External Monitoring System for Securing Driver's Field of Vision for Vehicles

• US 20080055411A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dong Wook Lee
• Original Assignee: Dong Wook Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Dong Wook
• Application Number:
  US11/849,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• 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 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision

Abstract

Disclosed therein is an external monitoring system, which includes cameras mounted at both sides of the front and rear of a vehicle and on side view mirrors, display devices for outputting images in a driver'"'"'s front sight direction through the cameras, and controller for controlling the display devices. The display devices are mounted on a dash board of the upper portion of an instrument cluster or on the dash board of the upper portion of a steering wheel and are adjustable in their location laterally to allow the driver to gaze the front to the maximum. The external monitoring system includes: front and rear view cameras disposed at both side ends of the front and rear of the vehicle; side view cameras mounted on both side view mirrors of the vehicle in such a way as to be directed to the rear of the vehicle; at least two display devices for receiving and outputting signals inputted through the front and rear view cameras and the side view cameras; a holding device mounted on the dash board of the upper portion of the instrument cluster for moving the display devices laterally and fixing them; and a controller for converting the image output from the front and rear view cameras and the side view cameras and controlling brightness of a screen and zoom-in and zoom-out of the cameras.

Claims

1. An external monitoring system for securing a driver'"'"'s field of vision for vehicles, which includes a number of front and rear view cameras mounted on the outside of the vehicle, comprising:

side view cameras disposed on both side view mirrors of the vehicle and directing the rear of the vehicle;

a pair of multi-functional display devices for receiving signals inputted through the front and rear view cameras and the side view cameras and outputting images, the display devices being mounted in a driver'"'"'s gaze direction located on a dash board of the upper portion of a steering wheel or on the upper portion of an instrument cluster of the vehicle;

a holding device for holding and fixing the display devices and adjusting the display devices in right and left directions and in upper and lower directions; and

a controller for controlling the images from the front and rear view cameras and the side view cameras and a camera manipulation.

2. The external monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the display devices are two mounted at right and left sides of the vehicle, the image from the left side camera being outputted to the left display device and the image from the right camera being outputted to the right display device, the display device being detachably mounted on the dash board of the upper portion of the instrument cluster or the dash board of the upper portion of the steering wheel in case of existing delivered vehicles or old model vehicles, and being adjustable in right and left directions and in upper and lower directions.

3. The external monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the side view cameras are rotated by a direction-adjusting switch of the controller at a predetermined angle in a side direction.

4. The external monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the plural front and rear view cameras and the side view cameras respectively include auxiliary visible and infrared ray lighting devices, and hot wire devices for preventing freezing.

5. The external monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the rear view cameras are adapted in such a way that an image to be displayed on a screen is automatically converted into an image from the rear view camera due to a location of a gear and the converted image is outputted to the display device when the vehicle travels backwardly.

7. The external monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the display device includes an external input terminal so that the display device can be used as a monitor of a navigation device mounted inside the vehicle.

6. An external monitoring system for securing a driver'"'"'s field of vision for vehicles, wherein side view mirrors disposed at both sides of the vehicle are automatically collapsibly folded and side view cameras disposed on both of the side view mirrors are automatically adjusted in their angles in such a way as to be directed in the backward direction when a traveling speed of the vehicle received from an ECU of the vehicle exceeds a previously set speed as the traveling speed of the vehicle is gradually increased.