Room mirror device

Abstract

To provide a room mirror device that can properly sense biological information on an occupant in a vehicle.SOLUTION: A room mirror device for a vehicle comprises: a housing; a mirror provided on a surface of the housing 1; a radar part, arranged in the housing, which emits an electromagnetic wave toward a vehicle interior of the vehicle and receives a reflected wave reflected by an object of the electromagnetic wave; a biological information obtaining part that obtains biological information on an occupant in the vehicle on the basis of a received result of the reflected wave; and a posture detecting part that detects a posture of the room mirror device. The biological information obtaining part identifies a priority region where the part obtains the biological information on the occupant in the vehicle on a priority basis, in a mode which varies in accordance with the posture of the room mirror device detected by the posture detecting part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rearview mirror device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Systems have been disclosed that monitor the biological information of vehicle occupants using a radar device that emits millimeter waves. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an occupant monitoring system that includes a rearview mirror equipped with a radar module that detects the heart rate and respiratory rate of the vehicle occupant using millimeter waves. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-509146 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, if the driver moves the rearview mirror disclosed in Patent Document 1 so that it faces him / her when the vehicle starts, the detection accuracy of the radar module for the passenger side may decrease, and there is a risk that the heart rate and breathing rate of the person sitting in the passenger seat may not be detected accurately.

[0005] Furthermore, for example, when an area where signal analysis is first performed is set to enable early detection of the biometric information of vehicle occupants when detection is performed by a radar module, if the target's position deviates from that area, it may take a long time to detect the biometric information.

[0006] The present invention is intended to solve at least one of the above problems, and has an object to provide a rearview mirror device that can appropriately detect the biological information of an occupant in a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The rearview mirror device described in claim 1 is a rearview mirror device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a mirror provided on one surface of the housing; a radar unit disposed within the housing that irradiates electromagnetic waves toward the interior of the vehicle and receives waves reflected by an object from the electromagnetic waves; a biometric information acquisition unit that acquires biometric information of a vehicle occupant based on the reception results of the reflected waves; and an attitude detection unit that detects the attitude of the rearview mirror device, wherein the biometric information acquisition unit identifies a priority area from which to preferentially acquire biometric information of a vehicle occupant in a manner that changes depending on the attitude of the rearview mirror device detected by the attitude detection unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a top view of a front seat portion of a vehicle equipped with a rearview mirror device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a rearview mirror device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a rear view of the rearview mirror device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of a rearview mirror device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a side view of a rearview mirror device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a radar unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of signal processing performed by the radar unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified example of the rearview mirror device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a side view of a driver's seat portion of a vehicle equipped with a rearview mirror device according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a radar unit according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a control routine executed by a radar unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is a side view of a driver's seat area of ​​a vehicle equipped with a rearview mirror device according to a third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a control routine executed by a radar unit according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components will be omitted. [Example]

[0010] First, an overview of a rearview mirror device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a top view of a front seat portion of a vehicle M according to the first embodiment. In Fig. 1, the body of the vehicle M is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and objects, seats, a steering wheel, people, etc. present inside the vehicle M are indicated by solid lines.

[0011] In the following description, it is assumed that two people are riding in the vehicle M, namely, a driver DR who drives the vehicle M and a passenger PA who sits in the passenger seat of the vehicle M, as shown in Fig. 1. It is also assumed that the vehicle M is a right-hand drive vehicle.

[0012] The rearview mirror device 100 is attached to an existing mirror RM, which is an existing rearview mirror that is standard equipment on the vehicle M and is hung from the ceiling between the driver's seat and the passenger seat inside the vehicle M. In the following description, when the rearview mirror device 100 is attached to the existing mirror RM, the surface facing into the vehicle compartment is referred to as the front surface (front face) of the rearview mirror device 100, and the surface facing out of the vehicle compartment (the surface on the front window side) is referred to as the rear surface (back face) of the rearview mirror device 100.

[0013] The radar unit 12 is incorporated inside the rearview mirror device 100 and is a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves forward. In this embodiment, the radar unit 12 is described as radiating millimeter waves as electromagnetic waves, but the radar unit 12 may radiate electromagnetic waves of other wavelengths, such as microwaves or submillimeter waves.

[0014] The dashed line in the figure indicates an irradiation range RA, which is an example of an irradiation range of millimeter waves. The radar unit 12 irradiates electromagnetic waves to objects present in the vehicle M, such as the driver DR and passenger PA, and receives reflected waves generated when the electromagnetic waves are reflected from these objects.

[0015] The radar unit 12 performs signal processing using, for example, millimeter wave signals transmitted from the radar unit 12 and reflected wave signals received by the radar unit 12, and analyzes biological information such as the respiratory rate and heart rate of each of the driver DR and passenger PA.

[0016] For example, if the acquired biological information of the passenger PA is abnormal, the radar unit 12 determines that there is some problem with the passenger PA's health, and notifies the passengers in the vehicle M by audio notification via a speaker (not shown) mounted on the vehicle M. This allows the driver DR who receives the notification to take action such as temporarily stopping the vehicle M in a safe place.

[0017] Next, the configuration of the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 is a front view of the rearview mirror device 100. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the rearview mirror device 100. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rearview mirror device 100. Fig. 5 is a side view of the rearview mirror device 100.

[0018] 2 to 5 show the rearview mirror device 100 attached to an existing mirror RM. In FIGS. 2 to 5, the movable part MP of the existing mirror RM is a movable part that makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the existing mirror RM in all directions. The connecting part CP is a rod-shaped member that extends upward from the movable part MP, and one end of which is attached to the ceiling or front window of the vehicle M.

[0019] The rearview mirror device 100 comprises a housing 11, a radar unit 12 arranged within the housing 11, a mirror 13 provided on the front surface of the housing 11, and a fixing portion 15 for fixing the rearview mirror device 100 to an existing mirror RM.

[0020] [Housing 11] The housing 11 is a rectangular box-shaped body. The housing 11 has, for example, a recess with an opening OP1 having a rectangular outline on the front surface thereof, and a recess with an opening OP2 having a rectangular outline on the rear surface thereof. When the rearview mirror device 100 is attached to the existing mirror RM, for example, the existing mirror RM is accommodated in the recess with the opening OP2 on the rear surface of the housing 11.

[0021] [Radar Unit 12] The radar unit 12 serving as a radar section is disposed approximately in the center inside the housing 11, and as described above, is a radar device that irradiates millimeter waves toward the interior of the vehicle and receives the reflected waves. The detailed configuration of the radar unit 12 will be described later.

[0022] [Mirror 13] The mirror 13 is, for example, a rectangular mirror that is disposed and fixed within an opening OP1 provided in the front surface of the housing 11. The mirror 13 has a rectangular mirror surface 13S. The millimeter waves emitted from the radar unit 12 pass through the housing 11 and the mirror 13 and are irradiated into the interior of the vehicle M.

[0023] [Fixed part 15] As shown in Figure 3, the fixing portion 15, which is the part for fixing the rearview mirror device 100 to the existing mirror RM, has fixing portions 15A at two positions on the upper end side of the rear surface of the housing 11 and fixing portions 15B at two positions on the lower end side.

[0024] The fixed portion 15A is disposed at the upper end of the housing 11 and is provided so as to be slidable in the up-down direction of the rearview mirror device 100. Specifically, the fixed portion 15A is slidable so as to be in two positions: a protruding position in which the fixed portion 15A protrudes above the opening OP2, and a retracted position (indicated by a two-dot chain line in the drawing) in which the fixed portion 15A does not protrude above the opening OP2.

[0025] The fixing portion 15B is fixed so as to extend from below the housing 11 and protrude above the opening OP2. When attaching the rearview mirror device 100, for example, the fixing portion 15A is first slid toward the outside of the housing 11, and after the existing mirror RM is accommodated in the opening OP2 on the rear surface of the housing 11, the fixing portion 15 is slid back to its original position. In this way, the rearview mirror device 100 is fixed to the existing mirror RM. Note that the fixing portion 15 may be, for example, a belt for fastening the rearview mirror device 100 to the existing mirror RM.

[0026] [Radar Unit 12 Configuration] The configuration of the radar unit 12 will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the radar unit 12. The radar unit 12 is a device in which a control unit 22, a transceiver unit 23, and a communication unit 24 cooperate with each other via a system bus 21.

[0027] The control unit 22 is configured with a central processing unit (CPU) 22A, a read only memory (ROM) 22B, a random access memory (RAM) 22C, etc., and functions as a computer.

[0028] The transceiver 23 has a plurality of transmitting antennas that emit millimeter waves in the 60 GHz band as transmission waves, and a plurality of receiving antennas that receive millimeter waves as reflected waves that are the emitted millimeter waves reflected by an object. The transceiver 23 is configured, for example, with a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas each arranged in an array.

[0029] In this embodiment, the radar unit 12 is a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) radar unit that forms a virtual array antenna using multiple transmitting and receiving antennas and acquires the millimeter waves received there as complex data (so-called IQ data).

[0030] The control unit 22 performs signal processing using the millimeter wave signal transmitted from the transceiver unit 23 and the received millimeter wave signal, thereby acquiring at least one of the heart rate and the respiratory rate as biometric information of the occupant of the vehicle M. That is, the control unit 22 functions as a biometric information acquisition unit. An example of signal processing by the control unit 22 will be described later.

[0031] The communication unit 24 is a communication device that transmits and receives data to and from external devices in accordance with instructions from the control unit 22. The communication unit 24 is, for example, a network interface card (NIC) for connecting to a network. The communication unit 24 is connected to audio devices such as speakers of the vehicle M via wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0032] For example, when the control unit 22 detects that the acquired respiratory rate of the passenger PA is irregular, it determines that the health condition of the passenger PA is deteriorating, and issues a voice notification such as "The passenger's breathing seems irregular. Please take a break" through the speaker into the vehicle cabin. In other words, the control unit 22 functions as a notification unit that issues a voice notification inside the vehicle M.

[0033] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the radar unit 12 is disposed so that the center line CL of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the radar unit 12 (hereinafter also referred to as the irradiation center line CL) is inclined at a predetermined angle around an axis along the short direction of the mirror surface 13S with respect to the normal line NL of the mirror surface 13S of the mirror 13. Specifically, when the vehicle M is a right-hand drive vehicle, the irradiation center line CL is tilted to the left by an angle θ with respect to the normal line NL of the mirror surface 13S as shown in FIG. h It is just tilted.

[0034] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the illumination center line CL is parallel to the normal line NL of the mirror surface 13S in a side view of the rearview mirror device 100 seen from the longitudinal direction of the mirror surface 13S. That is, the extension directions of the illumination center line CL and the normal line NL coincide around the axis along the longitudinal direction of the mirror surface 13S.

[0035] For example, in the plan view shown in Fig. 4, if the irradiation center line CL and the normal line NL are parallel, when the driver DR turns the rearview mirror device 100 toward himself / herself so that he / she can see behind the vehicle M when the vehicle M departs, the irradiation center line CL also faces toward the driver DR. As a result, the passenger PA may fall out of the irradiation range of the millimeter waves of the radar unit 12, or even if he / she is within the irradiation range, he / she may be located at the edge of the irradiation range, which may reduce the detection accuracy of the biological information of the passenger PA.

[0036] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the irradiation center line CL is angled leftward by an angle θ h As a result, for example, when the driver DR turns the rearview mirror device 100 toward himself / herself so that he / she can see behind the vehicle M, the irradiation center line CL of the radar unit 12 becomes approximately parallel to the traveling direction of the vehicle M.

[0037] Therefore, with the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, even if the driver DR moves the rearview mirror device 100 so that it faces towards him / her, both the driver DR and the passenger PA will be equally within the irradiation range of the millimeter waves of the radar unit 12. Therefore, with the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the heart rate and respiratory rate of not only the driver DR but also the passenger PA can be detected with high accuracy.

[0038] The angle θ at which the irradiation center line CL is inclined with respect to the normal line NL h It is preferable that the angle be in the range of, for example, 10° to 30° to the left as viewed from the mirror surface 13S, assuming the angle when the rearview mirror device 100 is tilted so that the driver DR can see behind the vehicle M.

[0039] [An example of biometric information acquisition by the control unit] An example of biometric information acquisition performed by the control unit 22 will now be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of analyzing the heart rate signal and the respiratory rate signal of the occupant of the vehicle M by signal processing performed by the control unit 22.

[0040] First, the control unit 22 combines the millimeter wave signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna of the transceiver unit 23 with the millimeter wave signal received by the receiving antenna of the transceiver unit 23, and performs a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the combined signal for distance and azimuth angle, thereby calculating an FFT signal for each distance and azimuth angle.

[0041] Next, based on the calculated FFT signal, the control unit 22 generates an intensity map (not shown) that plots the signal intensity of the reflected wave on a spatial map whose origin is the position of the receiving antenna of the transceiver unit 23, selects FFT signals from areas in the intensity map that have a signal intensity above a predetermined level (areas where there is a high possibility that an occupant is present), and arranges the selected FFT signals in chronological order to monitor phase fluctuations.

[0042] For example, if the target is completely stationary, ideally there will be no change in the phase of the FFT signal. On the other hand, if the target's position is fluctuating, there will be a change in the phase of the FFT signal (a phase difference will occur), which increases the possibility that information about body movement, breathing, and heart rate will be included.

[0043] Since vibrations of the skin caused by human breathing and heartbeat are periodic, by applying a band-pass filter (BPF) to the waveform showing the phase difference of the FFT signal as shown in the left diagram of Figure 7, for example, it is possible to separate the waveform showing the phase difference of the FFT signal into a component corresponding to breathing and a component corresponding to the heartbeat as shown in the center diagram of Figure 7.

[0044] The control unit 22 estimates the average values ​​of the respiratory rate and heart rate by performing frequency analysis (FFT) on the separated respiratory component and heart rate component. By repeatedly performing these processes, it is possible to obtain a waveform in which the respiratory rate and heart rate are clearly separated, as shown in the right diagram of Fig. 7. The control unit 22 can detect whether there is any disturbance in the respiratory rate or heart rate of the occupant, for example, by comparing the obtained waveform with a waveform under normal conditions.

[0045] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, biometric information is acquired by targeting the driver DR of the vehicle M and the passenger PA sitting in the front passenger seat, but this is not limited to this, and biometric information may also be acquired by targeting, for example, a person sitting in the back seat.

[0046] Furthermore, in the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12 acquires biometric information such as the respiratory rate and heart rate of the occupants of the vehicle M, but the acquisition of the occupant's biometric information may also be performed by an external device.

[0047] For example, the control unit 22 may sequentially transmit the millimeter wave signals emitted by the transceiver unit 23 and the millimeter wave signals received by the transceiver unit 23 to an in-vehicle device separately installed in the vehicle M, and acquire biometric information by analyzing the signals received by the in-vehicle device.

[0048] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the radar unit 12 is arranged inside the housing 11, but this is not limited to this. For example, the transmitter / receiver unit 23 that transmits and receives millimeter waves of the radar unit 12 may be configured to be exposed from the housing 11.

[0049] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the mirror 13 has a rectangular mirror surface 13S, but this is not limited to this and may have any shape with long and short sides, such as an elliptical shape or a trapezoidal shape in which the base and top sides are longer than the height.

[0050] In the rearview mirror device 100 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 issues an audio notification inside the vehicle M via an audio device such as a speaker of the vehicle M, but this is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 22 may display a message related to biological information on a touch panel display in addition to or instead of the audio notification. When issuing an audio notification inside the vehicle via a speaker, a continuous sound such as a buzzer may be output instead of the audio announcement described above. Alternatively, the control unit 22 may control a safety stop device of the vehicle to take measures to stop the vehicle.

[0051] [Modification of the rearview mirror device 100 of the first embodiment] A rearview mirror device 110 according to a modified example of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rearview mirror device 110, similar to Fig. 4. The modified rearview mirror device 110 is the same as the first embodiment in other respects, except for the arrangement of the radar unit 12. Note that this modified example will also be described assuming that the vehicle M is a right-hand drive vehicle.

[0052] In the rearview mirror device 110 of this modified example, the radar unit 12 is disposed at the left end portion within the housing 11. The existing mirror RM that is standard equipment on the vehicle M is usually disposed at the center in the width direction of the vehicle M, and therefore, by disposing the radar unit 12 in this manner, it is possible to create a difference between the distance from the radar unit 12 to the driver DR and the distance from the radar unit 12 to the passenger PA.

[0053] Here, for example, in a MIMO radar, due to the effects of side lobes in the antenna directivity and the effects of phase folding that occur because the spacing between elements of the receiving array antenna is greater than half the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave, a ghost caused by an object may appear in an area on a spatial map with the position of the receiving antenna as the origin, where the distance from the origin to the object is the same, even if the object does not actually exist in that direction.

[0054] That is, for example, if the driver DR and the passenger PA are at the same distance from the radar unit 12, the ghost caused by the driver DR or the passenger PA will overlap with the position where the other is located, which may result in a decrease in the accuracy of detecting biometric information.

[0055] 8, when millimeter waves are emitted from radar unit 12, the driver DR is farther away from radar unit 12 than the passenger PA, and therefore the reflected waves reflected by the driver DR are detected later than the reflected waves reflected by the passenger PA, making it easier to separate the signal indicating the driver DR of vehicle M from the signal indicating the passenger PA. Therefore, according to the rearview mirror device 110 of this modified example, by arranging radar unit 12 at the end of housing 11, it is possible to suppress a decrease in detection accuracy caused by ghosts.

[0056] In the modified rearview mirror device 110, the radar unit 12 is arranged at the left end portion of the housing 11, but this is not limitative and the radar unit 12 may be arranged at the right end portion of the housing 11, for example. In other words, the radar unit 12 may be arranged at either end portion of the mirror surface 13S in the housing 11 in the longitudinal direction. [Example]

[0057] Next, a rearview mirror device 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The rearview mirror device 200 according to the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the configuration of the radar unit 12. Note that this embodiment will also be described assuming that the vehicle M is a right-hand drive vehicle.

[0058] 9 is a side view of a seat SE of a vehicle M equipped with a rearview mirror device 200 according to the second embodiment. In the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, a spatial region where an occupant of the vehicle M is likely to be present after millimeter waves are emitted from the transmitter / receiver 23, in other words, a spatial region where signal analysis is first started based on the expectation that biometric information of the occupant can be acquired, is defined as a priority detection region PDA.

[0059] When detecting the breathing and heartbeat of passengers, it is necessary to verify whether the period of the object movement detected as a result of signal analysis falls within the periodic range expected for human breathing and heartbeat. Therefore, by appropriately setting the priority detection area PDA, it is possible to quickly obtain the passenger's biological information.

[0060] The control unit 22 analyzes signals in the priority detection area PDA with priority over other areas, and if it is unlikely that the occupant's biometric information can be obtained, for example, if no phase change as described above is observed in the signal processing, it resets another area as the priority detection area PDA and analyzes the signals again.

[0061] 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the radar unit 12 in the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment. In the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, the radar unit 12 has an acceleration sensor 26.

[0062] The acceleration sensor 26 is an inertial sensor that detects the inertial motion of the rearview mirror device 200. In the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12 changes the priority detection area PDA in accordance with the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200 acquired via the acceleration sensor 26. In other words, the control unit 22 and the acceleration sensor 26 function as an attitude detection unit that detects the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200.

[0063] When detecting the breathing and heartbeat (especially the heartbeat) of an occupant of the vehicle M using the radar unit 12, it is preferable to measure the displacement around the neck of the occupant. For this reason, the priority detection area PDA of the rearview mirror device 200 is set in advance so as to correspond to the area around the neck of the occupant of the vehicle M when the orientation of the rearview mirror device 200 is adjusted to the rearview mirror use state. Specifically, the priority detection area PDA of the radar unit 12 in the rearview mirror device 200 is set in advance so as to correspond to a direction that is slightly tilted downward from the direction of the normal NL of the mirror surface 13S of the rearview mirror device 200 in a side view.

[0064] Here, for example, when attempting to install a rearview mirror device 200 manufactured for a right-hand drive vehicle on a left-hand drive vehicle, simply installing the rearview mirror device 200 on the left-hand drive vehicle will not position the irradiation center line CL of the radar unit 12 in the appropriate position.

[0065] Specifically, if a rearview mirror device 200 manufactured for a right-hand drive vehicle is installed in a left-hand drive vehicle, when the driver DR turns the rearview mirror device 200 toward himself so that he can see behind the vehicle M, the irradiation center line CL will be directed further toward the driver DR, and the passenger PA will be further outside the irradiation range of the radar unit 12.

[0066] In order to bring the irradiation center line CL to an appropriate position, it may be considered to mount the rearview mirror device 200 upside down when mounted on a right-hand drive vehicle and when mounted on a left-hand drive vehicle, for example.

[0067] However, in such a case, the priority detection area PDA may shift up or down from the state before the rearview mirror device 200 is turned upside down, in other words, the priority detection area PDA may be set to an area other than the area that is originally desired to be detected as a priority, which may result in it taking a long time to obtain the biometric information of the occupants of vehicle M.

[0068] According to the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12 changes the priority detection area PDA in accordance with the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200 acquired via the acceleration sensor 26 as described above.

[0069] Specifically, the control unit 22 detects the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200 when the roll angle of the rearview mirror device 200 calculated from the measurement value of the acceleration sensor 26 is near 0° as the "attitude for a right-hand drive vehicle," and detects the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200 when the roll angle is near 180° as the "attitude for a left-hand drive vehicle."

[0070] When the control unit 22 detects that the attitude of the rearview mirror device 200 is not "attitude for a right-hand drive vehicle," that is, that the attitude is "attitude for a left-hand drive vehicle," the control unit 22 resets the priority detection area PDA set for a right-hand drive vehicle to that for a left-hand drive vehicle. Specifically, the control unit 22 moves the priority detection area PDA in line symmetry with respect to the normal line NL of the mirror surface 13S in a side view of the rearview mirror device 200.

[0071] In other words, the control unit 22 identifies one of two areas that are symmetrical to each other with respect to the normal NL of the mirror surface 13S of the mirror 13 in a side view from the longitudinal direction of the mirror surface 13S as the priority detection area PDA, depending on the direction in which the short side of the mirror surface 13S is facing.

[0072] According to the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, the priority detection area PDA is changed depending on whether the position of the rearview mirror device 200 is "the position for a right-hand drive vehicle" or "the position for a left-hand drive vehicle." As a result, even if the rearview mirror device 200 is installed upside down, the priority detection area PDA can be set according to the position of the steering wheel of the vehicle at that time.

[0073] The specific operation of the radar unit 12 in the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the priority detection area setting routine RT1 executed by the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12. The control unit 22 starts the priority detection area setting routine RT1, for example, when the rearview mirror device 200 is powered on, and repeatedly executes the routine while the power is on.

[0074] First, the control unit 22 determines whether the rearview mirror device 200 is in a position for a right-hand drive vehicle (step S101). Specifically, the control unit 22 determines whether the current position of the rearview mirror device 200 is a position for a right-hand drive vehicle based on the position of the rearview mirror device 200 detected via the acceleration sensor 26.

[0075] When the control unit 22 determines that the rearview mirror device 200 is in a position for a right-hand drive vehicle (step S101: YES), it sets the priority detection area PDA to that for a right-hand drive vehicle (step S102). Note that if the priority detection area PDA is already for a right-hand drive vehicle, the priority detection area PDA for a right-hand drive vehicle is used as is.

[0076] If the control unit 22 determines that the rearview mirror device 200 is not in a position for a right-hand drive vehicle (step S101: NO), that is, if it determines that the rearview mirror device 200 is in a position for a left-hand drive vehicle, it sets the priority detection area PDA to that for a left-hand drive vehicle (step S103).

[0077] Specifically, the control unit 22 sets the priority detection area PDA for a left-hand drive vehicle as the priority detection area PDA for a right-hand drive vehicle, which is moved line-symmetrically with respect to the normal line NL of the mirror surface 13S as described above.

[0078] The control unit 22 sets the priority detection area PDA to either that for a right-hand drive vehicle or that for a left-hand drive vehicle, and then ends the priority detection area setting routine RT1.

[0079] According to the rearview mirror device 200 of this embodiment, even when the rearview mirror device 200 is changed from a right-hand drive vehicle to a left-hand drive vehicle, the radar unit 12 detects the up and down of the rearview mirror device 200 and changes the priority detection area PDA. Therefore, the biological information of multiple occupants can be detected with high accuracy and analyzed without loss.

[0080] Note that changes in the pitch angle of the rearview mirror device 200 occur mostly when the driver DR adjusts the rearview mirror device 200 to a state in which the rearview mirror is in use (for example, when starting to drive). Therefore, in most cases in which a change in the pitch angle occurs, the priority detection area PDA is automatically adjusted to include the driver DR, regardless of the physique of the driver DR. Therefore, the rearview mirror device 200 may not need to change the priority detection area PDA in accordance with changes in the pitch angle. This is one of the advantages of incorporating the radar unit 12 into the rearview mirror device 200 used as a rearview mirror.

[0081] In this embodiment, whether the rearview mirror device 200 is in a position for a right-hand drive vehicle or a left-hand drive vehicle may be detected by the state of a switch provided in the rearview mirror device 200 itself, in which case the radar unit 12 does not need to have an acceleration sensor 26.

[0082] For example, a switch that allows the user to set whether the rearview mirror device 200 is to be used for a right-hand drive vehicle or a left-hand drive vehicle may be provided in the rearview mirror device 200. By setting the switch, the control unit 22 may determine whether the rearview mirror device 200 is attached to a right-hand drive vehicle or a left-hand drive vehicle, and set the priority detection area PDA according to the determination.

[0083] Furthermore, the radar unit 12 may be configured to be able to communicate with an on-board device installed in the vehicle M. In this case, the radar unit 12 may not have the acceleration sensor 26. For example, the control unit 22 may acquire information indicating whether the current vehicle M is a right-hand drive vehicle or a left-hand drive vehicle from the on-board device, and set the priority detection area PDA according to the acquired information. [Example]

[0084] Next, a rearview mirror device 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. The rearview mirror device 300 according to a third embodiment is the same as the second embodiment except for the function of the radar unit 12. In this embodiment, the vehicle M is also described as a right-hand drive vehicle.

[0085] 9, Fig. 12 is a side view of the seat SE portion of the vehicle M equipped with the rearview mirror device 300 according to the third embodiment. In the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12 is wirelessly connected to, for example, an on-board ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and acquires seat information indicating the position of the seat SE from the on-board ECU.

[0086] Specifically, the control unit 22 acquires at least one of the following as the seat information of the seat SE: the front-to-rear position of the seat surface of the seat SP, the height of the seat surface, and the tilt angle of the backrest BP. In other words, the control unit 22 functions as a seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information indicating the seat posture of the occupant of the vehicle M.

[0087] In the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 identifies a target point TP based on the transmitter / receiver 23 of the radar unit 12, based on at least one of the acquired front-to-rear positions of the seat portion of the seat SP, the height of the seat portion, and the tilt angle of the backrest portion BP. The target point TP is a coordinate point where the neck of an occupant of the vehicle M is estimated to be located when the occupant sits in the seat SE of the vehicle M.

[0088] In the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 sets the distance and direction of the priority detection area PDA from the radar unit 12 so that the priority detection area PDA includes the target point TP identified based on the seat information of the seat SE.

[0089] For example, even if a priority detection area PDA is set, the position of the target from which biometric information is to be obtained may fall outside the priority detection area PDA depending on the physique and riding posture of the occupant of the vehicle M. In other words, since the physique and riding posture of the occupant of the vehicle M differ depending on the occupant, it may not be possible to obtain biometric information without loss.

[0090] According to the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, by using a priority detection area PDA set to match the posture of the seat SE of the occupant of the vehicle M, that is, by using a priority detection area PDA that is as close as possible to the physique and posture of the occupant of the vehicle M when riding, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy for a specific occupant.

[0091] The specific operation of the radar unit 12 in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing the priority detection area setting routine RT2 executed by the control unit 22 of the radar unit 12. The control unit 22 starts the priority detection area setting routine RT2, for example, when the rearview mirror device 200 is powered on, and repeatedly executes the routine while the power is on.

[0092] First, the control unit 22 acquires seat information of a seat SE of a specific occupant of the vehicle M (step S201). Specifically, as described above, the control unit 22 acquires at least one of the front-to-rear position of the seat surface portion of the seat portion SP of the seat SE, the height of the seat surface portion, and the tilt angle of the backrest portion BP from, for example, the in-vehicle ECU.

[0093] Next, the control unit 22 identifies a target point TP, which is a coordinate point where the neck of an occupant of the vehicle M is estimated to be located when the occupant sits in the seat SE of the vehicle M, from the acquired seat information (step S202).

[0094] Next, the control unit 22 determines whether the current default priority detection area PDA includes the target point TP (step S203), and if it determines that the current priority detection area PDA includes the target point TP (step S203: YES), it terminates the priority detection area setting routine RT2.

[0095] If the control unit 22 determines that the current priority detection area PDA does not include the target point TP (step S203: NO), it resets the distance and direction of the priority detection area PDA from the radar unit 12 so that the priority detection area PDA includes the target point TP (step S204). After step S204, the control unit 22 ends the priority detection area setting routine RT2.

[0096] According to the priority detection area setting routine RT2, the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment uses a priority detection area PDA that is tailored to the physique and riding posture of the occupants of the vehicle M, thereby further improving the detection accuracy for specific occupants of the vehicle M.

[0097] In the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, the control unit 22 identifies the target point TP from at least one of the front and rear positions of the seat surface portion of the seat portion SP of the seat SE, the height of the seat surface portion, and the tilt angle of the backrest portion BP, but in addition to or instead of this, the target point TP may also be identified from the height and tilt angle of the headrest of the seat SE.

[0098] Furthermore, in the rearview mirror device 300 of this embodiment, in addition to the seat information of the seat SE, an image from an in-vehicle camera may be used as information that contributes to identifying the physique of the occupant and their riding posture.

[0099] Specifically, the control unit 22 may acquire a captured image from an in-vehicle camera that captures the interior of the vehicle M, and calculate the approximate position of the target point TP based on the physique and posture of the person appearing in the acquired captured image. Note that when calculating the target point TP, the control unit 22 may identify and take into account the physique and posture of the person appearing in the captured image, as well as the gender, height, and other factors of the person. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 100, 110, 200, 300 Rearview mirror device 11. Housing 12 radar unit 13. Mirror 15 Fixed part 22 Control Unit 23 Transmitter / Receiver 24 Communications Department 26 Acceleration sensor RM Existing mirror DR Driver PA passenger

Claims

1. A vehicle rearview mirror device, Housing and a mirror provided on one surface of the housing; a radar unit disposed within the housing, which irradiates electromagnetic waves toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle and receives waves reflected by an object from the electromagnetic waves; a biometric information acquisition unit that acquires biometric information of an occupant of the vehicle based on a reception result of the reflected wave; a posture detection unit that detects the posture of the rearview mirror device; and The rearview mirror device is characterized in that the biometric information acquisition unit identifies a priority area from which to preferentially acquire biometric information of the vehicle occupant in a manner that changes depending on the posture of the rearview mirror device detected by the posture detection unit.

2. The mirror has an elongated mirror surface, 2. The rearview mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the biometric information acquisition unit identifies the priority area according to the direction in which the shorter side of the mirror surface is facing, as detected by the posture detection unit.

3. The rearview mirror device according to claim 2, characterized in that the biometric information acquisition unit identifies, as the priority area, one of two areas that are line-symmetrical with respect to a normal to the mirror surface of the mirror in a side view seen from the longitudinal direction of the mirror surface, depending on the direction in which the short side of the mirror surface is facing detected by the posture detection unit.

4. the attitude detection unit includes an acceleration sensor, 2. The rearview mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the biological information acquisition unit determines the attitude of the rearview mirror device based on the measurement result of the acceleration sensor.

5. a seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information indicating the seat posture of an occupant of the vehicle; The rearview mirror device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the biometric information acquisition unit identifies a target point based on the radar unit based on the seat information acquired by the seat information acquisition unit, and identifies the priority area so as to include the identified target point.

6. 6. The rearview mirror device according to claim 5, wherein the seat information includes at least the front-rear position and height of the seat surface of the vehicle seat and the tilt angle of the backrest.

7. 6. The rearview mirror device according to claim 5, wherein the target point is a point where the neck of an occupant of the vehicle is estimated to be when the occupant sits in the seat.

8. 4. The rearview mirror device according to claim 2, wherein a center line passing through the center of the irradiation range of the electromagnetic waves is inclined at a predetermined angle around an axis along the short side direction of the mirror surface with respect to a normal to the mirror surface.

9. The rearview mirror device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an alarm unit that determines the current health condition of the vehicle occupant based on the biometric information of the vehicle occupant and issues a notification within the vehicle according to the determined health condition.

10. 4. The rearview mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the biological information is at least one of a heart rate and a respiratory rate of the vehicle occupant.

11. 4. The rearview mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing portion for fixing the rearview mirror to the vehicle.

Images