Robert Boschgmbh

Andy Woodrich

Jason Zink

Ryan P Todd

A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously adopts a gradient blocking mode for the optical state of the visor that includes a blocker and a transition gradient, which has the effect of making updates to optical state of the visor less distracting. Additionally, the transition gradient in the optical state of the visor makes the virtual visor system more robust against errors in positioning the blocker on the visor.

Vehicle mounted virtual visor system with gradient blocking modes

A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously updates the optical state with blocker patterns that including padding in excess of what is strictly necessary to block the sunlight. This padding advantageously provides robustness against errors, allows for a more relaxed response time, and minimizes frequent small changes to the position of the blocker in the optical state of the visor.

Vehicle mounted virtual visor system with optimized blocker pattern

A system for a vehicle comprises a medium arranged in front of a target in the vehicle, a target monitoring system arranged in front of the target in the vehicle capturing an image or a profile of the target, and a processing unit communicatively coupled the target monitoring camera to the medium, analyzed the captured image or profile of the target, wherein the processing unit arranged to analyze the obtained images or profile of the target and cause the medium to switch from a transparent mode to an opaque mode.

Vehicle mounted virtual visor system and method thereof

A modular virtual visor system is for a vehicle disclosed. The modular virtual visor system includes camera for detecting an illumination level on a face of a driver; a plurality of LCD panel modules mounted within the vehicle, and a controller. Each LCD panel module has LCD pixels configured to, (i) in an opaque state, block light from passing through the LCD screen and, (ii) in a transparent state, allow light to pass through the LCD panel module. The controller is configured to selectively operate each of the LCD pixels of each LCD panel module in either the opaque state or the transparent state so as to block high intensity light sources from shining on the face of the driver.

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Andy Woodrich