US 11,807,169 B2
Vehicular vision system with enhanced forward and sideward views
Michael J. Baur, Kentwood, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/249,179.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/980,459, filed on Feb. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0261059 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
Int. Cl. B60R 1/12 (2006.01); B60R 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 1/12 (2013.01) [B60R 1/08 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1215 (2013.01); B60R 2300/10 (2013.01); B60R 2300/20 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular vision system, the vehicular vision system comprising:
a first camera disposed outboard of a side of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system, wherein the first camera views at least forward and sideward of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the first camera captures image data as the equipped vehicle travels along a road;
a second camera disposed inboard of the side of the equipped vehicle, wherein the second camera views at least forward of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the second camera captures image data as the equipped vehicle travels along the road;
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 first camera and the second camera;
wherein image data captured by the first camera is processed at the ECU for object detection and image data captured by the second camera is processed at the ECU for object detection;
a display screen disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when driving the equipped vehicle;
wherein the ECU receives image data from the first and second cameras and provides video image signals to the display screen;
wherein, as the equipped vehicle travels along a traffic lane of the road and behind a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle and in the same traffic lane along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, the first camera views a forward blind zone ahead of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the forward blind zone includes a region that extends along an adjacent traffic lane and along a side of the leading vehicle and that is obstructed from the view of the second camera by the leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, as the equipped vehicle travels along the traffic lane of the road and behind the leading vehicle, the display screen displays video images derived from image data captured by the first camera to provide displayed video images of the forward blind zone ahead of the equipped vehicle to the driver of the equipped vehicle;
wherein the vehicular vision system, based on detection, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the first camera, of an object present in a field of view of the first camera that is not detected, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the second camera, in a field of view of the second camera, determines that the detected object is present in the forward blind zone; and
wherein the vehicular vision system, responsive at least in part to determination that the detected object is present in the forward blind zone, displays at the display screen video images derived from image data captured by the first camera.