US 9,319,639 B1 · Multi-camera built-in monitor system

Abstract

A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system and method includes an interior mirror that embeds a modular monitor behind see-through mirror glass. In some embodiments, the system includes multiple cameras, some in the vehicle, bus and/or truck, as well as some cameras outside the vehicle, bus and/or truck, advantageously providing the driver an opportunity to view what is happening, for example, in the back rows of the bus and/or cabin, while also using the mirror to look at objects in the bus and/or cabin that are visible using the mirror. The rear-view mirror and modular monitor system is configured to be easily assembled and/or disassembled when necessary for maintenance and/or to replace parts.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within and/or exterior to a vehicle comprising:

a rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, said rear-view mirror unit being mounted forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, at least one section of the mirror comprising at least one of a see-through mirror glass and a display aperture;
at least one monitor module fastened to the rear-view mirror unit and aligned with the at least one of the see-through mirror glass section and the display aperture, said at least one monitor module being configured to be unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit;
and
a first image capture device mounted at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to capture and transmit a first image to the at least one monitor module, the first image being displayable on the at least one monitor module;
wherein, when the first image is transmitted to the at least one monitor module and displayed on the at least one monitor module, the first image is viewable through the at least one of the see-through mirror glass section and the display aperture.

2 more elements

A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within and/or exterior to a vehicle comprising:

a rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, said rear-view mirror unit being mounted forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, at least a section of the mirror comprising see-through mirror glass;
at least one monitor module fastened to the rear-view mirror unit, aligned with the see-through mirror glass section, said at least one monitor module being configured to be unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit;
a first image capture device mounted at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to provide a first image to the at least one monitor module, the first image being displayable on the at least one monitor module;
a second image capture device mounted at a second location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to provide a second image to the at least one monitor module, the second image being displayable on the at least one monitor module;
and
an input switch connected to the first and second image capture devices, and configured to provide at least one of the first image and the second image to the at least one monitor module responsive to at least one of a manually selected view, an automatically selected view, and an event-triggered selected view;
wherein, when at least one of the first image and the second image is provided to the at least one monitor module and displayed on the at least one monitor module, the at least one of the first image and the second image is viewable through the see-through mirror glass section.

4 more elements

A method of providing a rear-view mirror and modular monitor system for enhanced viewing by a vehicle operator of areas within and/or exterior to a vehicle comprising the at least one of sequential, non-sequential, and sequence-independent steps of:

(a) mounting a rear-view mirror unit forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, said rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, at least one section of the mirror comprising see-through mirror glass;
(b) fastening at least one monitor module to the rear-view mirror unit aligned with the at least one see-through mirror glass section such that the at least one monitor module is unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit;
(c) mounting a first image capture device at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, the first image capture device being configured to capture and transmit a first image to the at least one monitor module;
(d) connecting the first image capture device to the at least one monitor module, using at least one of a wired and wireless connection, to provide the first image to the at least one monitor module viewable through the at least one see-through mirror glass section.

1 more element

(a) mounting a rear-view mirror unit forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, said rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, at least one section of the mirror comprising see-through mirror glass;
(b) fastening at least one monitor module to the rear-view mirror unit aligned with the at least one see-through mirror glass section such that the at least one monitor module is unfastenable and removable from the rear-view mirror unit and refastenable to at least one of the rear-view mirror unit and another rear-view mirror unit;
(c) mounting a first image capture device at a first location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, the first image capture device being configured to provide a first image to the at least one monitor module;
(d) mounting a second image capture device at a second location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, the second image capture device being configured to provide a second image to the at least one monitor module;
(e) connecting an input switch to the first and second image capture devices using at least one of a wired and wireless connection, to provide at least one of the first image and the second image to the at least one monitor module responsive to at least one of a manually selected view, an automatically selected view, and an event-triggered selected view;
(f) digitally capturing at least the first image by the first image capture device and the second image by the second image capture device;
(g) digitally transmitting at least one of the first image and the second image to the at least one monitor module responsive to the at least one of the manually selected view, the automatically selected view, and the event-triggered selected view;
and
(h) displaying at least one of the first image and the second image on the at least one monitor module, wherein the at least one of the first image and the second image is viewable through the at least one see-through mirror glass section.

6 more elements

In a method of repairing a rear-view mirror and modular monitor system, the system comprising a rear-view mirror unit comprising a mirror and a mirror unit backing, said rear-view mirror unit being mounted forward of the vehicle operator and at a location unobstructive of the vehicle operator's forward field of view, at least one monitor module fastened to said rear-view mirror unit, a first image capture device mounted at a location at least one of inside and outside the vehicle, and configured to provide a first image to the at least one monitor module, the method comprising the at least one of sequential, non-sequential, and sequence-independent steps of:

unfastening the at least one monitor module from the rear-view mirror unit;
replacing one of the at least one monitor module and the rear-view mirror unit with a replacement part comprising one of another at least one monitor module or another rear-view mirror unit;
positioning the at least one monitor module with respect to at least one of a see-through mirror glass and a display aperture of the mirror;
positioning at least one gasket between the at least one monitor module and the at least one of a see-through mirror glass and a display aperture;
and
refastening one of the at least one monitor module and the rear-view mirror unit to the replacement part to secure the replacement part to replace at least one of the at least one monitor module and the rear-view mirror unit.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-camera built-in monitor system

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Multi-camera built-in monitor system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35