REAR VIEW AND MULTI-MEDIA SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES

• US 20010022553A1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: PALA, SILVIU, MCCONNELL, JOHN, SHIELDS, SCOTT, STEVENS, JOSEPH, DUNCAN, TERENCE, LEMAY, PHIL, NG, JEROME, MAASS, MICHAEL, TEITELBAUM, OZER M.N.
• Granted Patent: US 6,304,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0014 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0276 for rear passenger use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted

Abstract

A vehicle display system includes a display which is selectively movable between a first position in which it is viewable by a driver and a second position in which it is viewable by the rear passengers but not the driver. In the first position, the display provides a rear view from a camera mounted at the rear of the vehicle. In the second position, the display provides entertainment to the passengers in the rear seats.

Claims

1. A vehicle display system comprising:

a display selectively movable between a first position viewable from a driver position and a second position viewable from a rear passenger position and not viewable from the driver position.

2. The vehicle display system of

claim 1

wherein said second position is positioned rearwardly of said first position and rearwardly of the driver position.

3. The vehicle display system of

claim 2

further including a rearview camera selectively supplying a rearview video signal to said display when said display is in said first position.

4. The vehicle display system of

claim 3

further including a switch selectively sending the rearview video signal to said display when said display is in said first position and an entertainment video signal to said display when said display is in said second position.

5. The vehicle display system of

claim 4

wherein the rearview video signal selectively provides one of at least two views at different angles relative to the vehicle.

6. The vehicle display system of

claim 5

wherein the at least two views includes a distant rearview and an adjacent rearview.

7. The vehicle display system of

claim 6

wherein the at least two views further includes an interior view of an interior portion of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle display system of

claim 3

further including image processor receiving said rearview video signal from said camera and selectively modifying said rearview video signal and sending said modified rearview video signal to said display.

9. The vehicle display system of

claim 8

wherein said image processor provides contrast enhancement.

10. The vehicle display system of

claim 1

further including a rail between said first position and said second position, said display mounted on said rail to move between said first position and said second position.

11. The vehicle display system of

claim 10

wherein said rail includes a downwardly extending portion adjacent said first position.

12. The vehicle display system of

claim 11

wherein said rail includes an upwardly extending portion adjacent said second position.

13. The vehicle display system of

claim 12

wherein said display in said first position is generally parallel to said display in said second position.

14. The vehicle display system of

claim 10

wherein said display in said first position is generally perpendicular to said display in said second position.

15. The vehicle display system of

claim 10

wherein said display in said first position is at a predetermined angle relative to said display in said second position.

16. The vehicle display system of

claim 10

further including a housing at least partially enclosing said rail and said display between said first position and said second position.

17. The vehicle display system of

claim 16

wherein said housing further includes a first opening adjacent the first position and a second opening adjacent the second position, the housing further including a door at least partially covering one of said first and second openings.

18. The vehicle display system of

claim 17

wherein said door is spring-biased to a closed position over the second opening.

19. The vehicle display system of

claim 17

further including a air-conditioner supplying cooled air through said housing.

20. The vehicle display system of

claim 1

further including an arm pivotally mounted at a first end and mounted to the display at a second end, said arm movable about said first end to move said display from said first position to said second position.

21. The vehicle display system of

claim 20

further including a console, said arm pivotally mounted at said first end to said console.

22. The vehicle display system of

claim 21

wherein said arm comprises a cover to said console.

23. A method for displaying an image in a vehicle including the steps of:

a) moving a display to a first position in a vehicle;

b) providing a first video signal to the display when the display is in the first position;

c) moving the display to a second position in the vehicle; and

d) providing a second video signal to the display when the display is in the second position.

24. The method of

claim 23

wherein the first position is forward of a driver'"'"'s seat in the vehicle and the second position is rearward of the first position.

25. The method of

claim 24

wherein the second position is rearward of the driver'"'"'s seat.

26. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of reading the second video signal from a removable media in step d).

27. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of sending the first video signal from a rearview camera.

28. The method of

claim 27

further including the steps of:

e) providing a distant rearview as the first video signal in step b); and

f) providing a near rearview as the first video signal in step b).

29. The method of

claim 28

further including the step of:

g) monitoring whether the vehicle is in a reverse gear and selecting between said steps e) and f) based upon said step g).

30. The method of

claim 28

further including the step of:

g) providing an interior rearview as the first video signal in step b).

31. The method of

claim 30

further including the step of:

h) selecting from among the distant rearview, the near rearview and the interior rearview prior to said step b).

32. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of:

monitoring whether the vehicle is in a reverse gear and selecting between providing the first or second video signals based upon said monitoring.

33. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of:

monitoring a signal from a video source of the second video signal and moving the display to the second position based upon the signal from the video source.

34. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of:

monitoring an ignition signal of the vehicle and moving the display to the second position based upon the ignition signal.

35. A vehicle rearview system comprising:

a display; and

a rearview camera sending a rearview video signal to said display.

36. The vehicle rearview system of

claim 35

wherein the rearview video signal selectively provides one of at least two views at different angles relative to the vehicle.

37. The vehicle rearview system of

claim 36

wherein the at least two views includes a distant rearview and an adjacent rearview.

38. The vehicle rearview system of

claim 37

wherein the at least two views further include an interior view of an interior portion of the vehicle.

39. The vehicle rearview system of

claim 35

further including an image processor receiving said rearview video signal from said camera and selectively modifying said rearview video signal and sending said modified rearview video signal to said display.

40. The vehicle rearview system of

claim 39

wherein said image processor provides contrast enhancement.