VEHICLE VIEWING SYSTEM

• US 3,689,695 A
• Filed: 04/10/1970
• Issued: 09/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chang C. Chen, 984 Ashbridge Lane, Harry C. Rosenfield, Hills, CA 91364
• Original Assignee: Chang C. Chen, 984 Ashbridge Lane, Harry C. Rosenfield, Hills, CA 91364
• Inventors: Harry, C. Rosenfield, Hills, CA 91364, Chang C. Chen, 984 Ashbridge Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert L. Griffin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph A. Orsino, Jr.
• Application Number:
  US05/027,321
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 178/DIG.1,7.81,DIG.23,DIG.30,6.5
• 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 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle

Abstract

A television camera is mounted on a support in a motor vehicle. The support is designed to permit the camera to have vertical movement, horizontal movement, rotary movement, tilting movement, and lateral movement across the width of the vehicle. A viewing system is mounted in the cab of the vehicle comprising three persistent image cathode ray display tubes. Rotation of the camera on a vertical axis plus appropriate control circuits provides three simultaneous continuous views of selected regions around the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle guidance system for self-propelled highway vehicles for viewing in any direction wherein the highway vehicle has a passenger compartment and an apparatus holding compartment comprising a television camera, an apparatus for positioning the television camera mounted in said apparatus holding compartment, said apparatus comprising a support rod, said television camera pivotally mounted on said support rod, said support rod connected to a vertical side of said television camera so that when said television camera is moved to the side of said vehicle, the lens of said camera projects further beyond the side of said vehicle so the camera can see further around the side of any vehicle in front of the camera, control means for tilting said camera on said support rod, means for raising and lowering said support rod and television cAmera with respect to the top of said vehicle, whereby said television camera can be retracted inside said apparatus holding compartment, enclosure means for closing off said apparatus receiving compartment to protect said television camera, means for moving said camera and said support rod across the width of said vehicle, means for rotating said support rod and said television camera around the axis of said support rod, and a television display in the passenger compartment displaying the picture viewed by said television camera so selected areas around the vehicle can be observed.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1, including an extensible optical means for effectively increasing the lateral view of a television camera beyond the side of a vehicle.

3. A motor vehicle having a passenger compartment and an apparatus holding compartment, a television camera, an apparatus for positioning the television camera mounted in said apparatus holding compartment, said apparatus comprising a support rod, said television camera pivotally mounted on said support rod, means for controlling the tilt of said camera on said support rod, controllable means for raising and lowering said support rod and said television camera over said vehicle, means for controlling the movement of said television camera to either side of said vehicle, means for continuously rotating said television camera round the axis of the support rod, and a television display comprising three persistent image cathode ray tubes connected to said television camera, and means for providing a simultaneous display of three selected areas around the motor vehicle, said support rod rotatable with said camera, a wiper contact mounted on and rotatable with said support rod, a ring support concentric with said support rod, said ring support having a plurality of contacts mounted therein in a circle in position to be brushed by said rotating wiper contact, said ring support aligned so at least one contact is on a line parallel to the length of the motor vehicle and so that when said wiper contact engages said contact said television camera is pointed directly to the rear of the motor vehicle, whereby each time said wiper contact engages said contact a view of the rear of the motor vehicle is formed on one cathode ray tube, said image persisting on said cathode ray tube until said wiper makes a complete revolution to reinforce said image whereby a substantially continuous view of the rear of the vehicle is maintained.

4. A motor vehicle having a passenger compartment and an apparatus holding compartment, a television camera, an apparatus for positioning the television camera mounted in said apparatus holding compartment, said apparatus comprising a support rod, said television camera pivotally mounted on said support rod, means for controlling the tilt of said camera on said support rod, controllable means for raising and lowering said support rod and said television camera over said vehicle, means for controlling the movement of said television camera to either side of said vehicle, means for continuously rotating said television camera round the axis of the support rod, said television display comprising three persistent image cathode ray tubes connected to said television camera and means for providing a simultaneous display of three selected areas around the motor vehicle, said support rod rotatable with said camera, wiper contact mounted on and rotatable with said support rod, said ring support having six contacts mounted therein in a circle and positioned to be sequentially engaged by said rotating wiper contact, said ring support positioned so at least two contacts are on a line parallel to the length of the vehicle and on the diameter of the circle defined by said rotating by said wiper contact, one forward contact positioned so that when said contact is engaged by said wiper contact the television camera is pointed directly forward, the other rearward contact is positioned so that it is engaged by said wiper contact saiD television camera is pointing directly rearwardly, the remaining four contacts positioned at pre-determined angles with respect to the forward and rearward contacts for viewing regions at predetermined angles to the front and rear of the motor vehicle, and means for selectively viewing the regions around the vehicle to be displayed on the cathode ray tubes so that when it is desired to view rearwardly one cathode ray tube displays the regions directly to the rear of the vehicle while the remaining two cathode ray tubes display regions at pre-determined angles on both sides on both sides of the rear of the vehicle.

5. Apparatus described in claim 4 wherein including means for rotating said ring support to adjust the alignment of said contact and to control the areas viewed by said television camera.