Vehicle monitor apparatus

• US 8,040,376 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Yamada, Ayako
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair; Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/735,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 348139-159
• 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 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

To provide a vehicle monitor apparatus capable of acquiring more information through effective utilization of an image taking region of a camera on the occasion of taking interior and exterior images of a vehicle with the camera.

A vehicle monitor apparatus 1 is provided with a drive recorder 11 and a reflecting mirror 12. The drive recorder 11 is provided with a camera 14 and the camera 14 is arranged to take a forward image of the vehicle 2. In an image taking region of the camera 14, the reflecting mirror 12 is located in a range where a hood 23 should be imaged if the reflecting mirror 12 were excluded, and the camera 14 takes an image of an exterior situation outside the vehicle viewed through a windshield 22, and an image projected by the reflecting mirror 12.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitor apparatus comprising:

a camera disposed in a vehicle interior of a vehicle and which takes an exterior image outside the vehicle interior; and

other region projecting member located in an image taking region of the camera and which projects an image of an other region which excludes a region subjected to direct image taking with the camera;

wherein the image taking region of the camera comprising;

an image taking region which is a region where the image projected by the other region projecting member is taken, and

a direct image taking region which is the region subjected to the direct image taking with the camera, except for the image taking region; and

wherein an extended region of the image taking region blocked by the other region projecting member includes a part of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle monitor apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the other region projecting member is a mirror, and

wherein the other region is the vehicle interior projected by reflection of the mirror.

3. The vehicle monitor apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the camera takes a forward image of the vehicle, and

wherein the part of the vehicle is a hood of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle monitor apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the camera is housed in an inner mirror provided in the vehicle interior.