Vision system for a vehicle including image processor

• US 7,859,565 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vadas, Keith J, Schofield, Kenneth, Larson, Mark L
• Primary Examiner(s): CZEKAJ, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US10/643,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,688 Days
• Field of Search: 348148-149
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• 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 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear 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 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 : using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 : using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 : using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 : using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 : using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 : using a head-up display
• 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 2300/30 : characterised by the type of image processing
• 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 2300/303 : using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 : using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 : merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 : virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 : triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 : characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 : for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 : in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 : for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 : for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 : for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 : for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 : for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 : for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 : characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 : including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 : the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 : with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 : arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 : using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle equipped with at least two image capture devices. The image capture devices capture an image external of the vehicle and have overlapping fields of view. Outputs of the at least two image capture devices are fed to an image processor. The image processor produces a synthesized image from the outputs of the at least two image capture devices. The vision system may be a night-vision system.

Claims

1. A vision system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle equipped with at least two image capture devices, said two image capture devices capturing images external of the vehicle, said two image capture devices having overlapping fields of view;

said vehicle equipped with an image processor, wherein image data captured by said two image capture devices are processed by said image processor, said image processor producing a synthesized image from said image data captured by said two image capture devices, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data captured by said two image capture devices without duplication of image information;

said vehicle equipped with a display screen displaying said synthesized image, said synthesized image displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle, wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said two image capture devices; and

said image processor processing said image data by at least one technique chosen from luminant blending, chrominant blending, dynamic range extending, pixel group compensation, anti-blooming, multiple exposure, image morphing compensation and image warping compensation.

2. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said two image capture devices are positioned on opposite sides of the vehicle, and wherein the synthesized image comprises two image portions arranged on said screen in the same orientation as respective locations of said two image capture devices on the vehicle, and wherein said image portions are reverse row sequenced from images captured by the respective ones of said two image capture devices.

3. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said two image capture devices have their fields of view in a direction generally rearward with respect to the vehicle, (b) said two image capture devices have their fields of view in a direction generally forward with respect to the vehicle, (c) said vision system comprises a night-vision system, (d) said two image capture devices have their fields of view generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and (e) said two image capture devices are positioned on opposite sides of the vehicle.

4. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least two image capture devices comprise multi-pixel imaging arrays, and wherein said multi-pixel imaging arrays comprise CMOS imaging arrays.

5. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said display screen comprises one of (a) a flat panel display comprising one of (i) a liquid crystal display, (ii) a plasma display and (iii) a field emission display, and (b) a cathode ray tube.

6. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said display screen is at least one of (a) positioned within the field of view of the driver without substantially obstructing the view through a windshield, (b) mounted to one of a dashboard, a facia, a header and a windshield of the vehicle, (c) mounted at a position conventionally occupied by an interior rearview mirror, (d) a display of one of a projected and a virtual image and (e) a heads-up display.

7. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said fields of view of said two image capture devices are dynamically adjustable.

8. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein one of said two image capture devices is associated with a driver side exterior mirror of the vehicle and wherein the other of said two image capture devices is associated with a passenger side exterior mirror of the vehicle.

9. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said fields of view of said two image capture devices are dynamically adjustable at least as a function of vehicle speed.

10. The vision system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said two image capture devices have variable exposure periods.

11. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least three image capture devices mounted to the vehicle and directed rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of said vehicle;

wherein two of said image capture devices comprise side image capture devices respectively mounted on opposite lateral sides of said vehicle and one of said image capture devices comprises a center image capture device mounted at a center rear portion of the vehicle between said side image capture devices, and wherein said center image capture device has a field of view that overlaps the fields of view of each of said side image capture devices;

a display system which displays a composite image synthesized from image data captured by said image capture devices without duplication of image information, said display system displaying said composite image on a single display screen of the vehicle that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, the displayed image including an image portion from an image captured by each of said side and center image capture devices; and

wherein said side and center image capture devices are aimed along non-parallel axes and wherein said displayed composite image aids a driver when the driver is maneuvering the vehicle.

12. The vision system in claim 11, wherein one of said two side image capture devices images a side blind spot on the side of the vehicle to which it is mounted and wherein the other of said two side image capture devices images a side blind spot on the side of the vehicle to which it is mounted, and wherein said center image capture device of said three image capture devices mounted to the vehicle images a rear blind spot at the rear of the vehicle.

13. The vision system in claim 11, wherein duplication of objects that are captured in the overlapping fields of view of said side and center image captured devices is not present in said displayed composite image.

14. The vision system in claim 11, wherein at least one of (a) said center image capture device has a horizontal field of view that is generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and wherein said displayed composite image approximates a view from a single location and (b) said displayed composite image approximates a view from a single location.

15. The vision system in claim 11, wherein said displayed composite image provides to the driver a sense of perspective in order to enhance the driver'"'"'s ability to maneuver the vehicle.

16. The vision system in claim 11 including an electronically generated graphic overlay seen superimposed on said displayed composite image in order to enhance the driver'"'"'s ability to maneuver the vehicle rearwardly.

17. The vision system in claim 11, wherein each of said three image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array.

18. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least three image capture devices mounted to the vehicle, each of said image capture devices having a respective generally rearward field of view, two of said image capture devices being side image capture devices respectively mounted on opposite lateral sides of said vehicle and one of said image capture devices being a center image capture device mounted at a rear center portion of the vehicle between said side image capture devices, and wherein said center image capture device has a field of view that overlaps the fields of view of each of said side image capture devices;

a display system which displays a composite image synthesized from image data captured by said image capture devices without duplication of image information, said display system displaying said composite image on a single display screen of the vehicle that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, the displayed image including an image portion from an image captured by each of said image capture devices;

wherein an electronically generated graphic overlay is provided on said displayed composite image that enhances the driver'"'"'s understanding of what is in the area adjacent the vehicle and wherein said displayed composite image aids a driver when the driver is maneuvering the vehicle; and

wherein each of said three image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array.

19. The vision system in claim 18, wherein one of said two side image capture devices images a side blind spot on the side of the vehicle to which it is mounted and wherein the other of said two side image capture devices images a side blind spot on the side of the vehicle to which it is mounted, and wherein said center image capture device of said three image capture devices mounted to the vehicle images a rear blind spot at the rear of the vehicle and wherein said graphic overlay is enabled when the vehicle'"'"'s gear actuator is selected to be in reverse gear during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle.

20. The vision system in claim 18, wherein at least one of (a) said graphic overlay has a form that responds to the rate of turn of the vehicle, (b) said graphic overlay has a form that responds to at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s steering system, the vehicle'"'"'s differential system and a compass, (c) said at least three image capture devices are at substantially the same height on the vehicle and (d) said at least three image capture devices are aimed along non-parallel axes.

21. The vision system in claim 18, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location.

22. The vision system in claim 18, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location, and wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in said view.

23. The vision system in claim 22, wherein said dead space comprises a footprint of said vehicle in said view.

24. The vision system in claim 22, wherein the displayed image includes perspective lines.

25. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

at least three image capture devices mounted to the vehicle, each of said image capture devices having a respective generally rearward field of view, two of said image capture devices being side image capture devices respectively mounted on opposite lateral sides of said vehicle and one of said image capture devices being a center image capture device mounted at a rear center portion of the vehicle between said side image capture devices, and wherein said center image capture device has a field of view that overlaps the fields of view of each of said side image capture devices;

a display system which displays a composite image synthesized from image data captured by said image capture devices without duplication of image information, said display system displaying said composite image on a single display screen of the vehicle that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, the displayed image including an image portion from an image captured by each of said image capture devices; and

wherein at least one of (a) said three image capture devices are at substantially the same height on the vehicle and (b) said three image capture devices are aimed along non-parallel axes.

26. The vision system in claim 25, wherein the image portion from said center image capture device is compressed, and wherein said image portion from said center image capture device is vertically compressed.

27. The vision system in claim 25, wherein each of said image capture devices comprises a CMOS imaging array.

28. The vision system in claim 25, wherein the image portion from said center image capture device is compressed, and wherein values of adjacent pixels are adjusted as a function of pixel values of removed lines.

29. The vision system in claim 25, wherein the image portion from said center image capture device is compressed, and wherein said image portion from said center image capture device has a vertically central portion and vertically upper and lower portions, and wherein said upper and lower portions are laterally wider than said central portion.

30. A vision system for a vehicle having a gear actuator, said vision system comprising:

at least two image capture devices positioned on the vehicle and directed rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of said vehicle, and wherein said two image capture devices have overlapping fields of view;

a display system which displays a composite image synthesized from image data captured by said two image capture devices without duplication of image information, said display system displaying said composite image on a single display screen of the vehicle that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, wherein the displayed composite image displayed on said single display screen includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said two image capture devices;

wherein an electronically generated graphic overlay, that enhances the driver'"'"'s understanding of what is in the area adjacent the vehicle, is seen superimposed on said displayed composite image; and

wherein said graphic overlay is enabled when the vehicle'"'"'s gear actuator is selected to be in reverse gear.

31. The vision system in claim 30, wherein at least one of (a) said graphic overlay has a form that responds to the rate of turn of the vehicle, (b) said graphic overlay has a form that responds to at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s steering system, the vehicle'"'"'s differential system and a compass and (b) said graphic overlay has a form that is a function of at least one of the direction or travel and speed of the vehicle.

32. The vision system in claim 30, wherein said graphic overlay comprises distance indicia indicating distances behind the vehicle of objects juxtaposed within a grid.

33. The vision system in claim 32, wherein at least one of (a) said indicia has a form that responds to the rate of turn of the vehicle, and (b) said indicia has a form that responds to at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s steering system, the vehicle'"'"'s differential system and a compass.

34. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location.

35. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location, and wherein said single location is forward of the driver with respect to said direction of travel.

36. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location, and wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in said view.

37. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location, and wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in said view and wherein said dead space comprises a footprint of said vehicle in said view.

38. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location, and wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in said view and wherein said displayed image includes perspective lines.

39. The vision system in claim 32, wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in the fields of view of said two image capture devices.

40. The vision system in claim 30 including an image processor for processing image data captured by said two image capture devices, wherein said image processor processes said image data captured by said two image capture devices by at least one technique chosen from luminant blending, chrominant blending, dynamic range extending, pixel group compensation, anti-blooming, multiple exposure, image morphing compensation and image warping compensation.

41. A vision system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle equipped with at least two image capture devices, said at least two image capture devices capturing images external of the vehicle, said two image capture devices having overlapping fields of view;

said vehicle equipped with an image processor, wherein image data captured by said two image capture devices are processed by said image processor, said image processor producing a synthesized image from said image data captured by said two image capture devices, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data of said two image capture devices without duplication of image information;

said vehicle equipped with a display screen displaying said synthesized image, said synthesized image displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle, wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said two image capture devices; and

said image processor processing said image data by luminant blending.

42. The vision system of claim 41, wherein said image processor processes said image data by chrominant blending.

43. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a left side image capture device mounted at a left side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said left side image capture device is mounted at or near a left side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a right side image capture device mounted at a right side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said right side image capture device is mounted at or near a right side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a center image capture device mounted at a center rear portion of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

wherein said left image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view and wherein said right image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view;

an image processor, wherein image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices are processed by said image processor, wherein said image processor processes said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices to synthesize a synthesized composite image, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices without duplication of image information;

a display screen displaying said synthesized composite image, wherein said synthesized composite image is displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle;

wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen comprises a left image portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said left image capture device, a center portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said center image capture device, and a right portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said right image capture device, and wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location; and

wherein said image processor processes said image data by luminant blending and at least one technique chosen from chrominant blending, dynamic range extending, pixel group compensation, anti-blooming, multiple exposure, image morphing compensation and image warping compensation.

44. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a left side image capture device mounted at a left side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said left side image capture device is mounted at or near a left side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a right side image capture device mounted at a right side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said right side image capture device is mounted at or near a right side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a center image capture device mounted at a center rear portion of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

wherein said left image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view and wherein said right image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view;

an image processor, wherein image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices are processed by said image processor, wherein said image processor processes said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices to synthesize a synthesized composite image, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices without duplication of image information;

a display screen displaying said synthesized composite image, wherein said synthesized composite image is displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle;

wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen comprises a left image portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said left image capture device, a center portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said center image capture device, and a right portion derived from at least a portion of an image captured by said right image capture device;

wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location; and

wherein the displayed image includes a dead space which would be occupied by said vehicle in said view.

45. The vision system in claim 44, wherein said dead space comprises a footprint of said vehicle in said view.

46. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a left side image capture device mounted at a left side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said left side image capture device is mounted at or near a left side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a right side image capture device mounted at a right side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said right side image capture device is mounted at or near a right side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a center image capture device mounted at a center rear portion of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

wherein said left image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view so that a portion of images captured by said left image capture device and said center image capture device encompass similar regions exterior the vehicle, and wherein said right image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view so that a portion of images captured by said right image capture device and said center image capture device encompass similar regions exterior the vehicle;

an image processor, wherein image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices are processed by said image processor, wherein said image processor processes said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices to synthesize a synthesized composite image, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices without duplication of image information;

a display screen for displaying said synthesized composite image;

wherein said synthesized composite image is displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle; and

wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said left, right and center image capture devices, and wherein the displayed image approximates a view from a single location.

47. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a left side image capture device mounted at a left side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said left side image capture device is mounted at or near a left side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a right side image capture device mounted at a right side of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly and sidewardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said right side image capture device is mounted at or near a right side exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle;

a center image capture device mounted at a center rear portion of the vehicle and directed generally rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

wherein said left image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view so that a portion of images captured by said left image capture device and said center image capture device encompass similar regions exterior the vehicle, and wherein said right image capture device and said center image capture device have overlapping fields of view so that a portion of images captured by said right image capture device and said center image capture device encompass similar regions exterior the vehicle;

an image processor, wherein image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices are processed by said image processor, wherein said image processor processes said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices to synthesize a synthesized composite image, and wherein said synthesized image comprises a composite image of said image data captured by said left, right and center image capture devices without duplication of image information;

a display screen for displaying said synthesized composite image, wherein said synthesized composite image is displayed as a single image on a single display screen that is viewable by a driver of said vehicle when the driver is normally operating said vehicle;

wherein the displayed image displayed on said single display screen includes an image portion from an image captured by each of said left, right and center image capture devices; and

wherein said displayed composite image provides to the driver a sense of perspective in order to enhance the driver'"'"'s ability to maneuver the vehicle.

48. The vision system in claim 47 including an electronically generated graphic overlay seen superimposed on said displayed composite image in order to enhance the driver'"'"'s ability to maneuver the vehicle rearwardly.

49. The vision system in claim 47, wherein the displayed image on said single display screen approximates a view from a single location.