# US 12,594,886 B2 · Vehicle and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,886 B2 - Document ID: US12594886B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/345,397 - Filed: 2023-06-30 - Published: 2024-05-30 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-25 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Jooam Baek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594886B2 ## CPC - B60R 1/074: for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle - B60R 2300/80: characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An embodiment vehicle includes a side mirror, a communicator, and a controller. The communicator may be configured to transmit a search signal to a remote controller through the plurality of antennas and to receive a response signal transmitted from the remote controller as a response to the search signal. The controller may be electrically coupled to the side mirror, configured to determine whether a driver is present within a search area of the first antenna according to the driver carrying the remote controller and approaching the parked vehicle being detected, determine a location of the driver based on an intensity of the response signal received from the remote controller as a response to the search signal transmitted from the first antenna, and signal the side mirror whether to convert into a folded state or an unfolded state based on the determined location of the driver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a side mirror configured to be converted into a folded or unfolded state; a communicator comprising a plurality of antennas including a first antenna mounted on a driver seat side, the communicator configured to transmit a search signal to a remote controller through the plurality of antennas and to receive a response signal transmitted from the remote controller as a response to the search signal; and a controller electrically coupled to the side mirror; wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a driver is present within a search area of the first antenna according to detection of the driver carrying the remote controller and approaching the vehicle; wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the driver based on an intensity of the response signal received from the remote controller as a response to the search signal transmitted from the first antenna; wherein the controller is configured to signal the side mirror whether to convert into the folded state or the unfolded state based on the determined location of the driver; and wherein the controller is configured to maintain the side mirror in the folded state according to the driver being in the determined location after passing the side mirror and a passenger being in a passenger detected location before passing the side mirror. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to determine that the driver is in the determined location before passing the side mirror according to the driver being present within the search area and the intensity of the response signal being less than a threshold value; and the controller is configured to determine that the driver is in the determined location where the driver has passed the side mirror when the driver is present within the search area and the intensity of the response signal being greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising: a surround view camera system configured to provide a field of view facing a periphery of the vehicle and configured to obtain surrounding image data; wherein the controller is configured to divide a surround view image created from the surrounding image data into a driver seat front fender area, a driver seat door area, a front passenger seat front fender area, and a front passenger seat door area based on the side mirror; wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a motion is detected in the areas based on pixel changes in at least one of the areas; and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the driver is in the determined location after passing the side mirror when the driver is present within the search area, the intensity of the response signal is greater than the threshold value, and a motion is detected in the driver seat door area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein: the controller is configured to determine whether the passenger is in the passenger detected location before passing the side mirror according to motion detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area while the driver is in the determined location after passing the side mirror; and the controller is configured to determine whether the passenger is in the passenger detected location after passing the side mirror based on reduced motion detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to signal the side mirror to convert from the folded state to the unfolded state according to both of the driver being at the determined location after passing the side mirror and the passenger being in the passenger detected location after passing the side mirror. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: the controller is configured to maintain the side mirror in the folded state according to the driver being in the determined location before passing the side mirror; and the controller is configured to signal the side mirror to convert from the folded state to the unfolded state when the driver is in the determined location after passing the side mirror. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the driver carrying the remote controller is approaching based on mounting positions of the plurality of antennas and the intensity of the response signal of the remote controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine the determined location of the driver according to an interval between the vehicle and another vehicle parked on at least one of the left and right sides of the vehicle is shorter than a preset interval. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the side mirror in the folded state when the driver approaches from the front of the vehicle in the direction of a front passenger seat. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to signal the side mirror to convert from the folded state to the unfolded state when the driver approaches from the rear of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the driver carrying the remote controller is approaching based on mounting positions of the plurality of antennas and the intensity of the response signal of the remote controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the determined location of the driver according to an interval between the vehicle and another vehicle parked on at least one of the left and right sides of the vehicle is shorter than a preset interval. ### Claim 13 A vehicle comprising: a side mirror configured to be converted into a folded or unfolded state; a communicator comprising a plurality of antennas comprising an internal antenna mounted inside of the vehicle, and the communicator being configured to transmit a search signal to a remote controller through the plurality of antennas and to receive a response signal transmitted from the remote controller as a response to the search signal; a surround view camera system configured to provide a field of view facing a periphery of the vehicle and obtain surrounding image data; and a controller electrically coupled to the side mirror; wherein the controller being configured to divide a surround view image created from the surrounding image data into a plurality of areas comprising a driver seat front fender area and a front passenger seat front fender area based on the side mirror; wherein the controller being configured to determine whether motion is detected in each area based on pixel changes in at least one of the areas, while a driver carrying the remote controller is present within a search area of the internal antenna; wherein the controller being configured to determine a location of a passenger based on a change in motion detection in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area, while the driver carrying the remote controller is present within the search area of the internal antenna; wherein the controller being configured to signal the side mirror to convert into the folded state or the unfolded state based on the determined passenger location of the passenger; and wherein the controller is configured to maintain the side mirror in the folded state according to the driver being in a determined location after passing the side mirror and the passenger being in the determined passenger location before passing the side mirror. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein: the controller is configured to determine that the passenger is in the determined passenger location before passing the side mirror according to the motion being detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area; and the controller is configured to determine that the passenger is in the determined passenger location after passing the side mirror based on reduced motion detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein: the controller is configured to signal the side mirror to convert from the unfolded state to the folded state according to the passenger being in the determined passenger location before passing the side mirror; and the controller is configured to signal the side mirror to convert from the folded state to the unfolded state according to the passenger being in the determined passenger location after passing the side mirror. ### Claim 16 A control method of a vehicle comprising: determining whether a driver is present within a search area of a first antenna according to detection of the driver carrying a remote controller approaching the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a side mirror configured to be converted into a folded or unfolded state, wherein the vehicle comprises a communicator comprising a plurality of antennas comprising the first antenna mounted on a driver seat side, wherein the communicator is configured to transmit a search signal to the remote controller through the plurality of antennas and to receive a response signal transmitted from the remote controller as a response to the search signal; determining a location of the driver based on an intensity of the response signal received from the remote controller according to a response to the search signal transmitted from the first antenna; and converting the side mirror into the folded state or the unfolded state based on the determined location of the driver, wherein the converting of the side mirror into the folded state or the unfolded state comprises maintaining the side mirror in the folded state according to the driver being in the determined location after passing the side mirror and a passenger being in a determined passenger location before passing the side mirror. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control method according to claim 16, wherein the determining of the location of the driver comprises: determining that the driver is in the determined location before passing the side mirror according to the driver being present within the search area and the intensity of the response signal being less than a threshold value; dividing a surround view image of the vehicle into a driver seat front fender area, a driver seat door area, a front passenger seat front fender area, and a front passenger seat door area based on the side mirror; determining whether motion is detected in the areas based on pixel changes in at least one of the areas; and determining that the driver is in the determined location after passing the side mirror according to the driver being present within the search area, the intensity of the response signal being greater than the threshold value, and motion being detected in the driver seat door area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control method according to claim 17, wherein the determining of the location of the driver comprises: determining that the passenger is in the determined passenger location before passing the side mirror according to motion being detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area; and determining that the passenger is in the determined passenger location after passing the side mirror based on reduced motion detected in at least one of the driver seat front fender area and the front passenger seat front fender area. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The control method according to claim 18, wherein the converting of the side mirror into the folded state or the unfolded state comprises converting the side mirror from the folded state to the unfolded state according to both of the driver and the passenger being in locations after passing the side mirror. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The control method according to claim 17, wherein the converting of the side mirror into the folded state or the unfolded state comprises: maintaining the side mirror in the folded state according to the driver being in the determined location before passing the side mirror; and converting the side mirror from the folded state to the unfolded state according to the driver being in the determined location after passing the side mirror.