Patent Publication Number: US-2023150490-A1

Title: Systems and methods to protect a side-view mirror of a vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Many drivers have encountered a situation where a side-view mirror of a vehicle is damaged either due to contact between the vehicle and a stationary object (such as a doorframe of a garage) or a moving object (another vehicle). Some manufacturers have addressed this issue by providing side-view mirrors that fold automatically when the engine of the vehicle is turned off or can be manually folded by a driver upon exiting the vehicle. However, such solutions do not typically address certain types of situations that may arise when the vehicle is in motion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description is set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably. 
         FIG.  1    illustrates an example vehicle that includes a side-view mirror protection system in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a first example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where a vehicle having a protruding side-view mirror reverses into a parking spot. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a second example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where a vehicle having a protruding side-view mirror reverses into a parking spot. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a third example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where a vehicle having a protruding side-view mirror is traveling on a multi-lane highway. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a fourth example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where a vehicle having a protruding side-view mirror is traveling on a multi-lane highway. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a first example alert displayed on a side-view mirror of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a second example alert displayed on a side-view mirror of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates an example geofence that may be provided around an object for preventing damage to a side-view mirror of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    illustrates an example geofence that may be provided around an object for preventing damage to a side-view mirror of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosure. 
         FIG.  10    shows some example components that may be provided in a vehicle in accordance with disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
     In terms of a general overview, certain embodiments described in this disclosure are directed to systems and methods for protecting a side-view mirror of a vehicle. An example method executed by a processor includes obtaining a first dimensional parameter and a second dimensional parameter. The first dimensional parameter is associated with a body portion of a vehicle and can be, for example, a width of the vehicle or a length of the vehicle. The second dimensional parameter is associated with a side-view mirror attached to the vehicle and can be, for example, a protrusion distance of the side-view mirror with respect to a body portion of the vehicle. 
     A turning path characteristic associated with a movement of the vehicle may then be determined. The turning path characteristic can be an arcuate motion path followed by the vehicle when maneuvering into a parking spot, for example. The arcuate motion path may increase a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror and an object located outside the vehicle. The probability of the collision may be determined based on the first dimensional parameter, the second dimensional parameter, and the turning path characteristic. If the probability of the collision exceeds a threshold value, an alert may be issued, or a preventive maneuver executed in order to prevent the collision. In an example embodiment, the alert is issued in the form of a graphical icon upon the side-view mirror of the vehicle. In another example embodiment, a geofence may be defined around an object (such as, for example, a garage of a residence) and used to avoid damaging a side-view mirror of one or more vehicles at various times. 
     ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     The disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made to various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the described example embodiments but should be defined only in accordance with the claims and their equivalents. The description below has been presented for the purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that alternate implementations may be used in any combination desired to form additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure. 
     Furthermore, while specific device characteristics have been described, embodiments of the disclosure may relate to numerous other device characteristics. Further, although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. 
     Certain words and phrases are used herein solely for convenience and such words and terms should be interpreted as referring to various objects and actions that are generally understood in various forms and equivalencies by persons of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the word “vehicle” as used herein refers to any of various types of vehicles that include a side-view mirror. The various types of vehicles can not only include vehicles that are operated by drivers but also autonomous vehicles. The word “collision” as used herein should be understood to refer to any form of contact between two objects. One or both of the objects may be moving or one of the objects may be stationary at the moment of contact. It must also be understood that words such as “implementation,” “scenario,” “case,” “instance,” and “situation” as used herein are an abbreviated version of the phrase “In an example (“implementation,” “scenario,” “case,” “approach,” “instance,” and “situation”) in accordance with the disclosure.” Furthermore, the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates an example vehicle  105  that includes a side-view mirror protection system  115  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The vehicle  105  may be any of various types of vehicles such as, for example, a gasoline powered vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, an autonomous vehicle, a sedan, a van, a minivan, a sports utility vehicle, a truck, a station wagon, a bus, an off-road vehicle, a semi-tractor trailer (an 18-wheeler), or a recreational vehicle (RV). In the illustrated scenario, the vehicle  105  is operated by a driver  125 . However, in another scenario, the vehicle  105  can be an autonomous vehicle and the description provided herein with respect to the driver  125  is equally applicable to a computer system that controls the autonomous vehicle. 
     Furthermore, the vehicle  105  shown in the illustration is a large vehicle that includes two side-view mirrors (such as, for example, a bus, a recreational vehicle, a delivery van, or a truck). In other scenarios, the vehicle  105  can be a smaller vehicle such as, for example, a sedan, a golf-cart, or a three-wheeled vehicle. 
     The two side-view mirrors include a side-view mirror  130  provided on a driver side of the vehicle  105  and a side-view mirror  135  provided on a passenger side of the vehicle  105 . Each of the side-view mirror  130  and the side-view mirror  135  is attached to a mounting assembly that is attached to the body of the vehicle  105 . The mounting assembly can include one or more longitudinal members that allow for positioning of the side-view mirrors at a desired height above the ground and protruding away from a side of the vehicle  105 . The extent of the protrusion may be defined in some cases by the nature of the vehicle  105 . For example, where the vehicle  105  is a semi-tractor trailer, each of the side-view mirror  130  and the side-view mirror  135  may protrude significantly more than those provided in a sedan in order to enable the driver  125  to observe another vehicle that may be tailgating the semi-tractor trailer. 
     More specifically, the driver  125  can use the side-view mirror  130  to observe objects (vehicles, pedestrians, building structures, etc.) on the driver side of the vehicle  105  when the vehicle  105  is either stopped or is in motion. The driver  125  can similarly use the side-view mirror  135  to observe objects (vehicles, pedestrians, building structures, etc.) on the passenger side of the vehicle  105  when the vehicle  105  is either stopped or is in motion. More particularly, the driver  125  can use the side-view mirror  130  and/or the side-view mirror  135  to detect objects when performing actions such as, for example, changing lanes on a multi-lane highway, making a turn, and/or pulling into a parking spot (either by moving forward or by moving in reverse). 
     The description below may refer in large part to the side-view mirror  130 , but it must be understood that the description is equally applicable to the side-view mirror  135 . Consequently, for example, a description provided herein with respect to the side-view mirror  130  when the vehicle  105  is making a turn in one direction is equally pertinent to the side-view mirror  135  when the vehicle  105  is making a turn in the same direction and/or in an opposite direction. 
     The vehicle  105  can include various components, such as, for example, the side-view mirror protection system  115 , a vehicle computer  110 , an infotainment system  120 , and a sensor system  140 . These components that are illustrated as functional blocks can be mounted at various locations in the vehicle  105 . Thus, for example, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may be located in an engine compartment, a glove compartment, or a trunk of the vehicle  105 . The vehicle computer  110  may be located in an engine compartment of the vehicle  105 . The infotainment system  120  may be located in a dashboard of the vehicle  105 . The sensor system  140  can include various sensors mounted upon various components of the vehicle  105  (steering wheel, brake, accelerator, wheel, etc.). 
     The vehicle computer  110  may perform various operations associated with the vehicle  105 , such as controlling engine operations (fuel injection, speed control, emissions control, braking, etc.), managing climate controls (air conditioning, heating etc.), activating airbags, and issuing warnings (check engine light, bulb failure, low tire pressure, etc.). 
     The infotainment system  120  can include elements such as, for example, a radio, an MP3 player, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a clock, and a display screen. The infotainment system  120  can further include a graphical user interface (GUI) or a human machine interface (HMI) that is displayed on the display screen. The GUI or HMI accepts input from an occupant of the vehicle  105  (the driver  125 , for example) and/or displays various items pertaining to the side-view mirror protection system  115 . An example item that may be displayed on the display screen of the infotainment system  120  can be an alert to inform the driver  125  of a risk of damage to the side-view mirror  130  as a result of a potential collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . The alert may be followed by another item that may be displayed in the form of an advice to take preventive action to avoid the collision. The alert may also be issued in the form of an audio warning that is produced via a loudspeaker of the infotainment system  120  (a beep or a tone, for example). 
     The sensor system  140  can include one or more sensors configured to produce signals in response to various conditions. The signals may be conveyed to the side-view mirror protection system  115  for evaluation to identify and characterize various actions of the vehicle  105 . Thus, for example, the sensor system  140  may include a gear shift sensor that provides to the side-view mirror protection system  115 , a sensor signal that may be evaluated by the side-view mirror protection system  115  for identifying a direction of travel of the vehicle  105  (forward direction or reverse direction). 
     The sensor system  140  may also include a steering wheel position sensor that produces signals corresponding to various positions of the steering wheel  126 . The various signals can include, for example, a first set of digital bits (a first hex word, for example) when the steering wheel  126  is rotated clockwise to a first position (15 degrees clockwise, for example), a second set of digital bits when the steering wheel  126  is rotated clockwise to a second position (45 degrees clockwise, for example), and a third set of digital bits when the steering wheel  126  is rotated counter-clockwise to a third position (15 degrees counter-clockwise, for example). The signals produced by the steering wheel position sensor may be conveyed to the side-view mirror protection system  115 . The side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate the signals to identify an angle of movement of the vehicle  105 . 
     More particularly in accordance with the disclosure, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate the sensor signals provided by the gear shift sensor and the steering wheel position sensor to determine a turning path characteristic that is associated with a movement of the vehicle  105 . The turning path characteristic can be defined in an example scenario, by an arcuate motion path followed by the vehicle  105  when reversing into a parking spot. 
     The sensor system  140  can further include an object detector for detecting objects located outside the vehicle  105 . The objects can include moving objects (a vehicle, a pedestrian, an animal, etc.) and/or stationary objects (a wall, a doorway, a sidewalk, a loading dock, etc.). A few example object detectors can include a radar detector, an ultrasonic detector, a sonar detector, an optical detector (a laser detector, for example), an infrared detector, and a camera. The side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate sensor signals provided by such sensors to determine a separation distance between the side-view mirror  130  and an object located outside the vehicle  105 . 
     The sensor system  140  can further include a speed sensor, a brake sensor, and other such sensors that provide various types of information to the side-view mirror protection system  115  in accordance with the disclosure. For example, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate sensor signals provided by a gear shift sensor, a steering wheel position sensor, an object detector, and a speed sensor to determine a separation distance between the side-view mirror  130  and an object located outside the vehicle  105  and/or to determine a rate at which the separation distance is being reduced (or increased) as a result of a speed and a direction of travel of the vehicle  105 . 
     As another example, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate images obtained from one or more cameras (that can be a part of the sensor system  140 ) to determine a separation distance between the side-view mirror  130  and an object located outside the vehicle  105  and/or to determine a rate at which the separation distance is being reduced (or increased) as a result of a speed and a direction of travel of the vehicle  105 . The images can be provided to the side-view mirror protection system  115  in real time in some implementations (a video clip, a video stream, etc.). 
     In an example implementation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  is communicatively coupled to the sensor system  140 , the vehicle computer  110 , and the infotainment system  120  via a vehicle bus that uses a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus protocol, and/or a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol. In another example implementation, the communications may be provided via wireless technologies such as Bluetooth®, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee®, or near-field-communications (NFC). 
     In some applications, the vehicle computer  110  and the side-view mirror protection system  115  are configured to communicate via a network  150  with devices located outside the vehicle  105  such as, for example, a cloud storage device  160  and a computer  145  (a server computer, a cloud computer, etc.). 
     The network  150  may include any one, or a combination of networks, such as, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a telephone network, a cellular network, a cable network, a wireless network, and/or private/public networks such as the Internet. The network  150  may support any of various communication technologies such as, for example, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, Ultra-Wideband (UBW), cellular, machine-to-machine communication, and/or man-to-machine communication. 
       FIG.  2    illustrates a first example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where the vehicle  105  reverses into a parking spot  230 . Another vehicle  220  is parked in a parking spot  225  located adjacent to the parking spot  230 . In this example scenario, the vehicle  105  has a width “w 1 ” (measured along a transverse axis of the vehicle  105 ) and a length “11” (measured along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle  105 ). The side-view mirror  130  protrudes outwards to an extent suited for use by the driver  125 . More particularly, an outside edge  131  of the side-view mirror  130  extends over a protrusion distance “d 1 ” with respect to a driver side  205  of the vehicle  105 . The side-view mirror  135  similarly protrudes outwards from a passenger side  206  of the vehicle  105 . 
     In the illustrated scenario, the turning path characteristic of the vehicle  105  may be defined by an arcuate motion path  210  having an end point  235  located inside the parking spot  230 . The end point  235  can correspond to a rear end portion of the vehicle  105  when parked in the parking spot  230 . The side-view mirror  130  follows an arcuate motion path  215  that runs parallel to the arcuate motion path  210 . 
     The side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate sensor signals provided by the sensor system  140  (a gear shift sensor, a steering wheel position sensor, an object detector, a speed sensor, etc.) and/or images provided by a camera, to determine the turning path characteristic of the vehicle  105  and to determine a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror  130  and a portion of the vehicle  220 . The probability of the collision may be determined based on various parameters such as, for example, a first dimensional parameter associated with a body portion of the vehicle  105 , a second dimensional parameter associated with the side-view mirror  130 , and the turning path characteristic of the vehicle  105 . 
     The first dimensional parameter associated with the body portion of the vehicle  105  can be, for example, the width “w 1 ” of the vehicle  105  and/or the length “11” of the vehicle  105 . The probability of the collision increases in direct proportion to the first dimensional parameter. For example, the probability of the collision increases in direct proportion to the width “w 1 ” of the vehicle  105  (greater the width, higher the probability of the collision, and vice-versa). 
     In an example implementation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  is configured to obtain dimensional parameters of the vehicle  105  from sources such as, for example, a database of the server computer  145  and/or from the cloud storage device  160 . The dimensional parameters may be stored in the database of the server computer  145  and/or the cloud storage device  160  by any of various entities such as, for example, a manufacturer of the vehicle  105  or a manager of operations associated with the vehicle  105  (a fleet manager of a rental car agency, for example). In some applications, the dimensional parameters may be stored in a database of the side-view mirror protection system  115 . 
     The second dimensional parameter associated with the side-view mirror  130  can be, for example, the protrusion distance “d 1 ” with respect to the driver side  205  of the vehicle  105 . The probability of the collision increases in direct proportion to the second dimensional parameter. For example, the probability of the collision increases in direct proportion to the protrusion distance “d 1 ” (greater the protrusion distance, higher the probability of the collision, and vice-versa). In an example implementation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  is configured to obtain data pertaining to the protrusion distance “d 1 ” from sources such as, for example, a database of the side-view mirror protection system  115 , a database of the server computer  145 , and/or the cloud storage device  160 . 
     The turning path characteristic (the arcuate motion path  210 , for example) can be determined by the side-view mirror protection system  115  based on evaluating sensor signals and/or images in the manner described above. The probability of the collision increases in direct proportion to an angle of motion associated with the arcuate motion path  210  (sharper the angle of motion, higher the probability of the collision, and vice-versa). 
     In the illustrated scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may determine a probability of collision between a reflecting surface of the side-view mirror  130  and an impact location  221  on the body of the vehicle  220 . The probability of collision may then be compared to a threshold value that may be set by any of various entities such as, for example, the driver  125  of the vehicle  105 , a manufacturer of the vehicle  105 , or a manager. The side-view mirror protection system  115  may execute any of various operations when the probability of collision exceeds the threshold value. 
     In a first scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  issues an alert to warn the driver  125  of the probability of collision with the vehicle  220 . The alert may be provided in various forms such as, for example in a graphical format on a reflective surface of the side-view mirror  130  (and/or on the display screen of the infotainment system  120 ) and/or in the form of an audible signal via a loudspeaker system in the vehicle  105 . 
     In a second scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  executes a preventive maneuver to prevent the collision (or to minimize damage to the side-view mirror  130  in case the collision is unavoidable). The preventive maneuver is particularly relevant when the vehicle  105  is an autonomous vehicle. An example maneuver to prevent the collision can involve the side-view mirror protection system  115  communicating with the vehicle computer  110  and/or another control system in the vehicle  105  for executing a braking action that stops the vehicle  105  prior to the side-view mirror  130  coming in contact with the body of the vehicle  220 . 
     Another example maneuver can involve the side-view mirror protection system  115  communicating with the vehicle computer  110  and/or another control system in the vehicle  105  for executing a change in direction of the vehicle  105  movement in a manner that prevents the side-view mirror  130  coming in contact with the body of the vehicle  220  (a veering action or a modification of a radius of the arcuate motion path  210 ). 
     Yet another example maneuver can involve the side-view mirror protection system  115  transmitting a signal to actuate a motor (not shown) provided in the mount assembly of the side-view mirror  130 . Activation of the motor can cause the side-view mirror  130  to fold inwards towards the driver side  205  of the vehicle  105  prior to the side-view mirror reaching the impact location  221  on the vehicle  220 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a second example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where the vehicle  105  reverses into the parking spot  230 . In this second example scenario, the vehicle  105  has a width “w 2 ” that is less than the width “w 1 ” and a length “12” that is less than the length “11.” The outside edge  131  of the side-view mirror  130  extends over the same protrusion distance “d 1 .” The turning path characteristic of the vehicle  105  (as defined by the arcuate motion path  210 ) is identical to the one described above. The side-view mirror  130  follows the arcuate motion path  215  that runs parallel to the arcuate motion path  210 . 
     In this scenario, the first dimensional parameter associated with the body portion of the vehicle  105  can be, for example, the width “w 2 ” of the vehicle  105  and/or the length “12” of the vehicle  105 . The second dimensional parameter associated with the side-view mirror  130  can be, for example, the protrusion distance “d 1 ” with respect to the driver side  205  of the vehicle  105 . The arcuate motion path  210  is identical to that described above. 
     The probability of the collision in this second example scenario is lower than the probability of the collision in the first example scenario described above as a result of the difference in the first dimensional parameter between the two scenarios (specifically, a reduction in the width of the vehicle  105  (“w 2 ”&lt;“w 1 ”) and a reduction in length of the vehicle  105  (“12”&lt;“11”). 
       FIG.  4    illustrates a third example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where the vehicle  105  is traveling on a multi-lane highway. In this scenario, the width of the vehicle  105  is “w 1 ” and the side-view mirror  130  extends over the protrusion distance “d 1 ” with respect to the driver side  205  of the vehicle  105 . The multi-lane highway includes a lane  410  in which the vehicle  105  is moving. More particularly, the vehicle  105  is moving ahead of the vehicle  220  that is moving in lane  405  that is adjacent to the lane  410 . 
     A width (“w 2 ”) of the lane  410  is slightly greater than the width “w 1 ” of the vehicle  105 , but less than a combination of the width “w 1 ” of the vehicle  105  and the protrusion distance “d 1 ” of the side-view mirror  130  (i.e., w 2 &lt;(w 1 +d 1 )). Consequently, the side-view mirror  130  protrudes into the adjacent lane  405  and exposes the side-view mirror  130  to a risk of damage as a result of contact between the side-view mirror  130  and a portion of the vehicle  220  that is moving in the adjacent lane  405 . 
     In an example scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may evaluate sensor signals (and/or images) and issue an alert. The driver  125  of the vehicle  105  may respond to the alert by switching lanes and moving to a lane  415  so as to increase a lateral separation distance between the vehicle  105  and the vehicle  220 . 
     In another example scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may execute a preventive maneuver such as, for example, cooperating with the vehicle computer  110  to automatically guide the vehicle into the lane  415  (with or without assistance from the driver  125 ). The preventive maneuver is particularly relevant when the vehicle  105  is an autonomous vehicle. 
     In yet another example scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may obtain a height information of the side-view mirror  210  with respect to ground. The height information may be obtained, for example, via wireless communications with the server computer  145 , or via data stored in a database of the side-view mirror protection system  115 . 
     The side-view mirror protection system  115  may then determine a probability of the side-view mirror  210  coming in contact with a portion of the vehicle  220  based on evaluating an image of the vehicle  220  (captured by a camera of the sensor system  140 ) and comparing a height of the vehicle  220  to the height of the side-view mirror  210 . Thus, in an example situation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may conclude that the probability of collision between the side-view mirror  130  and a portion of the vehicle  220  is negligible (zero, for example) in view of the height of the side-view mirror  210  of the vehicle  105  (a semi-tractor trailer, for example) with respect to a roof of the vehicle  220  (a sedan, for example). 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a fourth example scenario in accordance with the disclosure where the vehicle  105  that includes the side-view mirror  130  is traveling on a multi-lane highway. The fourth example scenario is similar to the third example scenario described above with respect to the dimensions “w 1 ,” “w 2 ,” and “d 1 .” In this scenario, the vehicle  105  is traveling in the lane  410  behind the vehicle  220  that is traveling in lane  405 . The side-view mirror protection system  115  evaluates sensor signals and/or images to determine a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror  130  and a portion of the vehicle  220  (a rear-end portion, for example). Evaluation of the sensor signals and/or images can include determining a separation distance between a non-reflecting surface  505  of the side-view mirror  130  and the portion of the vehicle  220  and can further include determining a rate of reduction of the separation distance between the non-reflecting surface  505  of the side-view mirror  130  and the portion of the vehicle  220 . The rate of reduction of the separation distance can be directly proportional to a difference in speeds between the vehicle  105  and the vehicle  220 . 
     Based on the evaluation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may either issue an alert or execute a preventive maneuver when the probability of the collision exceeds a threshold value. An example preventive maneuver executed by the side-view mirror protection system  115  may involve the side-view mirror protection system  115  cooperating with the vehicle compute  110  to automatically guide the vehicle into the lane  415  (with or without assistance from the driver  125 ) and/or reducing a speed of the vehicle  105 . 
     In another example scenario, the width (“w 2 ”) of the lane  410  is greater than a combination of the width “w 1 ” of the vehicle  105  and the protrusion distance “d 1 ” of the side-view mirror  130 . Consequently, the side-view mirror  130  does not protrude into the lane  405 . However, a portion of the vehicle  220  (a passenger side-view mirror, for example) may protrude into the lane  410  in which the vehicle  105  is moving. The protrusion can be due to various reasons such as, for example, due to the vehicle  220  being a wide-body vehicle or due to the vehicle  220  straddling the lane  405  and the lane  410  as a result of driver negligence. 
     The side-view mirror protection system  115  evaluates sensor signals and/or images to determine a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror  130  and a portion of the vehicle  220  (the passenger side-view mirror in this example) and issues an alert and/or executes a preventive maneuver (such as, for example, any of the preventive maneuvers described above) when the probability of the collision exceeds a threshold value. 
     Furthermore in accordance with the disclosure, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may wirelessly communicate with a vehicle  510  that is traveling behind the vehicle  105  to warn a driver of the vehicle  510  (or a computer of the vehicle  510 , when the vehicle  510  is an autonomous vehicle) about a probability of collision between a portion of the vehicle  510  and the vehicle  220 . 
     The side-view mirror protection system  115  may wirelessly communicate with the vehicle  510  either directly (using communication technologies such as, for example, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications) or indirectly (via the network  150  and/or via an infrastructure system). Communications via the infrastructure system may be carried out by use of communication technologies such as, for example, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a first example alert displayed by the side-view mirror protection system  115  on the side-view mirror  130  of the vehicle  105  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The first example alert, which can also be displayed on a display screen of the infotainment system  120 , is a graphical representation containing three graphical icons. A first graphical icon  605  is a triangle (any other shape may be used in other implementations) of a first color (green, for example). When in an illuminated state, the first graphical icon  605  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is no risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . 
     A second graphical icon  610  is a triangle (any other shape may be used in other implementations) of a second color (amber, for example). When in an illuminated state, the second graphical icon  610  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is a moderate amount of risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . 
     A third graphical icon  615  is a triangle (any other shape may be used in other implementations) of a third color (red, for example). When in an illuminated state, the third graphical icon  615  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is an imminent risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . In some applications, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may cause the third graphical icon  615  to flash in order to draw the attention of the driver  125 . The side-view mirror protection system  115  may concurrently issue an audible warning to alert the driver  125  of the risk of damage to the side-view mirror  130 . 
       FIG.  7    illustrates a second example alert displayed by the side-view mirror protection system  115  on the side-view mirror  130  of the vehicle  105  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The second example alert, which can also be displayed on a display screen of the infotainment system  120 , is a graphical representation containing three graphical icons. 
     A first graphical icon  705  is a multi-segment line (a single straight line or a curved line may be used in other implementations) of a first color (green, for example). When in an illuminated state, the first graphical icon  605  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is no risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . 
     A second graphical icon  710  is a multi-segment line (a single straight line or a curved line may be used in other implementations) of a second color (amber, for example). When in an illuminated state, the second graphical icon  610  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is a moderate amount of risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . 
     A third graphical icon  615  is a multi-segment line (a single straight line or a curved line may be used in other implementations) of a third color (red, for example). When in an illuminated state, the third graphical icon  615  conveys to the driver  125  an indication that there is an imminent risk of the side-view mirror  130  sustaining damage due to a collision with an object outside the vehicle  105 . 
     In some applications, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may cause the third graphical icon  615  to flash in order to draw the attention of the driver  125 . The side-view mirror protection system  115  may concurrently issue an audible warning to alert the driver  125  of the risk of damage to the side-view mirror  130 . 
     Each of the three multi-segment lines may also be arranged to provide an indication of a separation distance between the side-view mirror  130  and an object located outside the vehicle  105  that may collide with the side-view mirror  130 . For example, a horizontal segment of the first graphical icon  705  is located higher up on the side-view mirror  130  than a horizontal segment of the third graphical icon  715 , thereby indicating that the object is closer to the side-view mirror  130  when the third graphical icon  715  is illuminated. In some implementations, an additional graphical icon (not shown) representing the object (a vehicle, for example) may be displayed below the third graphical icon  715 . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates a first example geofence  810  that may be provided around an object  805  for preventing damage to the side-view mirror  130  of the vehicle  105  in accordance with the disclosure. The object  805  can be any stationary object such as, for example, a part of a building structure (a garage, a room, etc.), a wall, a pillar, a garden ornament, a mailbox, or a fence. In the illustrated example scenario, the vehicle  105  has a width “w 3 ” that is adequate to park the vehicle  105  in a parking spot located between the object  805  and a wall  815 . However, doing so can cause damage to the side-view mirror  130  as a result of a collision with the object  805 . 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the disclosure, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may determine a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror  130  and the object  805  based on evaluating sensor signals and/or images provided to the side-view mirror protection system  115  by the sensor system  140 . 
     In the illustrated scenario, the probability of collision exceeds a threshold value and the side-view mirror protection system  115  executes a geofence installation procedure that involves defining a geofence  810  around at least a portion of the object  805 . The geofence  810  offers protection to the side-view mirror  130  at multiple occasions such as, for example, when the vehicle  105  is parked every evening over a period of time (days, months, etc.). 
     In an example operation, the side-view mirror protection system  115  detects the geofence  810  when the vehicle  105  is being reversed into the parking spot between the object  805  and the wall  815 . Upon detecting the geofence  810 , the side-view mirror protection system  115  may provide an alert (such as in the form of illuminating the graphical icons provided on the side-view mirror  130 ) to assist the driver  125  and prevent damage to the side-view mirror  130 . A geofence  820  may be similarly provided around at least a portion of the wall  815  and used to protect the side-view mirror  135 . 
       FIG.  9    illustrates a second example geofence  910  that may be provided for preventing damage to side-view mirrors of one or more other vehicles in accordance with the disclosure. The geofence  910  may be provided around an object that is accessible to the general public such as, for example, a tunnel  905  that accommodates passage of various types of vehicles. Some of these vehicles may include side-view mirrors that are susceptible to damage as a result of contact with one or more walls of the tunnel  905 . 
     In the illustrated scenario, the side-view mirror protection system  115  may determine a probability of a collision between the side-view mirror  130  and a wall  915  of the tunnel  905  based on evaluating sensor signals and/or images provided to the side-view mirror protection system  115  by the sensor system  140 . The side-view mirror protection system  115  may execute a geofence installation procedure when the probability of collision exceeds a threshold value. The geofence  910  may, for example, be defined with respect to the wall  915  of the tunnel  905 . Information pertaining to the geofence  910  may then be propagated by the side-view mirror protection system  115  to the server computer  145  and made available for use by other vehicles that may subsequently follow the vehicle  105  into the tunnel  905 . 
       FIG.  10    shows some example components that may be provided in the vehicle  105  in accordance with disclosure. The example components may include the vehicle computer  110 , the sensor system  140 , the infotainment system  120 , the side-view mirror  130 , the side-view mirror  135 , and the side-view mirror protection system  115 . 
     The various components are communicatively coupled to each other via one or more buses, such as a bus  10  that can be implemented using various wired and/or wireless technologies. For example, the bus  10  can be a vehicle bus that uses a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus protocol, and/or a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol. Some or all portions of the bus  10  may also be implemented using wireless technologies such as Bluetooth®, Ultra-Wideband, Wi-Fi, Zigbee®, or near-field-communications (NFC). 
     The vehicle computer  110  and the sensor system  140  have been described above. The infotainment system  120  includes a display  15  on which a GUI or HMI can be displayed for use by the driver  125  to communicate with the side-view mirror protection system  115 . The display  15  may also be used by the side-view mirror protection system  115  for displaying alerts such as the alerts described above. 
     The side-view mirror  130  can include a display  21  that may be used by the side-view mirror protection system  115  for displaying alerts such as the alerts described above. The side-view mirror  130  can also include a motor  22  that can be actuated via a command issued by the side-view mirror protection system  115 . The motor  22  may be actuated for folding the side-view mirror  130  inwards and/or for moving a longitudinal member of a mount upon which the side-view mirror  130  is mounted. The longitudinal member may be moved in order to reduce the length of a protrusion of the side-view mirror  130  with respect to the driver side  205  of the vehicle  105  (shown in  FIG.  2   ). 
     The side-view mirror  135  can include a display  23  and a motor  24  similar to the display  23  and the motor  22  described above. 
     The side-view mirror protection system  115  can include a processor  30 , a communication system  35 , an input/output interface  40 , and a memory  45 . In some implementations, some, or all of the functionalities of these components can be incorporated into the vehicle computer  110 . 
     The communication system  35 , which can include various devices such as, for example, a WiFi transceiver and/or a cellular communication system, is configured to allow the side-view mirror protection system  115  to communicate via the network  150  with devices such as, for example, the server computer  145  and the cloud storage device  160 . The communication system  35  can further include various devices such as, for example, a Bluetooth® transceiver, a UWB transceiver, a Zigbee® transceiver, and/or an NFC transceiver. communication 
     The input/output interface  40  is configured to receive sensor signals from the sensor system  140  (either via the bus  10  or wirelessly via Bluetooth® for example) and to transmit signals to components such as the infotainment system  120  (the display  15 ), the side-view mirror  130  (display  21 , motor  22 ) and the side-view mirror  135  (display  23 , motor  24 ). 
     The memory  45 , which is one example of a non-transitory computer-readable medium, may be used to store an operating system (OS)  55 , a database  60 , and various code modules such as a side-view mirror protection module  50 . The code modules are provided in the form of computer-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor  30  for performing various operations in accordance with the disclosure. For example, the side-view mirror protection module  50  can be executed by the processor  30  for performing various operations in accordance with the disclosure. The operations are generally directed at protecting the side-view mirror  130  and the side-view mirror  135  from damage due to collision with an object located outside the vehicle  105 . 
     In an exemplary implementation, the side-view mirror protection module  50  is a software application that is downloaded into the side-view mirror protection system  115  and automatically activated each time the vehicle  105  is started. As a part of the operations, the side-view mirror protection module  50  may access data stored in the database  60 , a database of the server computer  145 , and/or the cloud storage device  160 . The data can include various types of information about the vehicle  105  (such as, for example, various dimensions of the vehicle  105 , one or more threshold values, and alert message formats). 
     In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. 
     Implementations of the systems, apparatuses, devices, and methods disclosed herein may comprise or utilize one or more devices that include hardware, such as, for example, one or more processors and system memory, as discussed herein. An implementation of the devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein may communicate over a computer network. A “network” is defined as one or more data links that enable the transport of electronic data between computer systems and/or modules and/or other electronic devices. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or any combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmission media can include a network and/or data links, which can be used to carry desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of non-transitory computer-readable media. 
     Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which, when executed at a processor, such as the processor  205 , cause the processor to perform a certain function or group of functions. The computer-executable instructions may be, for example, binaries, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the described features or acts described above. Rather, the described features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 
     A memory device such as the memory  45 , can include any one memory element or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and non-volatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CDROM, etc.). Moreover, the memory device may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. In the context of this document, a “non-transitory computer-readable medium” can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random-access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, since the program can be electronically captured, for instance, via optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including in-dash vehicle computers, personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, handheld devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, tablets, pagers, routers, switches, various storage devices, and the like. The disclosure may also be practiced in distributed system environments where local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by any combination of hardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in both the local and remote memory storage devices. 
     Further, where appropriate, the functions described herein can be performed in one or more of hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be programmed to carry out one or more of the systems and procedures described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the description, and claims refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name, but not in function. 
     At least some embodiments of the present disclosure have been directed to computer program products comprising such logic (e.g., in the form of software) stored on any computer-usable medium. Such software, when executed in one or more data processing devices, causes a device to operate as described herein. 
     While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. The foregoing description has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Further, it should be noted that any or all of the aforementioned alternate implementations may be used in any combination desired to form additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure. For example, any of the functionality described with respect to a particular device or component may be performed by another device or component. Further, while specific device characteristics have been described, embodiments of the disclosure may relate to numerous other device characteristics. Further, although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.