Eye-tracking Rear Vision System with Dynamic Image Sub-area Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rearview mirrors in vehicles do not effectively adjust the displayed image based on the driver's head or eye position, limiting the driver's ability to view rearward areas without changing the mirror's angle, which can result in a restricted view, especially when the driver moves their head to view objects outside the standard mirror field.
Innovation Solution
A rear vision system that includes a camera capturing a field of view rearward of the vehicle, an image sensor to detect the driver's eyes or head position, and a controller to select and display a sub-area of the image on a display substrate within the rearview mirror, simulating a reflected image based on the driver's eye position, allowing for image adjustment to match the driver's expected view while maintaining a predetermined scale and optical principles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mirror angle is fixed for standard viewing, then the mirror structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the driver cannot view objects outside the standard mirror field when moving their head
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical mirror adjustment system with an electronic image processing system. Instead of physically moving the mirror to change viewing angles, the system captures a fixed wide-angle image and electronically selects and displays different sub-areas based on detected eye position, eliminating mechanical complexity while achieving viewing angle adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability by detecting the driver's eye position in real-time and dynamically selecting which sub-area of the captured image to display. This allows the viewing angle to adapt dynamically to the driver's head movements without requiring mechanical adjustment mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If the mirror angle is adjusted manually, then the driver can view different areas, but frequent adjustments are needed when the driver moves their head, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting the driver's eye position and selecting the appropriate image sub-area without requiring manual intervention. The driver simply moves their head naturally, and the system automatically compensates by displaying the correct viewing area, eliminating the time loss associated with manual mirror adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the eye position detection to automatically adjust the displayed image area. The detected eye position serves as feedback that triggers the selection of the appropriate sub-area, creating a closed-loop system that continuously adapts to the driver's viewing needs without manual input
3Area of stationary object
If a wide-angle camera is used to capture a larger rearward area, then rearward visibility is improved, but the image distortion and scale correlation become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wide-angle captured image into multiple sub-areas, each corresponding to a specific viewing direction. By segmenting the large image into smaller manageable portions and selecting only the relevant sub-area for display, the system maintains simple processing while achieving wide rearward coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified copy of the rearward view by selecting and displaying only the relevant sub-area that corresponds to the driver's current viewing direction. This copied sub-area maintains the correct scale and perspective relationship, avoiding the complexity of processing the entire wide-angle image
Data Source
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AI summary
A rear vision system (10) for a vehicle (12) includes a camera (14) mounted with the vehicle (12) and capturing a field of view (16) rearward of the vehicle (12), a rearview mirror (20) including a display substrate (22) thereon, and an image (30) sensor (24) directed toward an interior (26) of the vehicle (12) and configured to capture image (30) data of an object. The system (10) further includes a controller (28) in communication with the camera (14) and receiving a first video image (30) of the first size corresponding with the field of view (16), with the image (30) sensor (24) to determine a position of the object within the image (30) data, and with the display substrate (22) to present a portion of the first video image (30) thereon of a size less than the first size. The portion of the first video image (30) is selected to correspond with an expected portion of the field of view (16) based on the determined position of the object.