US 12,403,834 B2
Vehicular driver monitoring system with camera at interior mirror assembly
Michael J. Baur, Kentwood, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/603,406.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/490,293, filed on Mar. 15, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0308427 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 1/29 (2022.01); B60R 1/08 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01); B60R 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 1/29 (2022.01) [B60R 1/087 (2013.01); B60R 1/1207 (2013.01); B60R 11/00 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1276 (2013.01); B60R 2011/0019 (2013.01); B60R 2011/0028 (2013.01); B60R 2300/101 (2013.01); B60R 2300/103 (2013.01); B60R 2300/8006 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular cabin monitoring system, the vehicular cabin monitoring system comprising:
an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head adjustable relative to a mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is configured to attach at a first interior portion of an interior cabin of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabin monitoring system to mount the interior rearview mirror assembly within the interior cabin of the vehicle, and wherein the mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element;
a camera accommodated by the mirror head, wherein, with the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted within the interior cabin of the vehicle, the camera moves together and in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relative to the mounting structure, and wherein the camera is operable to capture image data;
an electronic control unit (ECU);
wherein image data captured by the camera is transferred to the ECU;
wherein the ECU comprises electronic circuitry and associated software, and wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera;
wherein a first subset of the image data captured by the camera is representative of a head of a driver of the vehicle, and wherein at least the first subset of the image data captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for monitoring of the driver of the vehicle;
a spectrally reflecting mirror element disposed within the interior cabin of the vehicle and spaced from the interior rearview mirror assembly, wherein the spectrally reflecting mirror element spectrally reflects light toward the camera that is representative of at least a portion of light incident at an obstructed region within the interior cabin of the vehicle, and wherein the obstructed region within the interior cabin of the vehicle is remote from the head of the driver and is not directly viewable by the camera;
wherein the spectrally reflecting mirror element is disposed at an accessory module of the vehicle, and wherein the accessory module attaches at a second interior portion of the interior cabin of the vehicle to dispose the spectrally reflecting mirror element within the interior cabin of the vehicle;
wherein a second subset of the image data captured by the camera is representative of light reflected from the spectrally reflecting mirror element, and wherein the second subset of the image data captured by the camera is different from the first subset of the image data captured by the camera; and
wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system, based on processing at the ECU of at least the second subset of the image data captured by the camera, determines presence of an object within the obstructed region within the interior cabin of the vehicle.