Rear backup system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308180-B2
Application number	US-201816203953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Sep 14, 2004
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A rear backup system for a vehicle includes a rear backup video camera and a display device including a video display screen operable to display video images viewable by a driver of the vehicle. When a transmission of the vehicle is shifted into reverse gear to commence a backup event, video backup images derived from image data captured by the rear backup video camera are displayed at the video display screen of the display device. Display of the video backup images continues after shifting of the transmission out of reverse gear. Display of the video backup images at the video display screen ceases once a threshold condition is met. The threshold condition may include a threshold period of time elapsing after the transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear. The rear backup video camera continues to capture image data at least until the threshold condition is met.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rear backup system for a vehicle, said rear backup system comprising:
a rear backup video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said rear backup system;
said rear backup video camera having a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said rear backup video camera operable to capture image data;
a display device comprising a video display screen operable to display video images viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to a transmission of the equipped vehicle being shifted into reverse gear to commence a backup event, video backup images derived from image data captured by said rear backup video camera are displayed at said video display screen of said display device;
wherein display of the video backup images at said video display screen continues after shifting of the vehicle transmission out of reverse gear;
wherein display of the video backup images at said video display screen ceases once a threshold condition is met;
wherein the threshold condition comprises a threshold period of time elapsing after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear, the threshold period of time constituting a linger time no longer than 10 seconds; and
wherein said rear backup video camera continues to capture image data at least until the linger time elapses.

2. The rear backup system of claim 1 , wherein the linger time is longer than 5 seconds.

3. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein an instruction is displayed with the video backup images to assist the driver during the backup event.

4. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein an icon is displayed with the video backup images to assist the driver during the backup event.

5. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein a marking is displayed with the video backup images to assist the driver during the backup event.

6. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein an indicia is displayed with the video backup images to assist the driver during the backup event.

7. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein the backup event comprises hitching a trailer to a trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle.

8. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein said video display screen of said display device comprises a backlit thin film transistor LCD video display screen.

9. The rear backup system of claim 8 , wherein said backlit thin film transistor LCD video display screen is backlit by a laser.

10. The rear backup system of claim 8 , wherein said backlit thin film transistor LCD video display screen is backlit by at least one white light emitting light emitting diode.

11. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein said video display screen of said display device comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) video display screen.

12. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein said display device comprises a microelectromechanical scanner.

13. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein said display device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display device displays video backup images through a mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

14. The rear backup system of claim 13 , wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a molded plastic mounting arm having at least one ball member at at least one end thereof and having electrical conducting elements extending therethrough, and wherein a mirror mounting portion is molded over said ball member, and wherein said mounting arm comprises a mounting arm polymeric material having a first linear mold shrinkage factor and a first flexural modulus and wherein said mirror mounting portion comprises a mirror mounting polymeric material having a second linear mold shrinkage factor and a second flexural modulus, and wherein said second linear mold shrinkage factor is greater than said first linear mold shrinkage factor and wherein said second flexural modulus is lower than said first flexural modulus.

15. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein the equipped vehicle comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror reflective element, and wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector, and wherein said video display screen of said display device comprises a backlit thin film transistor LCD video display screen, and wherein said display device is disposed at said interior rearview mirror assembly behind said transflective mirror reflector, and wherein the displayed video backup images are viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said mirror reflective element by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a front substrate having first and second surfaces and a rear substrate having third and fourth surfaces, and wherein an electrochromic medium is disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate.

16. The rear backup system of claim 2 , wherein said display device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, when the transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse gear, said video display screen of said display device slides out laterally from a retracted non-viewing position behind a mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly to an extended viewing position where the displayed video backup images are viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said video display screen remains its extended position until the linger time elapses, and wherein after the linger time elapse, said video display screen of said display device slides laterally back to its retracted non-viewing position behind the mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

17. A rear backup system for a vehicle, said rear backup system comprising:
a rear backup video camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said rear backup system;
said rear backup video camera having a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said rear backup video camera operable to capture image data;
a display device comprising a video display screen operable to display video images viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to a transmission of the equipped vehicle being shifted into reverse gear to commence a backup event, video backup images derived from image data captured by said rear backup video camera are displayed at said video display screen of said display device;
wherein display of the video backup images at said video display screen continues after shifting of the vehicle transmission out of reverse gear;
wherein display of the video backup images at said video display screen ceases once a threshold condition is met;
wherein the threshold condition comprises a forward motion speed of the equipped vehicle exceeding a threshold speed of forward motion after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear and into forward gear;
wherein the threshold speed of forward motion is at least 3 miles per hour; and
wherein said rear backup video camera continues to capture i

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Karner Lee
• Schofield Kenneth
• Lynam Niall R

Classifications

• G09G2380/10

  Automotive applications · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B29C45/1671

  with an insert · CPC title

• B29C45/14639

  for obtaining an insulating effect, e.g. for electrical components · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title