Driver Monitoring Camera View Adjustment for Mirror Position Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle vision systems face challenges in maintaining optimal field of view for driver monitoring due to rearview mirror adjustments, differences between left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles, and the need to include all occupants within the camera's view, often sacrificing driver-specific visibility and wasting field of view on irrelevant areas.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically adjustable camera system that shifts its lens relative to the imager and illuminators in real-time to optimize the field of view, using actuators to adjust the imager-lens configuration based on the position of occupants and mirror adjustments, ensuring enhanced resolution and focus on critical areas like the driver's eyes and hands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the camera field of view is adjusted to include all occupants, then occupant visibility is improved, but driver-specific visibility and resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system dynamically adjusts its field of view and focal length based on detected occupant positions. The camera can switch between different viewing modes (driver-focused mode with high resolution for driver monitoring, and full-occupant mode with wider field of view) in real-time, allowing both driver-specific precision and overall occupant visibility to be optimized at different times as needed
2Area of stationary object
If the camera field of view is expanded to cover the entire interior, then all areas become visible, but irrelevant areas waste the field of view and reduce monitoring precision
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality levels to different regions of the field of view. The driver's face and upper body are captured with high resolution and focus for precise monitoring, while other areas of the interior are captured with lower resolution. This allows the camera to maintain high monitoring precision for critical areas while still providing awareness of the overall interior space
3Device complexity
If the camera is fixed in position, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different vehicle configurations and mirror adjustments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system changes its operational parameters (field of view angle, focal length, focus distance) dynamically based on detected conditions such as mirror position and occupant locations. By adjusting these parameters rather than physically repositioning the camera, the system achieves adaptability to different vehicle configurations and mirror adjustments while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system, an electronic control unit (ECU) with an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. The camera includes an imaging array sensor and a lens and the camera is adjustable by at least one of (i) adjusting a position of the imaging array sensor relative to the lens and (ii) adjusting a position of the lens relative to the imaging array sensor. The system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors a body portion of a driver of the vehicle and adjusts the camera to adjust the position of where the monitored body portion of the driver is imaged at the imaging array sensor.