Rear-view Mirror Colored Overlay for Vehicle Collision Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face challenges in determining the distance and speed of approaching vehicles, especially when changing lanes, due to limited visual cues from rear-view and side-view mirrors, which can lead to unsafe maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system equipped with sensors and a controller that illuminate a colored display on the rear-view mirror based on the relative distance and speed of approaching vehicles, using a color-coded system (red, yellow, green) to indicate safety, with the controller determining the appropriate color based on calculated collision times and distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drivers rely on traditional rear-view and side-view mirrors to detect approaching vehicles, then the driver can see approaching vehicles, but the driver cannot accurately determine the distance and speed of approaching vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces colored overlay displays as an intermediary layer between the driver and the mirror reflection. These colored regions (red, yellow, green) are superimposed on the mirror image to convey distance and speed information without blocking the visual field, thus preserving visual information while enhancing measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color changes in the overlay display to encode different levels of distance and speed information. Red indicates close proximity or high speed, yellow indicates moderate distance or speed, and green indicates safe distance. This allows the driver to quickly assess vehicle parameters without complex visual analysis
2Loss of information
If drivers spend more time looking at mirrors to assess approaching vehicles, then the driver can gather more information, but the driver has less time to react and the maneuver becomes less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of distance and speed data and pre-processes this information into intuitive colored overlay displays before the driver needs to make a decision. This allows the driver to quickly interpret the current situation without needing to mentally calculate distances or speeds, reducing reaction time while maintaining complete information
3Loss of information
If the system provides detailed distance and speed information, then the driver can make informed decisions, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent encodes complex distance and speed information into simple color-coded overlay regions displayed on the mirror. This allows detailed information to be communicated through an intuitive visual interface without requiring complex displays or controls, thereby managing system complexity while preserving information
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay display applies different colors to specific regions of the mirror corresponding to the locations of approaching vehicles. This localized approach allows the system to provide detailed information about each vehicle's distance and speed without overwhelming the driver with global system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle is provided with multiple object-detecting devices, such as cameras and radar devices, that are configured to detect approaching vehicles from the rear. The object-detecting devices sense the relative distance and speed of the approaching vehicles relative to the vehicle. Based on the relative distance and speed, at least one controller is programmed to determine an anticipated collision time, indicating how long it would take for the upcoming vehicles to potentially collide with the vehicle. The controller can be programmed to illuminate a colored display on a rear-view mirror at a location where an approaching vehicle appears on the mirror, and change a color of the colored display based on the relative distance and relative speed of the approaching vehicle.