Communications: electrical – External condition vehicle-mounted indicator or alarm – Transmitter in another vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-03-06
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
External condition vehicle-mounted indicator or alarm
Transmitter in another vehicle
C340S436000, C340S472000, C280S735000, C280S728100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198409
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to vehicle blind spot detection systems and, more particularly, to a blind spot detection display system for displaying indications from a blind spot detector.
Blind spot detectors have been developed in order to detect the presence of a vehicle or other object in the driver's blind spot. The driver's blind spot is that portion of the vehicle in which an object will not normally be observed by the use of the interior and exterior mirrors of the vehicle. By detecting the presence of an object in the driver's blind spot, the blind spot detector is useful in assisting the driver in performing a premaneuver evaluation of the environment surrounding the vehicle in anticipation of a lane change or the like. Known blind spot detectors include active and passive infrared detectors, optical detectors, radar-based detectors, and the like.
A blind spot detection system requires a user interface in order to inform the user that an object is in the driver's blind spot. In order to be most effective, such user interface should be natural and provide an intuitive warning to the user. One prior art approach has been to provide a series of indication lights on the exterior mirror on the same side of the vehicle being protected by the blind spot detector. Alternatively, the display system may be mounted inside the vehicle compartment, but on the pillar adjacent the exterior rearview mirror. Such positioning of the display on, or adjacent to, the exterior rearview mirror provides association with the side of the vehicle being covered by the blind spot detector. The exterior mirror is typically considered by the vehicle operator to be secondary to the interior rearview mirror in importance in premaneuver evaluation. As such, it may be possible for the vehicle operator to overlook indications made by display systems associated with the exterior rearview mirror until late in the premaneuver evaluation. The presence of precipitation or road dirt on either the side window or the mirror itself may further reduce the clarity of indication to the driver. In order to overcome this difficulty, it has been proposed to provide an audio warning of the presence of a vehicle in the driver's blind spot in order to augment a visual indicator. While such audio indicator is readily perceived by the vehicle operator, the frequency with which vehicles enter and leave the blind spot results in an excessive frequency of indication which can be annoying to the driver. In order to overcome such annoyance, the driver may mentally “tune out” the audio indicator reducing its effectiveness. Furthermore, the existence of an annoyance to the driver reduces the overall alertness of the driver to traffic situations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to provide a vehicle blind spot detection display system which overcomes the defects of previous blind spot detection display systems. This is accomplished in a manner which provides a natural and intuitive indication to the driver which is useful as a part of the premaneuver evaluation by the driver.
A vehicle blind spot detection display system for displaying indications from a blind spot detector, according to the invention, is used on a vehicle having a passenger compartment and at least one exterior mirror on one side of the vehicle outside of the passenger compartment. The blind spot detection display system includes a first indicator assembly positioned on the vehicle in the vicinity of the exterior mirror and adapted to producing an indication at least of the presence of an object adjacent that side of the vehicle. The blind spot detection display system additionally includes an interior mirror assembly within the passenger compartment. The interior mirror assembly includes a reflective element, a housing for the reflective element and a second indicator assembly. The second indicator assembly is adapted to producing an indication at least of the presence of an object adjacent the one side of the vehicle. This is important because the driver usually initiates the premaneuver evaluation by scanning the interior mirror prior to checking exterior mirrors.
Because parallel indications are given to the operator at the interior mirror assembly of the presence of an object adjacent the vehicle, the driver is provided with an indication at the start and at the end of the premaneuver evaluation of the presence or absence of an object in the vehicle blind spot. In this manner, a blind spot detection display system, according to the invention, provides multiple indications to the vehicle operator during the premaneuver evaluation. Furthermore, the invention overcomes many of the known difficulties associated with the prior art blind spot detection display systems associated with exterior rearview mirrors in which frost, dew and/or road dirt may mask the blind spot detection display system.
These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
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Product brochure entitled “SideMinder,” published in 1993 by Autosense.
Commonly assigned co-pending application Serial No. 09/119,532, filed on Jul. 20, 1998, entitled Vehicle Blind Spot Detection Display System.
Commonly assigned co-pending application Serial No. 09/244,726, filed on Feb. 5, 1999, entitled Rearview Mirror Assembly Incorporating Vehicle Information Display.
Lynam Niall R.
Schofield Kenneth
Donnelly Corporation
La Anh
Van Dyke Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
Wu Daniel J.
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