Vision display system for vehicle

• US 9,469,250 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tekle, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/042,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20160159283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0295 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/22 Cropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A vision display system for a vehicle includes at least a rear backup camera and a display system having a display screen disposed in the interior cabin of the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle. A tow check function includes a video zoom feature for use when reversing the vehicle towards a trailer so the driver of the vehicle can more readily align a trailer hitch of the vehicle with a tongue of the trailer the driver of the vehicle desires to hitch the vehicle to. The tow check function is actuatable by the driver of the vehicle prior to or during a reversing maneuver. Actuation of the tow check function zooms what is shown on the display screen from a broad view of where the trailer hitch is located to a narrower view of where the trailer hitch is located.

Claims

1. A vision display system for a vehicle, said vision display system comprising:

a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision display system;

said plurality of cameras each having respective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

said plurality of cameras comprising a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a front camera disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side camera disposed at a driver side portion of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side camera disposed at a passenger side portion of the equipped vehicle;

said rear camera comprising a backup camera;

a display system of the equipped vehicle comprising a display screen disposed in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle, said display screen having a diagonal dimension greater than 3.5 inches;

wherein said display screen is operable to display a surround view composite image derived from image data captured by said front, rear, driver side and passenger side cameras of the equipped vehicle;

a tow check function comprising a video zoom feature for use when reversing the equipped vehicle towards a trailer so the driver of the equipped vehicle can more readily align a trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with a tongue of the trailer the driver of the equipped vehicle desires to hitch the equipped vehicle to;

wherein the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle comprises a ball and wherein, during a trailer hitch maneuver of the equipped vehicle, the video zoom feature zooms to show on said display screen the region immediately behind the equipped vehicle where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located so that the driver can view the ball in video images shown on said display screen and also see the tongue of the trailer as the equipped vehicle approaches the trailer;

wherein said tow check function is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle prior to or during a reversing maneuver;

wherein actuation of said tow check function zooms what is shown on said display screen from a broad view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located to a narrower view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located;

wherein said vision display system allows for first shifting of a vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver and then prohibiting switching to a tow check or zoomed view for a threshold or minimum period of time;

wherein, after said threshold or minimum period of time has elapsed after said first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence that reversing maneuver, the tow check or zoomed view remains available during that reversing maneuver even if the equipped vehicle is again shifted back into reverse gear in order to allow for the driver to make multiple attempts to align the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with the tongue of the trailer via shifting of the vehicle transmission in and out of reverse gear multiple times during that reversing maneuver; and

wherein said threshold or minimum period of time is at least about three seconds.

2. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein said display screen is operable to display at least one of (a) navigation information and (b) infotainment information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle other than when a reversing maneuver is being executed by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein said display screen has a diagonal dimension greater than five inches.

4. The vision display system of claim 3, wherein said display screen has an aspect ratio of about 16:

9.

5. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein said driver side camera is disposed at an exterior sideview mirror assembly at the driver side of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein, within two seconds of an initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, said vision display system is operable to display on said display screen video images captured by said backup camera.

7. The vision display system of claim 6, wherein said backup camera disposed at the rear of the equipped vehicle comprises a CMOS backup camera.

8. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein provision of said video zoom feature is prohibited until after elapse of a period of time following the driver shifting a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver.

9. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein, after the equipped vehicle is shifted out of reverse gear and into a forward gear and the equipped vehicle is driven forward for more than a threshold distance or at more than a threshold speed or after the equipped vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned off, provision of said tow check function is prohibited for a threshold or minimum period of time after a subsequent first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a subsequent reversing maneuver.

10. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein, at initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, initialization of any navigational system or infotainment system of the equipped vehicle is delayed or overridden upon shifting of a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver in order to give priority to displaying on said display screen video images captured by said backup camera of the equipped vehicle during that reversing maneuver.

11. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein said vision display system prohibits switching to display on said display screen of a tow check or zoomed view at the same time as when a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse gear a first time to commence a reversing maneuver.

12. The vision display system of claim 11, wherein said vision display system allows for first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver and then prohibiting switching to the tow check or zoomed view for a threshold or minimum period of time.

13. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein said vision display system crops the field of view of displayed images captured by said backup camera to show the region immediately behind the equipped vehicle where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located so that the driver can view the ball in images displayed on said display screen images and also see the tongue of the trailer in the displayed images as the vehicle approaches the trailer.

14. The vision display system of claim 1, wherein, even if the driver of the equipped vehicle actuates said tow check function for a first time during a reversing maneuver at or around the same time as shifting a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into the reverse gear to commence that reversing maneuver, display on said display screen of the full view or uncropped view of the field of view of said backup camera is maintained for a predetermined period of time during which the displayed field of view of images displayed on said display screen cannot be changed by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vision display system of claim 14, wherein the full view or uncropped view of the field of view of said backup camera is at least about 130 degrees.

16. The vision display system of claim 14, wherein said backup camera comprises a zoom-capable backup camera.

17. A vision display system for a vehicle, said vision display system comprising:

a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision display system, said rear camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

said rear camera comprising a backup camera;

a display system of the equipped vehicle comprising a display screen disposed in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle, said display screen having a diagonal dimension greater than 3.5 inches;

a tow check function comprising a video zoom feature for use when reversing the equipped vehicle towards a trailer so the driver of the equipped vehicle can more readily align a trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with the tongue of the trailer the driver of the equipped vehicle desires to hitch the equipped vehicle to;

wherein the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle comprises a ball and wherein, during a trailer hitch maneuver of the equipped vehicle, the video zoom feature zooms to show on said display screen the region immediately behind the equipped vehicle where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located so that the driver can view the ball in video images shown on said display screen and also see the tongue of the trailer as the equipped vehicle approaches the trailer;

wherein said tow check function is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle prior to or during a reversing maneuver;

wherein actuation of said tow check function zooms what is shown on said display screen from a broad view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located to a narrower view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located;

wherein, within two seconds of an initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, said vision display system is operable to display on said display screen video images captured by said backup camera;

wherein provision of said video zoom feature is prohibited until after elapse of a period of time following the driver first shifting a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver;

wherein, after a threshold or minimum period of time has elapsed after first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence that reversing maneuver, the tow check or zoomed view remains available during that reversing maneuver even if the equipped vehicle is again shifted back into reverse gear in order to allow for the driver to make multiple attempts to align the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with the tongue of the trailer via shifting of the vehicle transmission in and out of reverse gear multiple times during that reversing maneuver; and

wherein said threshold or minimum period of time is at least about three seconds.

18. The vision display system of claim 17, wherein the full view or uncropped view of the field of view of said backup camera is at least about 130 degrees and wherein said backup camera is a member of a plurality of cameras disposed at the equipped vehicle, said plurality of cameras each having respective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, said plurality of cameras comprising said backup camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a front camera disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side camera disposed at a driver side portion of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side camera disposed at a passenger side portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display screen is operable to display a surround view composite image derived from image data captured by said front, rear, driver side and passenger side cameras of the equipped vehicle.

19. The vision display system of claim 18, wherein said display screen is operable to display at least one of (a) navigation information and (b) infotainment information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle other than when a reversing maneuver is being executed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display screen has a diagonal dimension greater than five inches.

20. The vision display system of claim 19, wherein, at initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, initialization of any navigational system or infotainment system of the equipped vehicle is delayed or overridden upon shifting of the vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver in order to give priority to displaying video images captured by said backup camera of the equipped vehicle during that reversing maneuver.

21. A vision display system for a vehicle, said vision display system comprising:

a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vision display system, said rear camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

said rear camera comprising a backup camera;

a display system of the equipped vehicle comprising a display screen disposed in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle, said display screen having a diagonal dimension greater than 3.5 inches;

a tow check function comprising a video zoom feature for use when reversing the equipped vehicle towards a trailer so the driver of the equipped vehicle can more readily align a trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with a tongue of the trailer the driver of the equipped vehicle desires to hitch the equipped vehicle to;

wherein the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle comprises a ball and wherein, during a trailer hitch maneuver of the equipped vehicle, the video zoom feature zooms to show on said display screen the region immediately behind the equipped vehicle where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located so that the driver can view the ball in video images shown on said display screen and also see the tongue of the trailer as the equipped vehicle approaches the trailer;

wherein said tow check function is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle prior to or during a reversing maneuver;

wherein actuation of said tow check function zooms what is shown on said display screen from a broad view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located to a narrower view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located;

wherein, within two seconds of an initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, said vision display system is operable to display on said display screen video images captured by said backup camera;

wherein provision of said video zoom feature is prohibited until after elapse of a period of time following the driver shifting a vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver;

wherein said vision display system allows for first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver and then prohibiting switching to a tow check or zoomed view for a threshold or minimum period of time; and

wherein, after said threshold or minimum period of time has elapsed after said first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear in that reversing maneuver, the tow check or zoomed view remains available during that reversing maneuver even if the equipped vehicle is again shifted back into reverse gear in order to allow for the driver to make multiple attempts to align the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with the tongue of the trailer via shifting of the vehicle transmission in and out of reverse gear multiple times during that reversing maneuver; and

wherein said threshold or minimum period of time is at least about three seconds.

22. The vision display system of claim 21, wherein, after the equipped vehicle is shifted out of reverse gear and into a forward gear and the equipped vehicle is driven forward for more than a threshold distance or at more than a threshold speed or after the equipped vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned off, provision of said tow check function is prohibited for said threshold or minimum period of time after a subsequent first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a subsequent reversing maneuver.

23. The vision display system of claim 21, wherein the full view or uncropped view of the field of view of said backup camera is at least about 130 degrees, and wherein said backup camera is a member of a plurality of cameras disposed at the equipped vehicle, said plurality of cameras each having respective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, said plurality of cameras comprising said backup camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a front camera disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side camera disposed at a driver side portion of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side camera disposed at a passenger side portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display screen is operable to display a surround view composite image derived from image data captured by said front, rear, driver side and passenger side cameras of the equipped vehicle.

24. The vision display system of claim 23, wherein said display screen is operable to display at least one of (a) navigation information and (b) infotainment information for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle other than when a reversing maneuver is being executed by the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display screen has a diagonal dimension greater than five inches.

25. The vision display system of claim 24, wherein, at initial ignition on of the equipped vehicle, initialization of any navigational system or infotainment system of the equipped vehicle is delayed or overridden upon shifting of the vehicle transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver in order to give priority to displaying video images captured by said backup camera of the equipped vehicle during that reversing maneuver.