(12) United States Patent
`Fredricks
`
`USOO65O1536B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,501,536 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Dec. 31, 2002
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF AN
`OCCUPANT OF A VEHICLE
`
`(76) Inventor: Ronald J. Fredricks, 2046 Foxboro
`NW, Grand Rapids, MI (US) 49504
`-
`0
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`) Notice:
`(*)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/766,942
`(22) Filed:
`Jan. 22, 2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No.
`filed on
`E, ESSE", "S;
`now Pat. No. 5,993,015, which is a continuation-in-part of
`application No. 08/374,220, filed on Jan. 18, 1995, now Pat.
`No. 5,668,675.
`(51) Int. Cl."
`
`GO1C 3700; GO1B 11/14;
`
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
`
`s F21 V 29?oo
`
`356/301; 356/138; 356/614;
`(52) U.S. Cl
`O X
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`-- O 356,622; 33.22s. s1264: 33727s. 331279.
`73/1.75; 73 79; 1so,271. 362,544. 362545.
`• as
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`701/45. 701/49. 702/1 51
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`(58) Field is'', 37.365.24, 30
`s 1. 70. 35 63 O 13s. 130. 1. 140 1. 41 2.
`614 622. 1s0271 273. 701.45 49. 702,150.
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`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,864,030 A * 2/1975 Cornsweet
`4,625,329 A * 11/1986 Ishikawa et al.
`4,797,824. A * 1/1989 Sugiyama et al.
`5,231.674. A * 7/1993 Cleveland et al.
`5,490,069 A * 2/1996 Gioutsos et al.
`5,644,324. A * 7/1997 Maguire, Jr.
`5,668,675 A * 9/1997 Fredricks
`5,694,259 A * 12/1997 Brandin
`
`
`
`5,845,000 A * 12/1998 Breed et al.
`5,927,752 A * 7/1999 Brandin
`5,949,592 A * 9/1999 Brandin
`5,993,015 A * 11/1999 Fredricks
`6,176,587 B1 * 1/2001 Fredricks
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner RickV D. Shafer
`y
`y
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph F. Breimayer
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A method and apparatus for use in locating the eyes of a
`vehicle driver or passenger in a vehicle for controlling
`vehicle Systems including the positioning of vehicle Side
`view mirrors in relation to the driver's eyes to maximize the
`view of traffic on either side of the vehicle or the charac
`teristics of vehicle airbag deployment. The location of a
`driver's or passenger's eyes is derived from the adjustment
`by the driver (or passenger, if capable of doing so) of
`adjustable light beam(s) emanating from light Source(s) or
`illuminated indicia, until it (or they) intersect the driver's or
`passenger's eyes. From the angles of adjustment of the light
`beam(s) and other known coordinates of the vehicle, the
`
`location of the driver's or passenger's eyes or the target may
`
`be computationally derived as a Set of Cartesian coordinates.
`The determined eye location of the driver may be used
`together with the known mounting locations of the driver's
`and passenger's SideView mirror assemblies to derive eXte
`rior sideView mirror pitch and azimuth adjustment Signal
`sets correlated to the vehicle blind spots. The adjustment
`Signals are applied to Servo motorS operating in a feedback
`control loop to correct the actual driver's Side and passen
`ger's Side sideView mirror pitch and azimuth Settings to
`properly reflect images of the driver's Side and
`passenger side vehicle blind Spots to the driver's eyes. The
`determined eye locations of the driver and passenger may be
`also or alternatively employed in the control of the airbag
`deployment System and in other vehicle Safety and comfort
`Systems. The relative fore-aft distance away from the airbag
`and the height of the perSon or target can be computed, and
`airbag deployment force and/or duration adjusted to com
`pensate for deviation from the Standard height and fore-aft
`distance.
`
`16 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
`
`VWGoA EX1043
`U.S. Patent No. 9,955,551
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`

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`Sheet 3 of 14
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`US 6,501,536 B1
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`
`
`DRIVER'S EYE
`
`-Gil
`
`DATA
`
`DRMER I.D.;
`SEAT BACK,
`-nri-r=- FORE-AFT,
`- - -
`-
`- - ,
`& EIGHT
`-----C2ND MIRROR PICKOFFS sr.
`2ND MIRROR PITCH SERVO 34'
`OTHER DATA
`- 2ND MIRROR AZIMUTH SERVO 36
`
`FIG.5
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`---.
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`?DRIVER 1.D.; SLA BACK ANGLE, FORE-AFT,
`SEATHEIGHT on ER OPERATING DATA
`V . . .
`-- DRIVER'S EYE LOCATON DATA
`--K2ND MIRROR PICKOFFS 38,41
`- 2ND MIRROR PITCH SERVO 34'
`--
`~- - - -- 2NL) MIRROR AZMUTH SERVO 36'
`
`FG.7
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`

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`110
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`FIG.15
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`FIG. 17
`FIG. 17
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`

`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF AN
`OCCUPANT OF A VEHICLE
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 09/379,272, filed Aug. 23, 1999, now
`U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,587 issued Jan. 23, 2001, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/818,628,
`filed Mar. 14, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,015, filed Nov.
`30, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 08/374,220, filed Jan. 18, 1995, now
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,675, issued Sep. 16, 1997.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to a method and apparatus
`for use in locating the eyes of a vehicle driver or passenger
`for controlling vehicle Systems including the positioning of
`vehicle sideview mirrors in relation to the driver's eyes to
`maximize the view of traffic on either side of the vehicle and
`the characteristics of vehicle airbag deployment.
`2. Description of the Background Art
`Passenger and commercial Vehicles, e.g. automobiles and
`light trucks, are typically provided with a number of comfort
`features for the benefit of occupants and Safety features and
`Systems that are intended to help avoid collisions or to
`ameliorate the effects of collisions. At this time, virtually all
`enclosed vehicles, i.e. automobiles, Sport utility vehicles,
`Vans, trucks, etc., are provided with Safety belts for use by
`occupants to Strap themselves in. In addition, at least front
`Seat driver's Side and passenger's Side explosively inflated
`airbags have become Standard equipment in Such vehicles.
`Typically, airbags are mounted in the steering wheel hub and
`in the dash area forward of the front Seat passenger and, in
`Some cases, in the vehicle Side doors. The airbags are
`inflated when Sudden deceleration of the vehicle is sensed.
`A force and duration of deployment is currently prescribed
`that is Standardized to average driver and passenger Size and
`Seat adjustment position.
`Moreover, vehicle mirror assemblies and adjustment SyS
`tems are provided as Standard Safety Systems in Such
`vehicles. An interior rearview mirror for viewing rearward
`of the vehicle and exterior left (driver's side) and right
`(passenger's Side) sideView mirrors with which the vehicle
`driver can view traffic to the sides and rear of the vehicle
`within certain fields of view dictated by the positioning of
`the mirrors are provided as Standard equipment. Typically,
`the interior rearview mirror can be manually adjusted about
`horizontal (pitch) and vertical (azimuth) axes through its
`mount to the headliner or windshield to provide correspond
`ing pitch and azimuth angle adjustment of the View through
`the vehicle rear window. Even when properly adjusted, the
`bordering structure of the rear window limits the view to
`either Side. Consequently, vehicles are provided with left
`and right exterior rearview or sideView mirrors that are
`typically mounted at the junctures of the left and right
`windshield pillars with the adjacent front seat side windows.
`Mechanical or electro-mechanical, remote joystick controls
`are provided to allow the driver to adjust the sideview
`mirrors for azimuth (Side to Side about a vertical axis) and
`pitch (up and down about a horizontal axis perpendicular to
`the longitudinal axis of the vehicle). Improper adjustment of
`the sideView mirrors, particularly in azimuth angle results in
`wide “blind Zones” or “blind spots” on either side of the
`vehicle.
`Such blind Zones or spots are widely described in the prior
`art, and examples are depicted as shown, for example, in the
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`FIGS. 1 and 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,835. The blind Zones
`on either Side generally Subtend an azimuth arc angle
`between the limits of the driver's peripheral vision while
`looking ahead and the left and right limits of the fields of
`view of the left and right sideview mirrors when the mirrors
`are aimed along the vehicle Sides and a pitch angle generally
`bisected by the horizon. The blind Zones are really cone
`shaped tunnel areas expanding outward from the Sides of the
`vehicle slightly downward from the eye level of the driver
`and away from the vehicle sides. Customarily, these right
`and left blind Zones are referred to as blind spots, and that
`term will be used hereafter.
`The current method of exterior sideview mirror alignment
`used on Virtually all domestic and imported passenger
`vehicles Simply relies on the driver's judgment as to the
`proper imagery he/she should see reflected by the sideView
`mirror. This is Supposedly gained by experience with dif
`ferent Settings. Many drivers erroneously believe that cor
`rect azimuth angle alignment is achieved when the Side
`panels of their own vehicle are reflected back to them along
`one edge of the exterior sideView mirrors when they are in
`their normal driving position.
`A wide number of solutions to the problem of correctly
`Setting the sideView mirror position to maximize the view of
`the blind spot have been proposed but not adopted. One
`approach is to attempt to enlarge the viewing angle. Wide
`Viewing angle, Static mounted, sideView mirrors and
`dynamically movable sideview mirrors are the subjects of
`U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,019,812, 4,187,001, 4,318,590, 4,439,813,
`4.575,202, 4,792,220 and 4,971,930. All of these proposed
`Solutions require either bulky assemblies, distort the image
`in the field of view So that the driver does not see all the
`potential Safety hazards in correct prospective, or are com
`pleX electro-mechanical Systems with intermittent or con
`tinuously running motors and Subsequent noise and vehicle
`power drain.
`Further approaches to Solving the problem of correctly
`aligning the SideView mirrors to eliminate or minimize blind
`spots are set forth in U.S., Pat. Nos. 5,022,747, 5,033,835,
`5,122,910 and 5,237,458. The 747, 835 and 910 patents
`employ an auxiliary mirror built into a corner of the Side
`View mirror which images a reference point or marker on the
`vehicle side to which the mirror is mounted when the main
`mirror is properly aligned to image the vehicle blind Spot. In
`another form of the 835 patent, the sideview mirror is first
`adjusted by the driver to image the reference point, and then
`the electro-mechanical System changes the alignment a
`preset amount to image the blind Spot. A lamp on the
`adjustment mechanism lights when the final alignment posi
`tion is achieved by the System.
`The use of auxiliary mirrors on or visible through the front
`Surface of the main sideView mirror that are large enough to
`View a vehicle reference point reduces the mirror Surface
`area for Viewing into the blind Spot. Also, the imaged target
`on the side of the vehicle may not always be clearly visible
`due to road grime on the vehicle or simply because of low
`ambient lighting. Finally, Salient auxiliary mirrors and tar
`gets on the Side of the vehicle large enough to be seen by the
`driver are anathema to automotive Stylists.
`Moreover, Such approaches provide only a limited range
`of correct mirror adjustment and are not usable in all seat
`positions for all driver heights. In this regard, it should be
`noted that the 747 and 910 patents profess that their
`disclosed Systems are insensitive to driver height and Seat
`position of up to 8 inches fore and aft and up and down from
`a “standard driver'. However, the illustrations of FIGS. 8
`
`

`

`3
`and 9 confirm that the rearward views attained at these
`nonstandard positions do widely vary and are not ideal. The
`ability of the non-standard driver to rely on the Setting
`attained by imaging the vehicle targets depends greatly on
`how large the sideView mirror Surface is. AS Vehicle manu
`facturerS Seek to minimize sideView mirror Size for Styling
`and economy reasons, it is clear that this approach may well
`mislead drivers of non-Standard height or Seat position
`preference.
`The 458 patent professes to be an improvement on the
`earlier system of the 747 and 910 patents and discloses a
`light source 9 in the mirror housing 3 that illuminates a
`target 7 or is an illuminated target. The target 7 is reflected
`by an auxiliary mirror 6 and through a light transmissive
`portion 5 of the sideview mirror 4. It would appear that the
`targeting approach taken in this System is geared toward
`ensuring that an exact correct alignment is attained for a
`“standard driver', and all other driver positions are only
`approximately correct. Again, the adequacy of the sideView
`mirror Setting for non-Standard driver eye locations is highly
`dependent on the amount of the sideView mirror Surface
`aca.
`In a further approach, certain automobiles have auxiliary
`turn signal indicatorS mounted above the front wheel wells
`to alert the oncoming driver in the blind Spot to the intention
`of the blinded driver to make a turn or lane change into that
`lane. It is also proposed to mount the auxiliary turn signal
`lights to the sideView mirror Structure as disclosed, for
`example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,906,085, 5,014,167 and 5,207,
`492 Unfortunately these forward mounted, auxiliary turn
`Signal lights may alert an overtaking driver in the adjacent
`lane too late to be totally effective, and may even encourage
`drivers to fail to properly set their sideview mirror azimuth
`angles or to even use their sideView mirrors before initiating
`a lane change. In the latter case, careleSS drivers frequently
`change lanes without using their turn Signals or sideView
`mirrors. Finally, due to their fields of view, if sideview
`mirrors having Such auxiliary turn signals are not properly
`adjusted in the first place, the auxiliary turn signals may not
`be seen by an overtaking vehicle in time to react.
`Turning to a further aspect of sideView mirror adjustment,
`frequently, two or more individuals may drive the same
`vehicle and each adjust the rearview and sideView mirrors to
`their own liking. To avoid the inconvenience of each driver
`in having to readjust the rearview and SideView mirrors, it
`has been proposed that mirror Settings be memorized for
`re-use when a Specific driver identification code is entered.
`The adjustments that are typically made by different drivers
`are mirror pitch about the horizontal axis depending on the
`driver's height or both the mirror pitch and azimuth, if the
`driver changes the Seat height or distance from the Steering
`wheel. In certain vehicles having memorized driver Seat
`positions, the mirror pitch and azimuth adjustment angles
`are memorized with the Seat positions as shown, for
`example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,267,494, 4,625,329 and 4,727,
`302. Such systems do not necessarily provide the optimum
`mirror adjustments for eliminating blind spots, but instead
`rely on the drivers to make the initial Settings that are then
`memorized.
`Many vehicle accidents could be prevented with a simple
`opto-electronic mirror adjustment aid for left and right
`sideView mirror alignments to embrace the blind Spots
`peculiar to each vehicle model in the reflected images Seen
`by the driver. To be adapted by vehicle manufacturers, such
`an aid must be inexpensive, reliable, consume minimal
`power, and be able to be incorporated with new or existing
`mirror housings Subject to whatever Styling considerations
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`are imposed. To be accepted by the driving public, the aid
`must be Simple to operate and must inherently compensate,
`at least approximately, for variations in driver height and
`Seat position. This inherent compensation should be auto
`matic and occur as the vehicle operator uses the aid's optical
`cues during mirror alignment. Moreover, when used, the aid
`should provide positive feedback to the driver that assures
`him/her that the alignment is correct, even if it appears to the
`driver to be incorrect. These goals are all met with the
`embodiments of the present invention described in detail
`hereafter.
`Returning to the use of explosively inflatable airbags, the
`deployment of the airbags is beneficial or not harmful in the
`majority of cases. However, injuries to or death of Small
`Stature adults, children and infants have been attributed to
`the airbag deployment force. The force and duration of
`deployment is Standardized to protect an average sized adult
`located at an average distance from the airbag. If the perSon
`is Smaller in size and closer than the average distance, the
`force and duration can be excessive and cause injury or
`death. In the case of injuries to or deaths of infants, many are
`caused by failure to use or to properly attach an infant Seat
`to the front passenger's seat belts. Moreover, while the
`airbag force and duration is Standardized to a particular
`distance, the combination of the Seat adjustment and the
`form or shape of the infant's Seat may place the infant in
`jeopardy. This has led to efforts to educate the driving public
`to locate infants and children in rear Seats which many
`parents find unacceptable or inconvenient. Despite the clear
`evidence that airbags and Seat belts combine to Save many
`lives, Some are urging that they be allowed to optionally
`disable the airbag deployment System. Rather than Such an
`extreme Solution, it would be more desirable to modulate the
`force and duration of the deployment to take into account the
`Size and location of the driver and front Seat passenger or
`infant's Seat.
`Many of the considerations to be taken into account and
`a System block diagram for making the deployment decision
`and controlling the deployment force and duration or rate of
`deployment of Single Stage or multi-stage airbags are Set
`forth in the article entitled “Restraint system electronics”,
`Automotive Engineering August, 1996, pp. 27–31, incorpo
`rated herein by reference. In this article, a variety of Sensors
`are described for attempting to determine the position of the
`driver, passenger(s) and infant seat and other vehicle
`characteristics, e.g. Vehicle Speed and the like, that provide
`Signals that are proposed to be combined to control the
`deployment of airbag(s). Unfortunately, many of these
`Sensors, e.g., Seat position Sensors, Seat belt attachment
`Sensors, weight on the Seat measuring Sensors are ambiva
`lent or imprecise and can be fooled. Difficulties encountered
`with attempted use of a variety of Sensors to locate a perSon
`in a front driver's or passenger's Seat are set forth in the
`article “What's a smart airbag's real IQ”, Automotive News,
`Feb. 24, 1997, p.1.
`One further methodology for determining the location of
`a vehicle occupant employing optical rangefinding tech
`niques is described in the article by W. Chapelle entitled
`“Sensing Automobile Occupant Position with Optical
`Triangulation”, SENSORS, December 1995, p. 18+, incor
`porated herein by reference. This System requires use of a
`light projector, imaging lenses and photoSensor arrays that
`are Similar to those used in photographic cameras with a
`projection light Source. In Such Systems, it is difficult for the
`System to determine just what aspect of the driver, passenger
`of other object is being imaged. Again, Such Systems can be
`fooled by imaging on the wrong feature.
`
`

`

`S
`The above-described patents do not determine the loca
`tion of the eyes of a driver or passenger. Further U.S. Pat.
`Nos. 4,797,824 and 4,843,892 do seek to determine the eye
`position of a driver. The 824 patent is directed to a system
`for locating the driver's eye height in order to control the
`automatic adjustment of the height of a Seat head rest. A
`horizonatal array of differently colored light Sources provide
`a corresponding vertically Stacked array of light beams that
`are spread horizonatally So that the driver can See one of the
`fight beam colors with both eyes. The driver indicates which
`of the light beam colorS is most intensely visible, and the
`coordinates of that light beam are used with the fore-aft Seat
`and Seat back angle position information to determine the
`driver's eye height or “Y” component of the X, Y, Z
`Cartesian coordinates of the driver's eyes. In this case, it is
`15
`not necessary and no means are provided to determine the
`“X” and “Z” components.
`The 892 patent discloses an eye position detection SyS
`tem for adjustment of vehicle mirrors that relies upon the
`driver aligning a sight marking on the interior rearview
`mirror with a Sight marking on the vehicle rear window and
`pickoffs for detecting the pitch and azimuth adjustment
`angles of the rearview mirror. When the driver indicates that
`the alignment is achieved, the driver's eye position is
`determined using the fore-aft Seat plane and rearview mirror
`Cartesian coordinates, assuming the the driver is centered in
`the fore-aft Seat plane. This approach cannot be used in dim
`light or at night.
`Moreover, most people tend to favor one eye over the
`other eye when Sighting or aligning images and objects. This
`can lead to an error in azimuth determination of the hypo
`thetical “X” coordinate component, which is ideally the
`center-point between the right and left eyes.
`A more accurate and leSS ambivalent System for deter
`mining the X, Y, Z Cartesian coordinates of the centerpoint
`of the eyes of a driver or passenger in a vehicle Seat is
`needed for the adjustment of the vehicle sideview mirrors
`and other vehicle components and Systems.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention provides a method and apparatus
`for locating a driver's eyes or a passenger's eyes to allow for
`the automatic adjustment of vehicle Systems to their eye
`locations.
`The methods and Systems or the present invention derive
`the location of a driver's or passenger's eyes from the
`adjustment by the driver (or passenger, if capable of doing
`SO) of a light beam pair comprising right eye and left eye
`light beams. The directions of the right and left light beams
`are adjustable in tandem by the driver, the adjustments in
`pitch and azimuth about pitch and azimuth light beam
`adjustment axes having known Cartesian coordinates. The
`driver or passenger adjusts the left eye beam and a right eye
`beam in tandem until they impinge upon the respective left
`eye and right eye with perceived maximal equal intensity.
`The right and left eye beams may be of the same or differing
`colors.
`In certain embodiments, the right eye beam and left eye
`beam are emitted from a common light beam housing,
`particularly from respective right and left light beam emit
`ting locations that are offset in the horizontal, azimuth,
`direction (or X coordinate) from one another and from the
`common adjustment axes of the light beam pair. The right
`and left eye light beams are nominally directed in the same
`direction but diverge apart slightly in the azimuth direction.
`The angular adjustment of the light beam housing is
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`detected, and the location of the driver's or passenger's eyes
`is computationally derived as a Set of Cartesian coordinates
`from the tandem adjustment of the binocular light beams and
`other known Cartesian coordinates of the vehicle.
`ASSuming a Single light Source housing for the moment,
`the pitch and azimuth adjustment angles of the housing are
`measured when the driver or passenger indicates that he or
`She perceives the right and left eye light beams to be equal
`and maximal in intensity. Pitch and azimuth angle adjust
`ment measurement means, e.g., miniature angle resolverS or
`"pickoffs' are associated with the housing to measure the
`pitch and/or azimuth angles of adjustment of the light
`beams. The location of the driver's or passenger's eyes is
`determined using triangulation techniques employing the
`measured angles and the known Cartesian coordinates of
`pitch and azimuth axes of adjustment of the adjustable light
`beam housing and the known fore-aft Seat adjustment plane
`for the respective driver's or passenger's front Seat. This
`approach assumes that the driver or passenger is centered in
`the driver's or front passenger's Seat and therefor is centered
`in the fore-aft Seat plane.
`To provide a Somewhat more accurate location of the
`respective eyes, at least two light housings are employed,
`each emitting right and left eye light beams. The direction of
`the light beams is adjusted using either a pitch and azimuth
`adjustable light mount or an adjustable light beam reflector
`interSecting a fixed direction light beam from a fixed light
`Source. The angles of adjustment in pitch and azimuth of
`both light beams are measured when both light beam pairs
`are adjusted to be seen by the eyes. The location of the
`driver's or passenger's eyes is determined from both Sets of
`measured pitch and azimuth angles and the known Cartesian
`coordinates of the light beam pitch and azimuth axes,
`employing triangulation techniques.
`The present invention may be embodied in other embodi
`ments where the light beam pair housing is not itself
`adjustable, and the right and left eye light beams are
`reflected from an auxiliary mirror or reflector associated
`with the interior rearview mirror or one or both of the
`sideView mirrors. The combined mirror and reflector is
`adjustable in pitch and/or azimuth about respective pitch
`and/or azimuth adjustment axes by the driver until the light
`beams are visible to the driver's or passenger's eyes. Pitch
`and azimuth angle adjustment measurement pickoffs are
`asSociated with the mirror to measure the pitch and/or
`azimuth angles of adjustment of the reflector. The eye
`location intermediate the right and left eye is derived from
`the measured angles of adjustment. Then, the sideView
`mirror pitch and azimuth adjustment Signal Sets and/or
`airbag deployment control Signals are derived and employed
`as Summarized above.
`The determined driver's eye location can be used together
`with the known pitch and azimuth axes of adjustment of the
`drivers and passenger's SideView mirror assemblies and
`known Cartesian coordinates of the vehicle blind spots to
`derive exterior sideView mirror pitch and azimuth adjust
`ment Signal Sets. The adjustment Signals are applied to
`feedback Servo motorS operating in a feedback control loop
`to correct the driver's Side and passenger's Side sideView
`mirror pitch and azimuth Settings to properly reflect images
`of the driver's Side and passenger's Side vehicle blind Spots
`to the driver's eyes.
`The determined eye locations of the driver and passenger
`may be also or alternatively employed in the control of the
`airbag deployment System. The relative fore-aft distance
`away from the airbag and the height of the perSon can be
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`computed, and airbag deployment force and/or duration
`adjusted to compensate for deviation from the Standard
`height and fore-aft distance.
`The determination of the location of the driver's and
`passenger's eyes also allows a number of vehicle Safety and
`comfort Systems to be advantageously optimized, including
`climate control, Seat level, radio Settings, other mirrors, etc.
`The eye location aids of the present invention may
`advantageously be employed with both vehicle sideview
`mirrors and coordinated with the Setting of the interior
`rearview mirror in a variety of combinations and permuta
`tions. The additional components of the mirror assembly (if
`any, in the particular combination) are relatively inexpensive
`and durable. In the disclosed embodiments and variations
`where the light Source(s) are located within the vehicle in
`association with the vehicle rearview mirror or otherwise
`positioned therein, the existing vehicle sideView mirror
`assemblies need not be modified, other than adding mirror
`pitch and azimuth angle pickoffs to control sideView mirror
`positioning under feedback control by the microcomputer.
`The eye location, SideView mirror alignment and air bag
`deployment adjustment may be implemented employing the
`existing vehicle microcomputer or a separate inexpensive
`on-board microcomputer.
`The interior locations of the light Sources avoids any
`problems of passing the light beam pair through the vehicle
`door windows in bad weather or due to grime.
`Through use of the alignment aids of the present
`invention, accuracy in positioning of the sideView mirrors to
`reflect objects in the vehicle blind Spot and driver apprecia
`tion of the proper mirror Settings are greatly increased,
`hopefully resulting in lower frequency of accidents and
`injury. In each case where sideView mirror positioning
`Signals are derived outside of direct control by the driver, the
`driver may be provided with the ability to manually override
`the SideView mirror pitch and azimuth Settings for Safety
`CaSOS.
`The risk of injury due to airbag deployment force may be
`diminished through correlation of the airbag deployment
`force and duration to the size and location of a driver or
`passenger in the driver's or passenger's Seat as determined
`in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
`This Summary of the invention and the objects, advan
`tages and features thereof have been presented here simply
`to point out Some of the ways that the invention overcomes
`difficulties presented in the prior art and to distinguish the
`invention from the prior art and is not intended to operate in
`any manner as a limitation on the interpretation of claims
`that are presented initially in the patent application and that
`are ultimately granted.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Other objects, advantages and features of the present
`invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes
`better understood by reference to the following detailed
`description when considered in connection with the accom
`panying drawings, in which like reference numerals desig
`nate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a top plan Schematic view showing the basic
`geometry involved in the angular, horizontal azimuth adjust
`ments of a SideView Vehicle mirror achieving a correct
`alignment that reflects light from objects in the vehicle blind
`Spot,
`FIG. 2 is a two-dimensional plan view showing the
`sideView mirror incorrectly aligned So that the driver cannot
`see objects in the vehicle's blind spot;
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`FIG. 3 is a simplified perspective illustration of a sideview
`