By using “Synchronized Windows”, Apple-designed cars of the future are expected to provide additional privacy protections for occupants. In addition, the rear-view mirrors on both sides of the vehicle can automatically adjust the appropriate angle according to the position of the driver’s head. According to the latest patent approved by the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO) on Tuesday, Apple has been approved a number of patents related to car design, which are expected to be equipped on Apple cars or Apple-branded auto accessories in the future.
The first patent, titled “Systems with synchronized Windows,” outlines how windows can enhance privacy. In the patent, Apple proposes to install a light-adjusting layer in the car window, which can be a liquid crystal with a polarizer, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer that can change the reflectivity, an adjustable haze layer formed by a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer, etc. and so on. Regardless of the material used, this layer is used to adjust the light that comes through the window.
In addition, the patent also recommends the use of “AC modulation waveforms” to adjust the light sources inside and outside the car so that it does not affect the line of sight of passengers. For example, the lights in the vehicle can be turned on and off twice a second in a specific way (eg at 200Hz) so that the driver and passengers do not experience changes in the light in the car.
The user will not see the changes on the window, but the window can automatically open/close the coating according to the surrounding environment, and cooperate with the interior light source to provide a stable light system for the passengers in the car. The effect achieved is that when the passengers in the car turn on the lights in the car, the light will not be emitted outside the car. This means passengers can see the interior lighting, but people outside the car won’t.
The inventors of the patent are Martin Melcher, James Wilson, Clarisse Mazuir and David Kingman.
Another technology patent, titled “Systems for improving side-mirror functionality of a vehicle,” outlines a number of ways to improve side mirrors. The patent first details how the width of the vehicle can be minimized by deploying or completely replacing the side mirrors.
In the first design sketch, actuators are used to control the mirrors, which are basically the same as current mainstream automotive devices (such as automatic deployment after the vehicle is started, and automatic closing after parking). However, Apple’s patent is no longer limited to the start and end of the vehicle’s driving, but the mirror can be adjusted throughout the driving process.
Using cameras in the patent to capture the driver’s face, the system looks at the orientation of the facial features to monitor the driver’s head movement. If it is determined that the driver is looking in the direction of the mirror through the camera, a signal is sent to the mirror to activate it into position and retract when not needed.
In the second embodiment are integrated side mirrors that are mounted on the walls of the car itself and provide the driver with an outside view using optics on each side. It is recommended that the view provided is sufficient to see nearby elements, similar to a normal exterior mounted side mirror.
A third option is to completely remove the mirror and replace it with a screen. Mounted inside the vehicle where the driver looks for the mirrors, the Display will provide live video from a camera mounted on the rear of the vehicle, providing a reflection of the view of the area normally covered by the mirrors.
Instead of direct real-time processing of the image, the system will perform processing on the image to create an image similar to what the driver expects to see from the rearview mirror, as the camera’s position and field of view will be different.
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