Visual system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9428110-B2
Application number	US-201414493977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A visual system ( 50 ) for a vehicle, having a capturing unit on the vehicle. The capturing unit is provided with at least a capturing device ( 52 ), a calculation unit ( 58 ), and a display unit ( 60 ). The capturing device ( 52 ) is adapted to acquire a capturing region ( 21, 22, 23 ) behind the vehicle ( 10 ). The capturing region including a substantially undistorted, backward-directed capturing region ( 21 ) behind the vehicle and a substantially downward-directed capturing portion ( 22 ) behind the vehicle. The visual system ( 50 ) is adapted to extract from the capturing portion ( 21, 22, 23 ) a first image ( 62 ), which corresponds to the undistorted capturing portion ( 21 ), and a second image ( 63 ), which corresponds to the downward-directed capturing portion, and to display the first image ( 61 ) in an upper image portion ( 64 ) and the second image ( 62 ) in a lower image portion ( 66 ) of the display unit ( 60 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A visual system for a vehicle, comprising:
a capturing unit mounted to the vehicle and provided with at least one capturing device,
a calculation unit; and
a display unit;
wherein the capturing device is adapted to acquire a capturing region behind the vehicle, said region including at least one undistorted backward-directed capturing portion behind the vehicle, which portion is directed backward, and a downward-directed capturing portion behind the vehicle, which portion is directed downward,
wherein the visual system is adapted to extract a first image from the undistorted backward-directed capturing portion, which first image corresponds to the undistorted backward-directed capturing portion, and a second image, which corresponds to the downward-directed capturing portion, and to display the first image in an upper image portion and the second image in a lower image portion on the display unit,
wherein the visual system adapts the size of the first and second extracted images by adjusting a capturing angle in the vertical direction in dependence upon the driving direction and/or the driving speed,
wherein the downward-directed capturing portion shows more distortion than the backward-directed capturing portion, and
wherein, when the vehicle is driving in reverse direction, the lower image portion is larger than in a case when the vehicle is driving in forward direction and, when the vehicle is driving in a forward direction, the upper image portion is correspondingly larger than it is in a case when the vehicle is driving in reverse direction.

2. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the undistorted backward-directed capturing portion corresponds to a horizontal view.

3. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing device comprises a lens.

4. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing device comprises an aspherical lens.

5. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing device is a single camera.

6. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the undistorted portion, which is directed backward, replicates an image on an inside rear view mirror of the vehicle.

7. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit is arranged inside the vehicle in the area of a conventional inside rear view mirror.

8. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation unit extracts the first and second images from the capturing portion.

9. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the first image and the second image are sub-portions of the capturing portion, which sub-portions do not merge.

10. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays the first image in the upper image portion and the second image in the lower image portion, separate from each other.

11. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays the first image in the upper image portion, the second image in the lower image portion, and a third image in a central image portion, wherein the third image corresponds to a transitional capturing portion that is located between and adjacent to the backward-directed capturing portion and the downward-directed capturing portion.

12. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the backward-directed capturing portion is directly adjacent to the downward-directed capturing portion.

13. The visual system according to claim 1 , wherein the downward-directed capturing portion corresponds to a portion of the vehicle comprising a rear edge of the vehicle or a bumper of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Lang Werner Jürgen
• Mekra Lang Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Lang Werner Jürgen

Classifications

• B60Q9/005 Primary

  using a video camera · CPC title

• B60R2300/108

  using 'non-standard' camera systems, e.g. camera sensor used for additional purposes i.a. rain sensor, camera sensor split in multiple image areas · CPC title

• G06K9/00791

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60R2300/303

  using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images · CPC title

• B60R1/00

  Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles · CPC title