Virtual Mirror Auto-Zoom for Vehicle Blind Spot Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current blind spot detection systems in vehicles, including both mechanical and virtual mirrors, fail to provide full 360-degree visibility, leading to increased risks of collisions due to blind spots, especially in adverse weather conditions and when environmental factors interfere with sensor accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A method that automatically adjusts the field of view of a camera-based virtual mirror by zooming in or out based on the detection of nearby vehicles, switching to a wider field of view when a vehicle is detected in the blind spot and reverting to a narrower view when safe, to enhance driver visibility and reaction time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a fixed field of view is used in virtual mirrors, then the device complexity is reduced, but the blind spot coverage is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic field of view adjustment by switching between wide-angle and narrow-angle camera views based on detected vehicle presence. The system transitions from a static mirror view to a dynamic virtual mirror that adapts its field of view, eliminating blind spots when vehicles are detected while maintaining simplicity when the area is clear.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If sensor-based blind spot detection is used, then the detection capability is improved, but the reliability deteriorates in poor weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the camera system as an intermediary visual verification tool that complements sensor-based detection. When sensors detect a vehicle, the system switches to a wide-angle camera view to visually confirm the vehicle's presence and provide the driver with direct visual information, bypassing the reliability issues of sensor-based detection in adverse weather.
3Area of stationary object
If a wide field of view is always used, then the blind spot visibility is improved, but the manufacturing precision of the mirror image is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between wide-angle and narrow-angle camera views based on the presence of vehicles in blind spots. When no vehicles are detected, the system uses the narrow-angle view to provide high-quality, distortion-free mirror images. When vehicles are detected, it switches to the wide-angle view to capture the full visibility area, thus optimizing both image quality and coverage at different times.
Data Source
AI summary
In one approach, a method includes: displaying, to a user of a first vehicle, image data obtained using a first field of view of a camera of the first vehicle, where the camera collects the image data for objects located outside of the first vehicle; detecting, by at least one processing device of the first vehicle, a second vehicle; determining, by the one processing device, whether the second vehicle is within a predetermined region relative to the first vehicle; and in response to determining that the second vehicle is within the predetermined region, displaying image data obtained using a second field of view of the camera.