JPH09207664A - Vehicular rear confirmation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically copy the image of the vehicular rear on a monitor as required by displaying the image of the vehicular rear on the monitor by a display control means when the blur on the rear window is detected using a detecting means. SOLUTION: When a rear window glass is blur, the blur is removed by making connection of the power source switch 3 of a defogger 6. The state of such motion is transmitted to the microcomputer of a monitor 2 and a camera 1 is actuated by a cable 5, while the image signal is inputted from the cable 4 and displayed on a display screen of the monitor 2 in letters or symbols. By cutting off a switch 9, the vehicular rear image is not displayed on the monitor 2 any more by the action of the microcomputer and the action of the camera 1 is also stopped by the microcomputer of the monitor 2. When the defogger 6 is actuated in such a manner, the image of the vehicular rear is copied on the monitor 2 and it is not necessary for the driver to switchover the image plane.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle rear confirmation device for displaying a rear image of a vehicle on a monitor in a vehicle compartment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a vehicle rear confirmation device has been developed in which a television camera is provided at the rear portion of the vehicle in order to secure a rear view of the vehicle and the state of the rear portion is displayed as an image on a television screen.

[0003]

However, it is often implemented as a function of a multi-purpose monitor for displaying a television screen and various kinds of information. In order to confirm the rear of the vehicle, the driver operates the screen. I had to switch.

[0004]

In order to solve such a problem, the present invention detects a fog on a rear window of a vehicle in a vehicle rear confirmation device for displaying an image of the rear of the vehicle on a monitor in a vehicle compartment. And a display control means for displaying an image behind the vehicle on the monitor when the rear window is detected by the detection means.

Further, the detecting means detects an operating state of a defogger device for heating the rear window to remove fogging. Further, the detection means includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element provided on both sides of the rear window, and detects the fogging of the rear window by the amount of light received from the light emitting element by the light receiving element. And

Further, it is characterized in that the control means is provided with timer means for restricting a display time of an image behind the vehicle to a predetermined time. Further, the timer means is operated by a signal from a defogger timer which regulates an operation time of the defogger device for removing the fog.
Further, the operating state of the defogger device is displayed on a monitor in the vehicle compartment.

Further, it is characterized in that the operating state of the defogger device is displayed even when the image behind the vehicle is not displayed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle rear confirmation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is a television camera provided at a rear portion of the vehicle to photograph a rear state of the vehicle and output it as an electric output. . Reference numeral 2 denotes a monitor mounted on the vehicle, which is configured by a CRT which processes a signal from the television camera 1 and displays it as an image, or a liquid crystal display device. Although not shown, a television broadcast screen, a map display in a navigation device, and the like, It is selectively displayed by operating the switch. The monitor 2 has a built-in microcomputer that performs various kinds of signal processing and control.

Reference numeral 3 is a defogger device 6 on the rear window of the vehicle.
The driver manually connects or disconnects the defogger device 6 with the power source (battery) 7 by using the power switch. Reference numeral 4 is a cable for transmitting the video signal captured by the camera 1 to the television receiver. Reference numeral 5 is a signal cable for communicating control signals and the like between the camera 1 and the monitor 2, and the cables 4 and 5 can also be configured by buses. A battery 7 mounted on the vehicle serves as an electric power source for the vehicle and supplies power to the defogger device 6 and the like. Reference numeral 8 is a transmission cable for transmitting the operating state (power supply state) of the defogger device 6 to the monitor 2. Reference numeral 9 denotes a switch for stopping the display of the image on the rear part of the monitor 2 heno vehicle, the state of which is recognized by the microcomputer in the monitor 2 and the display content of the monitor 2 is switched and controlled.

Next, the operation will be described. It is assumed that the driver turns on the power switch 3 of the defogger device 6 in order to remove the fog on the rear windshield because the rear windshield is fogged depending on the inside and outside of the vehicle. When the switch 3 is brought into the connected state, an electric current flows through the heating wire of the defogger device 6 to heat the rear window glass appropriately, so that the fog is gradually removed. The operation state of the defogger device 6 is also transmitted to the microcomputer of the monitor 2, and the microcomputer operates the camera 1 by the cable 5 and inputs the image signal captured by the camera 1 from the cable 4 and displays it on the display screen of the monitor 2.

Further, the microcomputer of the monitor 2 displays the detected operating state of the defogger device 6 on the display screen of the monitor 2 by characters or symbols. When the switch 9 is turned off, the image of the rear part of the vehicle is not displayed on the monitor 2 by the operation of the microcomputer, and the operation of the camera 1 is stopped by the microcomputer of the monitor 2. The display during the operation of the defogger device 6 is displayed as long as the power supply to the defogger device 6 continues (switch 3 is connected).

As described above, in the first embodiment, when the rear window glass is fogged and the defogger device 6 is operated, an image of the rear of the vehicle is displayed on the monitor 2, and it is not necessary for the driver to perform a screen switching operation. Becomes Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a sensor for detecting the fog on the rear windshield of the vehicle. The sensor 20 comprises a light emitting diode and a photoelectric element (Cds) provided on both sides of the rear windshield of the vehicle. Measure the transmittance of the windshield to detect fog. Then, the signal of this sensor 20 is input to the microcomputer of the monitor 2, and the microcomputer controls the display of the image of the rear part of the vehicle as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (displays the image of the rear of the vehicle when cloudy weather occurs). . In addition to the sensor including the light emitting diode and the photoelectric element (Cds), there is also a method of detecting fogging from the temperature and humidity inside and outside the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the switch 3 of the defogger device 6 is used when the fog is detected by the fog sensor 20.
Are configured to be connected. The switch 3 is composed of a relay, a transistor, etc., and can be switched by a manual operation or a control signal from the outside. As described above, also in the second embodiment, when the rear windshield is fogged, the image of the rear of the vehicle is automatically displayed on the monitor 2, and it becomes unnecessary for the driver to perform a screen switching operation.

In order to display the state of the defogger device 6 on the monitor 2, a transmission cable 8 for constantly transmitting a signal indicating the state of the defogger device 6 is set between the monitor 2 and the defogger device 6, The operating state of the device 6 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 2 by characters or symbols. Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a timer for measuring a predetermined time. When a predetermined time elapses after the switch 3 is turned on and the defogger device 6 operates, a signal indicating the operating state of the defogger device 6 is transmitted to the monitor 2. Cut off. The time is set in advance to a time when the switch 3 is turned on and the defogger device 6 removes the fog on the rear windshield. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the image behind the vehicle becomes unnecessary (when the fog on the rear windshield is removed), the image on the monitor 2 is automatically switched to another image, and Switching operation is unnecessary. The timer 30
Switches to the initial state when the switch 3 is disconnected and starts the timer operation when the switch 3 is connected again.
Further, the microcomputer of the monitor 2 displays the operating state of the defogger device 6 on the screen of the monitor 2 by characters or symbols while the timer 30 is operating.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Reference numeral 40 is a timer for setting the operating time of the defogger device 6, and a switch 41 for starting the defogger device 6.
It is composed of a switch circuit (composed of a relay, a transistor, a time constant circuit, etc.) that returns to the non-connection state after a predetermined time has elapsed from when the connection state was changed.

Therefore, when the switch 3 is in the connected state, the defogger device 6 operates and the image of the rear part of the vehicle is displayed on the monitor 2. Then, the time passes and the timer 40
When the defogger device 6 stops due to this, the state is also transmitted to the microcomputer of the monitor 2, the screen of the monitor 2 is switched by the microcomputer of the monitor 2, and the camera 1 also stops. Also in the fourth embodiment, while the timer 40 is operating, the operating state of the defogger device 6 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 2 by characters or symbols.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the image on the monitor 2 is automatically switched according to the necessity of the image behind the vehicle. Further, since the timer 40 of the defogger device 6 is used, the configuration can be simplified. If necessary, a delay circuit or the like may be used to make the video switching timing different from the operation timing of the defogger device 6.

[0020]

As described above in detail, in the present invention, the image of the rear part of the vehicle can be automatically displayed on the monitor as needed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 --- Camera 2 --- TV receiver and display device 3--Switch 4 ...- Video signal line 5 ---・ Signal line 6 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Defogger 7 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Power supply

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle rear confirmation device for displaying an image of the rear of a vehicle on a monitor in a vehicle compartment, said detecting means for detecting clouding of a rear window of the vehicle, and said detecting means for detecting clouding of a rear window of said vehicle. A rear confirmation device for a vehicle, comprising: a display control means for displaying an image of the rear of the vehicle on a monitor. 2. The rear confirmation device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detection means detects an operating state of a defogger device that heats the rear window to remove fogging. 3. The detecting means comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element provided on both sides of the rear window, and detects the fog on the rear window by the amount of light received from the light emitting element by the light receiving element. The rear confirmation device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The vehicle rear confirmation device according to claim 1, further comprising timer means for restricting a display time of an image behind the vehicle by the control means to a predetermined time. 5. The timer means is operated by a signal from a defogger timer that regulates the operation time of the defogger device for removing the fog.
The vehicle rear confirmation device described. 6. The rear confirmation device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein an operation state of the defogger device is displayed on a monitor in the vehicle compartment. 7. The rear confirmation device for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the operation state of the defogger device is displayed even when a rear image of the vehicle is not displayed.