MULTI-DISPLAY MIRROR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXPANDED VIEW AROUND A VEHICLE

• US 20100201816A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: VanVuuren, Mark A., Schaudel, Carsten, Lee, Daniel B., Hendricks, Michael G., Blaker, David A., Lee, Ethan J., VanderPloeg, John A., Myers, Craig R., Poe, G. Bruce, Roth, Mark R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,411,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/44 Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers

Abstract

A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system (2600) and method includes an electrochromic (EC) glass element (2603) and a plurality of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) (2605a, 2605b, 2605c) positioned behind EC element (2603). A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (2610a, 2610b, 2610c) are used for providing backlighting for each respective LCD of the plurality of LCDs such that the LCDs utilize a plurality of imaging devices (2717, 2719, 2721) for forming substantially a single image across the plurality of LCDs (2605a, 2605b, 2605c).

Claims

1. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) glass element;

a plurality of liquid crystal displays (LCDs);

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for providing backlighting for each respective LCD of the plurality of LCDs; and

wherein the LCDs utilize a plurality of imaging devices for creating a single image formed by the plurality of LCDs.

2. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 1, wherein the imaging devices are digital cameras.

3. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 2, wherein the digital cameras are positioned on the left side, right side and rear of a vehicle.

4. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 2, wherein the digital cameras are positioned on a left side outside mirror and right side outside mirror.

5. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 1, wherein information presented on the LCD can be dynamically scaled in order to present only a desired amount of information.

6. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged into a plurality of separate matrix arrays.

7. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a button bar actuator display for allowing the driver to configure the plurality of LCDs.

8. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of LCDs operate to display driver assist features comprising at least one from the group of lane departure detection, forward collision detection, emergency braking detection, driver impairment monitoring, traffic speed sign recognition, pedestrian protection, headway monitoring, night vision, adaptive cruise control, vision range extension, blind spot detection, and rear camera display (RCD).

9. An automotive mirror system comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) mirror element;

a plurality of imaging devices attached to the vehicle;

a plurality of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for projecting light through the EC element;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a matrix configuration for providing backlighting to the plurality of LCDs; and

wherein a single image can be displayed over the plurality of LCDs such that at least one driver assist function is provided to the driver for enhancing safe vehicle operation.

10. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror assembly as in claim 9, wherein the plurality of imaging devices are digital cameras.

11. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror assembly as in claim 10, wherein the digital cameras are positioned on the left side, right side and rear of a vehicle.

12. A multi-display vehicular rearview mirror assembly as in claim 10, wherein the digital cameras are positioned on a left side outside mirror and right side outside mirror.

13. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly as in claim 9, wherein information presented on the LCD can be dynamically scaled in size in order to present only a desired amount of information.

14. An automotive rearview mirror assembly as in claim 9, further comprising a button bar actuator display positioned below the EC mirror element for allowing the driver to configure the LCD.

15. An automotive mirror assembly as in claim 9, wherein the at least one driver assist function comprises at least one from the group of:

lane departure detector, forward collision detector, emergency braking detector, driver impairment monitoring detector, traffic speed sign recognition detector, pedestrian protection detector, headway monitoring detector, night vision detector, adaptive cruise control detector, vision range extension detector, blind spot detector, and rear camera display (RCD).

16. An multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system for providing a driver with enhanced driver assist functionality comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) mirror element for use inside a vehicle;

a plurality of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for displaying information through the rear of the EC mirror element;

a plurality of light emitting diodes formed into a matrix configuration for providing backlighting to the plurality of LCDs;

a first imaging device attached to an first outside mirror assembly;

a second imaging device attached to a second outside mirror assembly;

a third imaging device attached to the rear of the vehicle; and

wherein images from the first imaging device, second imaging device and third imaging device can be presented to form one image across the plurality of LCDs such that driver assist functions presented on the plurality of LCDs can be dynamically scaled in size in order to present only a desired amount of information on the plurality of LCDs.

17. An multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 16, further comprising a button bar actuator display extending below the EC mirror element for allowing the driver to configure the LCD.

18. An multi-display vehicular rearview mirror system as in claim 16, wherein the driver assist features comprise at least one from the group of:

lane departure detector, forward collision detector, emergency braking detector, driver impairment monitoring detector, traffic speed sign recognition detector, pedestrian protection detector, headway monitoring detector, night vision detector, adaptive cruise control detector, vision range extension detector, blind spot detector, and rear camera display (RCD).

19. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system for providing video information through a plurality of LCD displays within a vehicle comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) glass element;

a first, second and third liquid crystal display (LCD) positioned behind the EC glass element;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for providing backlighting to the first, second and third LCD.

a first imaging device attached to a first outside mirror;

a second imaging device attached to a second outside mirror;

a third imaging device attached to the rear of the vehicle; and

wherein the first imaging device, second imaging device and third imaging device provide a separate image to the first, second and third LCD display respectively for forming a substantially single image.

20. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 19, wherein the first, second and third imaging devices are digital cameras.

21. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 20, wherein the digital cameras are positioned on a left side outside mirror and right side outside mirror.

22. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 19, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged into separate matrix arrays for illuminating each respective first, second and third LCD.

23. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 19, further comprising a button bar actuator display for allowing the driver to configure the first, second and third LCD.

24. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 19, wherein the first, second or third LCDs provide a driver assist function presented to the driver that is scaled in size based upon the type of driver assist function.

25. An automotive multi-display rearview mirror system as in claim 24, wherein the driver assist function includes at least one from the group of:

lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, emergency braking, driver impairment monitoring, traffic speed sign recognition, pedestrian detection, and vehicle blind spot detection.

26. A method for providing a panoramic image in a multi-display rearview mirror system, comprising the steps of:

capturing a digital image using an imaging device;

cropping the digital image at its top and bottom to provide a cropped image;

stretching the cropped image in a vertical direction to provide a vertically stretched image;

stretching the vertically stretched image in a horizontal direction to provide horizontally stretched image;

dividing the horizontally stretched image into a plurality of segments;

providing each one of the plurality of segments to a respective liquid crystal display (LCD);

displaying a panoramic image by substantially joining each of the individual segments in the multi-display mirror system.

27. A method for providing a panoramic image as in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

providing three LCD displays oriented horizontally in a mirror housing.

28. A method for providing a panoramic image as in claim 27, further comprising the step of:

positioning at least one of the three LCD displays behind an electrochromic (EC) glass element.