Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for automatically adjusting the angle of a rotatable side view mirror of a vehicle having a trailer coupled thereto includes transducers attached to the vehicle for transmitting signals toward the trailer and for receiving signals reflected by the trailer. A control unit includes memory for storing dimensional information and a control circuit for generating a mirror control signal for controlling rotation of the rotatable side view mirror. The control circuit is operative to control at least one of the transducers to determine an angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on a time required for signals transmitted by the respective controlled at least one transducer to be reflected back to the respective at least one controlled transducer. The control circuit generates the mirror control signal based on the determined angle. The vehicle and the trailer may be angled relative to each other within a predetermined angular range including a plurality of angular range portions and the control circuit is operative to control different ones of the transducers based on the angular range portion within which the current angle falls. A drive unit supplied with the mirror control signal rotates the rotatable side view mirror.

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First Claim