US5719713A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic side view mirror tracking system
Assignee: ULTRA-VIEW TECHNOLOGY Inc
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Filing: 1994-02-28
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Granted: 1998-02-17
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Expires: 2014-02-28
Abstract
Abstract An automatic side view mirror tracking and control system enables drivers of articulated vehicles such as tractor trailers to keep visual contact with the side and rear of the trailer throughout a turn while backing the vehicle. This is accomplished without driver intervention through the use of a microprocessor receiving the outputs of either a plurality of ultrasonic transducers or a pair of fluxgate compasses. The microprocessor uses the aforementioned outputs to determine the rotational angle between the trailer and the tractor. Based upon these determinations, the mirror is moved to a position commensurate with the subject angle so that the driver of the vehicle is able to view the side and rear corner of the vehicle. A software filter prevents the mirror from being moved unless a predetermined change in the vehicle angle is detected.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 16:51
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R1/00; B60R1/02; B60R1/025; G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/06; G01S15/42; G01S15/86; G01S15/87; G01S15/88; G01S15/93; G01S15/931; G01S2015/937; G01S2015/938; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/521
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a first ultrasonic transducer arranged on a centerline of the first portion of the articulated vehicle and oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a second ultrasonic transducer arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle at a predetermined distance to one side the first ultrasonic transducer, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer is oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a third ultrasonic transducer arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle at a predetermined distance to the other side of the first ultrasonic transducer, wherein the third ultrasonic transducer is oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; and a control circuit for generating the control signal in response to sensory output signals of the first, second and third ultrasonic transducers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a first ultrasonic transducer arranged on a centerline of the first portion of the articulated vehicle and oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a second ultrasonic transducer arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle at a predetermined distance to one side the first ultrasonic transducer, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer is oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a third ultrasonic transducer arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle at a predetermined distance to the other side of the first ultrasonic transducer, wherein the third ultrasonic transducer is oriented to sense ultrasonic signals reflected off an opposing surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; and a control circuit for generating the control signal in response to sensory output signals of the first, second and third ultrasonic transducers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a memory storing at least one look-up table correlating sensory output information from the first, second and third ultrasonic transducers to angular positions of the mirror.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as in claim 2, wherein said control circuit comprises: a feedback arrangement providing a signal representative of a position of the mirror; and a microprocessor for generating the control signal in response to the signal representative of a position of the mirror and the sensory output signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 3, wherein the feedback arrangement comprises a magnetic encoder coupled to the mirror.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 3, wherein the feedback arrangement comprises a potentiometer coupled to the mirror.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism comprises a DC motor coupled to the mirror.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as in claim 6, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises a reduction gear head providing a mechanical coupling between the DC motor and the mirror.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein the first, second and third ultrasonic transducers are piezoelectric devices.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 8, wherein the piezoelectric devices have an asymmetrical radiation pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
174 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers, each respective transducer producing a signal representative of distance between the respective transducer and a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle as a function of a signal reflected from a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a memory storing: (a) measured baseline signal values for the respective transducers when the articulated vehicle is in a straight line, and (b) at least one look-up table containing distance-difference information for the respective transducers for a plurality of turn-angles of the articulated vehicle; and a controller using the measured baseline signal values and the look-up table to generate the control signal in response to the signals from the transducers during operation of the articulated vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
174 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers, each respective transducer producing a signal representative of distance between the respective transducer and a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle as a function of a signal reflected from a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a memory storing: (a) measured baseline signal values for the respective transducers when the articulated vehicle is in a straight line, and (b) at least one look-up table containing distance-difference information for the respective transducers for a plurality of turn-angles of the articulated vehicle; and a controller using the measured baseline signal values and the look-up table to generate the control signal in response to the signals from the transducers during operation of the articulated vehicle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as in claim 10, wherein: the memory also stores information identifying a home position of the mirror, and the controller generates the control signal to move the mirror a predetermined amount in relation to the home position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 10, wherein the transducers comprise ultrasonic transducers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 12, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are piezoelectric devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 13, wherein the piezoelectric devices have an asymmetrical radiation pattern.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 15, further comprising a feedback arrangement providing a signal representative of a position of the mirror to the microprocessor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
147 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers, each respective transducer producing a signal representative of distance between the respective transducer and a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle as a function of a signal reflected from a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a memory storing a plurality of look-up tables correlating transducer output information to vehicle angle under a plurality of conditions; and a controller using a selected one of the look-up tables, corresponding to a current condition, to generate the control signal in response to the signals from the transducers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
147 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers, each respective transducer producing a signal representative of distance between the respective transducer and a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle as a function of a signal reflected from a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle; a memory storing a plurality of look-up tables correlating transducer output information to vehicle angle under a plurality of conditions; and a controller using a selected one of the look-up tables, corresponding to a current condition, to generate the control signal in response to the signals from the transducers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 17, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 17, further comprising a feedback arrangement providing a signal representative of a position of the mirror to the controller.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 19, wherein the feedback arrangement comprises a magnetic encoder coupled to the mirror.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 19, wherein the feedback arrangement comprises a potentiometer coupled to the mirror.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 17, wherein the look-up tables comprise distance-angle tables.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system of claim 22, wherein the distance-angle tables correspond to different vehicle types and different configurations of said first and second portions of the different vehicle types.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
114 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle radiating ultrasonic beams toward a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle and sensing ultrasonic signal reflections, wherein the radiated ultrasonic beams have an asymmetrical cross section perpendicular to the direction of radiation; and a controller generating the control signal responsive to the sensed ultrasonic signal reflections.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
114 words
An automatic mirror position tracking system for use on an articulated vehicle having a first portion and a second portion, the system comprising: a mirror movably mounted on the first portion of the articulated vehicle; a drive mechanism coupled to the mirror for moving the mirror in response to a control signal; a plurality of transducers arranged on the first portion of the articulated vehicle radiating ultrasonic beams toward a surface of the second portion of the articulated vehicle and sensing ultrasonic signal reflections, wherein the radiated ultrasonic beams have an asymmetrical cross section perpendicular to the direction of radiation; and a controller generating the control signal responsive to the sensed ultrasonic signal reflections.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as in claim 24, wherein the asymmetrical cross section is wider in a horizontal dimension than in a vertical dimension.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 24, wherein the asymmetrical cross section is elliptical.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 24, wherein each of the radiated ultrasonic beams spreads through a 40° pattern in the horizontal direction and spreads through a 15° pattern in the vertical direction.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 24, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 28, further comprising a feedback arrangement providing a signal representative of a position of the mirror to the microprocessor.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 28, further comprising a memory storing at least one distance-angle look-up table.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-16 | 2001-08-18 | 2002-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-16 | 2005-08-18 | 2006-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-16 | 2009-08-18 | 2010-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |