Fusion monitor system for vehicles

• US 6,844,966 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jung-Hyun Kho, Myung-Duk Kho
• Original Assignee: Jung-Hyun Kho, Myung-Duk Kho
• Inventors: Kho, Myung-Duk, Kho, Jung-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/253,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 359/399, 359/400, 359/402, 359/431, 359/833, 359/834, 359/841, 359/857, 359/861, 359/871, 359/872, 359/877, 455/569.2, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 359/402
• 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 11/0241 for telephones

Abstract

A fusion monitor system for vehicles which includes a sideview mirror unit having an object lens and an eye lens at both sides of a housing which is disposed backwardly from inside and outside of the vehicle and a movable reflecting mirror between two lenses to form an afocal optical system, a movable reflecting mirror driving unit for rotating the movable reflecting mirror, a terminal holder for accepting a mobile phone, a display panel for outputting the same information as that of a display window of the mobile phone through the mirror unit. According, air resistance can be reduced, information outputted on the display window of the mobile phone can be enlarged for easy viewing and reading, and it allows hands free for user'"'"'s convenience.

Claims

1. Fusion monitor system for vehicles comprising:

a sideview mirror unit including a housing of a cylindrical shape having one end disposed outside of a vehicle toward a rear side, the other end disposed inside the vehicle toward the rear side, and a perspective window formed inside the vehicle opposing an inner end part of the housing so that a ray is able to be transmitted, an object lens system disposed on an outer end part of the housing and refracting the passed ray to be converged, an upper reflecting unit and a lower reflecting unit arranged in the housing at a predetermined angle within the focal length of the object lens so that a reciprocal contact line corresponds to a horizontal center line of the object lenses and interior angles arranged to make a right-angle, a movable reflecting mirror unit having a planar reflecting surface and disposed at a certain angle beyond the focal length of the object lens system so as to open/close the perspective window, for reflecting the ray reflected from the upper reflecting unit and from the lower reflecting unit to the inner end part of the housing, and an eye lens system disposed on the inner end part of the housing for refracting the ray so that an image reflected by the movable reflecting mirror unit is enlarged whereby forming an afocal optical system with the object lens system;

a movable reflecting mirror driving unit for driving the movable reflecting mirror unit between an opening position and a reflecting position;

a terminal holder having a terminal acceptance space inside so that a part of a mobile phone is able to be accepted and disposed on one side of the housing; and

a display panel having a display surface outputting same information as on a display window of the mobile phone through a data communication with the terminal holder when the mobile phone is inserted into the terminal acceptance space, and coupled to an outer part of the housing so that the display surface of the display panel faces the perspective window.

2. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

a rotating axis having at least one end exposed penetrating the housing is formed on one peripheral portion of the movable reflecting mirror unit; and

the movable reflecting mirror driving unit includes a driven gear coupled on the exposed end of the rotating axis to be rotatable as a single body, a driving gear meshed with the driven gear so as to be rotated, and a driving motor for reciprocally rotating the driving gear.

3. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

a rotating axis having at least one end exposed outside the housing as penetrating the housing is formed on one peripheral portion of the movable reflecting mirror unit; and

the movable reflecting mirror driving unit includes a manual controlling handle coupled to the exposed end of the rotating axis so as to be rotated as a single body.

4. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein the movable reflecting mirror unit is formed so as to have a width smaller than the inner width of the housing, and a fixed reflecting mirror unit disposed on one side of the movable reflecting mirror unit along with the plate surface of the movable reflecting mirror unit for reflecting the ray reflected from the upper and lower reflecting unit to the eye lens system.

5. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one optical lens for compensating distortion disposed between the eye lens system and the display panel for compensating a distortion generated on the display surface of the display panel viewed through the eye lens.

6. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one lighting installed for lighting the display surface of the display panel.

7. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of voice outputting means installed on one side of the terminal holder so as to be connected electrically with the mobile phone for outputting voice information of the mobile phone, and of voice inputting means for inputting voice information from outside to the mobile phone.

8. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein a power source connecting unit is formed on the terminal holder so as to accept the other end of a power connecting cord whose one end is connected to a cigar lighter jack of the vehicle.

9. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein a keyboard having a plurality of controlling keys corresponding to controlling keys of the mobile phone, and a keyboard connecting unit is formed on a side of the terminal holder so as to connect to the mobile phone and to connect with the keyboard.

10. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, wherein an outer antenna connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so that an outer antenna installed outside of the vehicle is connected thereto, and the outer antenna connecting unit is electrically connected to the mobile phone when the mobile phone is accepted into the mobile phone accepting space.

11. The fusion monitor system according to claim 1, the display panel (701) further having an electronic module in order to directly connect a wireless sensor located in the vehicle and/or to directly connect the mobile phone (401) so that information received from the wireless sensor and the mobile phone (401) could be displayed on the display panel (701).

12. Fusion monitor system for vehicles comprising:

a sideview mirror unit including a housing of a cylindrical shape having one end disposed outside of a vehicle toward the rear side, the other end disposed inside the vehicle toward the rear side, and a perspective window formed inside the vehicle opposing an inner end part of the housing so that a ray is able to be transmitted, an object lens system disposed on an outer end part of the housing and refracting the passed ray to be converged, an upper reflecting unit and a lower reflecting unit arranged in the housing at a predetermined angle within the focal length of the object lens so that a reciprocal contact line corresponds to a horizontal center line of the object lenses and interior angles arranged to make a right-angle, a fixed reflecting mirror unit having a planar reflecting surface disposed at a certain angle out of the focal length of the object lens system so that the perspective window can be viewed through the inner end part of the housing, and an eye lens system disposed on the inner end part of the housing for refracting the ray so that an image reflected by the fixed reflecting mirror unit is enlarged whereby forming an afocal optical system with the object lens system;

a terminal holder having a terminal acceptance space inside so that a part of a mobile phone is able to be accepted and disposed on one side of the housing; and

a display panel having a display surface outputting the same information as on a display window of the mobile phone through a data communication with the terminal holder when the mobile phone is inserted into the terminal acceptance space and coupled to an outer part of the housing so that the display surface of the display panel faces the perspective window.

13. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12 further comprising at least one optical lens for compensating distortion disposed between the eye lens system and the display panel for compensating a distortion generated on the display surface of the display panel viewed through the eye lens.

14. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12 further comprising at least one lighting installed for lighting the display surface of the display panel.

15. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12 further comprising at least one of voice outputting means installed on one side of the terminal holder so as to be connected electrically with the mobile phone for outputting voice information of the mobile phone, and of voice inputting means (20) for inputting voice information from outside to the mobile phone.

16. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12, wherein a power source connecting unit is formed on the terminal holder so as to accept the other end of a power connecting cord whose one end is connected to a cigar lighter jack of the vehicle.

17. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12, wherein a keyboard having a plurality of controlling keys corresponding to controlling keys of the mobile phone, and keyboard connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so as to connect to the mobile phone and to connect with the keyboard.

18. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12, wherein an outer antenna connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so that an outer antenna installed outside of the vehicle is connected thereto, and the outer antenna connecting unit is electrically connected to the mobile phone when the mobile phone is accepted into the mobile phone accepting space.

19. The fusion monitor system according to claim 12, the display panel (701) further having an electronic module in order to directly connect a wireless sensor located in the vehicle and/or to directly connect the mobile phone (401) so that information received from the wireless sensor and the mobile phone (401) could be displayed on the display panel (701).

20. Fusion monitor system for vehicles comprising:

A sideview mirror unit including a housing of a cylindrical shape having one end disposed outside of a vehicle toward a rear side, the other end disposed inside the vehicle toward the rear side, an object lens system disposed on an outer end part of the housing and refracting the passed ray to be converged, an upper reflecting unit and a lower reflecting unit arranged in the housing at a predetermined angle within the focal length of the object lens so that a reciprocal contact line corresponds to a horizontal center line of the object lenses and interior angles arranged to make a right-angle, a third reflecting unit disposed out of the focal length of the object lens system for reflecting the ray reflected from the upper reflecting unit and from the lower reflecting unit to an inner end part of the housing, an eye lens system disposed on the inner end part of the housing and for forming an afocal optical system with the object lens system by refracting the ray so that an image reflected by the third reflecting unit is enlarged;

a terminal holder having a terminal acceptance space inside so that a part of a mobile phone is able to be accepted and disposed on one side of the housing; and

a display panel having a display surface outputting same information as on a display window of the mobile phone through a data communication with the terminal holder when the mobile phone is inserted into the terminal acceptance space, and disposed between the third reflecting unit and the eye lens system so that the image reflected on the third reflecting unit and the display surface are able to be viewed through the eye lens system at the same time.

21. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20 further comprising at least one optical lens for compensating distortion disposed between the eye lens system and the display panel for compensating a distortion generated on the display surface of the display panel viewed through the eye lens.

22. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20 further comprising at least one lighting installed for lighting the display surface of the display panel.

23. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20 further comprising at least one of voice outputting means installed on one side of the terminal holder so as to be connected electrically with the mobile phone for outputting voice information of the mobile phone, and of voice inputting means for inputting voice information from outside to the mobile phone.

24. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20, wherein a power source connecting unit is formed on the terminal holder so as to accept the other end of a power connecting cord whose one end is connected to cigar lighter jack of the vehicle.

25. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20, wherein a keyboard having a plurality of controlling keys corresponding to controlling keys of the mobile phone, and a keyboard connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so as to connect to the mobile phone and to connect with the keyboard.

26. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20, wherein an outer antenna connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so that an outer antenna installed outside of the vehicle is connected thereto, and the outer antenna connecting unit is electrically connected to the mobile phone when the mobile phone is accepted into the mobile phone accepting space.

27. The fusion monitor system according to claim 20, the display panel (701) further having an electronic module in order to directly connect a wireless sensor located in the vehicle and/or to directly connect the mobile phone (401) so that information received from the wireless sensor and the mobile phone (401) could be displayed on the display panel (701).

28. Fusion monitor system for vehicles comprising:

a sideview mirror unit including a housing of a cylindrical shape having one end disposed outside of a vehicle toward a rear side, the other end disposed inside the vehicle toward the rear side, an object lens system disposed on an outer end part of the housing and refracting the passed ray to be converged, an upper reflecting unit and a lower reflecting unit arranged in the housing at a predetermined angle within the focal length of the object lens so that a reciprocal contact line corresponds to a horizontal center line of the object lenses and interior angles arranged to make a right-angle, a third reflecting unit disposed out of the focal length of the object lens system for reflecting the ray reflected from the upper reflecting unit and from the lower reflecting unit to an inner end part of the housing, an eye lens system disposed on the inner end part of the housing and for forming an afocal optical system with the object lens system by refracting the ray so that an image reflected by the third reflecting unit is enlarged;

a terminal holder having a terminal acceptance space inside so that a part of a mobile phone is able to be accepted and disposed on one side of the housing;

a display panel having a display surface outputting information same as that on a display window of the mobile phone through a data communication with the terminal holder when the mobile phone is inserted into the terminal acceptance space, and installed so as to rotate between an output position disposed between the third reflecting unit and the eye lens system so that the display surface faces the eye lens system and a retraction position disposed on inner wall of the housing in parallel; and

a panel driving means making the display panel rotate between the output position and the retraction position.

29. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, wherein the panel driving means includes a manual controlling handle connected to the rotating axis of the display panel for rotating the display panel to the output position or to the retracting position.

30. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28 further comprising a handle position fixing means for fixing the manual controlling handle on the output position and on the retracting position respectively.

31. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, wherein the panel driving means includes a driven gear coupled to the rotating axis of the display panel to be rotated as a single body with the rotating axis, a driving gear meshed to the driven gear so as to be rotated, and a driving motor for reciprocally rotating the driving gear.

32. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28 further comprising at least one optical lens for compensating distortion disposed between the eye lens system and the display panel for compensating a distortion generated on the display surface of the display panel viewed through the eye lens.

33. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28 further comprising at least one lighting installed for lighting the display surface of the display panel.

34. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28 further comprising at least one of voice outputting means installed on one side of the terminal holder so as to be connected electrically with the mobile phone for outputting voice information of the mobile phone, and of voice inputting means for inputting voice information from outside to the mobile phone.

35. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, wherein a power source connecting unit is formed on the terminal holder so as to accept the other end of a power connecting cord whose one end is connected to a cigar lighter jack of the vehicle.

36. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, wherein a keyboard having a plurality of controlling keys corresponding to controlling keys of the mobile phone, and keyboard connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so as to connect to the mobile phone and to connect with the keyboard.

37. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, wherein an outer antenna connecting unit is formed on one side of the terminal holder so that an outer antenna installed outside of the vehicle is connected thereto, and the outer antenna connecting unit is electrically connected to the mobile phone when the mobile phone is accepted into the mobile phone accepting space.

38. The fusion monitor system according to claim 28, the display panel (701) further having an electronic module in order to directly connect a wireless sensor located in the vehicle and/or to directly connect the mobile phone (401) so that information received from the wireless sensor and the mobile phone (401) could be displayed on the display panel (701).