Vehicle Mirror Assembly With Movable Sensor Coverage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicles face challenges in achieving increased sensor coverage due to sensor fragility, complexity, and cost, which limits their deployment and effectiveness, especially in enhancing safety and autonomous operations.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a movable sensor into a vehicle mirror assembly, which includes a housing attachable to a vehicle, a reflective surface, and an actuator assembly that modifies the orientation or position of the sensor in response to control signals, thereby enhancing sensor coverage and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are deployed on vehicles to increase sensor coverage, then situational awareness and safety are enhanced, but sensor fragility and complexity increase the risk of damage and deployment challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is nested within the mirror assembly housing, placing it inside a protected enclosure that shields it from external damage while maintaining its sensing capabilities. The mirror assembly serves as a protective container for the sensor component.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a traditional reflective mirror for visibility and as a protective housing for the sensor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate protective structures while enhancing sensor coverage.
2Device complexity
If a fixed sensor is used in the mirror assembly, then the structure is simple, but visibility gaps exist and sensor coverage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is made movable within the mirror assembly through an actuator mechanism, allowing it to dynamically adjust its orientation and position. This enables the sensor to adapt its field of view based on vehicle location, object position, and navigation information, eliminating visibility gaps while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from vehicle location, object position, and navigation information to control the sensor's movement and orientation, allowing the sensor to actively adapt its coverage area based on real-time conditions rather than being fixed in a static position.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are deployed to eliminate visibility gaps, then sensor coverage increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deploying multiple fixed sensors to cover different areas, a single sensor is made dynamic and movable within the mirror assembly. This allows one sensor to assume the roles of multiple fixed sensors by adjusting its position and orientation, thereby reducing the total number of sensors needed while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the functions of multiple potential sensors into a single movable sensor unit within the mirror assembly. By merging these functions into one adaptable component, the system achieves equivalent or superior coverage with reduced complexity and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle mirror assembly is provided. The vehicle mirror assembly, for example, includes a housing attachable to a vehicle. The vehicle mirror assembly also includes a reflective surface coupled to the housing or covering an opening in the housing. The vehicle mirror assembly further includes a movable sensor coupled to the housing or contained in a space formed by the housing and reflective surface. The vehicle mirror assembly further includes an actuator assembly configured to modify an orientation, a position, or a combination thereof of the movable sensor in response to a control signal.