# US 11,027,667 B2 · Display method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,667 B2 - Document ID: US11027667B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/172,964 - Filed: 2018-10-29 - Published: 2019-05-02 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-02 - Assignees: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Applicants: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Inventors: Jeremy Greenwood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027667B2 ## CPC - B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 35/29: Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions - B60K 35/81: for controlling displays - 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)} - B60R 1/26: to the rear of the vehicle - G06T 3/4038: Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - B60K 2360/176: Camera images - B60K 2360/1868: according to driving situations - B60K 2360/195: Blocking or enabling display functions - B60K 2360/21: using cameras - B60R 2300/105: using multiple cameras - B60R 2300/303: using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images - B60R 2300/60: characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective - B60R 2300/8066: for monitoring rearward traffic - G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a controller for generating a composite image (IMG3) of a region behind a towing vehicle (V). The controller is operable to receive a towing vehicle image data (DV1) from a towing vehicle camera (C1); and a trailer image data (DV2) from a trailer camera (C2). The controller combines the towing vehicle image data (DV1) and the trailer image data (DV2) to generate a composite image data (DV3) corresponding to a composite image (IMG3). The controller is operable to output the composite image data (DV3). The controller is operable selectively to enable and/or disable the output of the composite image data (DV3). The controller is configured to monitor a status of a turn signal indicator. The controller is configured to disable the output of the composite image data (DV3) when the turn signal indicator is activated; and/or enable the output of the composite image data (DV3) when the turn signal indicator is de-activated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller for generating a composite image of a region behind a towing vehicle, the controller being configured to: receive towing vehicle image data from a towing vehicle camera, the towing vehicle image data corresponding to a vehicle image of a region behind the towing vehicle; receive trailer image data from a trailer camera, the trailer image data corresponding to a trailer image of a region behind a trailer connected to the towing vehicle; combine the towing vehicle image data and the trailer image data to generate composite image data corresponding to a composite image; selectively enable and/or disable output of the composite image data; monitor a status of a turn signal indicator that is selectively activated to provide an indication of an intended direction of movement of the towing vehicle; disable the output of the composite image data when the turn signal indicator is activated such that the controller outputs only the trailer image data to a display to display an image of only a region behind the trailer when the turn signal is activated; and enable the output of the composite image data when the turn signal indicator is de-activated such that the controller outputs the composite image data to the display to display the composite image when the turn signal indicator is de-activated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to receive a user input for selectively enabling and/or disabling the output of the composite image data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a status of a towing vehicle transmission to determine when a reverse drive is engaged and/or disengaged. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to disable the output of the composite image data when the reverse drive is engaged and/or to enable the output of the composite image data when the reverse drive is dis-engaged. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to disable the output of the composite image data for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to disable the output of said composite image data in dependence on detection of another vehicle adjacent to the towing vehicle and/or adjacent to the trailer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A display system comprising the controller as claimed in claim 1 and the display, wherein the display comprises a display screen. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A display system according to claim 7 wherein, when the output of the composite image data is disabled, the display screen is operable to display the trailer image corresponding to the trailer image data on the display screen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A display system as claimed in claim 7 comprising: the towing vehicle camera for outputting the towing vehicle image data; and the trailer camera for outputting the trailer image data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A towing vehicle and a trailer comprising a display system as claimed in claim 7. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling a displayed image of a region behind a towing vehicle, the method comprising: using a towing vehicle camera to capture a towing vehicle image, the towing vehicle image data corresponding to a vehicle image of a region behind the towing vehicle; using a trailer camera to capture a trailer image, the trailer image data corresponding to a trailer image of a region behind a trailer connected to the towing vehicle; combining the towing vehicle image and the trailer image to form a composite image; selectively enabling and/or disabling output of the composite image; monitoring a status of a turn signal indicator that is selectively activated to provide an indication of an intended direction of movement of the towing vehicle; disabling the output of the composite image when the turn signal indicator is activated such that the controller outputs only the trailer image data to a display to display an image of only a region behind the trailer when the turn signal is activated; and enabling the output of the composite image when the turn signal indicator is de-activated such that the controller outputs the composite image data to the display to display the composite image when the turn signal indicator is de-activated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising selectively enabling and/or disabling the output of the composite image in dependence on a user input. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising monitoring a status of a towing vehicle transmission to determine when a reverse drive is engaged and/or disengaged; and disabling the output of the composite image when the reverse drive is engaged and/or enabling the output of the composite image when the reverse drive is dis-engaged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising disabling output of the composite image for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising disabling the output of the composite image in dependence on detection of another vehicle adjacent to the towing vehicle and/or adjacent to the trailer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method claimed in claim 11.