Driver Gaze-Controlled Vehicle Display for Blind Spot Viewing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle safety systems require drivers to move their head to view side or rear view mirrors, leading to a temporary shift in their line of sight away from the front of the vehicle, increasing the risk of accidents when checking blind spots or reversing.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle safety system utilizing pupil detection technology, which includes a sensing unit, processing unit, and control unit to track the driver's pupil position and trigger corresponding vehicle devices without requiring the driver to move their head, using a light source to project glints and calculate the pupil position relative to these markers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the driver moves his/her head to watch the side/rear view mirror or display device, then the driver can observe the status around the car, but the line of sight temporarily leaves the front of the car and the risk of car accident increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of head movement with an optical detection system. The sensing unit captures images of the driver's eyes, and the processing unit calculates pupil positions to determine gaze direction. This allows the system to identify which way the driver is looking without requiring the driver to physically move their head to view mirrors or displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the driver's gaze direction by calculating pupil positions from captured images. Instead of requiring the driver to physically orient their head toward mirrors or displays, the system computes and uses a representation of the gaze direction to automatically control these devices, eliminating the need for mechanical head movement.
2Reliability
If the driver keeps line of sight in front of the vehicle, then driving safety is improved, but the driver cannot access information from side or rear view cameras without moving head
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting the driver's gaze direction and autonomously controlling the mirrors and display devices. The driver simply needs to look in the desired direction, and the system automatically adjusts the view without requiring the driver to manually operate controls or move their head to specific positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the driver's pupil position and using this information to automatically adjust the vehicle's mirrors and displays. The processing unit calculates gaze direction from captured images and uses this feedback signal to control which camera feeds are displayed, creating a closed-loop system that responds to the driver's natural gaze.
3Device complexity
If conventional display device is disposed on the central console, then the structure is simple, but the driver has to move head to watch real time video which increases accident risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional display problem to a three-dimensional spatial solution by using head-up display technology. Instead of placing displays on the central console where drivers must turn their heads, the system projects information onto the windshield or dashboard surface in the driver's forward field of view, adding a new dimensional approach to information presentation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the driver to maintain their line of sight forward while accessing information from side or rear view cameras without physically moving, enhancing driving safety by reducing the risk of accidents.
Implementation Method 1
The light source is configured to project two glints on an eyeball. The sensing unit is configured to capture at least one image frame of a driver's face and the two glints
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a vehicle system including a sensing unit, a processing unit, a control unit and a display unit. The sensing unit is configured to capture an image frame containing an eyeball image from a predetermined distance. The processing unit is configured to calculate a pupil position of the eyeball image in the image frame and generate a drive signal corresponding to the pupil position. The control unit is configured to trigger a vehicle device associated with the pupil position according to the drive signal. The display unit is configured to show information of the vehicle device.