US 11,970,113 B2
Vehicular vision system
Andrew D. Weller, Holland, MI (US); Mark L. Larson, Grand Haven, MI (US); Ian A. McCabe, Holland, MI (US); Niall R. Lynam, Holland, MI (US); Rodney K. Blank, Zeeland, MI (US); Joseph P. McCaw, Lawrence, MI (US); and John T. Uken, Jenison, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/448,056.
Application 17/448,056 is a continuation of application No. 16/362,995, filed on Mar. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,124,121.
Application 16/362,995 is a continuation of application No. 16/105,246, filed on Aug. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,239,457, issued on Mar. 26, 2019.
Application 16/105,246 is a continuation of application No. 15/803,947, filed on Nov. 6, 2017, granted, now 10,053,013, issued on Aug. 21, 2018.
Application 15/803,947 is a continuation of application No. 14/694,225, filed on Apr. 23, 2015, granted, now 9,809,171, issued on Nov. 7, 2017.
Application 14/694,225 is a continuation of application No. 12/405,558, filed on Mar. 17, 2009, granted, now 9,019,090, issued on Apr. 28, 2015.
Application 12/405,558 is a continuation of application No. 12/091,525, granted, now 7,855,755, issued on Dec. 21, 2010, previously published as PCT/US2006/042718, filed on Oct. 31, 2006.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/836,219, filed on Aug. 8, 2006.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/759,992, filed on Jan. 18, 2006.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/732,245, filed on Nov. 1, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001804 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60R 1/10 (2006.01); B60R 1/02 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01); G02F 1/1333 (2006.01); G02F 1/157 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 1/10 (2013.01) [B60R 1/02 (2013.01); B60R 1/12 (2013.01); G02F 1/133308 (2013.01); G02F 1/133385 (2013.01); G02F 1/157 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1215 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1223 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); G02F 2201/44 (2013.01); G02F 2203/09 (2013.01)] 73 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
a plurality of vehicular cameras located at respective portions of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;
said plurality of vehicular cameras comprising a forward-viewing camera located at the equipped vehicle, said forward-viewing camera having a field of view at least forward of the equipped vehicle, said forward-viewing camera operable to capture first image data when the equipped vehicle travels forward;
wherein said forward-viewing camera is located within an interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and is disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle at an in-cabin side of the windshield and views to the exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield;
said plurality of vehicular cameras further comprising a rearward-viewing camera located at the equipped vehicle, said rearward-viewing camera having a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle, said rearward-viewing camera operable to capture second image data;
a common image processor for processing first image data captured by said forward-viewing camera and second image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera;
wherein said common image processor processes first image data captured by said forward-viewing camera to detect at least one vehicle present exterior the equipped vehicle;
a video display screen of a video display device located within the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle, wherein said video display screen is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when operating the equipped vehicle;
wherein said video display screen comprises a pixelated video display screen;
wherein said video display device comprises a polarizer and a diffuser;
wherein said video display device comprises at least one brightness enhancement film;
wherein backlighting for said video display screen is provided by at least one white light emitting light-emitting diode;
wherein intensity of light emitted by said at least one white light emitting light-emitting diode is controlled via pulse width modulation (PWM);
wherein said video display device comprises a metallic reflector that reflects light toward said video display screen to enhance backlighting of said video display screen when said at least one white light emitting light-emitting diode is powered;
wherein light emanating from said video display screen when displaying video images to be viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) circularly polarized light and (ii) elliptically polarized light;
wherein a thermally conductive element is in thermal contact with an element of said video display device;
wherein, responsive to the equipped vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver of the equipped vehicle is executing a reversing maneuver, video images derived from second image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera are displayed by said video display screen; and
wherein, when the equipped vehicle is traveling forward, said common image processor processes first image data captured by said forward-viewing camera for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle and at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle.