# US 11,077,798 B2 · Vehicle exterior monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,798 B2 - Document ID: US11077798B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/452,681 - Filed: 2019-06-26 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-26 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; John Robert Van Wiemeersch; Paul Kenneth Dellock; Anthony Dwayne Cooprider; Zeljko Deljevic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077798B2 ## CPC - B60R 1/074: for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle - B60R 1/12: Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks - G01V 3/06: using AC - G01V 3/08: operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12) - B60R 2001/1223: {with sensors or transducers} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract A vehicle side-view mirror assembly includes an anchor element mountable to a vehicle exterior, and a foldable housing, including a first surface directed in a forward direction when the foldable housing is in an unfolded position, a first capacitive cover and a first electric ground path attached to the first surface, a second surface that is a lateral side surface facing away from the anchor element, a second capacitive cover and a second electric ground path attached to the second surface, a third surface that is a hinged side surface hingedly connected to the anchor element, and a third capacitive cover and a third electric ground path attached to the third surface. Each of the capacitive covers are electrically insulated from one another. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle side-view mirror assembly, comprising: an anchor element mountable to a vehicle exterior; and a foldable housing, including: a first surface directed in a forward direction when the foldable housing is in an unfolded position; a first capacitive cover and a first electric ground path attached to the first surface; a second surface that is a lateral side surface facing away from the anchor element; a second capacitive cover and a second electric ground path attached to the second surface; a third surface that is a hinged side surface hingedly connected to the anchor element; and a third capacitive cover and a third electric ground path attached to the third surface; wherein each of the capacitive covers are electrically insulated from one another. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle side-view mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinged side surface faces a vehicle exterior surface when the housing is in the unfolded position and faces forward when the housing is in a folded position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle side-view mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the capacitive covers and the electric ground paths are electrically coupled to a vehicle computer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the capacitive covers and the electric ground paths are covered with paint. ### Claim 5 A system, comprising: a side-view mirror assembly, comprising: an anchor element mountable to a vehicle exterior; and a foldable housing, including: a first surface directed in a forward direction when the foldable housing is in an unfolded position; a first capacitive cover and a first electric ground path attached to the first surface; a second surface that is a lateral side surface facing away from the anchor element; a second capacitive cover and a second electric ground path attached to the second surface; a third surface that is a hinged side surface hingedly connected to the anchor element; and a third capacitive cover and a third electric ground path attached to the third surface; wherein each of the capacitive covers are electrically insulated from one another; and a computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to: determine respective capacitances of each of the capacitive covers of the surfaces; and actuate an actuator to move the housing to a folded position based on the determined respective capacitances. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to prevent an actuation of the foldable housing upon determining that a vehicle speed exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate the foldable housing to fold upon determining that a rate of change of the determined capacitance is less than a first threshold and greater than a second threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to detect water on the housing based on the determined capacitance and a rate of change of the capacitance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a vehicle running board to drop upon (i) determining that a vehicle gear is in a neutral position, (ii) detecting water on the foldable housing, and (iii) detecting water on a second foldable housing mounted to the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a vehicle actuator to stop based on determined capacitance of the hinged side surface while the foldable housing is in the folded position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate the foldable housing to move to the folded position based on capacitances of the capacitive covers of at least one of the forward-facing surface and the lateral side surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate an electric actuator to electrically charge and discharge the capacitive covers of the surfaces and to determine the capacitances of the covers based on a determined rate of discharge of the capacitances. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate the actuator to move the housing to the folded position further based on location coordinates stored in the memory. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further include instructions to store location coordinates in the memory upon determining that the housing was actuated to fold for at least a specified number of times at the respective location.