Rear Seat Entertainment System

• US 20080211735A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Balcerzak, Mark, Evjen, Victor Claude
• Application Number:
  US12/088,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211735A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0036 Luggage compartment

Abstract

A rear seat entertainment system (50) is disclosed. The rear seat entertainment system (50) includes a rear view imaging device (54) that captures one or more images (I) behind a vehicle (10) and a display device (52) including a first viewing surface (58) and a second viewing surface (60). The first viewing surface (58) displays one or more images in a first line of sight (L1) to one or more rear seat occupants (R). The second viewing surface (60) displays one or more images (I) within a second line of sight (L2) to a vehicle operator (F).

Claims

1. A rear seat entertainment system (50), comprising:

a rear view imaging device (54) that captures one or more rear view images (I) behind a vehicle (10); and

a display device (52) including a first viewing surface (58) and a second viewing surface (60), wherein the first viewing surface (58) displays one or more images in a first line of sight (L1) to one or more rear seat occupants (R), wherein the second viewing surface (60) displays one or more images (I) within a second line of sight (L2) to a vehicle operator (F).

2. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the display device (52) is a liquid crystal display or plasma flat panel screen.

3. The rear seat entertainment system (50b) according to claim 2, wherein the display device (52) is a doubled-sided flat panel screen (100) including two screens, one of which is disposed, respectively, on each first and second viewing surface (58, 60).

4. The rear seat entertainment system (50a) according to claim 1, wherein the display device (52) is projection screen receiving one or more projected images on the first viewing surface (58) from a first projector (75 a) and the one or more images (I) on the second viewing surface (60) from a second projector (75b).

5. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned exterior to vehicle (10).

6. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned interior of vehicle (10).

7. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the one or more images (I) are wirelessly transmitted over a communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

8. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the one or more images (I) are transmitted over a hardwired communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

9. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 1, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is a camera that captures discrete images or a series of images at a frame rate that forms a real-time video stream.

10. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 9, wherein the camera includes a night vision feature.

11. The rear seat entertainment system (50) according to claim 10 further comprising a button or dial that may activate and deactivate the night vision feature.

12. A rear seat entertainment system (50a), comprising:

a rear view imaging device (54) that captures one or more rear view images (I) behind a vehicle (10); and

a display device (52) including a first viewing surface (58) and a second viewing surface (60), wherein the first viewing surface (58) displays one or more images in a line of sight (L1) to one or more rear seat occupants (R), wherein the second viewing surface (60) displays a reproduction of the one or more rear view images (I) in a rear view line of sight (L2) of a rear view mirror (56) to the vehicle operator (F), wherein the display device (52) is projection screen that receives one or more projected images on the first viewing surface (58) from a first projector (75a) and the one or more rear view images (I) on the second viewing surface (60) from a second projector (75b).

13. The rear seat entertainment system (50a) according to claim 12, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned exterior to vehicle (10).

14. The rear seat entertainment system (50a) according to claim 12, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned interior of vehicle (10).

15. The rear seat entertainment system (50a) according to claim 12, wherein the one or more rear view images (I) are wirelessly transmitted over a communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

16. The rear seat entertainment system (50a) according to claim 12, wherein the one or more rear view images (I) are transmitted over a hardwired communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

17. A rear seat entertainment system (50b), comprising:

a rear view imaging device (54) that captures one or more rear view images (I) behind a vehicle (10); and

a display device (52) including a first viewing surface (58) and a second viewing surface (60), wherein the first viewing surface (58) displays one or more images in a line of sight (L1) to one or more rear seat occupants (R), wherein the second viewing surface (60) displays a reproduction of the one or more rear view images (I) in a rear view line of sight (L2) of a rear view mirror (56) to the vehicle operator (F), wherein the display device (52) is a doubled-sided flat panel screen (100) including two screens, one of which is disposed, respectively, on each first and second viewing surface (58, 60).

18. The rear seat entertainment system (50b) according to claim 17, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned exterior to vehicle (10).

19. The rear seat entertainment system (50b) according to claim 17, wherein the rear view imaging device (54) is positioned interior of vehicle (10).

20. The rear seat entertainment system (50b) according to claim 17, wherein the one or more rear view images (I) are wirelessly transmitted over a communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

21. The rear seat entertainment system (50b) according to claim 17, wherein the one or more rear view images (I) are transmitted over a hardwired communication path (T1) from the rear view imaging device (54) to the second viewing surface (60) of the display device (52).

22. A rear seat entertainment system (50), comprising:

a rear view imaging device (54) that captures one or more rear view images (I) behind a vehicle (10); and

a display device (52) including a first viewing surface (58) and a second viewing surface (60), wherein the first viewing surface (58) displays one or more images in a line of sight (L1) to one or more rear seat occupants (R), wherein the second viewing surface (60) displays a reproduction of the one or more rear view images (I) in a rear view line of sight (L2) of a rear view mirror (56) to the vehicle operator (F), wherein the display device (52) includes one liquid crystal display or plasma screen for either the first or second viewing surface (58, 60), wherein an opposite, rear side of the liquid crystal display or plasma screen serves as a projection screen receiving one or more projected images from a projector (75) and acts as the other first or second viewing surface (58, 60).