Vehicle safety monitoring system for viewing blind spots
First Claim
1. A vehicular safety monitoring system for use in conjunction with commercial transport carriers, said system comprising:
- a video camera secured to an exterior portion of a commercial transport carrier at a first point of attachment, said video camera capable of presenting a mirror-image of areas adjacent the transport carrier;
means for securing said video camera to the first point of attachment;
a monitor secured to an interior portion of the transport carrier at a second point of attachment, said monitor positioned adjacent a driver and capable of displaying the mirror-image view generated by said video camera;
means for securing said monitor to the second point of attachment; and
a coaxial cable for providing power from the transport carrier to said video camera and relaying images from said video camera to said monitor;
wherein said video camera is adjustably mounted to the first point of attachment by said video camera securing means and said monitor is adjustably mounted to the second point of attachment by said monitor securing means;
wherein said monitoring system is capable of being retrofitted to existing commercial transport carriers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle monitoring systems capable of being retrofitted to a commercial transport carrier having a video camera, a fastening bracket for securing the video camera to a first point of attachment on the transport carrier, a ball mount and screw mechanism, a camera support bracket, a monitor support bracket for securing the monitor to a second point of attachment in the cab of the transport carrier, and a coaxial cable for relaying images from the video camera to the monitor, wherein the video camera is adjustably mounted to the first point of attachment and the monitor is adjustable mounted to the second point of attachment. Upon retrofit, the monitoring system provides a rear-view image of areas adjacent the commercial transport carrier (i.e., blind spots), thereby enhancing the driver'"'"'s situational awareness, preventing highway accidents, and promoting highway safety.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A vehicular safety monitoring system for use in conjunction with commercial transport carriers, said system comprising:
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a video camera secured to an exterior portion of a commercial transport carrier at a first point of attachment, said video camera capable of presenting a mirror-image of areas adjacent the transport carrier;
means for securing said video camera to the first point of attachment;
a monitor secured to an interior portion of the transport carrier at a second point of attachment, said monitor positioned adjacent a driver and capable of displaying the mirror-image view generated by said video camera;
means for securing said monitor to the second point of attachment; and
a coaxial cable for providing power from the transport carrier to said video camera and relaying images from said video camera to said monitor;
wherein said video camera is adjustably mounted to the first point of attachment by said video camera securing means and said monitor is adjustably mounted to the second point of attachment by said monitor securing means;
wherein said monitoring system is capable of being retrofitted to existing commercial transport carriers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A vehicular safety monitoring system for use in conjunction with commercial transport carriers, said system comprising:
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a video camera having a wide-angle lens providing a field of view of between about 87 and 135 degrees that is retrofitted to an exterior portion of a commercial transport carrier at a first point of attachment, said video camera having a charge coupled device and capable of generating a mirror-image of areas adjacent the transport carrier;
a fastening bracket having a mounting platform integrally formed at one end for retrofitting said video camera to the first point of attachment on the transport carrier, said platform defining a central opening and a plurality of spaced-apart openings positioned adjacent said central opening;
a resilient grommet positioned in said central opening of said platform for minimizing vibrational forces acting on said video camera upon construction of said monitoring system;
a liquid crystal display monitor having a thin film transistor that is retrofitted to an interior portion of the transport carrier at a second point of attachment, said monitor positioned adjacent a driver and capable of displaying the mirror-image view generated by said video camera;
a support bracket having first and second legs for retrofitting said monitor to the second point of attachment, said first leg defining a plurality of spaced-apart openings that extend through said monitor support bracket, said second leg defining a central opening and a plurality of spaced-apart openings positioned adjacent said central opening;
a coaxial cable retrofitted to the transport carrier for providing power from the transport carrier to said video camera and for relaying images from said video camera to said monitor; and
a cigarette lighter adapter connected to said monitor for providing power from the commercial transport carrier to said monitor and said video camera;
wherein said platform extends laterally from and substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal side of said fastening bracket;
wherein said first and second legs are positioned substantially perpendicular to one another. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification