in mirror switching solutions for electronic rearview mirrors.

[0031] To illustrate the technical solution of this application, specific embodiments are described below.

[0032] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This illustration shows a flowchart of an electronic rearview mirror control method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to an electronic rearview mirror, specifically to a microcontroller unit (MCU) within the mirror, which also includes a display screen. As an example and not a limitation, this illustration demonstrates the application of the electronic rearview mirror control method to an MCU. Figure 1 The process shown is explained in detail. This electronic rearview mirror control method includes the following steps: Step 101: If an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror is switched from display mode to mirror mode; in mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle.

[0033] Among these, the abnormalities of the aforementioned electronic rearview mirror include, but are not limited to: interruption of the electronic rearview mirror image due to a malfunction of the electronic equipment in the electronic rearview mirror.

[0034] The above display mode is the normal operating mode of the electronic rearview mirror, used to display the electronic rearview mirror image generated from the original image captured by the camera of the electronic rearview mirror. That is, the source of the electronic rearview mirror image displayed in the display mode is the original image captured by the camera.

[0035] The image sensor of the aforementioned camera can be a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, connected to an MCU via a Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) or Serializer / Deserializer (SerDes) interface, running a Linux system. Based on this, a dual-system setup of MCU and Linux can be used for anomaly detection. The MCU's Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) monitors the camera signal voltage and the Linux watchdog heartbeat signal, while the Linux system detects video signal anomalies.

[0036] The aforementioned mirror mode is an optical mirror mode. Utilizing the special structure of the display screen, it becomes a highly reflective physical mirror. Like a traditional glass rearview mirror, it directly reflects ambient light from the sides and rear of the vehicle, thus displaying the view from that direction. In other words, the view from the sides and rear displayed in mirror mode originates from real-world physical light.

[0037] In mirror mode, the vehicle's side and rear views are displayed using only the physical reflective properties of the screen, without relying on any cameras, chips, or software. This ensures that the driver can still have a view of the side and rear even if the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions.

[0038] In this embodiment, the display mode and mirror mode are integrated on the same display screen, and the electronic rearview mirror is intelligently switched based on the abnormal detection results of the electronic rearview mirror. This provides a highly reliable, low-cost, and easily integrated electronic rearview mirror that ensures continuous side and rear visibility for the driver in abnormal situations.

[0039] In some embodiments, when an abnormality is detected in the electronic rearview mirror, a trigger signal can be generated first. After receiving the trigger signal, the MCU enters a switching state. In the switching state, the MCU can perform dejitter processing on the trigger signal to prevent false alarms. Then, it checks whether the power supply voltage is stable. If the power supply voltage is unstable, it is determined that the power supply is abnormal, and the MCU can activate the backup power supply or the supercapacitor bank for power supply. After confirming that the trigger signal is dejittered (e.g., the trigger signal lasts for 100ms), it is confirmed that the electronic rearview mirror is indeed abnormal. Only after confirming that the electronic rearview mirror is indeed abnormal can subsequent steps be executed (e.g., pausing the output of the video signal, mode switching, etc.).

[0040] In some embodiments, the electronic camera initially operates in display mode, ensuring that the driver can immediately obtain the optimal, augmented rearward view after starting the vehicle. Furthermore, if the electronic rearview mirror is functioning normally, the display screen can be controlled to maintain the display mode.

[0041] In some embodiments, after the electronic rearview mirror is powered on, it can be continuously monitored for any abnormalities. For example, the abnormality can be determined by analyzing the video frame loss rate, checking the heartbeat signal using a watchdog timer, or detecting the input voltage.

[0042] In some embodiments, before the display screen controlling the electronic rearview mirror switches from display mode to mirror mode, the system further includes: The transmission of video signals to the display screen is paused; the video signals are generated based on the original images captured by the camera and are used to generate the electronic rearview mirror image.

[0043] Optionally, the MCU can pause the transmission of video signals to the display screen by disabling the LVDS interface.

[0044] The raw footage captured by a camera is typically the output of the camera's image sensor, and may contain noise, optical distortion, and its dynamic range may not be optimized. The video signal is a physical signal specifically generated and modulated to transmit the raw footage from the camera to the display screen. The electronic rearview mirror view is the image displayed on the screen after the video signal has been transmitted.

[0045] In this embodiment, pausing the transmission of video signals to the display screen before switching the display screen from display mode to mirror mode ensures that the displayed content stops and avoids image residue during the switch.

[0046] In this embodiment, by controlling the display screen to switch from display mode to mirror mode when an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen can act as a physical mirror to reflect the side and rear view of the vehicle when the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions. This side and rear view is the actual scene directly reflected by the display screen as a physical mirror. Therefore, when the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions, the display screen can continuously provide the driver with a side and rear view by acting as a physical mirror, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. Furthermore, there is no need to add backup cameras or backup displays, reducing hardware costs, size, and complexity. The display screen's mode switching mechanism is a fast switching mechanism, typically in the millisecond range, which avoids visual jumps and improves the driver's experience.

[0047] In some embodiments of this application, before detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, the following steps are also included: Automatic mode switching function; the automatic mode switching function refers to the function of controlling the display screen to switch modes by detecting whether there is any abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror.

[0048] After the MCU detects that the automatic mode switching function has been activated, it can detect whether there is any abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror and obtain the abnormality detection result. If the abnormality detection result indicates that there is an abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror, it controls the display screen to switch from display mode to mirror mode; if the abnormality detection result indicates that there is no abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror, it can not control the display screen to switch modes and continue to detect whether there is any abnormality in the electronic rearview mirror.

[0049] It should be noted that when the automatic startup mode switching function is enabled, automatic response takes priority, that is, the mode switching is controlled based on the anomaly detection result.

[0050] In some embodiments, if the MCU detects that the automatic mode switching function is off, it can trigger a control mode switch based on the user (e.g., the driver of the vehicle).

[0051] In this embodiment, the automatic mode switching function can give users control, meet personalized needs, and improve the user experience.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, the detection methods for abnormalities in the electronic rearview mirror include: If an abnormal signal is received from the system on chip (SoC), it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning. The abnormal signal is generated by the SoC when it detects a malfunction in the electronic rearview mirror's camera, or when it detects a continuous loss of a certain number of frames, or when it detects that the display screen is frozen. Alternatively, when the SoC periodically outputs pulse signals through the GPIO pin and the MCU's GPIO pin is configured in input mode, the pulse signal can be detected using interrupt or polling detection methods. If no pulse signal is detected for M consecutive times, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where M is an integer greater than 1. Alternatively, the power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror can be read. If the power supply voltage is less than the first preset value or greater than the second preset value, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning. The first preset value is less than the second preset value.

[0053] The SoC can read the camera's status flag memory via an auxiliary channel (e.g., the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus). If the status flag in this register indicates a camera malfunction, then a camera malfunction of the electronic rearview mirror is detected. Alternatively, the SoC can directly extract metadata (e.g., frame count) from the video stream, or read the frame sequence number generated by the camera's image sensor. If the frame count or frame sequence number shows a consecutive loss of a specific number of frames (e.g., 10 frames), then a consecutive loss of that specific number of frames is detected. Alternatively, the SoC can read the display's freeze status flag register. If the freeze status flag in this register indicates a freeze, then a freeze on the display is detected. The aforementioned video stream can refer to the sequential, chronologically ordered sequence of video frames output from the raw image captured by the camera after initial processing by the camera's internal Image Signal Processor (ISP). The aforementioned frame sequence number can refer to a unique, continuously increasing sequence number assigned to each raw image frame captured and output by the image sensor.

[0054] It's important to note that the camera's status flags are a specific set of bits used to indicate the camera's operating status. These status flags are typically set by the camera's firmware or driver and are used to report various hardware and software states, such as overheating, initialization failure, clock signal loss, CRC checksum errors and data packet loss in interfaces like the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) or LVDS, and signal format errors or synchronization signal (horizontal and vertical) anomalies. Therefore, when one or more of these status flags are set, it indicates that the camera has detected some kind of internal fault. The SoC can periodically read the values ​​of these registers via control buses such as I2C; if it finds that an anomaly flag is set, it can determine that the camera is malfunctioning.

[0055] The MCU can read the external power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror through the ADC, which is the power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror.

[0056] Optionally, a first preset value and a second preset value can be set according to actual needs or experience. For example, the first preset value is 10.5V and the second preset value is 14V.

[0057] In the case of automatic mode switching, in some embodiments of this application, the electronic rearview mirror control method further includes: In display mode, if a user-triggered switch to mirror mode is detected, the automatic mode switching function is paused. If a user triggers a switch back to display mode, or if the electronic rearview mirror restarts, the automatic mode switching function is restored. Alternatively, if the automatic mode switching function is switched to mirror mode, and a user-triggered switch to display mode is detected, the automatic mode switching function is paused. If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to be restarting, the automatic mode switching function will be restored.

[0058] Optionally, the electronic rearview mirror can provide a user interface for users to trigger mode switching. For example, physical buttons on the steering wheel or center console, or a touchscreen option, can be provided for manual mode switching. The button signal generated by the user manually pressing the physical button can be transmitted to the MCU via the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. Upon receiving the button signal, the NCU controls the display to switch modes. Of course, it is understood that other methods can also be used for user-triggered mode switching, such as voice control or gesture recognition.

[0059] The above-mentioned automatic mode switching function switching to mirror mode can mean that when the automatic mode switching function is activated, the display screen is switched from display mode to mirror mode. That is, if an abnormality is detected in the electronic rearview mirror, the display screen is controlled to switch from display mode to mirror mode.

[0060] If the user manually switches to display mode after the automatic mode switching function has switched to mirror mode, it indicates that the electronic rearview mirror image displayed on the screen is working correctly and there are no abnormalities. The problem lies in the abnormality detection logic in the automatic mode switching function. In this case, the automatic mode switching function can be paused until the electronic rearview mirror restarts.

[0061] It should be noted that user-triggered automatic mode switching has higher priority than user-manual mode switching. Furthermore, if user-triggered automatic mode switching is detected as being disabled after the automatic mode switching function has been paused, the automatic mode switching function will not be reactivated when the electronic rearview mirror restarts.

[0062] This embodiment employs a display screen with switchable mirror mode, which can display the processed video image (i.e., the electronic rearview mirror image) during normal operation, and automatically or manually switch to mirror mode in case of abnormality to directly reflect the real scene.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, after controlling the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror to switch from display mode to mirror mode, the method further includes: If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have returned to normal, the display screen will be switched from mirror mode to display mode. In display mode, the screen displays the image from the electronic rearview mirror, which is generated based on the original image captured by the camera of the electronic rearview mirror.

[0064] In this embodiment, the mirror mode is merely a "safety baseline" for physical reflection, while the display mode provides enhanced images with processing (such as a wider field of view, night vision, obstacle warnings, and clear images in rain and fog). When the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have returned to normal, the display screen switches from mirror mode to display mode, enabling intelligent self-recovery and functional closed-loop operation of the electronic rearview mirror. This ensures that the electronic rearview mirror automatically provides the driver with an enhanced image after the anomaly is resolved, thus fully utilizing system resources and optimizing the driving experience and safety. Furthermore, combining mode switching with anomaly detection provides users with a seamless experience of "unobtrusive switching during anomalies and seamless reverting upon recovery," significantly improving the intelligence and user-friendliness of the electronic rearview mirror control.

[0065] In some embodiments of this application, the display screen integrates an electrochromic layer; the method of switching the display screen from display mode to mirror mode when the electronic rearview mirror malfunctions or the user triggers the switch to mirror mode includes: Send the first control signal to the display's driver integrated circuit (IC); The first control signal instructs the driver IC to disable the pixels of the display screen, causing the display screen to enter a dark state, and to activate the electrochromic layer, causing the electrochromic layer to become a mirror state.

[0066] In some embodiments, the MCU can output a first control signal and a subsequent second control signal to the display driver IC via a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) pin.

[0067] The first control signal may include a first digital signal (e.g., a high level) and a first analog voltage signal. The first digital signal instructs the driver IC to disable the pixels of the display screen to reduce the self-emission of the pixels and cause the display screen to enter a dark state. The first analog voltage signal is used to control the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer so that the electrochromic layer becomes a mirror state.

[0068] The MCU can generate a driving voltage for the electrochromic layer by controlling a first analog voltage signal through an H-bridge circuit. Specifically, after receiving the first analog voltage signal, the driver IC can amplify the signal (e.g., using an operational amplifier) ​​to drive the electrochromic layer, activating it and causing it to become mirror-like. For example, the first analog voltage signal might be a weak signal (e.g., 3.3V), which, after amplification, yields a 5V driving voltage to drive the electrochromic layer. This driving voltage can be understood as the voltage applied to the electrochromic layer.

[0069] In some embodiments, the MCU can generate a first analog voltage signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or pulse width modulation (PWM).

[0070] The aforementioned dark state refers to the state where the display screen does not emit light. The aforementioned mirror state refers to the high reflectivity state achieved by the display screen. In this state, the reflectivity of the display screen for visible light is significantly increased, thus enabling it to be used as a physical mirror. It should be noted that, typically, the high reflectivity state is accompanied by non-transparency, meaning that light transmittance is significantly reduced.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, after sending the first control signal to the display driver IC, the method further includes: Read the voltage feedback signal of the electrochromic layer; If the voltage feedback signal indicates that the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer meets the requirements of the mirror state, a prompt message will be issued to indicate that the mirror mode has been switched.

[0072] Optionally, the notification method can be set according to actual needs. For example, the notification method can be an auditory notification (such as a buzzer sounding) or a visual notification (such as an LED indicator).

[0073] As an example rather than a limitation, if the driving voltage used to activate the electrochromic layer is 5V, then the mirror state requirement is that the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer is 5V.

[0074] In some embodiments of this application, the display screen integrates an electrochromic layer; the method of switching the display screen from mirror mode to display mode when the electronic rearview mirror returns to normal or when the user triggers the switch to display mode includes: Send a second control signal to the driver IC; The second control signal instructs the driver IC to suppress the electrochromic layer, making the electrochromic layer transparent, and to reactivate the pixels of the display screen, making the display screen enter a bright state.

[0075] The second control signal may include a second digital signal and a second analog voltage signal. The second digital signal instructs the driver IC to activate the pixels of the display screen to increase the self-emission of the pixels, thus putting the display screen into a bright state. The second analog voltage signal is used to control the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer to suppress the electrochromic layer, causing it to become transparent. For example, the second analog voltage signal can be used to control the driving voltage to 0V.

[0076] In some embodiments, the MCU can generate a first analog voltage signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or pulse width modulation (PWM).

[0077] The aforementioned bright state can refer to the state in which the display screen emits light. The aforementioned transparent state can refer to the high light transmittance state achieved by the display screen, in which the electrochromic layer blocks very little visible light, allowing most light to pass through.

[0078] In some embodiments, after controlling the display screen to switch from mirror mode to display mode, the method further includes: resuming the transmission of video signals to the display screen.

[0079] In this embodiment, by restoring video signal transmission after switching to display mode, the complete restoration of the core display function of the electronic rearview mirror can be ensured, and the latest video signal can be transmitted to the display screen, so that the driver can regain real-time, synchronized electronic rearview mirror images.

[0080] To illustrate the technical solution of this application, it can be done through, as shown in... Figure 2 The flowchart illustrating the electronic rearview mirror control method is explained in detail.

[0081] like Figure 2As shown, after the system starts (i.e., the electronic rearview mirror is powered on), the electronic devices such as the camera, SoC, and OLED display in the electronic rearview mirror are initialized, and the OLED display is set to normal display mode (i.e., normal display mode). The SoC processes and displays the video stream output by the camera. The MCU continuously performs anomaly detection and checks whether a mode switching command is received. If a mode switching command is received, it is determined whether the mode switching command is a manual switching command. If it is a manual switching command, it is recorded as a manual operation and waits for another manual operation to switch to normal display mode. If it is not a manual switching command, it is determined whether an anomaly is detected in the electronic rearview mirror. If an anomaly is detected, the MCU performs switching anti-shake processing, pauses the video output signal (i.e., pauses the output video signal), and controls the OLED display to switch to mirror mode. This is achieved by disabling the pixels of the OLED display and applying a driving voltage to activate the electrochromic layer. After the switch is completed, an audio and visual prompt is provided to inform the driver that the mirror mode has been switched to and entered. In mirror mode, it checks whether the anomaly has been recovered. If the anomaly has been recovered, the reverse switching process is executed to restore the normal display mode. If the anomaly has not been recovered, the system continues to monitor whether the anomaly has been recovered.

[0082] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0083] Corresponding to the electronic rearview mirror control method described in the above embodiments, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electronic rearview mirror control device provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of this application are shown.

[0084] Reference Figure 3 The device includes: The switching control module 301 is used to control the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror to switch from display mode to mirror mode if an abnormality is detected in the electronic rearview mirror of the vehicle; in mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect and display the side and rear view of the vehicle.

[0085] In some embodiments, the switching control module 301 is further configured to: If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have returned to normal, the display screen is controlled to switch from the mirror mode to the display mode; In the display mode, the display screen shows the electronic rearview mirror image, which is generated based on the original image captured by the camera of the electronic rearview mirror.

[0086] In some embodiments, the above-described apparatus further includes: The function activation module is used to activate the automatic mode switching function; the automatic mode switching function refers to the function of controlling the display screen to switch modes by detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is abnormal.

[0087] In some embodiments, the above-described apparatus further includes: A function pause module is used to pause the automatic mode switching function if the user triggers a switch to the mirror mode in the display mode. The function recovery module is used to restore the automatic mode switching function if it is detected that the user has triggered a switch back to the display mode, or if the electronic rearview mirror is restarted. Alternatively, the function pause module is also used to pause the automatic mode switching function if it is detected that the user has triggered the switch to the display mode when the automatic mode switching function is switched to the mirror mode. The function recovery module is also used to restore the automatic mode switching function if the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have restarted.

[0088] In some embodiments, the display screen integrates an electrochromic layer; the switching control module 301 is specifically used for: Send a first control signal to the driver IC of the display screen; The first control signal instructs the driver IC to disable the pixels of the display screen, causing the display screen to enter a dark state, and to activate the electrochromic layer, causing the electrochromic layer to become a mirror state; The aforementioned switching control module 301 is also used for: Send a second control signal to the driver IC; The second control signal instructs the driver IC to suppress the electrochromic layer, making the electrochromic layer transparent, and to reactivate the pixels of the display screen, making the display screen enter a bright state.

[0089] In some embodiments, the above-described apparatus further includes: A voltage reading module is used to read the voltage feedback signal of the electrochromic layer; The prompting module is used to issue a prompt message if the voltage feedback signal indicates that the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer meets the mirror state requirement. The prompt message is used to indicate that the mirror mode has been switched.

[0090] In some embodiments, the above-described apparatus further includes: An anomaly detection module is used to determine that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning if it receives an anomaly signal sent by the SoC. The anomaly signal is generated by the SoC when it detects an anomaly in the camera of the electronic rearview mirror, or when it detects a continuous loss of a certain number of frames, or when it detects that the display screen is frozen. Alternatively, when the SoC periodically outputs a pulse signal through the GPIO pin and the MCU's GPIO pin is configured in input mode, the pulse signal is detected using an interrupt or polling detection method. If the pulse signal is not detected for M consecutive times, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where M is an integer greater than 1. Alternatively, the power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror can be read. If the power supply voltage is less than a first preset value or greater than a second preset value, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where the first preset value is less than the second preset value.

[0091] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0092] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic rearview mirror provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, the electronic rearview mirror 4 of this embodiment includes: at least one MCU 40 ( Figure 4 (Only one is shown in the diagram), memory 41, display screen 43, and computer program 42 stored in the memory 41 and executable on the at least one MCU 40, wherein the MCU 40 executes the computer program 42 to implement the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0093] The electronic rearview mirror may include, but is not limited to, MCU40 and memory41. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 4 This is merely an example of the electronic rearview mirror 4 and does not constitute a limitation on the electronic rearview mirror 4. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components, such as input / output devices, network access devices, etc.

[0094] The MCU40 may include a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and may also include other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0095] In some embodiments, the memory 41 may be an internal storage unit of the electronic rearview mirror 4, such as a hard drive or memory of the electronic rearview mirror 4. In other embodiments, the memory 41 may be an external storage device of the electronic rearview mirror 4, such as a plug-in hard drive, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the electronic rearview mirror 4. Furthermore, the memory 41 may include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the electronic rearview mirror 4. The memory 41 is used to store operating systems, applications, bootloaders, data, and other programs, such as the program code of computer programs. The memory 41 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0096] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0097] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to the device / electronic rearview mirror, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0098] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0099] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0100] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed device / electronic rearview mirror and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device / electronic rearview mirror embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0101] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0102] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic rearview mirror, characterized in that, include: If an abnormality is detected in the vehicle's electronic rearview mirror, the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror is controlled to switch from display mode to mirror mode; In the mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect the view of the vehicle's side and rear.

2. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror switches from display mode to mirror mode, it also includes: If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to have returned to normal, the display screen is controlled to switch from the mirror mode to the display mode; In the display mode, the display screen shows the electronic rearview mirror image, which is generated based on the original image captured by the camera of the electronic rearview mirror.

3. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, the process also includes: Automatic mode switching function; the automatic mode switching function refers to the function of controlling the display screen to switch modes by detecting whether the electronic rearview mirror is abnormal.

4. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: In the display mode, if a user triggers a switch to the mirror mode, the automatic mode switching function is paused. If the user triggers a switch back to the display mode, or if the electronic rearview mirror restarts, the automatic mode switching function is restored. Alternatively, if the automatic mode switching function switches to the mirror mode based on the aforementioned mode switching function, and it is detected that the user triggers the switch to the display mode, then the automatic mode switching function is paused. If the electronic rearview mirror is detected to be restarting, the automatic mode switching function will be restored.

5. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that, The display screen integrates an electrochromic layer; the method of switching the display screen from the display mode to the mirror mode includes: Send a first control signal to the driver IC of the display screen; The first control signal instructs the driver IC to disable the pixels of the display screen, causing the display screen to enter a dark state, and to activate the electrochromic layer, causing the electrochromic layer to become a mirror state; The method of switching the display screen from the mirror mode to the display mode includes: Send a second control signal to the driver IC; The second control signal instructs the driver IC to suppress the electrochromic layer, making the electrochromic layer transparent, and to reactivate the pixels of the display screen, making the display screen enter a bright state.

6. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, After sending the first control signal to the driver IC of the display screen, the method further includes: Read the voltage feedback signal of the electrochromic layer; If the voltage feedback signal indicates that the driving voltage of the electrochromic layer meets the mirror state requirement, a prompt message is issued to indicate that the mirror mode has been switched.

7. The electronic rearview mirror control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The detection methods for abnormalities in the electronic rearview mirror include: If an abnormal signal is received from the SoC, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning; the abnormal signal is generated by the SoC when it detects an abnormality in the camera of the electronic rearview mirror, or when it detects a continuous loss of a certain number of frames, or when it detects that the display screen is frozen. Alternatively, when the SoC periodically outputs a pulse signal through the GPIO pin and the MCU's GPIO pin is configured in input mode, the pulse signal is detected using an interrupt or polling detection method. If the pulse signal is not detected for M consecutive times, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where M is an integer greater than 1. Alternatively, the power supply voltage of the electronic rearview mirror can be read. If the power supply voltage is less than a first preset value or greater than a second preset value, it is determined that the electronic rearview mirror is malfunctioning, where the first preset value is less than the second preset value.

8. An electronic rearview mirror control device, characterized in that, include: The switching control module is used to control the display screen of the electronic rearview mirror to switch from display mode to mirror mode if an abnormality is detected in the electronic rearview mirror of the vehicle. In the mirror mode, the display screen acts as a physical mirror to reflect the view of the vehicle's side and rear.

9. An electronic rearview mirror, comprising a memory, an MCU, a display screen, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the MCU, characterized in that, When the MCU executes the computer program, it causes the electronic rearview mirror to implement the electronic rearview mirror control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes a computer program, which, when run, causes the electronic rearview mirror control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 to be executed.

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