# US 12,225,278 B2 · Vehicular driver monitoring system with camera view optimization > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,225,278 B2 - Document ID: US12225278B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/600,961 - Filed: 2024-03-11 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-18 - Assignees: Magna Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Magna Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan D. Conger; Steven V. Byrne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225278B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/58: Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors - B60R 1/12: Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks - G06V 10/147: Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G06V 20/597: {Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness} - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 23/6811: {based on the image signal} - H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects - H04N 23/74: by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means - B60R 2001/1253: {with cameras, video cameras or video screens} - G06V 10/141: Control of illumination - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, an electronic control unit (ECU) with an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. The camera is disposed at a mirror head of the interior rearview mirror assembly and moves in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relative to a mounting portion of the interior rearview mirror assembly. The camera includes an imaging array sensor and a lens. The vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors a body portion of a driver of the vehicle. The vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera to accommodate a change in a scene viewed by the camera. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising: a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle and capturing image data; wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is adjustable relative to a mounting portion via at least one pivot joint, and wherein the mounting portion is attached at an interior portion of the vehicle; wherein the camera is disposed at the mirror head and moves in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relative to the mounting portion; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera; wherein the camera comprises an imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein the imaging array sensor comprises at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors a body portion of a driver of the vehicle; and wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera to accommodate a change in a scene viewed by the camera. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts the camera to adjust viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the camera is adjusted by adjusting the lens relative to the imaging array sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the camera is adjusted to increase resolution of an area of interest of the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the area of interest comprises the eyes of the driver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines driver drowsiness. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the area of interest comprises the hands of the driver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 4, wherein a beam direction of one or more illumination sources is adjusted to illuminate the area of interest. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines driver attentiveness. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines that the scene viewed by the camera has changed at least in part via processing of image data captured by the camera. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera responsive to determining that the scene viewed by the camera has changed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines that the scene viewed by the camera has changed based at least in part on at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a vehicle door opening and (ii) a vehicle door closing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines that the scene viewed by the camera has changed based at least in part on a vehicle seat adjustment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera responsive to receiving an indication that is indicative of adjustment of the mirror head relative to the mounting portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is disposed in the mirror head. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, comprising at least one actuator that is operable to adjust the camera to adjust viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of actuators adjust viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera by adjusting the imaging array sensor or the lens along three independent axes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the at least one actuator is operable to adjust a beam direction of one or more illumination sources toward the driver. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, a beam direction of one or more illumination sources is adjusted to illuminate the monitored body portion of the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 21 A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising: a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle and capturing image data; wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is adjustable relative to a mounting portion via at least one pivot joint, and wherein the mounting portion is attached at an interior portion of the vehicle; wherein the camera is disposed at the mirror head and moves in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relative to the mounting portion; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera; wherein the camera comprises an imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein the imaging array sensor comprises at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors the eyes of a driver of the vehicle; wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines driver drowsiness; and wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the eyes of the driver by the camera to accommodate a change in a scene viewed by the camera. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts the camera to adjust viewing of the eyes of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the camera is adjusted by adjusting the lens relative to the imaging array sensor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the camera is adjusted to increase resolution of the eyes of the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein a beam direction of one or more illumination sources is adjusted to illuminate the eyes of the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to determining a change in the eyes of the driver relative to a field of view of the camera, adjusts viewing of the eyes of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the eyes of the driver by the camera responsive to determining a change in position of the eyes of the driver relative to a field of view of the camera. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines that the scene viewed by the camera has changed based at least in part on at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a vehicle door opening, (ii) a vehicle door closing and (iii) a vehicle seat adjustment. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the eyes of the driver by the camera responsive to receiving an indication that is indicative of adjustment of the mirror head relative to the mounting portion. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the ECU is disposed in the mirror head. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines that the scene viewed by the camera has changed at least in part via processing of image data captured by the camera. ### Claim 32 A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising: a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle and capturing image data; wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is adjustable relative to a mounting portion via at least one pivot joint, and wherein the mounting portion is attached at an interior portion of the vehicle; wherein the camera is disposed at the mirror head and moves in tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relative to the mounting portion; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera; wherein the camera comprises an imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein the imaging array sensor comprises at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors a body portion of a driver of the vehicle; and wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to determining a change in position of the body portion of the driver within a field of view of the camera, adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts the camera to adjust viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the camera is adjusted by adjusting the lens relative to the imaging array sensor. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 34, wherein the camera is adjusted to increase resolution of the body portion of the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the body portion of the driver comprises the hands of the driver. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein a beam direction of one or more illumination sources is adjusted to illuminate the body portion of the driver. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines driver attentiveness. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system adjusts viewing of the body portion of the driver by the camera responsive to receiving an indication that is indicative of adjustment of the mirror head relative to the mounting portion. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the ECU is disposed in the mirror head. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system determines change in position of the body portion of the driver within the field of view of the camera at least in part via processing of image data captured by the camera.