Vehicle turning assist system and method
First Claim
1. A turning maneuver assist system for a trailer towing vehicle having a trailer body connected to the vehicle by way of a hitch, said system comprising:
- a first camera positioned on a first side of the vehicle to generate video images on the first side of the vehicle and the trailer body;
a second camera positioned on a second side of the vehicle to generate video images on the second side of the vehicle and the trailer body;
a drop-down display located onboard the vehicle stowable in an overhead compartment forward of a driver of the vehicle and deployable downward to a use position viewable by the driver for displaying images generated by one of the first and second video cameras when one of the first and second video cameras is activated, wherein the display comprises an actuator for actuating the display downward to the use position and upward to a stowed position; and
a controller for controlling activation of the first and second cameras and presentation of the images on the display, wherein the controller activates the display to output images captured by one of the first and second cameras when the vehicle is determined to be sufficiently turning and deactivates the display when the vehicle is determined not to be sufficiently turning.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A turning maneuver assist system and method are provided for assisting the driver of a vehicle with a visual image while turning the vehicle. The system includes first and second cameras positioned to generate video images on respective first and second sides of the vehicle. The system also includes a drop-down display located onboard the vehicle for displaying images generated by the first and second video cameras. The system further includes a controller for controlling activation of the first and second cameras and the presentation of images on the display. The controller activates one of the first and second cameras and controls the display to output images captured by the activated camera when the vehicle is determined to be turning. The display is mounted forward and above the driver and moves between a stowed position and a viewable position.
106 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A turning maneuver assist system for a trailer towing vehicle having a trailer body connected to the vehicle by way of a hitch, said system comprising:
-
a first camera positioned on a first side of the vehicle to generate video images on the first side of the vehicle and the trailer body; a second camera positioned on a second side of the vehicle to generate video images on the second side of the vehicle and the trailer body; a drop-down display located onboard the vehicle stowable in an overhead compartment forward of a driver of the vehicle and deployable downward to a use position viewable by the driver for displaying images generated by one of the first and second video cameras when one of the first and second video cameras is activated, wherein the display comprises an actuator for actuating the display downward to the use position and upward to a stowed position; and a controller for controlling activation of the first and second cameras and presentation of the images on the display, wherein the controller activates the display to output images captured by one of the first and second cameras when the vehicle is determined to be sufficiently turning and deactivates the display when the vehicle is determined not to be sufficiently turning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 21)
-
-
12. A method of assisting a driver of a trailer towing vehicle having a trailer body connected by way of a hitch when the vehicle is turning, said method comprising the steps of:
-
determining when the vehicle is sufficiently turning toward a first side of the vehicle; activating a first camera located on the first side of the vehicle to capture video images on the first side of the vehicle and the trailer body when the vehicle is determined to be turning towards the first side; activating an actuator to deploy a drop-down display from a stowed position in an overhead compartment to a lowered use position forward of a driver of the vehicle such that the display is viewable by the driver; displaying the video images captured by the first camera on the display onboard the vehicle when the vehicle is determined to be sufficiently turning toward the first side; and deactivating images provided by the first camera on the display when the vehicle is not determined to be sufficiently turning in a direction toward the first side. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22)
-
Specification