Travelling monitoring system for motor vehicles

• US 5,121,200 A
• Filed: 07/06/1990
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seung-Lyul Choi
• Original Assignee: Seung-Lyul Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Seung-Lyul
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, KIM Y
• Application Number:
  US07/549,092
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 358/103, 358/105, 358/108, 358/229, 850/603, 850/604, 850/605, 850/606, 850/637, 248/549, 248/900, 354/81, 354/293
• 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A travelling monitoring system for motor vehicles on which a monitoring camera is mounted is disclosed herein. The system includes a monitoring part, a display part, and a part for protruding and hiding the camera. The camera is designed to be protected from the bad weather of snow or rain and the possibility of the burglary by the adaptation of the part for protruding and hiding therefor. The system also includes an auxiliary rear-view mirror part provided against the extraordinary condition.

Claims

1. A traveling monitoring system for motor vehicles , comprising:

a monitoring means for monitoring travelling information in the front, the rear, the right and the left side of a vehicle by a camera which is movable upward and downward and is rotatable;

a display means for displaying said travelling information on a monitor inside said vehicle;

a protruding and hiding means for automatically protruding the camera outside the vehicle body upon starting of the vehicle and for hiding the camera inside the vehicle body when the vehicle stops operating;

a starting detecting part for detecting the starting of the vehicle;

a delay timer part which operates after a delay following the rising edge of the output of said starting detecting part and upon the falling edge of the output of said start detecting part and which turns off after a predetermined time;

a polarity converting part for selectively providing positive or negative electric power to a driving a motor in accordance with the outputs of the delay timer part and the starting detecting part; and

a locking release part for releasing the locking of a rid member, the locking release part being simultaneously operated at the time of operating of the starting detecting part.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means includes:

a delay driving part being driven at the time of completing the operation of the delay timer part,

a camera being operated by the output of the delay driving part,

a zoom adjusting part for magnifying an image information of the camera,

an EIS part for preventing a focus of the camera from chattering regardless of the conditions of a road surface;

a switching part for selecting an output of the delay driving part and an electric power source of a key switch;

a video part for recording and reproducing a travelling information by the camera; and

a monitor having a conventional TV circuit and displaying a travelling information by the camera.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the protruding and hiding means is characterized in that a movable rack member of a hydraulic cylinder is engaged with the sector gear to which one side of said rid member is fixedly attached.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said monitoring means includes an auxiliary mirror, said auxiliary mirror being protruded and retracted in accordance with the operation of said camera.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said auxiliary mirror is adapted to be also operable manually.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the protruding and hiding means has such an operational construction that a shaft gear of the driving motor is engaged with an idle gear, a sector gear is engaged with one side of the idle gear, the rid member is fixedly attached to the sector gear on which the camera is installed.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the protruding and hiding means is characterized in that a movable rack member of a hdyraulic cylinder is engaged with the sector gear to which one side of said rid member is fixedly attached.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the protruding and hiding means has an electromagnetic locking device with a solenoid.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the protruding and hiding means has a mechanically operated locking device.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means has a zoom function for taking a desired image to be displayed in magnification.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is provided with one motor for rotational movement at the bottom surface thereof and the other motor for up-down movement at one side thereof.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means has an EIS part for excluding a restriction due to the conditions of a road surface.

13. A traveling monitoring system for motor vehicles having a monitor and a monitoring camera for displaying travelling information in the form of a picture image taken in the lateral, the rear and the other side of the vehicle on the monitor, comprising;

a monitoring means comprising a camera for monitoring traveling information, the camera being changeable in direction during operation;

a detecting means for detecting a start signal and a stop signal generated upon the starting and stopping of the vehicle;

a delaying means for delaying the operation of said monitoring means for predetermined time following the detection of said start signal and said stop signal by said detecing means;

a protruding means operable in response to said start signal for protruding said monitoring means; and

a hiding means operable in response to said stop signal for retracting said monitoring means.

14. A system according to claim 13, including at least one display means for displaying said traveling information monitored by the camera of said monitoring means.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said display means is adapted to receive and display video signals from sources other than said monitoring means.

16. A system according to claim 13, wherein said monitoring means is automatically retracted in the event of an accident of the vehicle.

17. A system according to claim 13, wherein said monitoring means includes an auxiliary mirror, said auxiliary mirror being protruded and retracted in accordance with the operation of said camera.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said auxiliary mirror member is adapted to be also operable manually.

19. A travelling monitoring system for motor vehicles having a monitor and a monitoring camera for displaying travelling information in the form of a picture image taken in the lateral, the rear and the other side of the vehicle on the monitor, comprising;

a monitoring means comprising a camera for monitoring travelling informatin, the camera being changeable in direction during operation;

a detecting means for detecting a start signal and a stop signal generated upon the starting and stopping of the vehicle;

a delaying means for delaying the operation of said monitoring means for a predetermined time following the detection of said start signal and said stop signal by said detecting means;

a protruding means opearable in response to said start signal for protruding said monitoring means; and

a hiding means operable in response to said stop signal for retracting said monitoring means;

wherein said monitoring means includes an auxiliary mirror, said auxiliary mirror being protruded and retracted in accordance with the operation of said camera.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said auxiliary mirror is adapted to be also operable manually.