Vehicular forward-vision display system decreasing luminance with decreasing vehicle speed

• US 7,092,007 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Takagi, Hirokazu, Goto, Yoshihiko, Senoo, Hideki, Hirayama, Yasuo, Eguchi, Shotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20040017282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/153, 348/207, 348/234, 340/901, 340/425, 340/461, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 250/334, 250/351
• 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 1/24 in front 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 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicular forward-vision display system includes a night-vision camera for scanning a nighttime image ahead of a vehicle and a head-up display for displaying the scanned nighttime image as a virtual image on a front windshield. Luminance of the displayed image is decreased with decreasing vehicle speed. The luminance of the nighttime image is thereby decreased under a low speed where vision aid is not so necessary. This decreasing of the luminance results in giving a driver relief from the bother of being caught by the scanned image displayed on the front windshield.

Claims

1. A vehicular forward-vision display system comprising:

a night-vision camera for scanning a nighttime image ahead of a vehicle;

a displaying unit for displaying the scanned nighttime image as a virtual image on a front windshield;

an infrared lamp provided in a front of the vehicle for radiating infrared light on an object ahead of the vehicle; and

a main switch for activating the vehicular forward-vision display system,

wherein the infrared lamp is turned on in the case where the vehicle speed is the certain vehicle speed or more while the vehicular forward-vision display system is activated,

wherein luminance intensity of the displayed image is decreased with decreasing vehicle speed, and

wherein the night-vision camera is disposed near an upper side of a windshield in an interior of the vehicle for scanning the nighttime image, which is ahead of the vehicle and irradiated with the infrared light radiated by the infrared lamp.

2. A vehicular forward-vision display system according to claim 1,

wherein the luminance intensity of the displayed image is gradually varied according to the vehicle speed.

3. A vehicular forward-vision display system according to claim 1,

wherein the luminance intensity of the displayed image is stepwise varied by determining whether the vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined value.

4. A vehicular forward-vision display system according to claim 3,

wherein the predetermined value is 0 km per hour.

5. A vehicular forward-vision display system comprising:

a night-vision camera for scanning a nighttime image ahead of a vehicle;

a display unit for displaying the scanned nighttime image as a displayed image on a front windshield;

an infrared lamp provided in a front of the vehicle for radiating infrared light ahead of the vehicle; and

a main switch for activating the vehicular forward-vision display system,

wherein control of the luminance intensity is varied at a first value of the vehicle speed when the vehicle speed is increasing,

wherein the control of the luminance intensity is varied at a second value of the vehicle speed different from the first value of the vehicle speed when the vehicle speed is decreasing,

wherein the night-vision camera is disposed near an upper side of a windshield in an interior of the vehicle for scanning the nighttime image ahead of the vehicle, the nighttime image capable of including an object ahead of the vehicle irradiated with the infrared light radiated by the infrared lamp, and

wherein the infrared lamp is energized when the vehicle speed is at or above a certain vehicle speed and the vehicular forward-vision display system is activated.

6. A vehicular forward-vision display system according to claim 5,

wherein the luminance intensity of the displayed image is gradually increased as the vehicle speed increases, and

wherein the luminance intensity of the displayed image is gradually decreased as the vehicle speed decreases.

7. A vehicular forward-vision display system according to claim 5,

wherein the luminance intensity of the displayed image is stepwise varied.