Device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle

• US 20050073431A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Holz, Michael, Moisel, Joerg
• Application Number:
  US10/957,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20050073431A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 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 Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle, having a radiation source for infrared radiation for irradiating the surroundings of the vehicle, having an infrared-sensitive camera for taking images of at least part of the irradiated surroundings, having a display unit for displaying collected image data, and having a control unit for controlling the device. In this context, the control unit is embodied in such a way that, while the device is operating, the display represents image data in a chronologically limited fashion by means of controlled switching on and switching off, and in the process the switching off of the representation of images on the display is made gradual. The gradual switching off is carried out in particular by changing the brightness limiting values, the contrast limiting values and/or by increasing or reducing the noise of the image data to be represented. Furthermore, the gradual switching off preferably has a time-dependent or velocity-dependent profile. This device ensures that the vehicle with the device operates in a very safe way for the user.

Claims

1. A device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle, having

a radiation source for infrared radiation for irradiating the surroundings of the vehicle,

an infrared-sensitive camera for taking images of at least part of the irradiated surroundings,

a display unit for displaying collected image data, and

a control unit for controlling the device,

wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that, while the device is operating, the display represents image data in a chronologically limited fashion by controlled switching on and switching off and in the process the switching off of the representation of images on the display is made gradual.

2. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gradual switching off has a time-dependent or velocity-dependent profile.

3. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gradual switching off is implemented by changing the brightness limiting values, the contrast limiting values and/or by increasing or decreasing the noise and/or by fading in images over the image data to be represented.

4. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that the display is switched off when a vehicle velocity V exceeds the maximum velocity V_max.

5. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein an image evaluation unit is provided, which is connected to the camera and the control unit, evaluating the state of the surroundings, in particular the sensed image data, the profile of the underlying surface, the state of the underlying surface, the state of the weather, the road signs which are present or the volume of traffic in such a way that the maximum velocity V_max is determined as a function thereof.

6. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that the display is switched on when a vehicle velocity V drops below the maximum velocity V_max.

7. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that the display is switched on when a vehicle velocity V drops below the maximum velocity V_max by the velocity difference V₀.

8. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the velocity difference V₀ is selected in the region of a few percent of the maximum velocity V_max, in particular in the region of 5% thereof.

9. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that the display can be switched off with a delay by a time period t₀.

10. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in addition to an on/off switch for the device, an additional switch for switching on the display and in particular for switching on the camera and/or the radiation source after switching off has been carried out is provided.

11. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the additional switch is implemented in the vicinity of the steering wheel, in particular by means of a headlamp flasher switch or a steering wheel rocker.

12. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device is connected to the radiation source for infrared radiation and is suitable for controlling said radiation source in terms of the radiation power or the orientation as a function of the vehicle velocity V.

13. The device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is embodied in such a way that, in addition to the display, the camera and/or the radiation source can also be switched off and on in particular as a function of the velocity.