REAR VIEW MIRROR SIMULATION

• US 20110254957A1
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents), Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Linsenmaier, Frank, Eder, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 9,238,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/61 the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4"

Abstract

The invention relates to an exterior mirror simulation with image data recording and a display of the recorded and improved data for the driver of a motor vehicle. The display on a display device shows the data in a way chosen by the driver or the vehicle manufacturer.

Claims

1. (canceled)

8. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a reverse view switch to adjust said display device to an extended display when the motor vehicle is reversing.

7. (canceled)

9. A method for exterior mirror simulation, whereby an image of a wide-angle lens having a field of view is recorded, and the information of the pixels of the optical sensor undergoes the following steps:

recording of the image;

determining the distortion;

selecting an image rectification algorithm;

applying the rectification algorithm to subset of the total pixels in the image to create a rectified image;

storing the rectified image; and

displaying the rectified image on the display.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of calculating the field of view of the driver prior to the step of applying the rectification algorithm.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of enlarging the field of view in the display when the motor vehicle is being reversed.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the display is calibrated by the manufacturer.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the calibrating of the display is set to a type of mirror to be simulated.

15. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of adjusting the image on the display by selecting a subset of pixels in the display differing from those in the image.

14. A rear view assembly for a motor vehicle, said rear view assembly comprising:

a housing fixedly secured to the motor vehicle, said housing including an optical sensor housed therewith and a lens focusing light for said optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image, said optical sensor creating electrical signal representative of the focused light;

a display device operatively connected to said optical sensor for receiving said electrical signal and for displaying the electrical signal as a rear view image for a driver of the motor vehicle such that said rear view image includes distortions created by said lens.

2. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image on said display device simulates a plane exterior mirror.

3. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image on said display device simulates a convex exterior mirror.

4. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image on said display device simulates an aspherical exterior mirror.

5. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image on said display device simulates an exterior mirror with additional lens.

6. A rear view assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image on said display device simulates an adjustment of the view for the driver.