Mirror tracking arrangement for a vehicle, method, and vehicle having the mirror updating arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a mirror tracking arrangement (2) for a vehicle (1), comprising a mirror device (7), wherein the mirror device (7) has a mirror (8) and an adjustment mechanism (9) for adjusting the mirror (8) so that a field of vision alignment (300) of the mirror (8) can be adjusted for a driver (4), comprising a camera device (12), wherein the camera device (12) has a camera (13) for detecting a driver (4) on a vehicle seat (3) of the vehicle (1) and an evaluation device (14) for determining eye position data of the driver (4), and comprising a control device (16) for controlling the adjustment mechanism (9), wherein the control device (16) is designed to control the adjustment mechanism (9) on the basis of the eye position data of the driver (4) so that the field-of-view alignment (300) of the mirror (8), when the eye position data of the driver (4) changes, is tracked in relation to a basic setting (400) of the field-of-view alignment (300) and / or the basic setting (400) of the field-of-view alignment (300) is kept constant.

Description

[0001] Mirror tracking arrangement for a vehicle, method and vehicle with the

[0002] Mirror tracking arrangement

[0003] The invention relates to a mirror tracking arrangement for a vehicle having the features of claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for mirror tracking and to a vehicle having the mirror tracking arrangement.

[0004] Comfort features in vehicles are designed to adapt to each driver's individual needs upon entering the vehicle. Memory functions allow the seating position and other adjustment options to be saved and recalled at a later time.

[0005] For example, DE 10003220 A1 discloses a method and device for driver- and / or passenger-specific adjustment of the seat and seat-related components in motor vehicles. Structural data is determined by measuring at least the essential points of the overall stature of a driver or vehicle occupant at least once. By reading this data and incorporating the dimensional data in the motor vehicle, seat and / or seat contour settings, as well as, if necessary, the mirror and / or steering wheel settings, are ergonomically optimized and automatically adjusted.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to propose a mirror tracking arrangement for a vehicle which provides an improved field of vision for a driver of a vehicle.

[0007] This object is achieved by a mirror tracking arrangement, a method, and a vehicle with the mirror tracking arrangement. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the following description, and the accompanying figures. The subject matter of the invention is a mirror tracking arrangement that is suitable and / or designed for a vehicle. The vehicle is, in particular, a road vehicle. It can be, for example, a passenger car, truck, bus, or the like. In principle, the vehicle can also be designed as a tricycle or a two-wheeler.

[0008] The mirror tracking arrangement has a mirror device, wherein the mirror device comprises a mirror and an adjustment device. The mirror is designed, in particular, as an optical mirror, e.g., with a metal coating as the mirror surface. For example, the mirror can be realized as a plane mirror. However, it is also possible for the mirror to be designed as a curved mirror. Furthermore, it is possible for the mirror to have multiple mirror segments that cover different fields of view.

[0009] The adjustment device is designed to adjust the mirror, for example, via two independent axes, so that the mirror can be tilted. Other actuators that allow adjustment of the mirror are also conceivable. By adjusting the mirror, the orientation of the mirror's field of view for a driver can be adjusted. Adjusting the mirror changes the field of view in the mirror, which can be seen by the driver or from an observation position corresponding to the driver. Because the mirror is tilted, the orientation of the field of view changes during the adjustment.

[0010] The field of view orientation therefore depends on the driver's position and the position and adjustment of the mirror. However, by adjusting the mirror, the mirror's field of view orientation can be adjusted or adjusted, assuming the driver's observation position remains constant.

[0011] Field of view alignment refers, in particular, to the direction of the field of view. For example, the direction of the field of view is defined as the direction starting from a mirror reference point, e.g., the mirror center, where the direction is defined by an optical path from the driver's observation position via the mirror reference point. Alternatively, field of view alignment can also be viewed as the alignment of the mirror surface. In particular, field of view alignment ensures that a predefined field of view is displayed on the mirror for the driver.

[0012] The mirror tracking arrangement has a camera device, wherein the camera device comprises a camera and an evaluation device. The camera is designed in particular as an interior camera. The camera is understood in particular to be a spatially resolving sensor device. The camera can be designed as a grayscale camera, as an RGB camera, IR camera, RGB-IR camera, or ToF (Time-of-Flight) camera. For example, the camera is arranged and / or can be arranged on the interior mirror of the vehicle. Optionally, the camera is designed to be motor-driven. In particular, the camera is used alternatively or additionally for driver and passenger monitoring. The camera is arranged and / or can be arranged to detect a driver on a vehicle seat of the vehicle. The driver uses the mirror of the mirror device in particular for orientation in traffic.

[0013] The evaluation device is designed to determine the driver's eye position data. The eye position data can, for example, be the position of the driver's two eyes. Alternatively, a unified eye position of the two eyes can also be used as the eye position data. Thus, the driver and / or their eyes are approximated to a one-eyed cyclops. The eye position data can be recorded in a coordinate system, in particular a coordinate system that moves with the vehicle, specifically in a vehicle coordinate system. Optionally, the evaluation device is additionally designed to determine the driver's eye orientation data. The evaluation device can be arranged in the camera, can be designed as a separate digital data processing device, or can be part of the control device described below.Alternatively, the evaluation device is located decentrally, in the cloud, or at another location. The mirror tracking system has a control device for controlling the adjustment device. In particular, the control device can monitor the adjustment of the mirror, specifically control and / or regulate it. The control device is configured, via programming and / or circuitry, to control the adjustment device based on the driver's eye position data.

[0014] The control strategy is designed such that if the eye position data changes, the mirror is adjusted in such a way that it tracks a basic setting of the field of view orientation and / or the basic setting of the field of view orientation is kept constant. The basic setting of the field of view orientation defines in particular a field of view orientation and thus a field of view as can be seen from the driver's observation position via the mirror. In particular, the field of view orientation with respect to first eye position data is recorded as the basic setting, and if the first eye position data changes to second eye position data, the same field of view orientation is restored by adjusting the mirror. This basic setting of the field of view orientation is kept constant and / or tracked by adjusting the mirror.

[0015] It is one consideration of the invention that, for example, in camera-based, electronic mirrors, the field of view displayed on a screen is always constant, regardless of the driver's observation position. Thus, with such systems, it is possible for the driver to set a specific field of view, which shows, for example, part of the vehicle's side, in order to orient themselves. With optical mirrors, on the other hand, there is the problem that although the mirror can be optimally adjusted for an observation position automatically and / or manually, this field of view orientation is typically not maintained when the observation position is changed. Changes in the observation position can occur, for example, through a change in the seat adjustment on longer journeys, through a change in the seating position, for exampleSinking into the seat due to a loss of body tension, activation of driver assistance functions, resulting in reclining, and much more. The invention therefore proposes recording the driver's eye position data and, if the driver's eye position data changes, controlling the mirror adjustment in such a way that the basic setting of the field of view alignment tracks the new eye position data and / or the basic setting of the field of view alignment is kept constant. In this way, the driver always maintains a constant field of view alignment and thus a constant field of view in the mirror, which overall leads to an improved field of view for the vehicle driver.

[0016] In principle, the driver's eye position data could be determined if the driver is in a mirror vision state, meaning their eyes are looking toward the mirror. However, the driver will only glance at the mirror briefly, so the data basis for adjusting the mirror accordingly is correspondingly limited.

[0017] It is therefore preferred that the evaluation device be configured to determine the driver's eye position data in a driving vision state, specifically when the eye's viewing direction is captured by the camera device parallel to the driving direction. Thus, the basic setting of the field of view orientation is determined in correlation with the driver's eye position data when the driver is in a driving vision state. The driver maintains the driving vision state almost continuously, allowing the mirror to be adjusted very robustly.

[0018] Since the change from the driving vision state to the mirror vision state always results in the same ("owl glaze") or even no ("lizard glaze") head movement, virtually independent of the driver's observation position in the vehicle, a change in the eye position data in the driving vision state can be used to infer the change in the eye position data in the mirror vision state, and the basic setting of the field of view can thus be adjusted and / or kept constant. In one implementation, for example, the change in the eye position data upon a change from the driving vision state to the mirror vision state can be stored in a table. It is also possible to determine this transition analytically using a body model of the driver or at least to estimate this transition using geometric optics.

[0019] To ensure that short-term changes in the observation position do not lead to an adjustment of the mirror, it is preferable to smooth the eye position data and / or to average them over time and / or to use smoothed or averaged eye position data. This prevents a short-term change in the driver's observation position, such as leaning forward towards the glove compartment, from leading to an adjustment of the mirror. Rather, it is preferable that the mirror tracking arrangement compensates for slow and permanent changes in the driver's observation position by tracking and / or keeping the field of view constant. Alternatively, the mirror is adjusted in real time, with real-time mirror tracking being carried out in less than 0.3 s, so that the driver has the same field of view orientation and therefore the same field of view virtually regardless of the observation position.

[0020] In one possible embodiment of the invention, the control device is configured to automatically adjust the mirror's field of view based on the eye position data. This field of view adjustment is subsequently adopted as the default field of view adjustment for the mirror. Additional vehicle parameters, such as seat position, seat-to-mirror distances, etc., can be taken into account during the automatic adjustment.

[0021] Alternatively, or optionally in addition, a completely manual adjustment of the field of view alignment or a manual correction of the automatic adjustment of the field of view alignment of the mirror can be used as the basic setting. It should be noted that there is no "optimal" position for adjusting a mirror. Rather, the adjustment of the mirror should always be seen as a pragmatic, individual compromise depending on the driver's habits and preferences. This further development ensures that the driver can optionally use an automatic adjustment of the field of view alignment to optimally adjust the mirror for their current observation position using current eye position data, manually or using controls if necessary, to suit their personal perception - i.e. in a way that is driver-friendly - and save this setting as the basic setting.Based on the eye position data and the stored basic setting, the resulting field of view alignment can be tracked and / or kept constant during operation of the mirror tracking arrangement.

[0022] In one possible design embodiment of the invention, the mirror is designed as a side mirror, in particular an exterior mirror, and / or as an interior mirror. It is also possible for several of the aforementioned mirrors to be controlled in order to maintain a constant field of view of several mirrors.

[0023] A further subject matter of the invention relates to a method for tracking a mirror of a mirror device in a vehicle, preferably using the mirror tracking arrangement as previously described, wherein a basic setting for a field of view alignment of a mirror is determined, wherein eye position data from a driver in the vehicle are detected, wherein the field of view alignment is tracked to the basic setting on the basis of the driver's eye position data and / or the basic setting is kept constant.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the control device is designed to control the adjustment device independently of a change in the position of the vehicle seat. Thus, the basic setting can be adjusted based on a change in the eye position data, even when the position of the vehicle seat remains constant.

[0025] A further subject of the invention relates to a vehicle having a mirror tracking arrangement as described above and / or configured to carry out the method as described above. Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying figure. This figure shows:

[0026] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle with a mirror tracking arrangement as an embodiment of the invention.

[0027] Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle 1 with a mirror tracking system 2 as an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 includes a vehicle seat 3 with a driver 4, with the driver's 4 head 5 and eyes 6 shown only in a highly schematic manner.

[0028] The mirror tracking arrangement 2 comprises a mirror device 7, wherein the mirror device 7 comprises a reflective mirror 8 and an adjustment device 9 for adjusting the mirror 7. An example is shown here, wherein the mirror device 7 is designed as an exterior mirror on the driver's side. However, the mirror device 7 can also be implemented alternatively or additionally on an interior mirror 10 or on another exterior mirror 11. It is also possible for several such mirror devices 7 to be provided.

[0029] The mirror tracking arrangement 2 has a camera device 12, wherein the camera device 12 has a camera 13 for capturing an interior of the vehicle 1 and / or the driver 4 on the vehicle seat 3 of the vehicle 1. The camera device 12 further comprises an evaluation device 14, wherein the evaluation device 14 is designed to determine eye position data from the eyes 6 of the driver 4. The eye position data can be determined, for example, via digital image processing. The evaluation device 14 is preferably designed as a digital data processing device. Other algorithms or techniques, such as neural networks for determining the eye position data, are also possible.

[0030] The driver's eye position data include information about the position of the eyes 6 of the driver 4. In simplified terms, the driver 4's eye position data can also be combined into a common eye center 15 of the driver 4, so that instead of two separate eyes 6, the eye center 15 is used as the starting point.

[0031] The driver 4 can assume a driving vision state in the vehicle 1, wherein in the driving vision state, the driving eye alignment 100 is aligned parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the driver can assume a mirror vision state, wherein the mirror eye alignment 200 is directed toward the mirror device 7, for example, to obtain a view of the traffic behind.

[0032] If the driver looks at the mirror 8 in mirror eye alignment 200, he sees a field of view in the mirror 8 that extends transversely to a field of view alignment 300. The field of view alignment 300, together with the mirror eye alignment 200, forms a beam path that leads from the eye center 15 to the mirror 8, is reflected there, and then continues as the field of view alignment 300.

[0033] The mirror tracking arrangement 7 has a control device 16 for controlling the adjustment device 9. In particular, the control device 16 controls and / or regulates the adjustment device 9. The control device 16 receives the eye position data from the evaluation device 14 and is designed to control the adjustment device 9 based on the eye position data of the driver 4 such that the field of view orientation 300 of the mirror 8 tracks a basic setting 400 of the field of view orientation 300 when the eye position data of the driver 4 changes and / or the basic setting 400 of the field of view orientation 300 is kept constant.

[0034] The basic setting of the field of view alignment 300 is shown in Figure 1 with solid lines. The driver 4, in particular the head 5, is in an observation position, with the mirror 8 initially adjusted either automatically by the control device 16 or additionally manually by the driver 4 himself until a field of view alignment 300 has the desired orientation for the driver 4. This setting forms the basic setting 400 and is recorded.

[0035] In the event that the driver 4 (dashed line) changes his observation position and thus his eye position data, as shown by the dashed line of the driver 4, the mirror eye alignment 200 (dashed line) and thus the incident angle on the mirror 8 of the mirror device 7 of the beam path also changes, so that without further measures a change in the field of view alignment 300 (dashed line) and thus in the field of view would occur.

[0036] However, the control device 16 is designed to track the field of view alignment 300 of the basic setting 400 or to keep the basic setting 400 of the field of view alignment 300 constant.

[0037] For this purpose, the control device 16 controls the adjustment device 9 so that, despite a different observation position and thus different eye position data of the driver 4, the field of view orientation 300 corresponds to the field of view orientation 300 in the basic setting 400 in the original observation position and / or with the original eye position data, so that the field of view for the driver 4 has at least the same field of view orientation 300 in the basic setting 400 and at least largely the same field of view in both observation positions.

[0038] The eye position data are evaluated by the control device 16, in particular, when the driver 4 assumes the driving eye orientation 100. This has the advantage that the driver 4 usually assumes the driving eye orientation 100 during a normal journey in the vehicle 1, so that the mirror device 7, in particular the mirror 8, can be adjusted in the event of slow changes in the observation position of the driver 4.

[0039] The preferred (exterior) mirror adjustment is highly individual and determined primarily by habit, with factors such as driving experience and driving profile also coming into play. Therefore, individual exterior mirror adjustment is preferable to an automatic adjustment that is identical for all drivers. However, the problem is that the head position and thus the field of view of the mirrors changes due to various factors: changes in the seat adjustment during longer journeys, changes in seating position (e.g., sinking into the seat due to a loss of body tension), activation of driver assistance functions (resulting in leaning back), and much more. However, the goal would still be to maintain the individual mirror settings regarding the field of view.

[0040] The process involves several steps:

[0041] - optional: automatic presetting of the mirror 8 based on camera-based detected 3D eye position as eye position data with the help of general function

[0042] - Fine-tuning / individualization of the mirror adjustment by the driver 4

[0043] - Calculation of the field of view alignment 300 of the mirror setting and the 3D eye positions when set as default setting 400

[0044] - Derivation of a nominal 3D eye position when looking at the road (in driving eye alignment 100) from the eye positions taken when adjusting the mirrors 8 (calculation via Pythagoras, estimation of the distances and the head joint in 3D via head model)

[0045] - Tracking of the personalized mirror setting when the nominal 3D eye position in driving eye alignment 100 changes in both axes so that the field of view alignment 300 corresponds to the basic setting 400 and a far point is again in the same position as originally set by the user.

[0046] Implementation using a 2D RGB-IR camera as camera 13 in the interior mirror 10, which performs a 3D body pose estimation and thus also estimates the eye position. Personalization can be performed via facial recognition using this camera 13 or via an ID transmitter (key, cell phone). One-time adjustment of the mirror 8 as part of a setup wizard upon first use of the vehicle 1. Saving the individual viewing angle 300 as a default setting in the user's profile. List of reference symbols

[0047] 1 vehicle

[0048] 2 mirror tracking arrangement

[0049] 3 vehicle seat

[0050] 4 drivers

[0051] 5 heads

[0052] 6 eyes of the driver

[0053] 7 Mirror device

[0054] 8 mirrors

[0055] 9 Adjustment device

[0056] 10 interior mirrors

[0057] 11 exterior mirrors

[0058] 12 Camera device

[0059] 13 Camera

[0060] 14 Evaluation device

[0061] 15 Eye center

[0062] 16 Control device

[0063] 100 Driving eye alignment

[0064] 200 Mirror eye alignment

[0065] 300 Field of view alignment

[0066] 400 Basic setting

Claims

Patent claims 1. A mirror tracking arrangement (2) for a vehicle (1) comprising a mirror device (7), wherein the mirror device (7) comprises a mirror (8) and an adjusting device (9) for adjusting the mirror (8) so that a field of view (300) of the mirror (8) for a driver (4) can be adjusted, comprising a camera device (12), wherein the camera device (12) comprises a camera (13) for detecting a driver (4) on a vehicle seat (3) of the vehicle (1) and an evaluation device (14) for determining eye position data of the driver (4), comprising a control device (16) for controlling the adjusting device (9), wherein the control device (16) is designed to control the adjusting device (9) based on the eye position data of the driver (4),so that the field of view alignment (300) of the mirror (8) is adjusted to a basic setting (400) of the field of view alignment (300) when the eye position data of the driver (4) changes and / or the basic setting (400) of the field of view alignment (300) is kept constant.

2. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation device (14) is designed to determine the eye position data of the driver (4) when the driver (4) is detected by the camera device (12) in a driving view state and / or when the eye view direction is detected by the camera device (12) as a driving eye orientation (100) parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle (1).

3. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the evaluation device (14) is designed to smooth and / or temporally average the eye position data.

4. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (16) is designed to carry out an automatic adjustment of the field of view alignment (300) of the mirror (8) on the basis of the eye position data and to adopt it as the basic setting (400) of the field of view alignment (300) for the mirror (8) 5. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (16) is designed to take over a manual adjustment of the field of view alignment (300) of the mirror (8) as the basic setting (400).

6. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mirror (8) is designed as a side mirror and / or as an interior mirror (10).

7. Mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (16) is designed to control the adjusting device (9) independently of a change in the position of the vehicle seat (3).

8. A method for tracking a mirror (8) of a mirror device (7), preferably using the mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a basic setting (400) for a field of view alignment (300) of a mirror (8) is determined, wherein eye position data from a driver (4) in an observation position and / or with eye position data in the vehicle (1) are recorded, wherein the field of view alignment (300) is tracked on the basis of the eye position data of the driver (4) upon a change in the observation position and / or the eye position data of the basic setting (400) and / or the basic setting (400) is kept constant.

9. Vehicle (1) with the mirror tracking arrangement (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7 and / or designed to carry out the method according to claim 8.

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