Apparatus and method for a safety system of cameras for advantageously viewing vehicular traffic by the driver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016229341-A1
Application number	US-201615011866-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for a motor vehicle for use by a driver of the vehicle to view the surroundings of the vehicle, while driving the vehicle has a system of digital cameras, a computer processor, a memory and a display screen. The processor receives inputs from the system of cameras where the inputs have a sequence of images representing views of surroundings of the vehicle and temporarily saves the images in the memory. The processor processes the series of images to create composite views of the surroundings and displays the composite views on the display screen.

First claim

1 . A system for a motor vehicle for use by a driver of the vehicle to view the surroundings of the vehicle, while driving the vehicle, comprising:
(a) a system of digital cameras, a computer processor, a memory and a display screen; (b) the processor receives inputs from the system of cameras where the inputs have a sequence of images representing views of surroundings of the vehicle and temporarily saves the images in the memory; (c) the processor processes the series of images to create composite views of the surroundings and displays the composite views on the display screen.

2 . The system as in claim 1 , comprising:
(a) the system of cameras has at least two different groups of cameras that are mounted on the exterior of the vehicle; (b) one of the groups of cameras is used to view the traffic in the lanes left side of the vehicle and the other group is used to view the traffic in the lanes right of the vehicle.

3 . The system as in claim 1 , comprising:
the display screen is mounted on the dashboard in front of the driver in a folded or stowed position and is deployed for operation and use when the vehicle ignition is detected.

4 . A system of electronic mirrors for a motor vehicle that enable a driver of the vehicle to view the surroundings of the vehicle, while driving the vehicle, comprising:
(a) a system of digital cameras, with at least two different cameras that are mounted on the exterior of the vehicle; (b) a processor and a memory, the processor receives inputs from the system of cameras, the inputs have a sequence of images representing views of surroundings of the vehicle and temporarily saves the images in the memory; (c) the processor processes the sequence of images to create and display a sequence of composite images of the surroundings for display on a display screen; (d) the processor receives and processes the images at a rate of substantially 24 images per second that provide a real time view of surroundings of the vehicle on the display screen to the driver in lieu of or in addition to use of glass mirrors.

5 . The system as in claim 4 , further comprising:
the display screen mounted on one of a group of locations inside the vehicle accessible for viewing by the driver, including (i) the dash board of the vehicle in front of the driver, (ii) middle of the dash board, (iii) left of a rear view mirror, (iv) and optionally in lieu of the rear view mirror.

6 . The system as in claim 4 , further comprising:
each camera of the system of cameras, has at least two different cameras, provide an over lapping view of a field of view being covered by each camera to eliminate blind spot between the camera views.

7 . The system as in claim 4 , further comprising:
each camera of the system of cameras, positioned on the vehicle provides a view of spaces and traffic exterior of a left side, a right side of the vehicle and optionally, a rear side of the vehicle.

8 . The system of claim 4 , comprising:
(a) the processor computes a speed of motion of each vehicle in the sequence of composite view relative to the vehicle; (b) the composite view displays other vehicles by placing visual icons on the composite image, enabling the driver to have a situational awareness of the surrounding of the vehicle while the vehicle is In motion or is at rest.

9 . The system as in claim 4 , comprising:
the cameras are oriented to provide a view of at least two lanes on each side of the vehicle and a view of a distance of 20 cars or 1000 feet to the back of the vehicle.

10 . The system as in claim 4 , comprising:
(a) the processing adjusts the composite image to account for different ambient lights conditions surrounding the vehicle. (b) the processing displays each vehicle or object surrounding the vehicle by a size and visual icon.

11 . The system as in claim 4 , comprising:
the display show a (i) perspective view as a driver would see, (ii) a plan view, at the option of driver or switch from one to another on a command.

12 . The system as in claim 4 , comprising:
the processor creates an aural and visual alert, when driver signals a lane change, of the safety of the lane change action.

13 . The system of claim 4 , comprising:
(a) the processor processes the sequence of composite images by removing background in each image and processing the images to determine size and type of each vehicle if any in the images views and searching for an icon for the vehicle from a group of, large vehicle, medium vehicle, a small vehicle, a truck and a motorcycle; (b) the processor creates a sequence of composite view displays that display other vehicles by placing visual icons on the composite image from the group, enabling the driver to have a situational awareness of the surrounding of the vehicle while the vehicle is In motion or is at rest.

14 . The system of claim 13 , comprising:
(a). the processor computes a speed of motion of each vehicle in the sequence of composite view relative to the vehicle; and (b). the processor displays the speed of each vehicle by a speed icon next to or on the vehicle icon itself.

15 . A method for a system of digital cameras for a motor vehicle that enable a driver of the vehicle to view the surroundings of the vehicle, while driving the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
(a) mounting a system of digital cameras, with at least two different cameras on the exterior of the vehicle; (b) having a processor and a memory, the processor receiving inputs from the system of cameras, the inputs having a sequence of images representing views of surroundings of the vehicle and temporarily saving the images in the memory; (c) processing by the processor the sequence of images to create and display a sequence of composite images of the surroundings for display on a display screen providing a real time view of surroundings of the vehicle on the display screen to the driver in lieu of use of glass mirrors.

16 . The method as in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
mounting the display screen mounted on one of a group of locations inside the vehicle accessible for viewing by the driver, including (i) the dash board of the vehicle in front of the driver, (ii) middle of the dash board, (iii) left of a rear view mirror, (iv) and optionally in lieu of the rear view mirror.

17 . The method as in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
having at least two different cameras in each camera of the system of cameras, providing an over lapping view of a field of view being covered by each camera to eliminate blind spot between the camera views.

18 . The method as in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
positioning on the vehicle, each camera of the system of cameras providing a view of spaces and traffic exterior of a left side, a right side of the vehicle and optionally, a rear side of the vehicle.

19 . The method as in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
(a) computing by the processor a speed of motion of each vehicle in the sequence of composite view relative to the vehicle; (b) displaying by the composite view other vehicles by placing visual icons on the composite image, enabling the driver to have a situational awareness of the surrounding of the vehicle while the vehicle is In motion or is at rest.

20 . The method as in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
orienting the cameras to provide a view of at least two lanes on each side of the vehicle and a view of a distance of 20 cars or 1000 feet to the back of the vehicl

Assignees

• Singhal Tara Chand

Inventors

• Singhal Tara Chand

Classifications

• G02B6/0006

  Coupling light into the fibre (in general G02B6/4298) · CPC title

• G02B6/001 Primary

  the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre · CPC title

• G02B6/02395

  Glass optical fibre with a protective coating, e.g. two layer polymer coating deposited directly on a silica cladding surface during fibre manufacture (G02B6/02052, G02B6/02057, G02B6/024, G02B6/032, G02B6/105, G02B6/14 take precedence; coating on fibre gratings G02B6/02104; multilayer core or cladding G02B6/036; reinforcing splice joints G02B6/2558; optical cables, i.e. comprising protective structures external to the protective coating such as a jacket or plural coated optical fibres G02B6/44; coating of glass to obtain optical fibres C03C25/104) · CPC title

• B60R2300/301

  combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision · CPC title

• G02B6/02342 Primary

  characterised by cladding features, i.e. light confining region · CPC title