VEHICLE VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20140071279A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: MOKASHI, Sumedh, MILLER, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• 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 vehicle includes a vehicle body defining a cargo area, a display mounted to the vehicle, a first video camera and an image processor. The first video camera is fixedly mounted to the vehicle at a first fixed location in a prescribed orientation relative to the vehicle to capture a video image of the cargo area. The image processor is operatively coupled to the first video camera and the display to process the video image captured by the first video camera and to stream a simulated video overhead view including at least a portion of the cargo area on the display.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body defining a cargo area;

a display mounted to the vehicle;

a first video camera fixedly mounted to the vehicle at a first fixed location in a prescribed orientation relative to the vehicle to capture a video image of the cargo area; and

an image processor operatively coupled to the first video camera and the display to process the video image captured by the first video camera and to stream a simulated video overhead view including at least a portion of the cargo area on the display.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a controller operatively coupled to the first video camera, the display and the image processor to switch between displaying the video image of the cargo area and displaying the simulated video overhead view of the cargo area.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the first video camera is mounted relative to the vehicle at the first fixed location to capture a video image including the cargo area and an area rear of the vehicle such that the displaying the video image of the cargo area includes the area rear of the vehicle, and the simulated live overhead view includes the area rear of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first video camera is mounted relative to the vehicle at the first fixed location to capture a video image including the cargo area and an area rear of the vehicle such that the simulated live overhead view includes the area rear of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a second video camera fixedly mounted to the vehicle at a second prescribed location spaced from the first prescribed location to capture a video image of the cargo area, and

the image processor is configured to process the video image from the first video camera and the video image of the second video camera such that the simulated video overhead view of the cargo area is a composite image based upon the video images captured by the first and second video cameras.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first video camera is disposed on the vehicle body to capture a view of a trailer hitch receiver installed to the cargo area such that a vehicle operator viewing the display observes the trailer hitch receiver as the vehicle moves toward a trailer hitch of a trailer.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a movable member mounted to a rear portion of the vehicle for movement between a first position and a second position such that in the first position, the movable member blocks the first video camera from capturing a video image of the an area rear of the vehicle, and in the second position the movable member does not block the first video camera from capturing a video image of the an area rear of the vehicle;

and

a rear video camera fixedly mounted to the movable member such that, with the movable member in the first position, the rear video camera is positioned at a second fixed location in a prescribed orientation relative to the vehicle to capture a video image of the area rear of the vehicle, and with the movable member in the second position, the rear video camera is obscured.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of additional video cameras fixedly mounted to mutually differing prescribed locations around an outer periphery of the vehicle in prescribed orientations providing respective video images of areas around the outer periphery of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the plurality of additional video cameras includes a front video camera fixed to a front portion of the vehicle, a rear video camera fixed to a rear portion of the vehicle and a pair of side video cameras fixed to opposite sides of the vehicle, and

the image processor is connected to each of the plurality of additional video cameras such that the simulated video overhead view shows at least the portion of the cargo area, an area in front of the vehicle, an area behind the vehicle and areas along each side of the vehicle superimposed over a still image of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising

a movable member mounted to the rear portion of the vehicle for movement between a first position and a second position such that in the first position, the movable member blocks the first video camera from capturing a video image of the an area rear of the vehicle, and in the second position the movable member does not block the first video camera from capturing a video image of the an area rear of the vehicle;

and

the rear video camera is fixedly mounted to the movable member such that, with the movable member in the first position, the rear video camera is positioned at a second fixed location in a prescribed orientation relative to the vehicle to capture a video image of the area rear of the vehicle, and with the movable member in the second position, the rear video camera is obscured.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the cargo area is an open cargo bed;

and

the first video camera is mounted to a rear section of a roof of the vehicle, the first video camera being aimed rearward at the cargo bed.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising

a second video camera fixedly mounted to the roof of the vehicle spaced apart from the first video camera and aimed at the cargo bed to capture a video image of the cargo area.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

the image processor is configured to process the video image from the first video camera and the video image of the second video camera such that the simulated video overhead view is a composite image based upon the video images captured the first and second video cameras.

14. The vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising

a plurality of additional video cameras fixedly mounted to mutually differing prescribed locations around an outer periphery of the vehicle in prescribed orientations providing respective video images of areas around the outer periphery of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising

the plurality of additional video cameras includes a front video camera fixed to a front portion of the vehicle, a rear video camera fixed to a rear portion of the vehicle and a pair of side video cameras fixed to opposite sides of the vehicle, and

the image processor is connected to each of the plurality of additional video cameras such that the simulated video overhead view shows at least the portion of the cargo area, an area in front of the vehicle, an area behind the vehicle and areas along each side of the vehicle superimposed over a still image of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the cargo area is an enclosed space within the vehicle body, and

the first video camera is mounted within the cargo area, the first video camera being aimed at the cargo area.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, further comprising

a second video camera fixedly mounted within the cargo area of the vehicle spaced apart from the first video camera aimed at the cargo area to capture a video image of the cargo area.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

the image processor is configured to process the video image from the first video camera and the video image of the second video camera such that the simulated video overhead view is a composite image based upon the video images captured the first and second video cameras.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, further comprising

a plurality of additional video cameras fixedly mounted to mutually differing prescribed locations around an outer periphery of the vehicle in prescribed orientations providing images of prescribed areas around the outer periphery of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

the plurality of additional video cameras includes a front video camera, a rear video camera and a pair of side video cameras, and

the image processor is connected to each of the plurality of additional video cameras such that the simulated video overhead view shows at least the portion of the cargo area, an area in front of the vehicle, an area behind the vehicle and areas along each side of the vehicle superimposed over a still image of the vehicle.