GB2559828A

GB2559828A - Vehicle camera system

Info

Publication number: GB2559828A
Application number: GB1716714.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Ransom Steven
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-10-12
Filing date: 2017-10-12
Publication date: 2018-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-12
Also published as: WO2019073208A1; GB2567510A; GB2567510B; GB201716714D0; GB2559828B; GB201807995D0

Abstract

A camera system for a vehicle has a display device 4, a nearside camera 6, an offside camera 8 and a controller 10 within the display device which receives an indicator input from a nearside indicator of the vehicle. The nearside is the side nearest the curb (i.e. the left hand side for countries which drive on the left) and the offside is the side furthest from the curb (i.e. the right hand side for countries which drive on the left). The system is configured such that when no indicator signal is received by the controller, the image from the offside camera is displayed on the displaying device, and when a nearside indicator signal is received by the camera controller the image from the nearside camera is displayed. The controller may be hardwired to the indicator system or an indicator switch. The cameras may be mounted to a frame of the vehicle at the rear and may be mounted on an indicator assembly. The vehicle may be a motorcycle.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Steven Andrew Ransom

Half Acre, Battsbridge Road, Maresfield, Uckfield, TN22 2HJ, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Steven Andrew Ransom

(51) INTCL: B60R1/00 (2006.01)
(56) Documents Cited:
EP 2722834 A1	EP 1647447 A2
WO 2015/193851 A1	WO 2004/035352	A1
JP 2001151015 A US 20110043634 A1 (58) Field of Search: INT CL B60R Other: WPI, EPODOC	US 20130182113	A1

(74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Haseltine Lake LLP

5th Floor Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn, LONDON, WC1V7JH, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: Vehicle camera system Abstract Title: Vehicle rear-view camera system (57) Acamera system for a vehicle has a display device 4, a nearside camera 6, an offside camera 8 and a controller 10 within the display device which receives an indicator input from a nearside indicator of the vehicle. The nearside is the side nearest the curb (i.e. the left hand side for countries which drive on the left) and the offside is the side furthest from the curb (i.e. the right hand side for countries which drive on the left). The system is configured such that when no indicator signal is received by the controller, the image from the offside camera is displayed on the displaying device, and when a nearside indicator signal is received by the camera controller the image from the nearside camera is displayed. The controller may be hardwired to the indicator system or an indicator switch. The cameras may be mounted to a frame of the vehicle at the rear and may be mounted on an indicator assembly. The vehicle may be a motorcycle.

Fig, 1

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

1/2

11 17

2/2

11 17

Vehicle Camera System

Technical Field

This invention relates to a camera system for a vehicle and particularly although not exclusively, to a rear view camera system for a motorcycle which is responsive to input from the motorcycle electronic turn signal indicator system.

Background

Drivers of vehicles such as motor cycles are required to be observant and attentive to their surroundings whilst on the road. This is particularly necessary for overtaking, turning and changing lanes. Often, this requires a driver to turn the head in order to find and assess the position of other vehicles on the road. Generally, mirrors are orientated to extend the area of view to the rear of the vehicle, allowing more of the space around the vehicle to be viewed without the need for the driver to turn the head. However even with the extended view offered by mirrors, there remains an area of road that cannot be seen whilst the driver is facing forward. This is known as the blind spot. At higher speeds, particularly at speeds over 50mph in vehicles such as motorcycles, if the driver turns his head to check the blind spot, the wind can catch the drivers’ helmet and can wrench the drivers’ neck. Continuous head turning can also cause neck ache, particularly on longer journeys, which can generate a reluctance to make this vital blind spot check.

Statement of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a camera system for a vehicle comprising a first camera configured to capture the offside rear view from the vehicle and a second camera configured to capture the nearside rear view from the vehicle, a fully waterproof display device configured to display an image from at least one of the first and second cameras, a controller configured to receive an indicator input from an indicator system of the vehicle, the controller being configured such that when no nearside indicator signal is received by the controller, the image from the first camera (default offside view) is displayed on the display device, and when a nearside indicator signal is received by the controller the image from the second camera is displayed. Thus the display is configured to display the right-side rear view in right hand drive countries as the default view , and to display the left-side rear view in left hand drive countries as the default view.

The controller may be hard wired to the vehicle indicator system. For example, the controller may be hard wired to an indicator control circuit which may comprise part of an indicator control module of the vehicle. In an embodiment of the invention, the controller may be hard wired to a nearside indicator relay.

The controller may be connected to the indicator system by a trigger wire which receives a pulsed indicator signal from the indicator system. For example, the trigger wire may receive a pulsed indicator signal from an output of an indicator control circuit or an indicator relay.

The controller may convert the pulsed signal into a continuous output signal so that the display device receives a continuous electronic feed and thus displays a continuous image.

The controller may be hard wired to an indicator switch of the indicator system. The indicator switch, when operated to give a left turn signal, may send a trigger signal to the controller to switch the view from the first camera to the second camera, and when the indicator switch self-cancels or is actively switched off or operated to give a right turn signal, may send a second trigger signal to the controller to switch the view displayed on the display device from the second camera back to the first camera.

The first camera may be configured to be mounted on an offside rear of the vehicle, and the second camera may be configured to be mounted on a nearside rear of the vehicle.

At least one of the cameras may be configured to be mounted to a frame of the vehicle.

At least one of the cameras may be configured to be mounted to an indicator light assembly or indicator light mounting bracket of the vehicle.

The vehicle may be a motorcycle. The controller may be integrated into the display device. The display device may comprise a waterproof unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating a camera system for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of positioning a first camera on the vehicle such that the first camera comprises an offside rear view from the vehicle; positioning a second camera on the vehicle such that the second camera comprises a nearside rear view from the vehicle; displaying an image from at least one of the first and second cameras on a display device; receiving an indicator input to a controller from an indicator system of the vehicle, such that the image from the first camera is displayed on the display device when no nearside indicator signal is received by the controller, and the image from the second camera is displayed when a nearside indicator signal is received by the camera controller.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a better understanding of the present disclosure, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a motorcycle fitted with a rear view camera system; and

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating how the camera system operates.

Detailed Description

In this specification, the nearside is the side of the vehicle nearest a curb when the vehicle is driving on a road and is not overtaking another vehicle. The offside is the side of the vehicle furthest from a curb Thus in a country where vehicles drive on the left hand side of the road, the near side is the left hand side of the vehicle and the offside is the right hand side of the vehicle. The invention is applicable to any vehicle, but for the purposes of illustrating the invention, the description below relates to the use of the camera system on a motorcycle.

With reference to Figure 1, a camera system 2 for a motorcycle 1 comprises a display device 4, a first camera 6, a second camera 8 and a controller 10. The controller 10 is built in to the display device 4, and is hard wired to an indicator control module 11 of the motorcycle.

The display device 4 is mounted to the front of the motorcycle, such as on the handle bar or integrated into an instrument console of the vehicle. The display device 4 is positioned so that it does not restrict a rider’s view or access to instruments or controls of the motorcycle 1. The first camera 6 and the second camera 8 are mounted to the rear of the motorcycle 1. In the illustrated embodiment the cameras 6,8 are mounted to respective indicator light brackets 12, 14 of rear indicator lights 16,18 of the motorcycle

1. The first camera 6 is orientated to capture the offside rear view from the motorcycle 1 and the second camera 8 positioned to capture the nearside rear view from the motorcycle 1.

With reference to Figure 2, the controller 10 is connected to the display device 4, the first camera 6, and the second camera 8 and is connected to the indicator control module 11 of the indicator system by a trigger wire 20. Where the indicator control module 11 comprises a relay, he trigger wire 20 is connected to the nearside indicator terminal (not shown) on an output side of the relay 11, so that when the rider of the motorcycle 1 switches on the nearside indicator in the conventional manner using a switch on a left hand grip assembly 22 of the motorcycle 1, a pulsed signal in the form of a pulsed electrical current is input to the controller 10. The controller 10 responds to this signal by switching the image on the display device 4 from the view from the first (off side) camera 6 to the view from the second (near side) camera 8. The trigger wire 20 carries a pulsed indicator signal from the motorcycle indicator electronics to the controller 10, the controller 10 then converts this signal into a steady signal which it outputs to the display device 4, so that the display device 4 displays a continuous image from the second camera 8. The display device 4 displays the image from the second camera 8 until the controller senses no pulse on the trigger wire 20 for a predetermined period. This may be achieved by a delay function programmed in the controller. The predetermined period is set to be just greater than the maximum period between pulses when the nearside indicator is switched on. When the controller 10 has determined that there has been no new pulse on the trigger wire 20 for a time equal to the predetermined period, the controller 10 switches the image on the display device 4 back to the view from the first camera 6 only.

Nearside indicator input	Trigger wire 14 signal	Image displayed
Nearside	On	Second camera 8
Offside	Off	First camera 6
None	Off	First camera 6

Table 1

With reference to Figure 1, Table 1 above sets out what is shown on the display device 4 in response to the status of the vehicle indicator system.

In an alternative arrangement, the view from both cameras 6,8 may be displayed on the display device 4 in response to a nearside indicator signal on the trigger wire 20, and only the view from the first camera 6 may be displayed in response to the controller 10 sensing no signal on the trigger wire 20 for the predetermined period. This “two image” mode may be selectable by the rider on a control panel of the display device 4, and the two images may, for example, be displayed as a split screen image.

Claims

Claims 1. A camera system for a vehicle comprising: a first camera configured to capture the offside rear view from the vehicle and a second camera configured to capture the nearside rear view from the vehicle; a display device configured to display an image from at least one of the first and second cameras, a controller configured to receive an indicator input from an indicator system of the vehicle, the controller being configured such that when no nearside indicator signal is received by the controller, the image from the first camera is displayed on the display device, and when a nearside indicator signal is received by the controller the image from the second camera is displayed.

1. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is hard wired to the indicator system.

2. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is hard wired to a control module of the indicator system.

3. A camera system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is connected to the indicator control module by a trigger wire which transmits a pulsed indicator signal from the indicator control module.

4. A camera system according to claim 4, wherein the controller converts the pulsed signal into a continuous signal so that the display device displays a continuous image.

5. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is hard wired to an indicator switch of the indicator system.

6. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first camera is configured to be mounted on an offside rear of the vehicle.

7. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second camera is configured to be mounted on a nearside rear of the vehicle.

8. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the cameras is configured to be mounted to a frame of the vehicle.

9. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the cameras is configured to be mounted to an indicator assembly of the vehicle.

10. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle.

11. A method of operating a camera system for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a first camera on the vehicle such that the first camera comprises an offside rear view from the vehicle;

positioning a second camera on the vehicle such that the second camera comprises a nearside rear view from the vehicle;

displaying an image from at least one of the first and second cameras on a display device;

receiving an indicator input to a controller from an indicator system of the vehicle, such that the image from the first camera is displayed on the display device when no nearside indicator signal is received by the controller, and the image from the second camera is displayed when a nearside indicator signal is received by the camera controller.

12. A method of operating a camera system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is hard wired to the indicator system.

13. A method of operating according to claim 13, wherein the controller is connected to an indicator control module by a trigger wire which transmits a pulsed indicator signal from an output terminal of the indicator control module.

14. A method of operating according to claim 14, wherein the controller converts the pulsed signal into a continuous signal so that the display device displays a continuous image.

Amendment to Claims have been filed as follows

Claims

23 05 18

1. A camera system for a vehicle comprising:

a first camera configured to capture the offside rear view from the vehicle and a second camera configured to capture the nearside rear view from

5 the vehicle;

a display device configured to display an image from at least one of the first and second cameras, a controller configured to receive an indicator input from an indicator system of the vehicle, the controller being configured such that when no

10 nearside indicator signal is received by the controller, a default image from the first camera only is displayed on the display device, and when a nearside indicator signal is received by the controller the image from the second camera is displayed.

2. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

15 controller is hard wired to the indicator system.

3. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is hard wired to a control module of the indicator system.

20 4. A camera system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is connected to the indicator control module by a trigger wire which transmits a pulsed indicator signal from the indicator control module.

5. A camera system according to claim 4, wherein the controller converts the 25 pulsed signal into a continuous signal so that the display device displays a continuous image.

6. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is hard wired to an indicator switch of the indicator system.

7. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first camera is configured to be mounted on an offside rear of the vehicle.

23 05 18

8. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second camera is configured to be mounted on a nearside rear of the vehicle.

9. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of

5 the cameras is configured to be mounted to a frame of the vehicle.

10. A camera system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the cameras is configured to be mounted to an indicator assembly of the vehicle.

11. A camera system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle.

12. A method of operating a camera system for a vehicle, the method comprising

15. A method of operating according to claim 14, wherein the controller converts the pulsed signal into a continuous signal so that the display device displays a continuous image.

23 05 18

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No:

15 the steps of:

20 displaying an image from at least one of the first and second cameras on a display device;

receiving an indicator input to a controller from an indicator system of the vehicle, such that a default image from the first camera only is displayed on the display device when no nearside indicator signal is received by the

25 controller, and the image from the second camera is displayed when a nearside indicator signal is received by the camera controller.

13. A method of operating a camera system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is hard wired to the indicator system.

14. A method of operating according to claim 13, wherein the controller is connected to an indicator control module by a trigger wire which transmits a pulsed indicator signal from an output terminal of the indicator control module.