DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
- an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle;
wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data;
wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device;
wherein said image capture device comprises a wide angle optic;
wherein at least one of (i) said wide angle optic comprises optical distortion correction and (ii) distortion in captured image data is reduced using electronic distortion correction;
a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device;
wherein said display system comprises a back-lit liquid crystal video display screen;
wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; and
wherein at least one horizontal line at least partially extends between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle includes an image capture device having a field of view rearward of the vehicle. The image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device and is operable to capture image data. A display system displays video images output by the image capture device. The display system includes a video display screen. A graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, the graphic overlay includes a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle. At least one horizontal line at least partially extends between the pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle.
9 Citations
138 Claims
-
1. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; wherein said image capture device comprises a wide angle optic; wherein at least one of (i) said wide angle optic comprises optical distortion correction and (ii) distortion in captured image data is reduced using electronic distortion correction; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein said display system comprises a back-lit liquid crystal video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; and wherein at least one horizontal line at least partially extends between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle. - 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, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
-
60. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device is fixedly mounted at the rear of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; wherein said image capture device comprises a wide angle optic; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein said display system comprises a video display screen; wherein image data captured by said array of photosensing elements is displayed in reverse at said video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; and wherein at least one horizontal line at least partially extends between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
-
-
85. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; wherein said image capture device comprises a wide angle optic; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein said display system comprises a video display screen; wherein image data captured by said array of photosensing elements is displayed in reverse at said video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; wherein a plurality of spaced apart horizontal lines at least partially extend between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle, and wherein said spaced apart horizontal lines are superimposed on displayed video images at predetermined intervals; wherein at least one of (a) said pair of converging lines comprise a pair of substantially straight converging lines, (b) said graphic overlay enhances the driver'"'"'s sense of perspective when executing a reversing maneuver, (c) said graphic overlay assists the driver when reversing into a parking space and (d) said graphic overlay enhances the driver'"'"'s judgment of the location of an object at least one of (i) behind the vehicle and (ii) alongside the vehicle; and wherein said graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images responsive to the driver of the vehicle placing a gear selector device of the vehicle in a reverse gear position. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
-
-
101. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said field of view of said image capture device encompasses a ground area at the immediate rear of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; wherein said image capture device comprises a wide angle optic; wherein distortion in captured image data is reduced using electronic distortion correction; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein at least one of (a) video images output by said image capture device are conveyed to said display system via electrically conductive leads, (b) video images output by said image capture device are conveyed to said display system via a fiber optic cable, and (c) video images output by said image capture device are output as one of (i) analog data and (ii) digital data; wherein said display system comprises a video display screen; wherein image data captured by said array of photosensing elements is displayed in reverse at said video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; wherein at least one horizontal line at least partially extend between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle; and wherein said graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images responsive to the driver of the vehicle placing a gear selector device of the vehicle in a reverse gear position. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)
-
-
113. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said field of view of said image capture device encompasses a portion of the rear of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said array of photosensing elements comprises at least 160 columns of photosensor elements and at least 40 rows of photosensor elements; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein said display system comprises a video display screen; wherein image data captured by said array of photosensing elements is displayed in reverse at said video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein said graphic overlay comprises a pair of substantially straight converging lines extending outward from adjacent the rear of the vehicle; wherein at least one horizontal line at least partially extends between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle; and wherein said graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images responsive to the driver of the vehicle placing a gear selector device of the vehicle in a reverse gear position. - View Dependent Claims (114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123)
-
-
124. A driver assistance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
-
an image capture device positioned at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device is fixedly mounted at the rear of the vehicle; wherein said field of view of said image capture device encompasses a ground area at the immediate rear of the vehicle, and wherein said field of view of said image capture device encompasses a portion of the rear of the vehicle; wherein said image capture device comprises an array of photosensing elements operable to capture image data; wherein said array of photosensing elements comprises at least 160 columns of photosensor elements and at least 40 rows of photosensor elements; wherein said image capture device comprises a CMOS image capture device; a display system that displays video images output by said image capture device; wherein said display system comprises a video display screen; wherein image data captured by said array of photosensing elements is displayed in reverse at said video display screen; wherein a graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images, and wherein, at least when the wheels of the vehicle are straight, said graphic overlay comprises a pair of converging lines extending outward relative to the rear of the vehicle; wherein a plurality of spaced apart horizontal lines at least partially extend between said pair of converging lines in order to enhance the ability of a driver of the vehicle to judge relative distance to an object located rearward of the vehicle, and wherein said spaced apart horizontal lines are superimposed on displayed video images at predetermined intervals; and wherein said graphic overlay is superimposed on the displayed images responsive to the driver of the vehicle placing a gear selector device of the vehicle in a reverse gear position. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138)
-
Specification