US-20260124990-A1 - SIDEVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

US20260124990A1US 20260124990 A1US20260124990 A1US 20260124990A1US-20260124990-A1

Abstract

An on-vehicle rearview-focused camera is arranged to monitor a field of view that is rearward of the vehicle. The operator monitoring device is arranged to dynamically monitor an eye gaze of an operator. The controller is in communication with a digital display screen, the rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device. The controller includes executable code that is operative to: capture, via the camera, an image of the rearward field of view of the vehicle; determine, via the operator monitoring device, a direction of the eye gaze of the operator; determine an operating mode; and display, via the digital display screen, a portion of the image of the rearward field of view, wherein the portion of the image of the rearward field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the direction of the eye gaze of the operator.

Inventors

Manoj K. Sharma
Jonglee Park
Julien P. Mourou
Charles R. Quinn

Assignees

GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . A side-view mirror system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a rearview-focused camera, the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a side of a vehicle and being arranged to capture a field of view that is rearward of the vehicle; an operator monitoring device, arranged to dynamically determine a direction of an eye gaze of an operator; a digital display screen; and a controller, in communication with the digital display screen, the rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device; wherein the controller includes executable code, the executable code being operative to: capture, via the camera, an image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle; detect, via the operator monitoring device, a present direction of the eye gaze of the operator; determine an operating mode, and display, via the digital display screen, a portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, wherein the portion of the image of the field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating mode comprises one of a mirror-like view, a hazard-based view, or a region of interest-based view.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a displayed portion of the image of the field of view that is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator includes image augmentation having an on-road hazard being highlighted when the hazard-based view is selected.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a displayed portion of the image of the field of view that is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator includes image augmentation having a region of interest being highlighted when the region of interest-based view is selected.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating mode comprises one of an extended view, an augmented hazard view, or an extended hazard augmented view.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the operating mode based upon an operator preference.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operator monitoring device comprises a device arranged to determine a position of a head of the operator to determine the direction of the eye gaze of the operator.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rearview-focused camera is disposed on an exterior side surface of the vehicle proximal to a side-view mirror.
9 . The system of claim 8 , comprising the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a left exterior side surface of the vehicle proximal to a left side-view mirror.
10 . The system of claim 8 , comprising the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a right exterior side surface of the vehicle proximal to a right side-view mirror.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the operating mode based upon an operator region of interest.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the operating mode based upon presence of a hazard proximal to the vehicle.
13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the controller being operative to execute an image distortion correction of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle prior to displaying, via the digital display device, the portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the controller operative to detect a reverse operation of the vehicle, and display, via the digital display screen, a portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, wherein the portion of the image of the field of view is determined based upon the operating mode, the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator, and the reverse operation of the vehicle.
15 . A side-view mirror system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a rearview-focused camera, the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a side of a vehicle and being arranged to capture a field of view that is rearward of the vehicle; a passenger compartment, including an operator seat, an operator monitoring device arranged to monitor an operator disposed in the operator seat, and a display screen viewable by the operator; and a controller, in communication with the display device, the rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device; wherein the controller includes executable code, the executable code being operative to: capture, via the camera, an image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, detect, via the operator monitoring device, a present direction of an eye gaze of the operator disposed in the operator seat, determine an operating mode, and display, via the display screen, a portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, wherein the portion of the image of the field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein a displayed portion of the image of the field of view that is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator includes image augmentation having a region of interest being highlighted when the region of interest-based view is selected.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the operating mode comprises one of an extended view, an augmented hazard view, or an extended hazard augmented view.
18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the operator monitoring device comprises a device arranged to determine a position of a head of the operator to determine the direction of the eye gaze of the operator.
19 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising the controller being operative to execute an image distortion correction of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle prior to displaying, via the digital display device, the portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle.
20 . A side-view mirror system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a first rearview-focused camera, the first rearview-focused camera being disposed on a left side of a vehicle and being arranged to capture a field of view that is rearward of the left side of the vehicle; a second rearview-focused camera, the second rearview-focused camera being disposed on a right side of a vehicle and being arranged to capture a field of view that is rearward of the right side of the vehicle; a passenger compartment, including an operator monitoring device arranged to monitor an operator, and a display screen viewable by the operator; and a controller, in communication with the display screen, the first rearview camera, the second rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device; wherein the controller includes executable code, the executable code being operative to: capture, via the first rearview camera, a first image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, capture, via the second rearview camera, a second image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, execute fusion of the first image and the second image; detect, via the operator monitoring device, a present direction of the eye gaze of the operator disposed in an operator seat, determine an operating mode, and display, via the display screen, a portion of the fusion of the first image and the second image, wherein the portion of the image of the field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator.

Description

INTRODUCTION Vehicles are equipped with side-view mirrors, which may be employed by vehicle operators to visually monitor rearward areas that are behind, to the left, and to the right of the vehicle. Such monitoring may be useful under various traffic conditions, including but not limited to lane changes, merges, exits, during turns at intersections, etc. Such monitoring may also be useful when backing a vehicle, i.e., operating in a reverse direction of travel. SUMMARY There is a need to be able to determine a parameter related to a direction of a vehicle operator's eye gaze, and display, on a proximal digital screen, an image that is derived from a field of view (FOV) rearward of the vehicle based thereon. This is accomplished to provide visual information to the operator that is useful in operating the vehicle. The concepts described herein include a method, system, and/or apparatus that are arranged and configured to provide a side-view mirror system for a vehicle that includes a rearview-focused camera, a device for determining a direction of an operator's eye gaze, a digital display screen, and a controller that is capable of dynamically monitoring a field of view (FOV) that is rearward of the vehicle, and selecting a portion of the FOV that is displayed as an image on the digital display screen based at least in part upon the direction of the operator's eye gaze. An aspect of the disclosure may include an on-vehicle rearview-focused camera that is arranged to monitor a field of view that is rearward of the vehicle. The operator monitoring device is arranged to dynamically monitor an eye gaze of an operator. The controller is in communication with a digital display screen, the rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device. The controller includes executable code that is operative to: capture, via the camera, an image of the rearward field of view of the vehicle; determine, via the operator monitoring device, a direction of the eye gaze of the operator; determine an operating mode; and display, via the digital display screen, a portion of the image of the rearward field of view, wherein the portion of the image of the rearward field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the direction of the eye gaze of the operator. Another aspect of the disclosure may include a side-view mirror system for a vehicle that includes a rearview-focused camera, with the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a side of a vehicle and being arranged to capture a field of view that is rearward of the vehicle; an operator monitoring device, arranged to dynamically determine a direction of the eye gaze of an operator; a digital display screen; and a controller. The controller is in communication with the digital display device, the rearview camera, and the operator monitoring device. The controller includes executable code that is operative to: capture, via the camera, an image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle; detect, via the operator monitoring device, a present direction of the eye gaze of the operator; determine an operating mode, and display, via the digital display screen, a portion of the image of the field of view that is rearward of the vehicle, wherein the portion of the image of the field of view is determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the operating mode being one of a mirror-like view, a hazard-based view, or a region of interest-based view. Another aspect of the disclosure may include a displayed portion of the image of the field of view that is being determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator, which includes image augmentation that includes an on-road hazard being highlighted when the hazard-based view is selected. Another aspect of the disclosure may include a displayed portion of the image of the field of view being determined based upon the operating mode and the present direction of the eye gaze of the operator, which includes image augmentation wherein a region of interest is highlighted when the region of interest-based view is selected. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the operating mode being one of an extended view, an augmented hazard view, or an extended hazard augmented view. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the controller determining the operating mode based upon an operator preference. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the operator monitoring device being a device that is arranged to determine a position of a head of the operator to determine the direction of the eye gaze of the operator. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the rearview-focused camera being disposed on an exterior side surface of the vehicle proximal to a side-view mirror. Another aspect of the disclosure may include the rearview-focused camera being disposed on a left exterior side su