Mirror replacement system for a vehicle

• US 10,011,229 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mekra Lang GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Mekra Lang GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Lang, Werner, Kunz, Manuel, Geissendoerfer, Peter, Witzke, Michael, Hornung, Michael, Centmayer, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Aynalem, Nathnael
• Application Number:
  US15/625,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 348143, 348148, 348151
• 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 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A mirror replacement system for a vehicle includes an image capture unit, a supply unit configured to supply the image capture unit with control signals, and an image reproduction unit configured to be disposed in the vehicle interior. At least one of the supply unit and the image capture unit is configured to perform video processing of the images captured by the image capture unit. The image capture unit and the supply unit are disposed in spaces separated from each other with respect to their sealing and are each disposed separated from and outside the image reproduction unit. The image capture unit is disposed in a water-vapor-tight housing, and a heating element may be integrated into the image capture unit, the heating element being controlled by the supply unit and being coupled to at least one of temperature detecting elements and vehicle control elements.

Claims

1. A mirror replacement system for a vehicle including:

an image capture unit,

a supply unit configured to supply the image capture unit with control signals, and

an image reproduction unit configured to be disposed in the vehicle interior in a manner viewable by a driver of the vehicle,

wherein the supply unit or the image capture unit or the supply unit and the image capture unit is/are configured to perform video processing of the images captured by the image capture unit for reducing an amount of data to be transmitted to the image reproduction unit, and

wherein the image capture unit and the supply unit are disposed in spaces separated from each other with respect to their sealing and are each disposed separated from and outside the image reproduction unit,

wherein the image capture unit is disposed in a water-vapor-tight housing, and

wherein a heating element is integrated into the image capture unit, the heating element being controlled by the supply unit and being coupled to temperature detecting elements or to vehicle control elements or being coupled to both temperature detecting elements and vehicle control elements.

2. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the supply unit is configured to perform at least one process selected from the group consisting of:

video processing for image resizing, image analysis for assisting the driver, image arrangement, image compiling, white balancing, self-recognition of contamination, and overlays.

3. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit and the supply unit are disposed in a common camera arm or in camera housing or in both a common camera arm and a camera housing or on a common camera arm or on a camera housing or on both a common camera arm and a camera housing.

4. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit is disposed in a metallic housing.

5. The mirror replacement system according to claim 4, wherein the supply unit is disposed in a plastic housing.

6. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, including at least one additional image capture unit.

7. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, including at least one additional supply unit.

8. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the supply unit is coupled to vehicle functional components of the vehicle.

9. The mirror replacement system according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle functional components of the vehicle, the supply unit and the image capture unit are disposed in a common housing.

10. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the supply unit is coupled to the image reproduction unit and is configured to transmit video data, which has been processed by the supply unit or by the image capture unit or by both the supply unit and the image capture unit, to the image reproduction unit.

11. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit is a digital image sensor.

12. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1,

wherein the image capture unit and the supply unit are disposed in a first common housing,

wherein the image capture unit is disposed in a water-vapor-tight second housing inside the first common housing,

wherein the supply unit is disposed in a third housing inside the first common housing, the third housing comprising a plastic housing, and

wherein the supply unit is in communication with the image reproduction unit and is configured to transmit video data, which has been processed by the supply unit to the image reproduction unit.

18. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1,

wherein the supply unit is disposed in a supply unit housing and wherein the supply unit housing is less tightly sealed against an entry of water vapor than the water-vapor-tight housing of the image capture unit.

19. The mirror replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the water-vapor-tight housing includes an interior space, wherein the image capture unit is located in the interior space and wherein the heating element is located in the interior space.

13. A mirror replacement system for a vehicle comprising:

a common housing mountable on a left or right side of a driver'"'"'s cabin, outside the vehicle, an image capture unit sealed in a water-vapor-tight image capture unit case in the common housing, and

a supply unit sealed in a supply unit case, the supply unit case being located inside the common housing and outside the image capture unit case, the supply unit case being less tightly sealed against an entry of water vapor than the image capture unit case,

wherein the supply unit is configured to communicate with an image reproduction unit outside the common housing and in the vehicle interior in a location viewable by a driver of the vehicle, and

wherein the supply unit is configured to process images captured by the image capture unit and to transmit the processed images to the image reproduction unit.

14. The mirror replacement system according to claim 13, wherein the image capture unit or the supply unit or both the image capture unit and the supply unit are configured to compress images captured by the image capture unit.

15. The mirror replacement system according to claim 13, wherein a heating element is integrated into the image capture unit, the heating element being controlled by the supply unit and being coupled to temperature detecting control elements or being coupled to vehicle control elements, or being coupled to both temperature detecting control elements and to vehicle control elements.

16. A mirror replacement system for a vehicle including:

a common housing mountable on a left or a right side of a driver'"'"'s cabin, outside the vehicle,

an image capture unit in the common housing,

a supply unit in the common housing configured to supply the image capture unit with control signals, and

an image reproduction unit outside the common housing and configured to be disposed in the vehicle interior in a manner viewable by a driver of the vehicle,

wherein the supply unit or the image capture unit or the supply unit and the image capture unit is/are configured to perform video processing of the images captured by the image capture unit for reducing an amount of data to be transmitted to the image reproduction unit, and

wherein the image capture unit is disposed in a first sealed, water-vapor-tight case in the common housing and the supply unit is disposed in a second sealed case in the common housing,

the second case being less tightly sealed against an entry of water vapor than the first case.

17. The mirror replacement system according to claim 16, wherein a heating element is integrated into the image capture unit, the heating element being controlled by the supply unit and being coupled to temperature detecting control elements or being coupled to vehicle control elements, or being coupled to both temperature detecting control elements and to vehicle control elements.