System and method for electronically viewing behind a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for electronically viewing behind a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- coupling a camera to a vehicular mounting unit, wherein a plane defined by a boundary of an angle of view of the camera is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a mounting surface of the vehicular mounting unit; and
affixing the vehicular mounting unit to a rear panel of a vehicle in a manner that allows the camera to capture a video image of an area that substantially spans at least a width of the vehicle in an area immediately behind a back portion of the vehicle; and
transmitting the video image to a video display that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided for electronically viewing behind a vehicle. Included in the invention is the step of coupling a camera to a vehicular mounting unit. The camera is coupled to the vehicular mounting unit so that a plane defined by a boundary of an angle of view of the camera is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a mounting surface of the vehicular mounting unit. The vehicular mounting unit can be affixed to a rear panel of a vehicle in a manner that allows the camera to capture a video image of an area that substantially spans at least a width of the vehicle in an area immediately behind a back portion of the vehicle. The present invention also includes the step of transmitting the video image to a video display that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for electronically viewing behind a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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coupling a camera to a vehicular mounting unit, wherein a plane defined by a boundary of an angle of view of the camera is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a mounting surface of the vehicular mounting unit; and
affixing the vehicular mounting unit to a rear panel of a vehicle in a manner that allows the camera to capture a video image of an area that substantially spans at least a width of the vehicle in an area immediately behind a back portion of the vehicle; and
transmitting the video image to a video display that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An electronic imaging device for viewing behind a vehicle, comprising:
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a camera body;
a mounting base configured for attachment to a rear body panel of the vehicle and configured to hold the camera body at a mounting angle, wherein the mounting angle is measured from a plane perpendicular to a plane defined by the rear body panel of the vehicle;
a camera having a fixed angle of view and affixed to the camera body, wherein a sum of the mounting angle and of one half the fixed angle of view of the camera is substantially 90 degrees; and
a display screen affixed to the vehicle in a location that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle, wherein the display screen shows images captured by the camera lens. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method for electronically viewing behind a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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affixing a video display to the vehicle in a location that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle;
defining a boundary of an angle of view of a camera equal to a plane that is substantially parallel to the rear body panel of the vehicle;
mounting the camera on a rear body panel of the vehicle according to an alignment of the angle of view of the camera and the plane that is substantially parallel to the rear body panel of the vehicle;
transmitting video data from the camera to the video display; and
displaying the video data on the video display, wherein a viewable image of the video display shows a region defined by the boundary of the angle of view of the camera. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for electronically viewing behind a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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affixing a video display to the vehicle, wherein the video display is viewable by a driver of the vehicle;
mounting a camera in a rear panel of a vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the camera is mounted in an internal cavity of a rear panel of the vehicle;
positioning the camera in a manner that allows the camera to capture images of at least a portion of a rear bumper region of the vehicle; and
displaying video data received from the camera on the video display.
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Specification