Rearview Mirror Camera Orientation Calibration Using Landmarks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing monitoring systems fail to accurately calibrate the orientation of imaging devices in rearview mirrors due to their articulation, leading to inconsistent image capture and difficulty in tracking occupant positions within vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A monitoring system incorporating a rearview mirror assembly with a movable housing and an imaging device that captures images of occupants, utilizing landmarks and structured light to extrapolate the current orientation of the imaging device, allowing for precise tracking of occupant positions through triangulation and rotation-dependent features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the housing articulates to provide adjustable viewing angles, then adaptability is improved, but measurement precision of imaging device orientation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustable viewing anglesVSAvoidimaging device orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses detected landmark positions to calculate and determine the current orientation of the imaging device, creating a feedback loop that continuously monitors and corrects orientation data based on actual observed positions of known landmarks within the field of view

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct mechanical orientation sensing with an optical-based landmark detection system, where the imaging device captures images of known landmarks and their positions are used to infer orientation, substituting mechanical measurement with optical field-of-view analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the imaging device moves with the housing between multiple orientations, then adaptability is improved, but reliability of occupant position tracking deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultiple orientationsVSAvoidoccupant position tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously determines current orientation based on landmark positions in captured images, creating a dynamic feedback mechanism that adapts to each orientation and maintains reliable occupant position tracking regardless of the housing's articulated position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-identifies multiple detectable landmarks within the environment before tracking begins, preparing a reference framework that enables reliable orientation determination and occupant position tracking across all possible device orientations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250018867A1Mirror rotation calibration

Publication Date: 2025.01.16 GENTEX CORP

AI summary

A monitoring system includes a rearview mirror assembly that has a mounting member and a housing that articulates relative to the mounting member. An imaging device is located in and fixed relative to the housing and is moveable with the housing between a plurality of orientations. The imaging device is configured to capture an image of an occupant's location. A processor is configured to identify at least one landmark in the image and extrapolate a current orientation out of the plurality of orientations of the imaging device based on a position of the at least one landmark in the image.