Vehicular vision system including rear backup camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10800331-B1
Application number	US-202016946763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Sep 14, 2004
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a rear backup camera and a display device viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The display device includes a video screen operable to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the rear backup video camera. Video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the rear backup video camera are displayed by the video screen of the display device when a transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse gear by the driver of the equipped vehicle. The video screen continues to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the rear backup video camera for a threshold time period after the transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted out of reverse gear by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

First claim

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

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
a rear backup video camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;
wherein said rear backup video camera comprises a CMOS imaging array;
said rear backup video camera having at least a rearward field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
said rear backup video camera operable to capture image data rearward of the equipped vehicle during a rear backup maneuver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said rear backup video camera views at least a portion of a vehicle bumper of the equipped vehicle;
a display device disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle, said display device comprising a video screen operable to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera are displayed by said video screen of said display device when a transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse gear by the driver of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said video screen continues to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera for a threshold time period after the transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted out of reverse gear by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold time period is at least 5 seconds.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 2 , wherein a vehicle hitch is disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said rear backup video camera views the vehicle hitch, and wherein the vehicle hitch is configured to connect to a trailer tongue of a trailer to connect the trailer to the equipped vehicle, and wherein forward movement of the equipped vehicle after shifting of the transmission of the equipped vehicle out of reverse gear occurs during maneuvering of the equipped vehicle to connect the vehicle hitch to the trailer tongue.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 2 , wherein the threshold time period is 10 seconds.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 2 , wherein the threshold time period is no longer than 10 seconds.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein a vehicle hitch is disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said rear backup video camera views the vehicle hitch, and wherein the vehicle hitch is configured to connect to a trailer tongue of a trailer to connect the trailer to the equipped vehicle, and wherein an overlay is displayed with video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera to assist the driver during maneuvering of the equipped vehicle to connect the vehicle hitch to the trailer tongue.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein said overlay comprises an icon.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein said overlay comprises an instruction.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein said overlay comprises a marking.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 6 , wherein said overlay comprises an indicia.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein said video screen of said display device comprises a backlit thin film transistor LCD video screen.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 11 , wherein said backlit thin film transistor LCD video screen is backlit by at least one light emitting diode.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein said video screen of said display device comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) video screen.

14. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein said display device is operable to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera with a display intensity, as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, of at least about 200 candelas/sq. meter.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein said display device is operable to display video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rear backup video camera with a display intensity, as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, of at least about 400 candelas/sq. meter.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 5 , wherein a driver-side camera is disposed at a driver side of the equipped vehicle and a passenger-side camera is disposed at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said driver-side camera has at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said passenger-side camera has at least a sideward field of view external of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said driver-side camera captures image data at least sideward of the driver side of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said passenger-side camera captures image data at least sideward of the passenger side of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 16 , wherein the threshold time period is 10 seconds.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein said display device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) said display device displays video images for viewing through a mirror reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly by the driver of the equipped vehicle and (b) said display device automatically extends from said interior rearview mirror assembly responsive to the vehicle transmission being shifted into reverse gear, and 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.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 1 , wherein image data captured by said rear backup video camera is provided to a data processor, and wherein captured image data provided to said data processor is processed at said data processor in order to detect an object that is within the field of view of said rear backup video camera, and wherein detection of the object via processing at said data processor of provided captured image data comprises use of an edge detection algorithm, and wherein, via processing at said data processor of provided captured image data, a potential hazard presented by the object during the rear backup maneuver of the equipped vehicle is determined.

20. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
a rear backup video camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;
wherein said rear backup video camera comprises a CMOS imaging array;
said rear backup video cam

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Karner Lee
• Schofield Kenneth
• Lynam Niall R

Classifications

• B29C45/0017 Primary

  moulding interconnected elements which are movable with respect to one another, e.g. chains or hinges · CPC title

• G06V20/58

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• G09G2300/023

  Display panel composed of stacked panels · CPC title

• G09G2340/12

  Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels · CPC title

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title