Video monitoring apparatus

• US 4,713,685 A
• Filed: 10/04/1985
• Issued: 12/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Toshihisa, Nishimura, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US06/784,021
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 358/87, 358/103, 358/108, 358/133, 358/138, 358/140, 358/11, 358/183, 358/22, 358/136
• 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 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 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A video signal which is provided up by a conventional video camera is converted into a digital signal, and a necessary part of the digital signal is selected, is memorized and is displayed, and furthermore, two video images are picked up by two video cameras are connected in the shape of video signal side by side, and if necessary, disposition of one or both of the two video images are reversed in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A video monitoring apparatus comprising:

a video camera for observing a scene and providing an analog signal thereof;

an analog-digital convertor for converting an analog signal from said camera consisting of n scanning lines to a digital signal,

abridge and memory means for memorizing an abridged part of said digital signal abridged from said digital signal corresponding to said n scanning lines,

picture range conversion means for converting a picture range by reading out memorized data from said memory means, to reconstitute a picture signal consisting of n scanning lines, and

display means for displaying video pictures produced by said picture range conversion means.

2. A video monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said abridge and memory means abridges one-half of said n scanning lines of n scanning lines of a video picture with an aspect ratio of M₁ to M₂ and memorizes said abridged one-half of said n scanning lines, and

said picture range conversion means reads out said memorized data and inserts scanning lines corresponding to said memorized data alternately between original scanning lines, and reconstitutes a picture consisting of n scanning lines and having an aspect ratio of M₁ to 2×

M₂.

4. A video monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein

said memory means comprises two field memory circuits, and

said picture range conversion means comprises readout means for reading out twice said digital signal corresponding to each scanning line memorized in said field memory circuits in synchronism with an horizontal synchronizing signal,

a line memory circuit for memorizing a readout digital signal from said field memory circuits,

an average operational circuit for calculating an average value of readout data from said field memory circuits and readout data from said line memory circuit, and

a gate circuit for selectively issuing data from said average operational circuit or said digital signal corresponding to secondly readout signal of respective scanning lines from said field memory circuits.

3. A video monitoring apparatus comprising two video cameras,

a first analog-digital convertor for converting an analog video signal from a first of said video cameras to a first digital signal,

a second analog-digital convertor for converting an analog video signal from a second of said video cameras to a second digital signal,

first switch means for switching said first digital signal as a function of an odd numbered (2n-1) scanning line or an even numbered (2n) scanning line,

second switch means for switching said second digital signal as a function of an odd numbered 2n-1) scanning line or an even numbered 2n) scanning line,

a first line memory for memorizing said first digital signal provided through said first switch means during said scanning of an odd numbered scanning line,

a second line memory for memorizing said first digital signal provided through said first switch means during said scanning of an even numbered scanning line,

a third line memory for memorizing said second digital signal provided through said second switch means during said scanning of an odd numbered scanning line,

a fourth line memory for memorizing said second digital signal provided through said second switch means during said scanning of an even numbered scanning line,

a first adder for adding and issuing digital signal read out from said third line memory after read out of digital signal of said first line memory during said scanning of an even scanning line,

a second adder adding and issuing digital signal read out from said fourth line memory after read out of digital signal of said second line memory during scanning of an odd numbered scanning line,

a third adder adding and issuing digital signal of said second adder after issue of output digital signal of said first adder, and

a display means for displaying video pictures from the output of said third adder.

5. A video monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said two video cameras are disposed one on a left side and one on a right side of a vehicle, said apparatus further comprising a sign, which turns on and off or is continuous, for display on the video monitor display by operation of a turn signal or a device corresponding to the turn signal of said vehicle.

6. A video monitoring apparatus comprising,

a video camera for issuing a video signal by scanning lines corresponding to a two dimensional picture,

an analog to digital convertor for converting said video signal from said video camera to a digital signal,

a first line memory for memorizing the digital signal corresponding to picture elements of odd numbered scanning lines from a start of a field,

a second line memory for memorizing the digital signal corresonding to picture elements of even numbered scanning lines from a start of the field,

readout means for reading out data of said first line memory in reverse order to said memorizing during a memorizing period of said even numbered scanning lines,

readout means for reading out data of said second line memory in reverse order during a memorizing period of said odd numbered scanning line, and

a display means for displaying a video picture from the outputs of said first line memory and said second line memory controlled by said readout means.

7. A video monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein

said two dimensional picture is constituted by a color composite signal including a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the phase of a color burst signal at an input terminal of said analog-digital convertor being converted to a reverse phase, and said color burst signal with reversed phase being added to an output signal of a digital to analog convertor for presentation to said display means.