VISION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20150232034A1
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weller, Andrew D., Larson, Mark L., McCabe, Ian A., Lynam, Niall R., Blank, Rodney K., McCaw, Joseph P., Uken, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,809,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133385 with cooling means, e.g. fans
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/44 Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/09 transflective

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes a first imager located at a front portion of the vehicle, a second imager located at the rear of the vehicle, a third imager located in a first exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and a fourth imager located in a second exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. Responsive to the vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear, (a) video images derived from image data captured by the second imager are displayed on a video display screen and (b) responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by a common image processor, the driver of the vehicle is alerted to the presence of an object exterior the equipped vehicle. When the vehicle travels forward, the common image processor processes first image data captured by the first imager for at least a lane departure warning system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a first imager located at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said first imager having a field of view in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, said first imager operable to capture first image data exteriorly and forwardly of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle normally travels forwardly;

a second imager located at the rear of the equipped vehicle, said second imager having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle, said second imager operable to capture second image data exteriorly and rearwardly of the equipped vehicle;

a third imager located in a first exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture third image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a fourth imager located in a second exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture fourth image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a common image processor operable for processing captured image data, wherein said common image processor utilizes object detection software during processing of captured image data;

a video display screen in the equipped vehicle viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to the equipped vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver of the equipped vehicle is executing a reversing maneuver, (a) video images derived from image data captured by said second imager are displayed on said video display screen and (b) responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said common image processor, the driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to the presence of an object exterior the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, when the equipped vehicle travels forward, said common image processor processes first image data captured by said first imager for a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle and for at least one of (i) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said first imager is located within the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views to the exterior of the vehicle through the windshield.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein said first imager is located in an interior rearview mirror assembly that is attached to the windshield and is accommodated at or by a mounting portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said common image processor is located in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said first imager is accommodated by an accessory module mounted to the windshield of the equipped vehicle.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein said common image processor is accommodated by said accessory module.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said video display screen comprises a polarizer and a diffuser.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said video display screen is disposed in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle and wherein video images displayed by said video display screen are viewable through a mirror reflector of a reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly by the driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is operating the equipped vehicle and wherein said video display screen is part of a video display unit and wherein said vision system further comprises a thermally conductive element in thermal contact with an element of said video display unit, wherein said thermally conductive element at least partially draws heat generated by said video display unit during operation of said video display unit to draw heat away from said video display unit and wherein said thermally conductive element comprises a thermally conductive polymeric material and wherein said thermally conductive element is disposed at a rear casing portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly and is formed so as to be at least partially hidden from view at said rear casing portion, said thermally conductive element being at least one of molded, contoured, painted and coated to reduce the discernibility of said thermally conductive element at said rear casing portion and wherein said reflective element of said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electro-optic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates, and wherein said mirror reflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector disposed at a front surface of said rear substrate that opposes said electro-optic medium and further comprising a transflective polarizing element disposed at a rear of said electro-optic reflective element and between said video display screen and said electro-optic reflective element, wherein said transflective polarizing element is disposed only at a display area in front of said video display screen, and wherein a surrounding non-display area of said rear of said electro-optic reflective element has a reflective layer disposed thereat.

8. The vision system of claim 7, wherein said video display screen is operated as part of a voice interaction system of the equipped vehicle, said voice interaction system including an artificially generated human voice for providing information to the driver of the equipped vehicle, said artificially generated human voice being selectively generated with a regional accent that is determined by the actual geographic location of the equipped vehicle as determined by a vehicle-based navigational system.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said video display screen comprises a backlit pixelated video display screen.

10. The vision system of claim 9, wherein said video display screen comprises a reflective polarizer.

11. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, when the equipped vehicle is traveling forward, said common image processor processes first image data for the headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein, when the equipped vehicle is traveling forward, said common image processor processes first image data for the traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said object detection software utilized by said common image processor utilizes an edge detection algorithm to detect edges of an object present in captured image data.

14. The vision system of claim 13, wherein said object comprises a vehicle.

15. The vision system of claim 13, wherein said object comprises a bicycle.

16. The vision system of claim 13, wherein said video display screen comprises a backlit TFT LCD video display screen and is operable to display video images with an intensity greater than 200 candelas per square meter as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said video display screen is controlled, at least in part, by at least one of a video decoder and a scalar.

18. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said video display screen comprises at least one brightness enhancement film.

19. The vision system of claim 16, wherein light emanating from said video display screen when displaying video images to be viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle comprises at least one of (i) circularly polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle and (ii) elliptically polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 16, wherein said video display screen is backlit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes is operable to generate a backlighting intensity of greater than 10,000 candelas per square meter.

21. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a first imager located at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said first imager having a field of view in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, said first imager operable to capture first image data exteriorly and forwardly of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle normally travels forwardly;

a second imager located at the rear of the equipped vehicle, said second imager having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle, said second imager operable to capture second image data exteriorly and rearwardly of the equipped vehicle;

a third imager located in a first exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture third image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a fourth imager located in a second exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture fourth image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a common image processor operable for processing captured image data, wherein said common image processor utilizes object detection software during processing of captured image data;

a video display screen in the equipped vehicle viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to the equipped vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver of the equipped vehicle is executing a reversing maneuver, (a) video images derived from image data captured by said second imager are displayed on said video display screen and (b) responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said common image processor, the driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to the presence of an object exterior the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when the equipped vehicle travels forward, said common image processor processes first image data captured by said first imager for a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle and for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said object detection software utilized by said common image processor utilizes an edge detection algorithm to detect edges of an object present in captured image data; and

wherein said video display screen is operable to display video images with an intensity greater than 200 candelas per square meter as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

22. The vision system of claim 21, wherein said first imager is located within the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views to the exterior of the vehicle through the windshield, and wherein said first imager is accommodated by an accessory module mounted to the windshield of the equipped vehicle.

23. The vision system of claim 22, wherein said video display screen comprises a backlit TFT LCD video display screen and wherein said video display screen is backlit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes is operable to generate a backlighting intensity of greater than 10,000 candelas per square meter.

24. The vision system of claim 22, wherein said video display screen is controlled, at least in part, by at least one of a video decoder and a scalar.

25. The vision system of claim 24, wherein light emanating from said video display screen when displaying video images to be viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle comprises at least one of (i) circularly polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle and (ii) elliptically polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

26. The vision system of claim 25, wherein said video display screen comprises at least one brightness enhancement film.

27. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a first imager located at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision system, said first imager having a field of view in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, said first imager operable to capture first image data exteriorly and forwardly of the equipped vehicle when the equipped vehicle normally travels forwardly;

a second imager located at the rear of the equipped vehicle, said second imager having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle, said second imager operable to capture second image data exteriorly and rearwardly of the equipped vehicle;

a third imager located in a first exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture third image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a fourth imager located in a second exterior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, said third imager having a field of view at least partially sideward of the vehicle and operable to capture fourth image data exteriorly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle;

a common image processor operable for processing captured image data, wherein said common image processor utilizes object detection software during processing of captured image data;

a video display screen in the equipped vehicle viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when operating the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to the equipped vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver of the equipped vehicle is executing a reversing maneuver, (a) video images derived from image data captured by said second imager are displayed on said video display screen and (b) responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said common image processor, the driver of the equipped vehicle is alerted to the presence of an object exterior the equipped vehicle;

wherein, when the equipped vehicle travels forward, said common image processor processes first image data captured by said first imager for a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle and for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said object detection software utilized by said common image processor utilizes an edge detection algorithm to detect edges of an object present in captured image data;

wherein said video display screen is operable to display video images with an intensity greater than 200 candelas per square meter as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said video display screen comprises a backlit TFT LCD video display screen and wherein said video display screen is backlit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes and wherein said plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes is operable to generate a backlighting intensity of greater than 10,000 candelas per square meter; and

wherein light emanating from said video display screen when displaying video images to be viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle comprises at least one of (i) circularly polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle and (ii) elliptically polarized light to be viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle.

28. The vision system of claim 27, wherein said first imager is located within the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views to the exterior of the vehicle through the windshield, and wherein said first imager is accommodated by an accessory module mounted to the windshield of the equipped vehicle.

29. The vision system of claim 28, wherein said video display screen comprises at least one brightness enhancement film.

30. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said video display screen is controlled, at least in part, by at least one of a video decoder and a scalar.