US 12,304,396 B2
Vehicular driver monitoring system with video-calling function
Martin Solar, Erlenbach (DE)
Assigned to Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/487,153.
Application 18/487,153 is a continuation of application No. 17/647,760, filed on Jan. 12, 2022, granted, now 11,787,342.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/199,617, filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0059221 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 1/29 (2022.01)
CPC B60R 1/29 (2022.01) [B60R 2300/207 (2013.01); B60R 2300/8006 (2013.01)] 70 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising:
a camera disposed within an interior cabin of a vehicle at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle;
wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a movable mirror head that accommodates a mirror reflective element;
wherein the camera is disposed within the movable mirror head and views toward at least a front driver seat region of the vehicle;
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera;
wherein the ECU is disposed in the vehicle at a location remote from where the interior rearview mirror assembly is located within the interior cabin of a vehicle;
wherein image data captured by the camera is provided from the interior rearview mirror assembly to the remotely-located ECU;
wherein provided captured image data is processed at the ECU to monitor the driver of the vehicle;
wherein attentiveness of the driver of the vehicle is at least in part determined via processing at the ECU of provided captured image data;
wherein provided captured image data is processed at the ECU for a video-calling application;
a microphone disposed within the interior cabin of the vehicle;
wherein the microphone captures audio speech data from within the interior cabin of the vehicle;
wherein the video-calling application, based at least in part on processing at the ECU of provided captured image data and on audio speech data captured by the microphone disposed within the interior cabin of the vehicle, enables video-calling wireless communication between an occupant of the vehicle and a party exterior of the vehicle;
wherein video-calling wireless communication between the occupant of the vehicle and the party exterior of the vehicle comprises wireless communication from the vehicle to an external receiver located remote from the vehicle of data that is based at least in part on processing at the ECU of provided captured image data; and
wherein video-calling wireless communication between the occupant of the vehicle and the party exterior of the vehicle comprises wireless communication to the vehicle from the external receiver of data generated at the external receiver.