Rearview Mirror NIR Emitter Switching for Left- and Right-Hand Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interior rearview mirror assemblies for vehicles do not efficiently adapt to both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles for driver monitoring, as they lack a mechanism to adjust near-infrared light emitters based on the vehicle type.
Innovation Solution
The interior rearview mirror assembly incorporates a near-infrared light emitter that adjusts its orientation based on the vehicle type, with separate light emitting elements for left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles, controlled by a software-enabled system to ensure effective driver monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single mirror assembly is used for both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles, then manufacturing cost and inventory complexity are reduced, but the system cannot effectively adapt light emitter orientation to different vehicle types
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror assembly is designed as a universal platform that can serve both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles. The light emitter assembly incorporates multiple emitters with different orientations, allowing the same physical assembly to adapt to different vehicle types through software-controlled selection rather than requiring separate hardware configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (which light emitter is activated) based on the vehicle type. The control circuitry receives input signals indicating whether the vehicle is left-hand or right-hand drive, and accordingly activates the appropriate light emitter orientation, enabling adaptation without physical reconfiguration.
2Measurement precision
If separate light emitting elements are provided for left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles, then driver monitoring accuracy is improved, but manufacturing and inventory management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light emitting elements with different orientations are merged into a single integrated light emitter assembly. This consolidation allows the system to maintain multiple functional configurations (for different vehicle types) within one manufacturable unit, simplifying production and inventory management while preserving the ability to achieve accurate driver monitoring for each vehicle type through selective activation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the light emitter orientation is fixed, then manufacturing is simpler, but the system cannot adapt to different driver positions in left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter system transitions from a static, fixed-orientation design to a dynamic configuration where the active light emitter can be changed based on operating conditions. The control circuitry enables real-time selection between different light emitter orientations, allowing the system to adapt to different driver positions in left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles while maintaining a relatively simple physical structure.
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
This solution allows a single mirror assembly to be adaptable to both left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles, providing efficient driver monitoring by ensuring the appropriate light emitter is activated based on the vehicle type, enhancing the functionality and versatility of the system.
Implementation Method 1
the near infrared light emitter emits near infrared light through the mirror reflective element to illuminate the driver region and/or passenger region of the interior cabin of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an interior portion of an equipped vehicle and having a mirror head accommodating an electrochromic mirror reflective element, a driver monitoring camera that is operable to capture image data, and a near infrared light emitter that, when electrically operated to emit near infrared light, illuminates at least the head of the driver. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and as the equipped vehicle travels along a road, image data captured by the driver monitoring camera is processed at an electronic control unit to detect light emanating from at least one headlamp of at least one trailing vehicle traveling along the road behind the equipped vehicle.