Rear view apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

A rear view apparatus for a vehicle includes a first measuring device configured to detect a vehicle orientation. The first measuring device is connected to a portion of the vehicle that maintains a fixed relationship with respect to a body of the vehicle. A second measuring device is configured to detect a device orientation of the rear view device, the rear view device being adjustable relative to the body of the vehicle. A controller is in communication with the first measurement device and the second measurement device. The controller is configured to identify an orientation difference between the vehicle orientation and the device orientation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to rearview devices for vehicles and, more particularly, to a system for detecting an orientation of a rearview device in a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] There are known rear-view devices for vehicles in the prior art. However, it has always been a goal in the art to develop improved rear-view devices for vehicles. Utility Model Content

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a rearview device for a vehicle includes a first measurement device configured to detect vehicle orientation. The first measurement device is coupled to a portion of the vehicle that maintains a fixed relationship with respect to the vehicle body. A second measurement device is configured to detect an orientation of the rearview device, the rearview device being adjustable relative to the vehicle body. A controller communicates with the first and second measurement devices. The controller is configured to identify an orientation difference between the vehicle orientation and the device orientation.

[0004] The present disclosure further provides a method for controlling a rearview device of a vehicle. The method includes identifying a first orientation of the vehicle relative to an operating environment of the vehicle and identifying a second orientation of an inspection device relative to the operating environment. External image data depicting a portion of the operating environment is captured. The external image data is offset to generate display data based on the first and second orientations. The display data is presented on the rearview device.

[0005] According to yet another aspect, a rearview device for a vehicle includes a first measuring device configured to detect the vehicle orientation as a plurality of vehicle axial rotations. The first measuring device is connected to a portion of the vehicle that maintains a first fixed relationship relative to the body of the vehicle. A second measuring device is configured to detect the device orientation of the rearview device as a plurality of device axial rotations. The second measuring device maintains a second fixed relationship with the rearview device and is adjustable relative to the body of the vehicle. The rearview device further includes a display device disposed in a housing of the rearview device and a controller in communication with the first measuring device and the second measuring device. The controller is configured to identify an orientation difference based on a comparison of the device axial rotation and the vehicle axial rotation. The controller further generates adjusted image data corrected for the orientation difference and displays the adjusted image data on the display device.

[0006] These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art with reference to the following description, claims, and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008] Figure 1 is a projected view showing the interior of a vehicle including a display system;

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a vehicle illustrating a field of view of an imager of a display system;

[0010] Figure 3A is a front projected view of an interior rearview device illustrating its relative orientation with respect to the vehicle;

[0011] Figure 3B is a side view of an interior rearview device illustrating relative orientation with respect to a vehicle;

[0012] Figure 4 is a diagram of a display device displaying image data corrected for tilt of the display device; and

[0013] Figure 5 is a block diagram of a display system according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The presently described embodiments primarily reside in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to image sensor systems and methods thereof. Accordingly, apparatus components and method steps have been represented by conventional symbols in the figures where appropriate, with only those specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure being shown to avoid obscuring the present disclosure, which has details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Furthermore, like numerals denote like elements throughout the specification and drawings.

[0015] In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, etc. are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action and do not necessarily require or imply any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0016] refer to Figure 1 and 2, shows a rearview device 10 incorporated into a passenger compartment 14 of a vehicle 12. As provided in various exemplary embodiments, the rearview device 10 may include a camera 16 or imager configured to capture image data in a field of view 18 within the passenger compartment 14. As shown, a device orientation 20 is illustrated by a first coordinate system, which can be adjusted relative to a vehicle orientation 22 illustrated by a second coordinate system. As later referenced Figure 3A and 3B As discussed, the rearview device 10 may be adjustably mounted to a portion of the vehicle 12 via a mounting device or assembly. In this configuration, the device orientation 20 may be adjusted by various operators of the vehicle 12 relative to the vehicle orientation.

[0017] Due to the adjustment of the device orientation 20, the direction of the field of view 18 of the camera 16 can change based on the orientation difference δ. As shown, the orientation difference δ is expressed as the difference in the vertical direction (e.g., the y-axis) of the device orientation 20 relative to the vehicle orientation 22. However, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the orientation difference δ can also include a rotational component in each axis (x, y, z) of the associated coordinate system. In addition, Figure 1 The orientation difference δ is shown in relation to the gravity vector 26. Although Figure 1 2 is shown aligned with gravity vector 26, but due to variations in slope and terrain associated with the vehicle's operating surface 30, vehicle orientation 22 may vary throughout operation of vehicle 12. Thus, vehicle orientation 22 may vary relative to gravity vector 26, and device orientation 20 may further vary based on a relative orientation, or orientation difference δ, between rearview device 10 and vehicle 12. Such orientation differences may create challenges in determining device orientation 20 relative to vehicle orientation 22.

[0018] In various embodiments, the present disclosure may provide a plurality of measurement devices 32 configured to detect and monitor the device orientation 20 and the vehicle orientation 22. The measurement devices 32 may correspond to accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, inertial measurement units (IMUs), or other devices that can detect the orientation or direction of an element in space. In various cases, each of the measurement devices may correspond to an accelerometer implemented in combination with a magnetometer. More generally, the measurement devices 32 implemented for the device 10 may include at least one accelerometer and at least one magnetometer. The measurement devices 32 may be implemented in a compact package in various portions of the rearview device and the vehicle 12 and represented by a coordinate system for each of the orientations 20, 22. Reference Figure 3A and 3B Additional details are provided describing an exemplary configuration of the measurement device.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the measurement device 32 may include a first measurement device 32a and a second measurement device 32b. The first measurement device 32a may be configured to detect the vehicle orientation 22 and, therefore, may be connected to a portion of the vehicle 12 that maintains a fixed relationship with respect to the body of the vehicle 12. The measurement device 32 may further include a second measurement device 32b that is configured to detect the device orientation 20 of the rearview device 10. The second measurement device 32b may be connected to a portion of the rearview device 10 and may be incorporated into a housing 34 of the rearview device 10. In this configuration, the first measurement device 32a may detect the vehicle orientation 22, while the second measurement device 32b may detect the device orientation 20. Based on the orientation measurements (e.g., rotation about the x, y, z axes) provided by the measurement device 32, the controller 40 of the rearview device 10, or more generally, the controller forming a component of the orientation measurement system 42, may identify an orientation difference δ. Based on the orientation difference δ, the rearview device 10, or more generally, the orientation measurement system 42, can process and offset or adjust the image data received from the camera 16 or the interior camera, the rearview camera 44, or the exterior camera, or the respective image data. In addition, the controller 40 can be configured to apply the orientation difference δ to identify the relative orientation of the field of view 18 within the passenger compartment 14.

[0020] refer to Figure 1 , the operator of vehicle 12, or more generally, passenger 46, is deemed to be positioned within field of view 18 of camera 16. In operation, controller 40 can monitor image data captured by camera 16 to monitor the position of passenger 46 within passenger compartment 14. Similarly, controller 40 can monitor image data to identify locations associated with activity within passenger compartment 14. Where field of view 18 of camera 16 maintains a fixed relationship relative to vehicle orientation 22, controller 40 can be calibrated to attribute activity in different areas of field of view 18 to activity in corresponding areas 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, etc. of passenger compartment 14. However, where camera 16 is incorporated into rearview device 10, device orientation 20 can change such that the position within field of view 18 varies based on the angular adjustment of device 10. That is, due to the incorporation of camera 16 in conjunction with rearview device 10, adjustment of device orientation 20 causes the orientation and position of field of view 18 within passenger compartment 14 to change.

[0021] To account for such changes in the orientation of the field of view 18, the controller 40 can monitor the orientation difference δ and offset the relative position of the field of view 18 in the corresponding image data. In this way, the position in the passenger compartment 14 can be associated with the adjusted position in the image data, so that the position of the passenger 46 and the activities within the passenger compartment 14 can be accurately determined regardless of the orientation of the rearview device 10. In this way, the coordinates of pixels or areas within the field of view 18 can be identified by the controller 40 to correspond to corresponding areas 14a-14e of the passenger compartment depicted based on the offset positions of the pixels, which are identified and tracked based on the orientation difference. Thus, the present disclosure provides improved operation of a camera 16 incorporated into a portion or component of a vehicle 12 that can change in position or orientation relative to the vehicle orientation 22.

[0022] Still refer to Figure 1 and 2 In some embodiments, the rearview device 10 may include a display device 50 that can be configured to display image data captured by one or more additional interior cameras within the vehicle (e.g., a passenger or child monitoring camera) and / or the rearview camera 44. In such cases, the operation of the display device 50 can be similarly affected by the relative orientation of the rearview device 10 and the vehicle 12. More specifically, when the device orientation 20 of the rearview device 10 and the display device 50 is adjusted relative to the vehicle orientation 22, the corresponding image data captured by one or more imagers or cameras (e.g., the rearview camera 44) can be skewed or rotated relative to the vehicle orientation 22. This skewed appearance can be distracting to an observer.

[0023] In order to correct Figure 1 , the controller 40 may adjust the image data to account for the relative angle between the rearview device 10 and the vehicle 12. In such cases, the device orientation 20 may be identified by the controller 40 as differing from the vehicle orientation 22 by an orientation difference δ. In response to the orientation difference δ, the controller 40 may adjust the orientation of the image data depicted on the display device 50 by the orientation difference δ. Thus, the image data may be adjusted to appear as if it were reflected from the screen depicted in the rearward field of view 52 of the rearview camera 44, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 Likewise, although discussed with reference to the example of the rearview camera 44 , the adjustment of the image data or presentation on the display device 50 may be similarly applied to any camera or imager maintained in a fixed relationship relative to the body of the vehicle 12 .

[0024] Now refer to Figure 2, shows a top view of vehicle 12 exhibiting a rearward-directed field of view 52. As previously described, rearward field of view 52 may correspond to an external field of view that maintains a fixed relationship relative to vehicle orientation 22. Thus, based on orientation difference δ, controller 40 may adjust image data captured in rearward field of view 52 or a similar field of view so that the image data depicted on display device 50 appears to be reflected from the local environment, rather than skewed from the local environment based on orientation difference δ. Figure 2 Reference directions are further shown showing a forward direction 54 and a rearward direction 56 depicted as arrows on the operating surface 30 for clarity.

[0025] Now refer to Figure 3A and 3B , a projected depiction of the rearview device 10 is shown, which demonstrates the adjustment of the device orientation 20 relative to the vehicle orientation 22. As shown, the mounting assembly 60 provides an adjustable connection between the windshield 62, the manifold 64, or various parts of the vehicle 12. The mounting assembly 60 includes a fixed bracket connected to a ball and socket interface that allows the rearview device 10 to rotate freely about three axes. As shown, the device orientation 20 can rotate about a lateral axis that provides pitch adjustment 70a, a longitudinal path that provides roll adjustment 70b, and a vertical axis that provides yaw adjustment 70c. In order to detect the orientation of the three axes about the coordinate system that defines the device orientation 20, each of the measuring devices 32 can incorporate an accelerometer and / or a magnetometer.

[0026] For example, each of the measurement devices 32 can incorporate a three-axis accelerometer that can be used in combination with a three-axis magnetometer. In operation, the accelerometer can measure the component of the Earth's gravity, and the magnetometer can measure the component of the Earth's magnetic field. Since both the accelerometer and the magnetometer have a fixed relationship to the corresponding orientations they measure, namely the device orientation 20 and the vehicle orientation 22, the associated readings detected by the measurement device 32 change according to the orientation of the rearview device 10 and the vehicle 12, respectively. Although described as a three-axis device, the controller 40 can identify the orientations 20, 22 based on information reported by a subset of the indicated axes (e.g., two axes from the accelerometer and a single axis from the magnetometer).

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, pitch 70a and roll 70b may be calculated based on data collected from accelerometers. Figure 3A As shown in FIG, yaw 70 c can be rotated about the z-axis, which can be aligned with gravity vector 26. The single axis of the magnetometer can be added to provide a reference axis facing north. Yaw 70 c can then be calculated based on the magnetometer's reading of deviation from north. Thus, based on the data collected by measurement device 32 throughout operation of vehicle 12, the present disclosure can provide adjustments in various vehicle systems that can change or depend on orientation difference δ.

[0028] Although described with reference to specific examples, the present disclosure may further provide similar applications of the measurement device 32 in the vehicle 12. For example, in some cases, the orientation difference δ may be detected by the controller 40 to activate one or more functions of the rearview device 10. In some cases, the rearview device 10 may correspond to a display mirror capable of displaying image data and operating similarly to a conventional rearview mirror. Examples of display assemblies that may be used with the present disclosure may include the one entitled "Rearview Mirror with Display (Rearview Mirror)" EARVIEW M IRROR W ITH D ISPLAY No. 6,572,233 of the United States Patent No. 2006 / 060666 entitled “VEHICLE REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN INTEGRATED BACKLIGHT FOR A LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY”; EHICULAR R EARVIEW M IRROR A SSEMBLY I NCLUDING I NTEGRATED B ACKLIGHTING FOR A L IQUID C RYSTAL D ISPLAY )"; U.S. Patent No. 8,237,909; entitled "Multi-display mirror system and method for expanding the field of view around the vehicle (M ULTI -D ISPLAY M IRROR S YSTEM AND M ETHOD FOR E XPANDED V IEW A ROUND A V EHICLE and U.S. Patent No. 8,411,245 entitled “Vehicle rearview mirror assembly including a high-intensity display (V EHICLE R EARVIEW M IRROR A SSEMBLY I NCLUDING A H IGH I NTENSITY D ISPLAY)”, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In such circumstances, the rearview device can automatically transition from a display mode to a mirror mode such that a user can implement the rearview device 10 as a vanity mirror. Thus, the controller 40 can adjust the state of the rearview device 10 from a display state to a mirror state based on the orientation difference δ. Similarly, the display state can be activated in a child or passenger monitoring mode, which can be activated in response to an orientation difference δ indicating that the field of view 18 is directed toward the rear seat, rather than a common orientation angled toward the operator. Additionally, in response to the rearview device 10 being tilted in a downward direction, another camera view (e.g., a trailer hitch or auxiliary camera view) can be activated in response to the orientation difference δ indicating such an adjustment. In some cases, the yaw adjustment 70c of the rearview device 10 can cause the image data to be similarly shifted or adjusted, similar to the response of reflected light in a mirror. Thus, the present disclosure can provide various applications and features with respect to the camera 16 and the display 50.

[0029] In some embodiments, the mounting assembly 60 may include a dual-ball mount having an intermediate link 72 disposed between opposing end portions. For clarity, the dual-ball mount may provide ball joints on opposing ends of the intermediate link 72. In such cases, a third measuring device 32C may be incorporated in conjunction with the intermediate link 72. For example, the third measuring device 32c may be incorporated as an additional orientation measuring device in the form of an accelerometer, magnetometer, and / or other form of IMU. In addition, the third measuring device 32c may include one or more Hall effect sensors connected to the end portions of the intermediate link 72. Similarly, the angular orientation of the opposing end portions of the intermediate link 72 may be detected by one or more potentiometers or other sensors. In this configuration, the angular orientation of the intermediate link 72 may be detected relative to the vehicle orientation 22 and the device orientation 20. Therefore, the controller 40 may be configured to determine the orientation of the rearview device 10 relative to the vehicle 12 by identifying the vehicle orientation 22 and the device orientation 20 in conjunction with the intermediate orientation of the intermediate link 72.

[0030] Now refer to Figure 4 , shows a representative diagram of a rearview device 10 displaying image data from a rearward field of view 52 that is corrected based on an orientation difference δ identified by a controller 40. As previously discussed, adjustments to the device orientation 20 may cause the display device 50 to tilt relative to the vehicle orientation 22. As a result, the image data displayed on the display device 50 may not appear aligned with the external environment as a user or operator of the rearview device 10 may intend. For clarity, without correcting for the orientation difference, the display device 50 may display image data aligned with the lateral axis 74 and the vertical axis 76 of the rearview device 10. However, as Figure 4, the controller 40 can offset or rotate image data captured by the rearview camera 44 or an external camera so that the image data is presented as aligned with the vehicle orientation 22, which can correspond to a horizon 78 that is substantially perpendicular to the gravity vector 26. In this way, the orientation measurement system 42 provided by the present disclosure can update the display of image data so that it resembles a conventional rearview mirror depiction.

[0031] Now refer to Figure 5 , a block diagram of the rearview device 10 and the orientation measurement system 42 is shown. As discussed in various embodiments, the controller 40 can communicate with one or more cameras 16, 44, which can include various forms of image sensors. In addition, the controller 40 can communicate with various measurement devices 32, which can correspond to accelerometers, magnetometers, IMUs, or similar devices configured to measure the orientation of an object in space. In some embodiments, the controller 40 can further communicate with a display device 50. The display device can be implemented by various display technologies, including light emitting diode (LED) displays, organic LED (OLED) displays, or various other display technologies.

[0032] The controller 40 can communicate with various devices and systems of the vehicle 12 via the vehicle bus 80. The vehicle bus 80 can provide the controller 40 with communications from a vehicle control module 82 and various electronic systems throughout the vehicle. The vehicle control module 82 can communicate with various operating systems or entertainment systems of the vehicle and can be configured to transmit and identify various vehicle operating conditions via the vehicle bus 80. For example, the control module 82 can transmit operating conditions including speed, turn signal or turn indicator status, gear selection, or various information related to the operation of the vehicle 12. The vehicle bus 80 can be implemented using any suitable standard communication bus, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus.

[0033] To provide the various programming and processing steps described throughout this application, the controller 40 may include a processor 84 that is operable to process image data supplied in analog or digital form from the imager 14. For example, the controller 40 may be implemented as a plurality of processors, a multi-core processor, or any combination of processors, circuits, and peripheral processing devices. The controller 40 may further include a memory 86. The memory 86 may include various forms of memory, such as random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), and other forms of memory configured to store digital information. The memory 86 may be configured to store image data for processing. Processing the image data may include scaling and cropping the image data to adjust the position and apparent size of the image data when the image data is output to the screen of the display device 50.

[0034] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a rearview device for a vehicle includes a first measurement device configured to detect vehicle orientation and coupled to a portion of the vehicle that maintains a fixed relationship relative to a body of the vehicle. The rearview device further includes a second measurement device configured to detect a device orientation of the rearview device and coupled to the rearview device, wherein the device orientation is adjustable relative to the body of the vehicle. A controller is also provided in communication with the first and second measurement devices, wherein the controller is configured to identify an orientation difference between the vehicle orientation and the device orientation.

[0035] According to various aspects, the present disclosure may implement one or more of the following features or configurations in various combinations:

[0036] - a camera connected to the rear-view device, wherein the camera maintains a device orientation of the rear-view device;

[0037] - the camera is configured to capture image data depicting a passenger compartment of a vehicle in a field of view;

[0038] - the controller is configured to identify a portion of the passenger cabin depicted in the field of view based on the orientation difference;

[0039] - the controller is configured to identify the position of the passenger in the passenger compartment by taking into account orientation differences of the field of view;

[0040] - the vehicle orientation is measured by a first measuring device as a plurality of vehicle axial rotations;

[0041] - the device orientation is measured by a second measuring device as a plurality of device axial rotations;

[0042] - the controller compares the vehicle axial rotation to the device axial rotation to determine an orientation difference;

[0043] - the first measuring device is connected to a mounting assembly that connects the rearview device to the vehicle;

[0044] - the measurement devices each comprising at least one accelerometer configured to report accelerometer data and at least one magnetometer configured to detect magnetometer data;

[0045] - Roll and pitch are identified by the controller in response to accelerometer data and yaw is identified in response to magnetometer data;

[0046] - the camera is configured to capture image data in an external field of view depicting a scene pointing rearward relative to the vehicle; and / or

[0047] - a display device disposed in a housing of the rearview apparatus, wherein the controller is further configured to generate adjusted image data corrected for orientation differences; and display the adjusted image data on the display device.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an interior camera of a vehicle includes identifying a first orientation of the vehicle relative to an operating environment of the vehicle and identifying a second orientation of the interior camera relative to the operating environment. The method further includes capturing interior image data showing a passenger compartment of the vehicle; offsetting the interior image data to generate display data based on the first orientation and the second orientation; and presenting the display data on a vehicle display device.

[0049] According to various aspects, the present disclosure may implement one or more of the following features or steps in various combinations:

[0050] - said shifting internal image data comprises identifying an orientation difference between a first orientation and a second orientation;

[0051] - manually adjusting a second orientation of the interior camera relative to the vehicle;

[0052] - interior image data depicting the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

[0053] - identifying a portion of the passenger cabin depicted in the field of view based on the orientation difference; and / or

[0054] - Identifying the position of passengers in the passenger compartment by taking into account directional differences in the field of view.

[0055] According to another aspect of the present invention, a rearview device for a vehicle includes a camera connected to the vehicle and configured to capture image data depicting a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The device further includes: a first measuring device configured to detect the vehicle orientation as a plurality of vehicle axial rotations, wherein the first measuring device is connected to a portion of the vehicle that maintains a first fixed relationship relative to the vehicle body; and a second measuring device configured to detect the device orientation of the rearview device as a plurality of device axial rotations, wherein the second measuring device maintains a second fixed relationship with the rearview device, wherein the device orientation is adjustable relative to the vehicle body. A display device is disposed in a housing of the rearview device, and a controller communicates with the first measuring device and the second measuring device. The controller is configured to identify an orientation difference based on a comparison of the device axial rotation with the vehicle axial rotation, and to identify a position of a passenger or a portion of the passenger compartment depicted in the field of view based on the orientation difference.

[0056] It should be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be composed of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement some, most, or all of the functions of the image sensor system and method thereof as described herein in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, signal drivers, clock circuits, power supply circuits, and / or user input devices. Alternatively, some or all of the functions may be implemented by a state machine without stored program instructions, or in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), where each function or some combination of functions is implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of both approaches may be used. Therefore, methods and components for these functions have been described herein. Furthermore, despite the significant effort that may be expended and the many design choices driven by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, it is expected that a person of ordinary skill, guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be able to readily generate such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

[0057] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above components may be combined in supplementary or alternative ways not explicitly described herein. Modifications to the various embodiments of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art and those who apply the teachings of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A rearview device for a vehicle, characterized in that: The rearview device comprises: a first measurement device configured to detect vehicle orientation and coupled to a portion of the vehicle maintained in fixed relationship relative to a body of the vehicle; a second measuring device configured to detect a device orientation of the rear-view device and connected to the rear-view device, wherein the device orientation is adjustable relative to the body of the vehicle; and A controller is in communication with the first and second measurement devices, wherein the controller is configured to identify an orientation difference between the vehicle orientation and the device orientation.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The rearview device further comprises: A camera is coupled to the rear-view device, wherein the camera maintains the device orientation of the rear-view device.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The camera is configured to capture image data depicting a passenger compartment of the vehicle in a field of view.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that The controller is configured to identify a portion of the passenger cabin depicted in the field of view based on the orientation difference.

5. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that The controller is configured to identify a position of a passenger in the passenger compartment by taking into account the orientation difference of the field of view.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The vehicle orientation is measured by the first measurement device as a plurality of vehicle axial rotations.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The device orientation is measured by the second measuring device as a plurality of device axial rotations.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The controller compares the vehicle axial rotation to the device axial rotation to determine the orientation difference.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The first measurement device is connected to a mounting assembly that connects the rearview device to the vehicle.

10. The device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that The measurement devices each include at least one accelerometer configured to report accelerometer data and at least one magnetometer configured to detect magnetometer data.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that Roll and pitch are identified by the controller in response to accelerometer data, and yaw is identified in response to magnetometer data.

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that The camera is configured to capture image data in an external field of view depicting a rearward-pointing scene relative to the vehicle.

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that Further including: A display device, the display device being disposed in a housing of the rearview device; and The controller is further configured to: Adjusted image data corrected for the orientation difference is generated; and the adjusted image data is displayed on the display device.

14. A rearview device for a vehicle, characterized in that: The rearview device comprises: a camera coupled to the vehicle and configured to capture image data depicting a passenger compartment of the vehicle; a first measurement device configured to detect a vehicle orientation as a plurality of vehicle axial rotations, wherein the first measurement device is coupled to a portion of the vehicle maintained in a first fixed relationship relative to a body of the vehicle; a second measurement device configured to detect a device orientation of the rearview device as a plurality of device axial rotations, wherein the second measurement device maintains a second fixed relationship with the rearview device, wherein the device orientation is adjustable relative to the body of the vehicle; A display device, the display device being disposed in a housing of the rearview device; and a controller in communication with the first measurement device and the second measurement device, wherein the controller is configured to: identifying an orientation difference based on a comparison of the device axial rotation and the vehicle axial rotation; and A position of a passenger depicted in a field of view or a portion of the passenger compartment is identified based on the orientation difference.

Images