Peripheral viewing system for a vehicle

• US 8,792,004 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian Kwangshik Hong, Ran Soo Hong
• Original Assignee: Brian Kwangshik Hong, Ran Soo Hong
• Inventors: Hong, Brian KwangShik, Hong, Ran Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/086,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20140077939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148, 340/435, 340/425.5, 359/896, 701/45
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A peripheral viewing system for a vehicle includes a pair of digital cameras, each positioned on the exterior of the vehicle proximately positioned where a side view mirror would typically be mounted. An additional digital camera is mounted on the vehicle roof immediately adjacent the top edge of the rear window. A plurality of LCD'"'"'s each discretely associated with a corresponding camera are mounted within the vehicle passenger compartment at a location that is readily observable by the vehicle driver. The driver can panoramically view trailing traffic by observing the LCD'"'"'s in the passenger compartment. One or more infrared phototransistor receivers are positioned at the rear of the vehicle for detecting oncoming vehicles. If the driver attempts to change lanes and activates a turn signal, a warning message will be emitted within the passenger compartment if any of the transistors detect an approaching vehicle within a predetermined range of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for providing warning to a driver of a vehicle that includes two opposing sides, a steering wheel positioned within a passenger compartment, and a rear, the system comprising:

a computer;

one or more phototransistors, each mounted on each side of the vehicle and adjacent the rear of the vehicle, wherein each phototransistor is electrically connected to the computer; and

an audible alarm means electrically connected to the computer for audibly alerting a driver if one of the one or more phototransistor detects an object within a predetermined range of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle includes a turn signal switch means electrically connected to the computer for exclusively activating the audible alarm means if the object is within the predetermined range of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a trailing vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more phototransistors are sensors that operate at 40 Khz modulation so as to reject spurious light.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more phototransistors are infrared phototransistor detectors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more phototransistors is positioned immediately adjacent the taillight of the vehicle.

6. A method for providing warning to a driver of a vehicle that includes two opposing sides, a steering wheel positioned within a passenger compartment, and a rear, the method being implemented by a computer including one or more processors, the method comprising:

providing a computer;

providing one or more phototransistors, each mounted on each side of the vehicle and adjacent the rear of the vehicle, to detect objects within a predetermined range of the vehicle, wherein each phototransistor is electrically connected to the computer;

providing an audible alarm means to audibly alert a driver if one of the one or more phototransistor detects an object within the predetermined range of the vehicle, wherein the audible alarm means is electrically connected to the computer; and

providing a turn signal switch means to exclusively activate the audible alarm means if the object is within the predetermined range of the vehicle, wherein the turn signal switch means is electrically connected to the computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the object is a trailing vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more phototransistors are sensors that operate at 40 Khz modulation so as to reject spurious light.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more phototransistors are infrared phototransistor detectors.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more phototransistors is positioned immediately adjacent the taillight of the vehicle.