Vehicle camera assembly

• US 9,403,491 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Happy, Kyle, Bowers, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh, Justin P
• Application Number:
  US14/471,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0092 with motorization
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle body structure and a video camera assembly. The video camera assembly includes a base member, a video camera, a video display and an image processor. The base member is fixedly mounted to a side surface of the vehicle. The video camera is moveably supported to the base member for movement between a retracted orientation adjacent to the side surface and an extended orientation extended outward away from the side surface to capture a video image of an area outside the vehicle. The video display is supported within the vehicle such that the video display is visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The image processor is operatively coupled to the video camera and the video display to process the video image captured by the video camera and to stream a video view to the video display.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body structure defining a side facing surface outside the vehicle body structure extending from adjacent a front end of the vehicle to adjacent a rear end of the vehicle, an inner facing surface, opposite to the side facing surface, extending from adjacent the front end to adjacent the rear end and a passenger compartment within the vehicle body structure;

a base member fixedly mounted to the inner facing surface;

a video camera moveably supported to the base member for linear movement between a retracted orientation adjacent to the side facing surface and an extended orientation extended outward away from the side facing surface to capture a video image of an area outside the vehicle body structure, the video camera being flush with the side facing surface when in the retracted orientation;

a video display supported to the vehicle body structure such that the video display is visible within the passenger compartment; and

an image processor operatively coupled to the video camera and the video display to process the video image captured by the video camera and to stream a video view to the video display.

2. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the video camera includes a position adjusting mechanism configured to automatically move the vehicle camera to the extended orientation in response detection that the vehicle is being operated.

5. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the video camera is configured to undergo telescoping movement with respect to the base member.

3. A vehicle camera assembly, comprising

a base member configured to attach to a vehicle body structure;

a housing movably coupled to the base member for linear movement between a retracted orientation adjacent to the base member and an extended orientation extended outward away from the base member;

a video camera mounted to the housing for movement therewith to capture a video image;

a mechanical movement structure connected to the base member and the video camera configured to move the video camera between the retracted orientation and the extended orientation; and

a second camera fixed to the housing for movement therewith, the video camera being aimed in a first direction, and the second camera being aimed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The vehicle in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

a vehicle body structure defining a side facing surface outside the vehicle body structure and a passenger compartment within the vehicle body structure, the base member being fixedly mounted to the side facing surface;

a video display supported to the vehicle body structure such that the video display is visible within the passenger compartment; and

an image processor operatively coupled to the video camera and the video display to process the video image captured by the video camera and to stream a video view to the video display.

6. The vehicle in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the video camera is aimed to capture video images in a rearward direction relative to the vehicle body structure.

7. A vehicle camera assembly comprising

a base member configured to attach to a vehicle body structure;

a housing movably coupled to the base member for linear movement between a retracted orientation adjacent to the base member and an extended orientation extended outward away from the base member;

a video camera mounted to the housing for movement therewith to capture a video image; and

a mechanical movement structure connected to the base member and the video camera configured to move the video camera between the retracted orientation and the extended orientation; and

a second camera non-movably fixed to the base member, the video camera being aimed in a first direction, and the second camera being aimed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7, further comprising

a towing connector, and

the video camera includes a position adjusting mechanism configured to automatically move the vehicle camera to the extended orientation in response detection that the towing connector is in use.

9. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7 wherein

the second camera is aimed in a downward direction relative to the vehicle body structure.

10. The vehicle in accordance with claim 9, further comprising

the video camera is aimed in a rearward direction relative to the vehicle body structure.

11. The vehicle in accordance with claim 9, wherein

the housing having a hollow interior and a slot along a lower surface thereof that is open to the hollow interior, and

the second video camera is located within the hollow interior of the housing such that a lens of the second video camera aligns with the slot.

12. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7, further comprising

a turn signal lamp fixed to the housing and being movable therewith.

13. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7, wherein

the first direction is a rearward direction and the second direction is a downward direction.