VEHICULAR VISION SYSTEM

• US 20090262192A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schofield, Kenneth, Vadas, Keith J., Larson, Mark L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,204 B2
• 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 1/30 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 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes at least a first image capture sensor and a second image capture sensor disposed at a vehicle and spatially separated and having respective fields of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle. A control receives a first image input from the first image capture sensor and a second image input from the second image capture sensor and generates a composite image synthesized from at least the first image input and the second image input. A display system displays the composite image on a single video screen located in a cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle. The single video screen of the display system may have a display luminance that is variable responsive to a sensing of an ambient light level.

Claims

1. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

at least a first image capture sensor and a second image capture sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

said first image capture sensor spatially separated from said second image capture sensor;

said first image capture sensor having a first field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

said second image capture sensor having a second field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said control receiving a first image input from said first image capture sensor;

said control receiving a second image input from said second image capture sensor;

said control generating a composite image, said composite image synthesized from at least said first image input and said second image input;

a display system displaying said composite image on a single video screen located in a cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein said first field of view and said second field of view are directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said single video screen is positioned at one of a dashboard, a facia, a header, a windshield and an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said single video screen is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a field emission display, a cathode ray tube, an electroluminescent display, a light-emitting diode display, and a deformable mirror display; and

wherein said single video screen of said display system has a display luminance that is variable responsive to a sensing of an ambient light level.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said single video screen is located either generally above or generally below the central forward field of view of the driver of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the display luminance of said single video screen of said display system is variable responsive to at least one of (i) a vehicle headlight activation control, (ii) an ambient light sensor, and (iii) an indication of ambient light level developed by at least one of said first and second image capture sensors.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said vision system includes a magnifier which magnifies the composite image displayed by said single video screen, and (b) said composite image approximates a view from a single image capture sensor at a single location.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, when said single video screen is disposed in the cabin of the equipped vehicle and normally viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said composite image displayed by said single video screen of said display system has a lateral width dimension that is greater than a vertical height dimension of said single video screen.

6. The vision system of claim 5, wherein said composite image displayed by said single video screen has a width to height ratio that is up to approximately 2:

1.

7. The vision system of claim 5, wherein said composite image displayed by said single video screen has a width to height ratio between approximately 2:

1 and 4;

1.

8. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said first field of view has a field of view portion at least partially overlapping a field of view portion of said second field of view.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein generation of said composite image from at least said first and second image inputs for display on said single video screen comprises dynamic adaptation of said first and second image inputs in order to minimize said at least partially overlapping field of view portion.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said single video screen of said display system displays a supplemental image.

11. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said single video screen is operable to display at least one of pager information, a telephone number listing, a global positioning system output, a map, route guidance information, intelligent vehicle highway system information, vehicle radio control settings, vehicle environmental system settings, vehicle speed, vehicle heading, and turn signal indicators.

12. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said synthesization from at least said first image input and said second image input comprises image compression, and wherein said image compression reduces distortion resulting from said spatial separation of said first and second image capture sensors.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein said synthesization from at least said first image input and said second image input comprises vertical compression.

14. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

at least a first image capture sensor and a second image capture sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

said first image capture sensor spatially separated from said second image capture sensor;

said first image capture sensor having a first field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

said second image capture sensor having a second field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said control receiving a first image input from said first image capture sensor;

said control receiving a second image input from said second image capture sensor;

said control generating a composite image, said composite image synthesized from at least said first image input and said second image input;

a display system displaying said composite image on a single video screen located in a cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein said first field of view and said second field of view are directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said single video screen is disposed in the cabin of the equipped vehicle and normally viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said composite image displayed by said single video screen of said display system has a lateral width dimension that is greater than a vertical height dimension of said single video screen;

wherein said single video screen comprises a liquid crystal display; and

wherein said single video screen of said display system has a display luminance that is variable responsive to a sensing of an ambient light level.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein the display luminance of said single video screen of said display system is variable responsive to at least one of (i) a vehicle headlight activation control, (ii) an ambient light sensor, and (iii) an indication of ambient light level developed by at least one of said first and second image capture sensors.

16. The vision system of claim 15, wherein said single video screen is positioned at one of a dashboard, a facia, a header, a windshield and an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said single video screen is operable to display at least one of pager information, a telephone number listing, a global positioning system output, a map, route guidance information, intelligent vehicle highway system information, vehicle radio control settings, vehicle environmental system settings, vehicle speed, vehicle heading, and turn signal indicators.

18. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said synthesization from at least said first image input and said second image input comprises image compression, and wherein said image compression reduces distortion.

19. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

at least a first image capture sensor and a second image capture sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

wherein said first image capture sensor comprises a first CMOS imaging array and said second image capture sensor comprises a second CMOS imaging array;

wherein said first image capture sensor is disposed at a first external portion of the vehicle and said second image capture sensor is disposed at a second external portion of the vehicle, and wherein said first image capture sensor is spatially separated from said second image capture sensor;

said first image capture sensor having a first field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

said second image capture sensor having a second field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said control receiving a first image input from said first image capture sensor;

said control receiving a second image input from said second image capture sensor;

said control generating a composite image, said composite image synthesized from at least said first image input and said second image input;

a display system displaying said composite image on a single video screen located in a cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said single video screen is disposed in the cabin of the equipped vehicle and normally viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said composite image displayed by said single video screen of said display system has a lateral width dimension that is greater than a vertical height dimension of said single video screen; and

wherein said single video screen comprises a liquid crystal display.

20. The vision system of claim 19, wherein said single video screen is positioned at one of a dashboard, a facia, a header, a windshield and an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle.

21. The vision system of claim 20, wherein said single video screen of said display system has a display luminance that is variable responsive to a sensing of an ambient light level.

22. The vision system of claim 21, wherein the display luminance of said single video screen of said display system is variable responsive to at least one of (i) a vehicle headlight activation control, (ii) an ambient light sensor, and (iii) an indication of ambient light level developed by at least one of said first and second image capture sensors.

23. The vision system of claim 19, wherein said single video screen is operable to display at least one of pager information, a telephone number listing, a global positioning system output, a map, route guidance information, intelligent vehicle highway system information, vehicle radio control settings, vehicle environmental system settings, vehicle speed, vehicle heading, and turn signal indicators.

24. The vision system of claim 19, wherein said synthesization from at least said first image input and said second image input comprises image compression, and wherein said image compression reduces distortion.

25. The vision system of claim 19, wherein said first field of view and said second field of view are directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle.

26. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

at least a first image capture sensor and a second image capture sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;

wherein said first image capture sensor comprises a first CMOS imaging array and said second image capture sensor comprises a second CMOS imaging array;

wherein said first image capture sensor is disposed at a first external portion of the vehicle and said second image capture sensor is disposed at a second external portion of the vehicle, and wherein said first image capture sensor is spatially separated from said second image capture sensor;

said first image capture sensor having a first field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

said second image capture sensor having a second field of view with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle;

a control;

said control receiving a first image input from said first image capture sensor;

said control receiving a second image input from said second image capture sensor;

said control generating a composite image, said composite image synthesized from at least said first image input and said second image input;

a display system displaying said composite image on a single video screen located in a cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when said single video screen is disposed in the cabin of the equipped vehicle and normally viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said composite image displayed by said single video screen of said display system has a lateral width dimension that is greater than a vertical height dimension of said single video screen; and

wherein said single video screen of said display system has a display luminance that is variable responsive to a sensing of an ambient light level, and wherein the display luminance of said single video screen of said display system is variable responsive to at least one of (i) a vehicle headlight activation control, (ii) an ambient light sensor, and (iii) an indication of ambient light level developed by at least one of said first and second image capture sensors.

27. The vision system of claim 26, wherein said single video screen is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a field emission display, a cathode ray tube, an electroluminescent display, a light-emitting diode display, and a deformable mirror display.

28. The vision system of claim 26, wherein said single video screen comprises a liquid crystal display.

29. The vision system of claim 26, wherein said single video screen is operable to display at least one of pager information, a telephone number listing, a global positioning system output, a map, route guidance information, intelligent vehicle highway system information, vehicle radio control settings, vehicle environmental system settings, vehicle speed, vehicle heading, and turn signal indicators.

30. The vision system of claim 26, wherein said synthesization from at least said first image input and said second image input comprises image compression, and wherein said image compression reduces distortion.

31. The vision system of claim 26, wherein said first field of view and said second field of view are directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the equipped vehicle.