US 11,787,342 B2
Vehicular cabin monitoring camera system with dual function
Martin Solar, Erlenbach (DE)
Assigned to Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/647,760.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/199,617, filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219610 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B60R 1/29 (2022.01)
CPC B60R 1/29 (2022.01) [B60R 2300/207 (2013.01); B60R 2300/8006 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising:
a camera disposed at an interior cabin of a vehicle and viewing at least a head region of a driver of the vehicle;
a video display screen disposed at the interior cabin of the vehicle, wherein the video display screen is operable to display video images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle;
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera;
wherein image data captured by the camera is provided to the ECU;
wherein the provided captured image data is processed at the ECU for determining attentiveness of the driver of the vehicle;
wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to selection by the driver of a video-conference function, initiates a video conference telecommunication whereby video image data derived from the provided captured image data is wirelessly communicated to an external receiver that is located remote from the vehicle for viewing by another person communicating with the driver of the vehicle via the external receiver, and wherein communication data generated at the external receiver is wirelessly communicated to the vehicular driver monitoring system;
wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to selection by the driver of the video-conference function, controls the video display screen to display video images derived from the wirelessly communicated communication data;
wherein the vehicular driver monitoring system, with video images derived from the wirelessly communicated communication data displayed at the video display screen and responsive to determination that a gear selector of the vehicle has moved from a park position to a reverse position, controls the video display screen to provide simultaneous display at the video display screen of (i) the video images derived from the wirelessly communicated communication data and (ii) video images derived from image data captured by a rear backup camera of the vehicle; and
wherein, with video images derived from the wirelessly communicated data and video images derived from image data captured by the rear backup camera of the vehicle simultaneously displayed at the video display screen, the video images derived from the wirelessly communicated data and the video images derived from image data captured by the rear backup camera of the vehicle are discrete and discernible from one another.