REARVIEW VISION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A rearview vision system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a front portion, a driver side portion, a passenger side portion and a rear portion, the driver side portion having at least one driver side entrance door and the passenger side portion having at least one passenger side entrance door, said rearview vision system comprising:
- a reflective element disposed at a side portion of the vehicle, the side portion comprising one of the driver side portion of the vehicle and the passenger side portion of the vehicle;
a camera disposed at or near said reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of said reflective element;
wherein said camera and said reflective element are disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of said reflective element and are viewed by said camera; and
wherein said camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide a generally sideward and rearward field of view to the driver.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rearview vision system for a vehicle includes a reflective element disposed at a driver or passenger side portion of a vehicle and a camera disposed at or near the reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of the reflective element. The camera and the reflective element are disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of the reflective element and viewed by the camera. The camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide the driver with a generally sideward and rearward field of view.
23 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A rearview vision system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a front portion, a driver side portion, a passenger side portion and a rear portion, the driver side portion having at least one driver side entrance door and the passenger side portion having at least one passenger side entrance door, said rearview vision system comprising:
-
a reflective element disposed at a side portion of the vehicle, the side portion comprising one of the driver side portion of the vehicle and the passenger side portion of the vehicle; a camera disposed at or near said reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of said reflective element; wherein said camera and said reflective element are disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of said reflective element and are viewed by said camera; and wherein said camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide a generally sideward and rearward field of view to the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A rearview vision system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a front portion, a driver side portion, a passenger side portion and a rear portion, the driver side portion having at least one driver side entrance door and the passenger side portion having at least one passenger side entrance door, said rearview vision system comprising:
-
a reflective element disposed at a side portion of the vehicle, the side portion comprising one of the driver side portion of the vehicle and the passenger side portion of the vehicle; wherein said reflective element comprises a curved reflective element; a camera disposed at or near said reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of said reflective element; wherein said camera and said reflective element are incorporated in a modular unit that is mounted at the side portion of the vehicle; wherein said modular unit is disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of said reflective element and are viewed by said camera; wherein said camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide a generally sideward and rearward field of view to the driver; and wherein image data captured by said camera is processed by an image processor to determine the presence of an object in the field of view of said camera. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A rearview vision system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a front portion, a driver side portion, a passenger side portion and a rear portion, the driver side portion having at least one driver side entrance door and the passenger side portion having at least one passenger side entrance door, said rearview vision system comprising:
-
a reflective element disposed at a side portion of the vehicle, the side portion comprising one of the driver side portion of the vehicle and the passenger side portion of the vehicle; a camera disposed at or near said reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of said reflective element; wherein said camera and said reflective element are disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of said reflective element and are viewed by said camera; wherein said reflective element comprises a convex curved surface viewed by said camera to provide a wide angle field of view of the area generally sideward and rearward of the vehicle; wherein said camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide a generally sideward and rearward field of view to the driver; and wherein said camera is adjustable to provide a desired field of view of the area generally sideward and rearward of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification