Vehicle Mirror Eye Tracking Blind Spot Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face inconvenience and reduced forward visibility due to the need to adjust mirrors or move their head to see blind spots, and curved mirrors can distort obstacle distances and speeds.
Innovation Solution
A method using a 3D camera to track the driver's eye movement and adjust the mirror orientation to maintain optimal field-of-view, dynamically adjusting the mirror's position and orientation based on the driver's line-of-sight and detected driving modes to minimize blind spots without distorting the image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If curved mirrors are used to reduce blind spots, then the field-of-view is extended, but the driver's ability to judge distances and speeds is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror surface is divided into different zones with different curvatures: a central planar region for accurate distance judgment and a curved peripheral region for extended field-of-view. This local differentiation allows each zone to perform its specialized function optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror is segmented into multiple reflective surfaces with different geometric properties (planar and curved sections). Each segment serves a specific purpose: the planar segment provides true-to-scale reflection while the curved segment expands the viewing angle.
2Ease of operation
If the driver adjusts the mirror or moves their head to gain the ideal view, then the visibility is improved, but the driver's attention to the road ahead is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror system automatically adapts to the driver's needs through integrated sensors and actuators that detect driver position and adjust mirror angles without manual intervention. The system serves itself by continuously optimizing the view based on real-time driver state.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror system transitions from a static, manually-adjusted configuration to a dynamic, automatically-adjusting system that continuously adapts to driver movements and vehicle maneuvers, providing optimal visibility without requiring driver attention.
3Ease of operation
If the driver looks behind them to check blind spots, then the blind spot visibility is improved, but the time spent looking at the road ahead is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extended field-of-view provided by the curved mirror sections acts as an intermediary that brings blind spot information into the driver's peripheral vision without requiring the driver to turn their head or look away from the road ahead.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror geometry is pre-configured to anticipate and eliminate blind spots before the driver needs to check them, providing continuous visibility of areas that would otherwise require active head movement to monitor.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for adjusting an angular position of a vehicle based on the position and gaze direction of the eye (or eyes) of a driver of the vehicle, and where the driver's line-of-sight intersects the mirror. A camera images the driver's eyes and determines and tracks the position, gaze direction, and any changes therein. An electronic controller determines the driver's line-of-sight and adjusting an orientation of the mirror of the vehicle in response to the movement of the driver's eye, to adjust the driver's field-of-view through the mirror. A point of intersection between the line-of-sight and a reference position on the mirror is determined, and an offset direction and/or distance between a datum location on the mirror and the point of intersection may be used to determine the mirror adjustments.