GB2353167A

GB2353167A - Vehicle mounted imaging system

Info

Publication number: GB2353167A
Application number: GB0016161A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Donald Clarke; Margaret Mary Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-06
Filing date: 2000-06-30
Publication date: 2001-02-14
Also published as: WO2001002215A1; GB9915848D0; AU5695000A; GB0016161D0

Abstract

An imaging system for a vehicle is arranged to provide a forward view of the road ahead to assist safe overtaking manoeuvres. The system comprises a monitor (1) for mounting in a position such as on the dashboard (2), and a camera (3) mounted in a housing (4) on the vehicle, such as on the wing or door mirror. The camera is arranged to face in a forward direction, and passes an image signal to the monitor to afford the driver a view of the road in front of the vehicle. Preferably, the camera is mounted in a position as far as possible from the centre of the vehicle to achieve a point of view which may afford a view beyond any vehicle in front.

Description

1 2353167 imaging System for vehicles when overtaking The present

invention relates to a camera system for installation on a road vehicle to assist in overtaking and/or in other vehicle manoeuvres.

often in normal driving, a driver will wish to overtake a vehicle in front. In such circumstances, it is however often difficult to obtain a sufficiently good view of the road to ensure safe overtaking. As a result, the driver may become frustrated, leading to a potential hazard if the driver attempts to overtake without a good view of the road in front.

This problem is exacerbated where, say, a right-hand drive vehicle is driven on left-hand drive roads.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the aforementioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an imaging system for a vehicle, comprising a monitor arranged to be mounted in a position to display an image to the driver of the vehicle, and a camera arranged to be mounted on a side of the vehicle and facing forwardly to provide the monitor with a forward view of the road.

Preferably the monitor is a compact cathode ray tube or flat screen of conventional type. Ho wever, any suitable form of image display may be used including a head-up display. The monitor is preferably adapted to be mounted on the dashboard to be easily viewed by the driver.

Preferably the camera is mounted in an existing or replacement side-mounted structure such as a housing of a wing or door mirror, where it will achieve a preferred view laterally- spaced as far as possible from the centre of the vehicle. This conveniently allows the camera to be well protected from the elements, from small impacts and from vandals.

While an imaging system having a single camera located 2 on the vehicle side remote from the driver is most useful when driving on the wrong side of the road for the vehicle, it may still be beneficial to have a second camera on the driver's side of the vehicle because the camera provides a view further from the centre of the vehicle than can be achieved by the driver. To this end a camera may be mounted one to each side of the vehicle, with switching means being provided to switch to the camera nearest the crown of the road according to which side of the road the vehicle is being driven on. The switching means may be wholly manual or may interface with an indicator switch of the vehicle.

The system may include a rear view camera mounted to provide an improved view behind the vehicle for the purpose of reversing. In this case, a switching means is preferably provided for switching the view from forward to reverse view. The switching may be interfaced so that it operates automatically when the vehicle is shifted into reverse gear. The switching means interface may comprise a reverse gear switch on the gear shift. To provide a rear view at night or in poor light, the rear view camera may be equipped with a light directed onto the ground behind the vehicle.

The camera may be connected to the monitor via conductive wires although other signal transmission means may be used if desired, such as fibre optic cable or wireless transmission such as infrared or radio.

The system may readily be adapted for after-market installation on a vehicle or for installation during vehicle assembly.

The images produced by the camera during driving and when stationary may usefully be recorded via conventional recording means on a loop of short duration, for example one minute. This may provide a useful record of incidents such as accidents or attempted theft of the vehicle or its contents.

3 To achieve this, the system may be arranged to respond to sudden acceleration (or deceleration) by connection to an accelerometer such as that used to trigger an air bag. When an accident condition is identified, the immediately preceding record is preserved. Similarly the system may be linked to a vehicle alarm to preserve a recording when the alarm is triggered.

Apart from presenting images of the surroundings, the monitor may also usefully present guidance information from otherwise conventional traf f ic monitoring and guidance systems when the vehicle is not overtaking or reversing.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a car which is equipped with an imaging system in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a view of the dashboard of the car, also showing the vehicle wing mirrors; and FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of one of the wing mirrors, equipped with a camera of the imaging system.

Referring to the drawings, an imaging system is installed in a right-hand drive car C and comprises a monitor 1 mounted on the dashboard 2 and arranged to present an image to the driver of the vehicle. A left-hand camera 3 is mounted, forward-facing, in the housing 4 of a right-hand door mirror, mounted to the door by a support 6. The camera mounting (not shown) can be steered to allow the camera to be directed so as to provide an appropriate forward view. The mirror housing 4 is also modified by the provision of a window 5 through which the camera lens is directed to view the road. The camera 3 communicates with the monitor 1 via conventional electrical cables fed through the mirror support 6. A second camera installation 31 is provided in the left- hand door mirror 41.

4 A manually operable switch (not shown) is provided to allow the driver to select the left or right-hand camera to improve his view when overtaking. The right and left cameras 3,31 may be interfaced the indicator switch of the vehicle such that, when indicating to overtake, the camera 3,31 required to improve the view is switched to provide the most desired image.

The system's application to overtaking has perhaps greatest value on cars, where the relatively low driving position provides limited view. The system may however be installed on larger vehicles, including trucks and buses.

An additional camera may be mounted on the rear of the vehicle, particularly where this is a truck or other large vehicle to provide a rear view for the purpose of reversing. The monitor is automatically switched to produce an image from this camera when the reverse gear is engaged. A light may be mounted to the rear of the vehicle, to illuminate the ground behind the vehicle.

Claims

Claim

An imaging system for a vehicle, comprising a monitor arranged to be mounted in a position to display an image to the driver of the vehicle, and a camera arranged to be mounted on a side of the vehicle and facing forwardly to provide the monitor with a forward view of the road.
2) An imaging system as claimed in claim 1, in which said monitor is arranged to be mounted on the vehicle dashboard.
3) An imaging system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said camera is mounted in the housing of a wing or door mirror for the vehicle.
4) An imaging system as claimed in any preceding claim, having a first said camera arranged for mounting on the left- hand side of the vehicle and a second said camera to arranged for mounting on the right-hand side of the vehicle.
5) An imaging system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising switching means operable to select, for display on said monitor, a view from said first or second camera.
6) An imaging system as claimed in claim 5, in which said switching means is arranged to be operated by the vehicle indicator switch.
7) An imaging system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a rear view camera for mounting to the rear of the vehicle.
8) An imaging system as claimed in claim 7, arranged to 6 select a view from said rear view camera, for display on said monitor, in response to selection of the vehicle's reverse gear.
9) An imaging system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for recording images produced by the or each said camera.
10) An imaging system as claimed in claim 9, in which said recording means is responsive to an accelerometer and/or to an intruder alarm, to preserve a record of immediately preceding 10 images from the or each said camera.
11) An imaging system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.