# US 8,783,920 B1 · Systems for indicating visibility of a blind spot to a driver > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,920 B1 - Document ID: US8783920B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/146,200 - Filed: 2014-01-02 - Published: 2014-07-03 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-01 - Applicants: Shahriar Mohktari Sharghi - Inventors: Shahriar Mohktari Sharghi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783920B1 ## CPC - B60R 1/12: Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks - B60R 1/006: {Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle (combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10)} - B60R 1/07: by electrically powered actuators - B60R 1/081: {avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors} - B60R 1/1207: {with lamps; with turn indicators} - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract Systems for indicating visibility of a blind spot to a driver are provided. In some embodiments, the systems comprise: a housing; a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and a directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the light source is substantially parallel to at least a portion of a typical driver's blind spot during operation of a vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled, wherein the direction of the light source is angled with respect to the housing such that light emitted by the light source is reflected by the mirror into a passenger compartment of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled in at least two positions of the mirror separated by at least ten degrees of horizontal rotation of the mirror. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A side mirror assembly, comprising: a housing; a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and a directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the light source is substantially parallel to at least a portion of a typical driver's blind spot during operation of a vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled, wherein the direction of the light source is angled with respect to the housing such that light emitted by the light source is reflected by the mirror into a passenger compartment of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled in at least two positions of the mirror separated by at least ten degrees of horizontal rotation of the mirror. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The side mirror assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the second light source is substantially parallel to at least a second portion of the typical driver's blind spot during operation of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the portion of the typical driver's blind spot substantially coincides with a first border of the blind spot and the second portion of the typical driver's blind spot substantially coincides with a second border of the blind spot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the directional light source comprises a light emitting diode and a lens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the direction light source emits at least a first color of light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The side mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the first color is blue. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitted by the directional light source is emitted as a cone having an optical axis. ### Claim 8 A side mirror assembly, comprising: a housing; a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and a light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a predominant direction of light emitted by the light source is toward the surface of the mirror at an angle of between fifteen and eighteen degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle when the housing is coupled to the vehicle in an operative position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The side mirror assembly of claim 8, further comprising a second light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that predominant direction of light emitted by the light second source is toward the surface of the mirror at an angle of about forty degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle when the housing is coupled to the vehicle in an operative position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source is a directional light source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The side mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode and a lens having an optical axis that defines a directionality of the light source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source emits at least a first color of light. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the first color is blue. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the light source emits a second color of light, and wherein the second color is orange. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light emitted by the light source is emitted as a cone having an optical axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source operates with a first brightness when ambient brightness is greater than a threshold, and operates with a second lower brightness when ambient brightness is less than a threshold.