US 9,511,711 B2Granted

System and method for providing front-oriented visual information to vehicle driver

AssigneeKlear-View Camera LLC

InventorsSteven R. Petrillo, Robert Michael Roeger

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A camera system is installed on the front end of a vehicle, either on the left front, the right front, or both sides. The camera is linked via wired or wireless connection to an onboard computer and a navigation display that is located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The driver reviews a visual description on the display of any oncoming traffic in the form of motor vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, animals and the like on the navigation display via a single screen, split screen or alternating screens. The camera system can include a speed sensor that detects when the vehicle reaches a threshold speed to activate or de-activate the camera. Alternatively, the computer can activate the system when a turn signal is activated, and de-activate the system when the turn signal is no longer activated. This camera system can be retrofitted into older vehicles.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system for providing visual information to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

first and second flush-mounted or recessed cameras located in a right front quarter panel of the vehicle and a left front quarter panel of the vehicle, respectively, the cameras configured to image a field of view of 90 degrees to 150 degrees in at least one of a horizontal plane and a vertical plane;
a right proximity and speed sensor and a left proximity and speed sensor that determine a range of a right object on a right side of the vehicle and a left object on side of the vehicle, respectively;
a display within the vehicle that provides the driver with at least one of images or video feed of a scene imaged by the camera;
and
an onboard computer that detects whether a turn signal of the vehicle is activated and causes the images or video feed to be displayed on the display when the turn signal of the vehicle is activated and the onboard computer causes the displaying of the images or video feed to stop when the computer determines that the turn signal of the vehicle is no longer activated,
wherein the computer is configured to:
determine a respective amount of time until each object is expected to reach a location of the vehicle:
determine which of the right object or the left object is expected to reach the location of the vehicle first;
and
select, as a source for displaying, the first or second flush-mounted or recessed camera on a same side of the vehicle as the one of the right object or the left object which is expected to reach the location of the vehicle first.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/428,881Filed 14 Aug 2013 · continuation
Priority: 30 Jan 2012
Published: US 2015/0274074 A11 Oct 2015
Granted: 6 Dec 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

B60R 1/25
With a predetermined field of view: to the sides of the vehicle
B60K 35/22
Using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays: display screens
B60K 35/28
Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor: characterised by the type of the…
B60K 35/60
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: instruments characterised by their location or relative…

Family

Application61/592,505Us provisional application · filed 30 Jan 2012
Application13/587,548Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Aug 2012
Application61/860,573Us provisional application · filed 31 Jul 2013
US 2015/0274074 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Oct 2015
US 2014/0139669 A1Published application
US 9,511,711 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.