Multi-camera built-in monitor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9319639-B1
Application number	US-201213664419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2012
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system and method includes an interior mirror that embeds a modular monitor behind see-through mirror glass. In some embodiments, the system includes multiple cameras, some in the vehicle, bus and/or truck, as well as some cameras outside the vehicle, bus and/or truck, advantageously providing the driver an opportunity to view what is happening, for example, in the back rows of the bus and/or cabin, while also using the mirror to look at objects in the bus and/or cabin that are visible using the mirror. The rear-view mirror and modular monitor system is configured to be easily assembled and/or disassembled when necessary for maintenance and/or to replace parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within and/or exterior to a vehicle comprising:
a rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, said rear-view mirror unit being mounted forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, at least one section of the mirror comprising at least one of a see-through mirror glass and a display aperture;
at least one monitor module fastened to the rear-view mirror unit and aligned with the at least one of the see-through mirror glass section and the display aperture, said at least one monitor module being configured to be unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit; and
a first image capture device mounted at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to capture and transmit a first image to the at least one monitor module, the first image being displayable on the at least one monitor module;
wherein, when the first image is transmitted to the at least one monitor module and displayed on the at least one monitor module, the first image is viewable through the at least one of the see-through mirror glass section and the display aperture.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket disposed between the at least one see-through mirror glass section and the at least one monitor module, said gasket being configured to channel visible light emitted from a display on the at least one monitor module through the at least one of the see-through mirror glass section and the display aperture of the mirror, while providing protection for the display when the at least one monitor module is fastened to the rear-view mirror unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the gasket is shaped so as to be proximately alignable with a perimeter of the display.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one image storage device configured for image storage.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a protective enclosure encasing the first image capture device and the at least one image storage device, said protective enclosure being configured to enclose the first image capture device and the at least one image storage device, and to protect the first image capture device and the at least one image storage device from at least one of damage, tampering, and theft.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one connection device temporarily connecting the at least one monitor module to the rear-view mirror unit and enabling the at least one monitor module to be removed from and re-connected to or replaced from at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first image is at least one of captured, transmitted, and displayed responsive to at least one of a manually selected view, an automatically selected view, and an event-triggered selected view.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second image capture device mounted at a second location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to capture and transmit a second image to the at least one monitor module; and
an input switch connected to the first image capture device and the second image capture device, and configured to provide at least one of the first image and the second image to the at least one monitor module responsive to at least one of a manually selected view, an automatically selected view, and an event-triggered selected view.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one monitor module further comprises at least two channels configured to receive the first image and the second image, the at least one monitor module further configured to display the first image and the second image one of together in a multiple-feed configuration and individually in a single-feed configuration responsive to the input switch.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first audio capture device mounted at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle; and
the at least one monitor module further comprising a first audio input and at least one audio output device;
wherein the first audio capture device is configured to capture a first audio signal and provide the first audio signal to the first audio input of the at least one monitor module, and wherein, the at least one audio output device of the at least one monitor module is configured to provide the first audio signal to the vehicle operator.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first location of the first audio capture device is proximate to the first location of the first image capture device, and wherein the at least one monitor module is configured to provide the first audio signal to the vehicle operator responsive to the first image being displayed on the at least one monitor module.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one see-through mirror glass section is configured so as to be reflective when no image is displayed on the at least one monitor module, and sufficiently transparent for the first image to be viewable when the first image is displayed on the at least one monitor module.

13. The system of claim 1 , the at least one monitor module further comprising at least one photocell light sensor configured to detect ambient light at the location of the at least one monitor module,
wherein the at least one monitor module is further configured to adjust a brightness level of the first image when the first image is displayed, responsive to the at least one photocell light sensor.

14. A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within and/or exterior to a vehicle comprising:
a rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, said rear-view mirror unit being mounted forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, at least a section of the mirror comprising see-through mirror glass;
at least one monitor module fastened to the rear-view mirror unit, aligned with the see-through mirror glass section, said at least one monitor module being configured to be unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit;
a first image capture device mounted at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to provide a first image to the at least one monitor module, the first image being displayable on the at least one monitor module;
a second image capture device mounted at a second location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to provide a second image to the at least one monitor module, the second image being displayable on the at least one monitor module; and
an input switch connected to the first and second image capture devices, and configured to provide at least one of the first image and the second image to the at least one monitor module responsive to at least one of a manually selected view, an automatically selected view, and an event-triggered selected view;
wherein, when at least one of the first image and the second image is provided to the at least one monitor module and displayed on the at least one monitor module, the at least one of the first image and the second image is viewable through the see-through mirror glass section.

Assignees

• Rosco Inc
• Rosco Inc

Inventors

• Englander Benjamin
• Serer Julian
• Plate Peter
• Balsam Gary

Classifications

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• B60R1/04 Primary

  mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2001/1253

  with cameras, video cameras or video screens · CPC title

• B60R2300/8006

  for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo · CPC title

• B60R1/12

  Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks · CPC title