Vehicle occupant viewing systems and methods
First Claim
1. A vehicle occupant viewing system, comprising:
- an image display unit;
a vehicle interior camera having a field of view at least partially covering an interior cabin of the vehicle; and
a video processing unit coupled to the image display unit and the vehicle interior camera, the video processing unit being configured to receive input from the vehicle interior camera, determine whether an occupant is present in the field of view of the vehicle interior camera, and when an occupant is present in the field of view, overlay an occupant image of the occupant onto another image or video being shown in the image display unit, a location of the overlaid occupant image being dependent on the vehicle interior camera'"'"'s orientation and the occupant'"'"'s position in the vehicle, wherein the video processing unit is further configured to display two or more occupant images from occupants in one row of seating on opposite sides of the image display unit with at least part of the another image or video being shown in the image display unit at least partially between the two or more occupant images.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant viewing system and a corresponding method for displaying a vehicle occupant on an image display unit. The system may comprise one or more vehicle interior cameras for obtaining occupant images of one or more occupants in rear seats of the vehicle. The system may include two vehicle interior cameras, one in a forward facing orientation and another in a rear facing orientation, which can capture occupant images of occupants in forward facing positions and occupants in rear facing positions such as infants in car seats. The system may also include one or more modular vehicle interior cameras that are moveable between various orientations in order to capture occupant images of either forward or rear facing passengers. Adjustments can be made to display the occupant images to the driver in a more intuitive arrangement.
9 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A vehicle occupant viewing system, comprising:
-
an image display unit; a vehicle interior camera having a field of view at least partially covering an interior cabin of the vehicle; and a video processing unit coupled to the image display unit and the vehicle interior camera, the video processing unit being configured to receive input from the vehicle interior camera, determine whether an occupant is present in the field of view of the vehicle interior camera, and when an occupant is present in the field of view, overlay an occupant image of the occupant onto another image or video being shown in the image display unit, a location of the overlaid occupant image being dependent on the vehicle interior camera'"'"'s orientation and the occupant'"'"'s position in the vehicle, wherein the video processing unit is further configured to display two or more occupant images from occupants in one row of seating on opposite sides of the image display unit with at least part of the another image or video being shown in the image display unit at least partially between the two or more occupant images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A vehicle occupant viewing system, comprising:
-
an image display unit; a first vehicle interior camera having a first field of view; a second vehicle interior camera having a second field of view, wherein the first field of view of the first vehicle interior camera and the second field of view of the second vehicle interior camera at least partially overlap; and a video processing unit coupled to the image display unit and the first and second vehicle interior cameras, the video processing unit being configured to receive input from the first and second vehicle interior cameras, determine whether an occupant is present in the first field of view of the first vehicle interior camera, the second field of view of the second vehicle interior camera, or both the first field of view of the first vehicle interior camera and the second field of view of the second vehicle interior camera, and display an occupant image on the image display unit in accordance with the occupant'"'"'s position in the vehicle, wherein the video processing unit is further configured to determine if the occupant is sitting in a forward facing position or a rearward facing position so a rearward facing occupant can be viewed with the first vehicle interior camera or the second vehicle interior camera depending on the orientation of the first vehicle interior camera or the second vehicle interior camera. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A vehicle occupant viewing system, comprising:
-
an image display unit; a plurality of stationary vehicle interior camera docking stations located in an interior cabin of the vehicle; a modular vehicle interior camera configured to mount in one of the stationary vehicle interior camera docking stations and configured to be movable between the plurality of stationary vehicle interior docking stations such that the modular vehicle interior camera is configured to be mounted to any one of the plurality of stationary vehicle interior docking stations; and a video processing unit coupled to the image display unit and the plurality of stationary vehicle interior camera docking stations, the video processing unit being configured to receive input from the modular vehicle interior camera, determine whether an occupant is present in the field of view of the vehicle interior camera, and when an occupant is present in the field of view, display an occupant image on the image display unit in accordance with the occupant'"'"'s position in the vehicle or the modular vehicle interior camera'"'"'s mounting orientation. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A method of displaying a vehicle occupant on an image display unit, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving input from a vehicle interior camera, the vehicle interior camera having a field of view at least partially covering an interior cabin of the vehicle; determining whether an occupant is present in the vehicle interior camera field of view; and when an occupant is present in the vehicle interior camera field of view, displaying an occupant image on the image display unit in accordance with the vehicle interior camera'"'"'s orientation and the occupant'"'"'s position in the vehicle and inverting a display orientation of the occupant image on the image display unit when the occupant image is of an occupant in a rear facing position and the vehicle interior camera is in a forward facing orientation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
Specification