Motor vehicle comprising an electronic rear-view mirror

• US 9,725,048 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Heinemann, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Jebari, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/383,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20150085120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/062 with remote control for adjusting position B60R1/0607 takes precedence
• 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/008 Adjustable or movable supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system

Abstract

A motor vehicle has at least one electronic rearview mirror, particularly an exterior and/or side mirror, that has a display apparatus, particularly a display, for images recorded by an exterior camera that is provided particularly outside the motor vehicle. The operator control element provided for adjusting an image detail from the image, which image detail is to be displayed on the display apparatus, and/or an orientation for the exterior camera is a mirror operator control element, developed for the purpose of adjusting a mirror face of a conventional exterior mirror, and/or a rotary/push control of a man/machine interface.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

an exterior camera that is provided outside the motor vehicle to record an image field;

an electronic side rearview simulated mirror, that has a display apparatus to display images recorded by the exterior camera;

an operator control element to change an orientation of the exterior camera and to select an image detail for display, the image detail being selected from the image field recorded by the exterior camera, the operator control element being a mirror operator control element for a mirror face of a conventional exterior mirror; and

a man/machine interface separately disposed within the motor vehicle from the operator control element, the man/machine interface comprising a rotary/push control device which includes;

a rotary control portion that when rotated, adjusts a magnification level for the exterior camera and/or for the image detail, and

an adjusting element provided centrally on the rotary/push control portion and movable in at least two directions of movement to select a direction to displace the image detail,

wherein

the operator control element is movable in at least two directions of movement that are perpendicular to one another to control tilting of the exterior camera in two perpendicular directions and/or to control displacement of the image detail in two perpendicular directions, and

the operator control element changes the orientation of the exterior camera by controlling the exterior camera to swivel independent of movement of the electronic side rearview simulated mirror.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

there are first and second side rearview simulated mirrors,

both side rearview simulated mirrors can be operated by the operator control element,

the operator control element is rotatable and has at least first and second latch positions,

when the operator control element is rotated into the first latch position, the first side rearview simulated mirror is selected and controlled by the operator control element, and

when the operator control element is rotated into the second latch position, the second side rearview simulated mirror is selected and controlled by the operator control element.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein a single operator control element is provided for both side rearview simulated mirrors.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein

first and second operator control elements are provided respectively for the first and second side rearview simulated mirrors, and

each operator control element can operate both side rearview simulated mirrors.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side rearview simulated mirror is an interior side mirror provided on an A-pillar of the motor vehicle.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single camera is used to record the images displayed by the display apparatus.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the directions of movement of the adjusting element are associated with corresponding directions for tilting the exterior camera and displacing the image detail.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting element is a joystick or a movable knob or a trackball.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the adjusting element corresponds to a touchpad, and

a sensed direction of movement on the touchpad is associated with a corresponding direction for tilting the exterior camera and displacing the image detail.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

there are first and second side rearview simulated mirrors,

both side rearview simulated mirrors are operable by the operator control element and via the man/machine interface comprising the rotary/push control device, and

one of the first and second side rearview simulated mirrors is selectable for control by at least one of the operator control element and the man/machine interface comprising the rotary/push control device.

11. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotary control portion comprises a rotatable exterior ring to adjust the magnification level for the exterior camera and/or the image detail, and

the adjusting element corresponds to a located joystick provided centrally within the rotatable exterior ring, the joystick being movable in directions that are mapped to directions for tilting the exterior mirror and displacing the image detail.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotary control portion comprises a rotatable exterior ring to adjust the magnification level for the exterior camera and/or the image detail, and

the adjusting element corresponds to a movable knob provided centrally within the rotatable exterior ring, the movable knob being movable in directions that are mapped to directions for tilting the exterior mirror and displacing the image detail.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotary control portion comprises a rotatable exterior ring to adjust the magnification level for the exterior camera and/or the image detail, and

the adjusting element corresponds to a trackball provided centrally within the rotatable exterior ring, the trackball being movable in directions that are mapped to directions for tilting the exterior mirror and displacing the image detail.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

there are first and second side rearview simulated mirrors,

both side rearview simulated mirrors are operable by the operator control element and the man/machine interface comprising the rotary/push control device,

one of the first and second side rearview simulated mirrors is selected for control by at least one of the operator control element and the man/machine interface comprising the rotary/push control device,

the rotary control portion comprises a rotatable exterior ring to adjust the magnification level for the exterior camera and/or the image detail, and

the adjusting element is provided centrally within the rotatable exterior ring, the adjusting element being movable in directions that are mapped to directions for tilting the exterior mirror and displacing the image detail.

15. A motor vehicle comprising:

a door;

an exterior camera that is provided outside the motor vehicle to record an image field;

an electronic side rearview simulated mirror, that has a display apparatus to display images recorded by the exterior camera;

a first operator control element to change an orientation of the exterior camera and to select an image detail for display, the image detail being selected from the image field recorded by the exterior camera, the first operator control element being a rotary/push control device of a man/machine interface and including;

a rotary control portion that when rotated, adjusts a magnification level for the exterior camera and/or for the image detail, and

an adjusting element provided on the rotary/push control portion and movable in at least two directions of movement to select a direction to displace the image detail; and

a second operator control element to change the orientation of the exterior camera and to select the image detail for display, the image detail being selected from the image field recorded by the exterior camera, the second operator control element being a mirror operator control element for a mirror face of a conventional exterior mirror disposed at a location proximate to the door, separately within the motor vehicle from the first operator control element,

wherein

the second operator control element is movable in at least two directions of movement that are perpendicular to one another to control tilting of the exterior camera in two perpendicular directions and/or to control displacement of the image detail in two perpendicular directions, and

the second operator control element changes the orientation of the exterior camera by controlling the exterior camera to swivel independent of movement of the electronic side rearview simulated mirror.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the side rearview simulated mirror is an interior side mirror provided on an A-pillar of the motor vehicle.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein a single camera is used to record the images displayed by the display apparatus.