Video equipment and method to assist motor vehicle operators
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorAlan Neal Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A video system (30) including an illuminator (26) and a silicon detector (34) which provides operators of motor vehicles (20) with an enhanced display of the vehicle's operating environment (24 and 28). The illuminator (26) provides a source of short wavelength infrared energy. A single silicon detector (34) processes electromagnetic signals in the short wavelength infrared spectrum and selected color signals in the visible light spectrum. A visual display (60) of the operating environment comprising the infrared image with enhancements from selected portions of the colored light spectrum are provided to the operator of the vehicle (20).
Claims19
A video system which provides an operator of a vehicle with an enhanced visual display of selected portions of the vehicle's surrounding environment comprising:
- an illuminator to project short wavelength infrared energy;
- a single silicon detector for both short wavelength infrared and visible colored light electromagnetic radiation to generate both short wavelength infrared signals and visible colored light signals;
- a signal processing circuit to produce electrical signals corresponding to the detected electromagnetic radiation and based on said short wavelength infrared signals and said visible colored light signals;
- the signal processing circuit converting the electrical signals corresponding to the detected short wavelength infrared radiation into a visual display for the vehicle operator;
- and
- the signal processing circuit enhancing the visual display of the infrared signal with selected portions of the colored light signal.
A video system which provides an operator of a vehicle with a visual display of selected portions of the environment surrounding the vehicle comprising:
- an illuminator to project short wavelength infrared energy in the direction of the environment which will be displayed to the vehicle operator;
- a single silicon based detector having multiple individual photosites to discriminate between selected portions of colored light spectrum and short wavelength infrared radiations;
- a sensor to discriminate between selected portions of the colored light spectrum and short wavelength infrared radiation;
- signal processing means for producing electrical signals corresponding to the selected portion of the colored light spectrum and the short wavelength infrared radiation;
- and
- the signal processing means also for converting the electrical signals into a visual display for the vehicle operator with enhanced information.
A method for providing an operator of a vehicle with an enhanced visual display of selected portions of the vehicle's operating environment comprising:
- projecting short wavelength infrared energy in the direction of the operating environment which will be displayed to the vehicle operator;
- detecting on a single silicon based detector with an imaging area sensitive to electromagnetic radiation both short wavelength infrared and visible colored light electromagnetic radiation from the portion of the environment which will be displayed to the operator;
- producing electrical signals corresponding to the detected short wavelength infrared and visible colored light electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- Using the electrical signals to prevent a visual display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.