Rear View Mirror, Monitoring Apparatus and Monitoring Method

• US 20100001850A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Myong Rock, Chung, Jin Soo
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• 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 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic

Abstract

The embodiment relates to a rear view mirror, a monitoring apparatus and a monitoring method. The monitoring apparatus comprises a mirror for showing an object; a camera module obtaining image data from the object and processing the image data; and a display module for displaying the image data processed by the camera module.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus comprising:

a mirror for showing an object;

a camera module obtaining image data from the object and processing the image data; and

a display module for displaying the image data processed by the camera module.

2. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mirror comprises at least one of mirrors installed at internal and external portions of a movable member and a mirror installed at a fixed member.

3. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mirror comprises a trans-reflective area for displaying the image data of the display module, and the display module is behind the trans-reflective area.

4. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises an infrared camera installed in the mirror or at an outer portion of the mirror.

5. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a detection unit for detecting a subject by irradiating infrared ray onto the subject, and an image processor that processes the image data detected by the detection unit and outputs the processed image data to the display module.

6. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the camera module comprises a controller that controls operations and power supply of the detection unit, the image processor and the display module while serving as an interface to an external apparatus.

7. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a lens unit comprising at least one lens.

8. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display module comprises a display panel for displaying the image data through the mirror and a drive unit for driving the display panel.

9. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera module and the display module are turned on/off by means of a switch installed in a movable member or a fixed member, or according to a turn on/off state of a headlight.

10. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising an illumination sensor for turning on/off the camera module and the display module according to intensity of solar light.

11. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a data storage unit for storing the image data.

12. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the camera module displays the image data photographed by the camera module or the image data stored in the data storage unit.

13. The monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a photographing angle of the camera module is adjustable according to an angle of the mirror.

14. A rear view mirror comprising:

a trans-reflective mirror showing an object appearing in a rear region and being protected by a case;

a camera module at a corner of the trans-reflective mirror to obtain image data from the object appearing in the rear region; and

a display module behind the trans-reflective mirror to display the image data through the trans-reflective mirror.

15. The rear view mirror as claimed in claim 14, comprising a controller making communication with a host and controlling turn on/off operations of the camera module and the display module in a day mode or a night mode.

16. The rear view mirror as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rear view mirror comprises at least one of rear view mirrors installed at internal and external portions of a movable member and a rear view mirror installed at a fixed member.

17. The rear view mirror as claimed in claim 15, wherein the controller turns on/off the camera module and the display module by means of a switch installed in a movable member or a fixed member, according to a turn on/off state of a headlight, or according to intensity information of solar light.

18. The rear view mirror as claimed in claim 14, wherein the camera module comprises a detection unit for detecting a subject by irradiating infrared ray onto the subject, and an image processor that processes the image data detected by the detection unit and outputs the processed image data to the display module, and the display module comprises an LCD module displaying the image data through the rear view mirror and a drive unit for driving the LCD module.

19. A monitoring method comprising the steps of:

obtaining image data of a subject through a camera module;

processing the image data and outputs the processed image data to a display module behind a trans-reflective region of a rear view mirror; and

displaying the image data through the display module and the rear view mirror.

20. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the camera module and the display module are turned on/off by means of a switch installed in a movable member or a fixed member, when a headlight is turned on, or when intensity of solar light is less than a predetermined level to detect objects appearing in a rear region.