Vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display

• US 9,168,869 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sami Yaseen Kamal
• Original Assignee: Sami Yaseen Kamal
• Inventors: Kamal, Sami Yaseen
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck, Leron
• Application Number:
  US14/585,137
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display includes a plurality of telematics units integrated into a road vehicle. Telematics units are connected to allow communication with an occupant of the vehicle, communication among the telematics units, and communication to a Smart heads-up display (HUD) positioned on the driver'"'"'s side to project vehicle and environmental information onto the vehicle'"'"'s windshield. The HUD projects the display image for heads-up view by the driver using either a reflector lens in back of, or a transparent film applied to, the windshield. Side view cameras and rear-facing radars are combined to alert the driver of blind spots of approaching vehicles from the rear. Forward-looking infra-red cameras are connected to the HUD to assist the driver'"'"'s forward view under poor visibility conditions. A central controller in the vehicle assists driver input to the multi-function auxiliary control system devices.

Claims

1. A vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display, comprising:

a road vehicle having an exterior portion, an interior portion, an exterior front, an exterior rear, a dashboard, and a center console in the interior portion, and left and right exterior side mirrors disposed on left and right sides of the vehicle'"'"'s exterior portion;

first and second cameras disposed on the exterior front of the road vehicle, the first and second cameras capturing a forward-looking environment surrounding the road vehicle;

a heads-up display disposed inside the road vehicle, the heads-up display projecting an electronic display of the forward-looking environment surrounding the road vehicle captured by the cameras;

a housing disposed in the dashboard, the housing being easily accessible to a driver of the road vehicle;

a plurality of sensors disposed in the vehicle for measuring multiple parameters of the driver for collecting vital statistics of the driver;

a processor and memory motherboard removably disposed in the housing, the processor and memory motherboard being operably connected to control display features of the heads-up display when the processor and memory motherboard is disposed in the housing;

wherein each of the plurality of sensors operatively coupled to the processor and motherboard for including the vital statistic data to the driver via the heads-up display; and

a center controller disposed on the center console of the road vehicle, the center controller having a touch pad mouse, an ON/Off button, a combination home button/fingerprint sensor, a back button, and a combination selection wheel and button for manual input by the driver to control the heads-up display and the multi-function auxiliary control system.

2. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, wherein the first and second cameras are short wave infrared cameras.

3. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising an interface device disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle, the interface device being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system, the interface device mediating communications among devices in the multi-function auxiliary control system.

4. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile dock disposed along the center console of the road vehicle, the mobile dock being operably connected to the heads-up display, the mobile dock being adapted for receiving a smart mobile device and connecting the smart mobile device to the multi-function auxiliary control system and the heads-up display for transparent projection of smart mobile device applications by the heads-up display.

5. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising an interior contrast and fade sensor disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle, the interior contrast and fade sensor being operably connected to the heads-up display to adjust the clarity and transparency of the heads-up display according to lighting conditions inside the road vehicle.

6. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first SIM card slot disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle and operably connected to a wireless data communications system in the road vehicle; and

a second SIM card slot disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle and operably connected to a wireless voice communications system in the road vehicle.

7. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first USB media slot disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle, the first USB media slot being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display to store parameters of the multi-function auxiliary control system; and

a second USB media slot disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle, the second USB media slot being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display to store parameters of the multi-function auxiliary control system.

8. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising an internal camera mounted inside the interior portion of the road vehicle, the internal camera being operably connected to the heads-up display for viewing of a rear seat and surrounding rear interior portions of the road vehicle.

9. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising a web camera disposed in the interior portion of the road vehicle, the web camera being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system to provide voice/gesture control of the multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display.

10. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising an external rear camera disposed in the exterior rear portion of the road vehicle, the external rear camera being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display for heads-up display projected display of objects to the rear of the road vehicle when the road vehicle has a transmission in reverse gear.

11. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a left-side exterior camera disposed in a housing of the left exterior side mirror; and

a right-side exterior camera disposed in a housing of the right exterior side mirror, the left- and right-side exterior cameras being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system and the heads-up display.

12. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 11, further comprising external rear-facing left and right radar sensors disposed in the exterior rear portion of the road vehicle, the external rear-facing left and right radar sensors being operably connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system and the heads-up display for warning of approaching objects from the rear of the road vehicle.

13. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for selectively activating the side cameras to alert the driver about vehicles approaching a blind spot when an object has been sensed by either of the radar sensors; and

means for transmitting a side view as seen by the side cameras to the heads-up display for a projected display of the side view.

14. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 13, further comprising means for automatically turning off the selectively activated side cameras when the radar sensors no longer indicate approaching objects from the rear.

15. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, wherein the road vehicle comprises a windshield and a driver'"'"'s seat, the heads-up display projecting an electronic display of images detected by cameras and sensors connected to the multi-function auxiliary control system onto the windshield in front of the driver'"'"'s seat, whereby a driver may view the images while simultaneously looking through the windshield.

16. The vehicle with a multi-function auxiliary control system and heads-up display according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include a weight sensor disposed seat for the driver, and a pair of sensor disposed in the steering wheel.

17. A system for improving the operability and control of a vehicle, the vehicle having an exterior portion, an interior portion, an exterior front, an exterior rear, a dashboard, a windshield and a seat for a driver, and a center console in the interior portion, and left and right exterior side mirrors disposed on left and right sides of the exterior portion, the system comprising:

an input module, a processor module, and a display module;

the input module including a plurality of input devices, the plurality of input devices selected from the group consisting of;

a weight sensor for collecting the weight of the driver;

a pair of sensors disposed on the steering wheel for collecting health data of the driver;

first and second short wave infrared cameras disposed on the exterior front of the vehicle, the first and second short wave infrared cameras capturing a forward-looking environment surrounding the vehicle;

an external rear camera disposed in the exterior rear portion of the vehicle, the external rear camera capturing a rearward-looking environment surrounding the vehicle;

an interior contrast and fade sensor disposed in the interior portion of the vehicle;

an internal camera mounted inside the interior portion of the vehicle;

a left-side exterior camera disposed in a housing of the left exterior side mirror; and

a right-side exterior camera disposed in a housing of the right exterior side mirror;

external rear-facing left and right radar sensors disposed in the exterior rear portion of the vehicle;

wherein the input module monitors and provides exterior environmental information about the vehicle; and

the processor module including a plurality of components, the plurality of components selected from the group consisting of;

an interface device disposed in the interior portion of the vehicle, the interface device mediating communications among the devices of the input module;

a first SIM card slot;

a second SIM card slot;

a first USB media slot;

a second USB media slot;

a web camera disposed in the interior portion of the vehicle for collecting images about the interior environment of the vehicle;

a processor and memory motherboard removably disposed in the housing, the processor and memory motherboard being operably connected to the interface for receiving a collection of data input from the components of the input module; and

a center controller disposed on the center console of the vehicle for providing an auxiliary control of the system in the vehicle, the center controller having a touch pad mouse, an on/off button, a combination home button/fingerprint sensor, a back button a combination selection wheel and button for manual input, and a mobile dock disposed along the center console of the vehicle;

wherein the processing module processes the exterior environmental information, and generates a collection of reproduction images of the environment about the vehicle; and

the display module consisting of;

a heads-up display disposed inside the vehicle, the heads-up display including a means for projecting an electronic display of images onto the windshield in front of the seat for the driver; and

a housing disposed in the dashboard, the housing being easily accessible to a driver of the vehicle;

wherein receives the collection of reproduction images of the exterior and interior environments about the vehicle and displays the images upon the windshield in front of the seat for the driver;

whereby a driver may view the images while simultaneously looking through the windshield while the heads-up display projects an electronic display of the environment surrounding the vehicle captured by the input module.