Retractable camera for vehicle

• US 9,843,734 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David DiMenichi
• Original Assignee: David DiMenichi
• Inventors: DiMenichi, David
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US15/048,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20170244902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 348837
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0092 with motorization
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A front or rear camera on a rotating arm where rotation of the camera is coupled to movement of the rotating arm such that when the rotating arm is against the front or rear of the car (parallel thereto) the camera points away from the vehicle. When the arm is rotated away from the car, the camera rotates towards the car pointing to one of a left blinker, right blinker, or license plate. This can be controlled via a manual switch in the car which rotates one or both of the camera and rotating arm or automatically as a function of placing the car in reverse or using a turn signal, such as by way of acting on output from a car'"'"'s diagnostic port.

Claims

1. A retractable camera mounted to a rear or front side of a vehicle, comprising:

a mount fixed to said front or rear of said vehicle;

a rotating arm rotatably connected to said mount; and

a camera rotatably connected to said retractable arm;

wherein said rotating arm has a furtherest range of motion between two extremes;

a first extreme substantially parallel to said rear or said front of said vehicle, and

a second extreme substantially perpendicular to said rear or said front of said vehicle.

2. The retractable camera of claim 1, wherein said camera direction is coupled with rotation of said rotating arm such that when said rotating arm is substantially parallel to said rear of said vehicle, said camera points away from said vehicle in a substantially rearward direction.

3. The retractable camera of claim 2, wherein said camera direction is further coupled with rotation of said rotating arm such that when said rotating arm is substantially perpendicular to said rear or said front of said vehicle, a center of a frame of view of said camera substantially shows a corresponding rear or front turn signal, respectively.

16. The retractable camera system of claim 1, wherein said camera shows part or all of a blind spot for a driver of said vehicle.

4. A retractable camera mounted to a rear or front side of a vehicle, comprising:

a mount fixed to said front or rear of said vehicle;

a rotating arm rotatably connected to said mount; and

a camera rotatably connected to said retractable arm;

wherein a switch inside an interior of said vehicle is electrically coupled with said rotating arm which, when utilized, causes one of the following three configurations to be carried out;

a said rotating arm is fully retracted substantially perpendicular to a front or rear side of said car and said camera points away from and in an opposite direction from said car;

b said rotating arm is substantially perpendicular to said rear or said front side of said car and said camera points substantially towards a left blinker; and

c said rotating arm is substantially perpendicular to said rear or said front side of said car and said camera points substantially towards a right blinker.

5. The retractable camera of claim 4, wherein said switch is a manual switch controlled by a passenger or driver in said vehicle to effectuate showing of a blinker, license plate, front and/or rear view of said vehicle.

6. The retractable camera of claim 4, wherein said switch is utilized based on one of a change in state of said left blinker, right blinker or gear of said vehicle.

7. The retractable camera of claim 4, wherein use of said left or right blinker causes said switch to carry out one of said configurations a) and b) corresponding to said left or right blinker used.

8. The retractable camera of claim 4, wherein placing said gear of said vehicle in reverse causes said switch to carry out said configuration c).

9. The retractable camera of claim 8, wherein said switch is utilized as a function of output from an onboard diagnostics port of said car.

10. A retractable camera system comprising:

a visual output within an interior of said vehicle within a frame of view of a driver of said vehicle;

a camera mounted to a rear or front of said vehicle on a rotating arm such that when said rotating arm is rotated away from said vehicle, a frame of view of said camera includes a blinker of said vehicle which is, in turn, shown on said visual output.

11. The retractable camera system of claim 10, wherein when said rotating arm is rotated such that an end of said rotating arm with said camera is substantially a same distance from a rear of said vehicle as a portion of said rotating arm which connects to a mount on said vehicle, said camera points away from said vehicle showing a rear view on said visual output.

12. The retractable camera system of claim 11, wherein a switch for setting a direction of said camera and an amount of rotating of said rotating arm is provided within said vehicle.

13. The retractable camera system of claim 12, wherein said switch is controlled as a function of output of an onboard diagnostics port, said output comprising indication of use of at least one of a blinker and change in gear.

14. The retractable camera system of claim 13, wherein use of a blinker causes said camera to point towards an activated blinker and said rotating arm to move said camera away from said vehicle.

15. The retractable camera system of claim 13, wherein setting said gear to reverse causes said camera to point rearward with respect to a body of said vehicle and said rotating arm to move said camera towards said vehicle.

17. The retractable camera system of claim 10, wherein said visual output comprises output of a blind spot for a driver of said vehicle.