GB2498418A - Computer-aided design of vehicle rear-view mirrors - Google Patents

Computer-aided design of vehicle rear-view mirrors Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2498418A
GB2498418A GB1217307.6A GB201217307A GB2498418A GB 2498418 A GB2498418 A GB 2498418A GB 201217307 A GB201217307 A GB 201217307A GB 2498418 A GB2498418 A GB 2498418A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
virtual
model
mirror
text
rear view
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
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GB1217307.6A
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GB201217307D0 (en
Inventor
Niraj Gupta
Jaji Vijayaraman
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Mercedes Benz Group AG
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Daimler AG
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Application filed by Daimler AG filed Critical Daimler AG
Priority to GB1217307.6A priority Critical patent/GB2498418A/en
Publication of GB201217307D0 publication Critical patent/GB201217307D0/en
Publication of GB2498418A publication Critical patent/GB2498418A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06TIMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T19/00Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F30/00Computer-aided design [CAD]
    • G06F30/10Geometric CAD
    • G06F30/15Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F30/00Computer-aided design [CAD]
    • G06F30/20Design optimisation, verification or simulation
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06TIMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T15/003D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
    • G06T15/10Geometric effects
    • G06T15/20Perspective computation
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06TIMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T17/00Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geometry (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Computer Graphics (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Evolutionary Computation (AREA)
  • Pure & Applied Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computational Mathematics (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Mathematical Optimization (AREA)
  • Mathematical Analysis (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
  • Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

A method for designing rear view mirrors 3,5 for a motor vehicle 1 comprises providing a virtual 3D model of the vehicle (vehicle model) and a virtual 3D model of the rear view mirror (mirror model), the mirror having a reflection sur­face E, whereupon the mirror model is arranged on the vehicle model. A virtual 3D model of an environment 7 (environment model) comprising at least one de­fined field of view zone (e.g. F2, F4, F5) is generated. The vehicle model is merged with the environment model such that the field of view zone is adjacent to the model (as shown). The mirror model is checked and/or adjusted such that, when viewed from a virtual driverâ s eye positions (OD,OE, figure 1), the field of view zone (e.g. F2) is visible in a virtual reflection image I upon the mirror model. CAD techniques use photo-rendering and/or ray-tracing to calculate the virtual reflection image. The payload of the vehicle may be taken into account when providing the vehicle model. Adjustment of the mirror model is achieved by modifying the mirror radius/radii of curvature or size of the reflection surface E. By using CAD techniques to simulate and predict the rear mirror field of view, the method may reduce the cost and time required with building and testing physical prototypes of mirrors, whilst ensuring the necessary mirror parameters to meet regulations are established.

Description

Virtual method for designing and evaluating field of vision for automotive mirrors The invention relates to a method for designing and evaluating a rear view mirror for a motor vehicle, in particular for a truck, set forth in claim 1.
Mirror field of vision (FOV) is a critical and important requirement in the consideration of safety and regulation for motor vehicles, especially motor vehicles licensed for road use.
The existing practice to validate rear view mirror design in order to meet specific regula-tions is still a manual process of verification of the designed mirrors on prototype vehicles.
Such a validation exercise is very time consuming and expensive since it requires a team up to ten members, a specific motor vehicle and space that needs to be blocked during the exercise for several weeks. All in all the design, prototype building, setup for field of vision verification and the verification itself requires a development period of approxi-mately six month for each new mirror design.
In recent decades lots of computer programmers tried to adapt complicated analysis and *:...: verification techniques for real objects in order to shorten the development period and cut development costs.
A method for automatically or semi-automatically constructing a digital 3D (3-dimensional) *:t: model of a scene from photographic data and photogrammetric data is known from WO 2004/047008 Al. It includes defining an initial rough model as a solution estimate. A re- verse rendering step includes a second order solution method that employs automatic dif- ferentiation techniques to accurately compute derivatives of an errorfunction. In an em- bodiment of the method, at least one camera is placed within the scene being con-structed, and photographic data from this camera is used in the solution process. The document provides an improved method for constructing 3D digital models from 2D (2-dimensional) photographic data.
Additional a method of creation of a virtual 3D image to enable its reproduction on at least one planar substrate includes creating a virtual 3D space that includes a ground plane is disclosed in WO 2008/105650 Al. A virtual model of an object is merged into the virtual 3D space and located at a desired position on the ground plane. A first virtual camera is placed at a first position in the virtual 3D space. Virtual lighting is added to the virtual 3D space to create shadows of the virtual model on at least the ground plane. The first virtual camera is used for rendering of the virtual model and the shadows to obtain a rendered image. The virtual model is removed and the rendered image is projected onto the ground plane. A second virtual camera is placed vertically above the projection of the rendered image on the ground plane and is used to capture the virtual 3D image of the projection of the rendered image on the ground plane to enable reproduction of the virtual 3D image on the at least one planar substrate.
Both documents describe methods to create virtual 3D images.
Further in document US 5,313335 a mirror is disclosed having an indicator formed at a part of a surface of a mirror element, the indicator not constituting a part of the mirror sur- face, the mirror being configured so that when another vehicle is approaching, the indica-tor lights up to inform the driver of the vehicle's approach. Another document, US 6,099,154 discloses a mirror having a mirror element formed of a semi-transmissive re-flecting mirror, the mirror being configured so that indication masks with particular warning symbols drawn as transmissive patterns are arranged on the badk surface of the mirror *r element, light sources are arranged behind the indication masks, and when a warning is necessary, a light source lights up to emit light for indicating a warning symbol through the semi-tranmissive reflecting mirror, thereby informing the driver of the warning. Each document discloses a vehicle rear view mirror equipped with a display device that emits warning light to the driver. * . *
None of the documents mentioned above describes a design or verification method of a * field of view of a rear view mirror at an early design stage using simple graphic represen-tation tools.
* Therefore a purpose of the invention is to provide a simple step by step method to auto- motive design engineers for mirror design and field of vision verification which is timesav-ing, cost effective and easy to use.
An efficient method for designing a rear view mirror for a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises the steps of: providing a virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle, providing a virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror having a reflection surface facing said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle, arranging said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror on said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle, generating a virtual 3D model of an environment comprising at least one defined field of view zone, merging said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle with said virtual 3D model of said en-vironment, in such way that said defined field of view zone is adjacent to said 3D model of said motor vehicle, whereby said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror is checked and/or adjusted, whether/such that from a perspective of a virtual driver's eye-points said defined field of view zone of said virtual 3D-model of said environment is visible in a virtual reflection im-age on said reflection surface of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror. * . S * **
In a preferred embodiment of the invention virtual 3D model of the motor vehicle origi-nates from a traditional CAD program, which already contains the necessary construction data of the vehicle. Thus, the use of a vehicle prototype can be omitted. The same applies for the virtual 3D model of the rear view mirror. Since most of the graphics data interfaces (GUI) are compatible to one another it is easy to virtually arrange, join or combine a plural- * ity of virtual objects like for instance the motor vehicle and the corresponding rear view * mirror. In this manner a test vehicle can be easily assembled.
In addition, an appropriate environmental surrounding of the virtual 3D model of an envi- ronment comprising at least one defined field of view zone can be generated by a graph-ics designer. In a particular embodiment the surrounding environment of the virtual 3D model of the motor vehicle can be a virtual planar, i.e. a 20 road surface, which comprises
one or more defined field of view zones.
In a further embodiment of the invention said virtual reflection image on said reflection sur- face of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror corresponds to an ambinocular per- spective of said virtual driver's eye-points. In order to get the desired results it is neces-sary to picture the virtual reflection image on the reflection surface of the mirror from the perspective of a driver -in this case of the virtual driver.
In order to obtain reliable and natural images a calculation of said virtual reflection image of said reflection surface and/or calculation of a beam path of said virtual vehicle driver's eye-points is carried out by means of a photo-rendering method and/or a raytracing method. Rendering methods -i.e., methods for determining what geometric, motion, light-ing, camera, and other input will result in a desired image or image sequence -are playing an important role in developing virtual digital models for a variety of applications and em-bodiments of the invention.
Often a very special benefit lies in the graphics application itself. Many CAD design pro- grams already contain the rendering and raytracing methods. Therefore there is not nec-essarily a need for new highly specialized software to perform the methods according to the mentioned embodiments. This represents a further cost-reduction due to this embodi-ment of the invention.
In another embodiment said virtual 3D model of the motor vehicle and/or the virtual 3D model of the rear view mirror originates from a CAD process. A special advantage of the virtual 3D models originating from a CAD process is. that the design can be modified very *....: flexible an instantly, so that time and costs can be saved. The computer generated im-ages can be used further to prepare documents for a certification rather than waiting for : . the final motor vehicle and taking actual photographs of the mirrors arrangement thereon and their reflection surface.
In yet another embodiment a payload of said motor vehicle is taken into account providing *:e*. said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle. Through consideration of different payloads of the truck one can make sure that a real reflection image is always visible to the driver im-proving his driving safety.
In an advantageous embodiment said adjustment of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror is effected by modifying mirror-radii and/or the size of said reflection surface, Since many characteristics of a CAD-graphics object are easily changeable, the virtual model can be adapted easily to the designers and/or driver's needs. An easy way lies in the modification of the mirror-radii and/or the modification of the mirror size.
In a further advantageous embodiment said adjustment is effected by modifying said ar-rangertient of the virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror on said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle relatively to a position of said virtual vehicle drivers eye-points.
A more complete understanding of the methods according to the present invention will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages and objects thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred em-bodiment. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings which will first be described briefly.
In the drawings, closely related pictures have the same reference numerals.
Fig 1 is showing an ambinocular vision obtained by a superimposition of mo-
nocular fields of a drivers right and left eye;
Fig 2 is showing a virtual 3D setup for designing and evaluating rear view mirrors according to one embodiment of the invention using conventional CAD software.
In Fig 1 is illustrating a perspective of a virtual driver's eyes whereby a defined field of view zone Fl of a virtual 3D-environment model is visible in a virtual reflection image I on a reflection surface E of a virtual 3D model of a rear view mirror -3, 5 see Fig 2 * . For example according to Regulation No 46 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (UN/ECE) -Uniform provisions concerning the approval of devices for indirect vision and of motor vehicles with regard to the installation of these devices - "the driver's ocular points OD and DE", means two points 65 mm apart and 635 mm verti- * cally above a defined relative position of the driver's seat and a reflecting surface E of a specific mirror 3. A straight line VP joining these points OD and OE runs perpendicular to a vertical longitudinal median plane LP of the vehicle. The centre of the segment joining the two ocular points OD, OE is in a vertical longitudinal plane LP which must pass through the centre of the driver's designated seating position, as specified for instance by a vehicle manufacturer. &
ID defines a virtual monocular image of the drivers right eye 00 which corresponds to a field of view defined by angle of vision B. IF defines a virtual monocular image of the driver's left eye 00 which corresponds to a field of view defined by angle of vision A. Therefore an virtual "ambinocular vision" is defined by a total field of vision obtained by a superimposition of the virtual monocular fields of view -corresponding to the virtual mo- nocular images ID and IE -of the driver's eyes OD, OF. Thus the virtual ambinocular im- age I corresponds to a field of view defined by angle of vision C. It is this virtual ambinocu- lar image I which must include a defined field of view zone Fl as it is set forth in the spe-cific regulations for motor vehicles licensed for road use.
Fig 2 is showing a virtual 3D setup for designing and evaluating rear view mirrors 3, 5 for a motor vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the invention using appropriate con-ventional CAD software. The illustrated virtual 3D setup comprises a virtual 3D model of a motor vehicle 1 with a left and right rear view mirror 3, 5 arranged thereon. In this exempli- fying embodiment the motor vehicle 1 -a truck -is situated in an environmental 7 sur- rounding -here a flat surface -consisting three field of view zones F2, F4 and F5 adja-cent to the motor vehicle 1. Fig 2 shows further a magnified cutout of the right rear mirror 3 of the virtual motor vehicle 1.
The virtual method for designing and evaluating the fields of vision Fl, F2, F4 and F5 for automotive mirrors according to a preferred embodiment of the invention requires careful adjustment of virtual parameters like mirror-radii and/or the size of the reflection surface E of the virtual 3D model of the rear view mirror 3, 5. Along with the adjustment of such pa-rarneterS the position of the rear view mirror 3, 5 on the 3D model of the motor vehiclel can be re-arranged to fulfill the requirements of the mirror design set forth in specific regu-lations.
* The design of the 3D model of the rear view mirror 3, 5 must be checked and evaluated *:*. until the defined field of view zone F2 of the virtual 3D environment 7 model is visible in a virtual reflection image I -corresponding to Fl -on the reflection surfactE of the virtual * . 3D model of a rear view mirror 3, 5 illustrating the perspective of the virtual driver's eye-points CD, OE as shown in Fig 1. A conforming view is shown in the magnified cutout of the right rear mirror 3 of the virtual motor vehicle 1 in Fig 2. The defined field of view zone F2 is completely included in the reflection image I on the reflection surface E of the virtual 3D model of the right rear view mirror 3.
Analogously the design process and method of the described embodiment of the invention can be applied for the left rear view mirror 5 and the corresponding predefined field of view zones (F4, F5).
It is worthwhile to use such a tool for FOV verification at early design stage of rear view mirror 3, 5 to optimize mounting, overhang details etc. to save material and to come up with cost effective designs by providing required counter measures during vehicle and mir- ror design. Also a payload of the motor vehicle 1 can be taken into account while provid-ing a virtual 3D model of the motor vehicle 1. This method can help design engineers to find out blind spots and to design improved rear view mirrors for more safety Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations in details of design, construction and/or operation may be made without departing from the present invention.
I *. . * * . * ** * * * * ** * *.*..* * * ** * * * * * ** *0* * .

Claims (1)

  1. <claim-text>BClaims 1. A method for designing a rear view mirror (3, 5) for a motor vehicle (1), in particular for a truck, comprising: -providing a virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle (1), -providing a virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) having a reflection sur-face (E) facing said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle (1), -arranging said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) on said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle (1), -generatinga virtual 3D model of an environment (7) comprising at least one de-fined field of view zone (Fl, F2, F4, F5),-merging said virtual 3D model of said motor vehide (1) with said virtual 3D model of said environment (7), in such way that said defined field of view zone (Fl, F2, F4, FS) is adjacent to said 3D model of said motor vehicle (1), whereby said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) is checked and/or ad-justed, whether/such that from a perspective of a virtual driver's eye-points (OD, OE) said defined field of view zone (Fl, F2, F4, F5)of said virtual 3D model of said envi-ronmentq)is visible in a virtual reflection image (I) on said reflection surface (E) of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5).</claim-text> <claim-text>2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said virtual reflection image (I) on said reflection surface (E) of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) corresponds to an ambinocular perspective of said virtual driver's eye-points (OD, OE).</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a calculation of said virtual reflection image (I) on/of said reflection surface (E) and/or calculation of a beam path of said virtual vehicle driver's eye-points (CD, OE) is car-ried out by means of a photo-rendering method and/or a raytracing method.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. The method as claimed in any one of claims ito 3, characterized in that said virtual 3D model of the motor vehicle (1) and/or the virtual 3D model of the rear view mirror (3,5) originates from a CAD process.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. The method as claimed in any one of claims t to 4, characterized in that a payload of said motor vehicle (i)is taken into account providing said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle (1).</claim-text> <claim-text>6. The method as claimed in any one of claims ito 5, characterized in that said adjustment of said virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) is effected by modifying mirror-radii and/or the size of said reflection surface (5).</claim-text> <claim-text>7. The method as claimed in any one of claims ito 6, characterized in that said adjustment is effected by modifying said arrangement of the virtual 3D model of said rear view mirror (3, 5) on said virtual 3D model of said motor vehicle (1) relatively to.a position of said virtual vehicle driver's eye-points (OD, OE). o.. * .* * * SS * .a..... * . *. . * * S* .. .I</claim-text>
GB1217307.6A 2012-09-21 2012-09-21 Computer-aided design of vehicle rear-view mirrors Withdrawn GB2498418A (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105574268A (en) * 2015-12-16 2016-05-11 上汽通用五菱汽车股份有限公司 Modality optimization method of outside rear-view mirror of automobile
CN109263652A (en) * 2018-11-14 2019-01-25 江铃汽车股份有限公司 A kind of measurement of driver's field of front vision and check method

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112417694B (en) * 2020-11-24 2024-07-05 长安大学 Virtual rearview mirror adjusting method and device
CN113901579A (en) * 2021-09-30 2022-01-07 江铃汽车股份有限公司 Method and system for evaluating neatness and shading of lower automobile body of automobile

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US20030135342A1 (en) * 2002-01-17 2003-07-17 Rosco, Inc. Method for testing vehicular mirrors for regulatory compliance using artificial visualization

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030135342A1 (en) * 2002-01-17 2003-07-17 Rosco, Inc. Method for testing vehicular mirrors for regulatory compliance using artificial visualization

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105574268A (en) * 2015-12-16 2016-05-11 上汽通用五菱汽车股份有限公司 Modality optimization method of outside rear-view mirror of automobile
CN105574268B (en) * 2015-12-16 2018-11-30 上汽通用五菱汽车股份有限公司 A kind of automobile outer rear-view mirror modal Optimization method
CN109263652A (en) * 2018-11-14 2019-01-25 江铃汽车股份有限公司 A kind of measurement of driver's field of front vision and check method
CN109263652B (en) * 2018-11-14 2020-06-09 江铃汽车股份有限公司 Method for measuring and checking front visual field of driver

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