US 12,296,750 B2
Vehicular vision system
Michael J. Baur, Kentwood, MI (US); Rodney K. Blank, Zeeland, MI (US); Mark L Larson, Grand Haven, MI (US); and Niall R. Lynam, Holland, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/491,863.
Application 18/491,863 is a continuation of application No. 17/655,384, filed on Mar. 18, 2022, granted, now 11,794,651.
Application 17/655,384 is a continuation of application No. 17/247,697, filed on Dec. 21, 2020, granted, now 11,285,877, issued on Mar. 29, 2022.
Application 17/247,697 is a continuation of application No. 16/413,694, filed on May 16, 2019, granted, now 10,875,455, issued on Dec. 29, 2020.
Application 16/413,694 is a continuation of application No. 16/105,162, filed on Aug. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,300,856, issued on May 28, 2019.
Application 16/105,162 is a continuation of application No. 15/784,228, filed on Oct. 16, 2017, granted, now 10,053,012, issued on Aug. 21, 2018.
Application 15/784,228 is a continuation of application No. 14/719,446, filed on May 22, 2015, granted, now 9,789,821, issued on Oct. 17, 2017.
Application 14/719,446 is a continuation of application No. 13/393,384, granted, now 9,041,806, issued on May 26, 2015, previously published as PCT/US2010/047256, filed on Aug. 31, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/238,862, filed on Sep. 1, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/351,513, filed on Jun. 4, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2024/0042933 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60R 1/08 (2006.01); B60R 1/04 (2006.01); B60R 1/23 (2022.01); B60R 1/28 (2022.01); G08G 1/0962 (2006.01); G08G 1/16 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01); H04N 7/18 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 1/08 (2013.01) [B60R 1/04 (2013.01); B60R 1/23 (2022.01); B60R 1/28 (2022.01); G08G 1/09623 (2013.01); G08G 1/09626 (2013.01); G08G 1/167 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1215 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); B60R 2300/70 (2013.01); B60R 2300/802 (2013.01); B60R 2300/806 (2013.01); B60R 2300/8066 (2013.01); H04N 7/181 (2013.01)] 49 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
a video display screen operable to display video images;
wherein said video display screen is disposed in an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system;
wherein said video display screen is disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of a transflective electrochromic mirror reflective element of said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly;
wherein video images displayed at said video display screen are viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is driving the equipped vehicle;
wherein, when said video display screen is not operating to display video images, presence of said video display screen behind the transflective mirror reflector of the transflective electrochromic mirror reflective element is covert;
wherein, when said video display screen is not operating to display video images, mirror reflectance functionality is available to the driver at a region of the transflective mirror reflector of the transflective electrochromic mirror reflective element of said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly that the video display screen is disposed behind;
wherein said video display screen comprises a left display region at a left portion of said video display screen and a right display region at a right portion of said video display screen;
wherein said video display screen comprises a middle display region at a middle portion of said video display screen;
wherein said middle display region spans between said left display region and said right display region;
a rearward-viewing color video camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle;
said rearward-viewing color video camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor;
wherein image data captured by said rearward-viewing color video camera is provided by said rearward-viewing color video camera to said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly as digital signals carried by a coaxial cable connecting said rearward-viewing color video camera with said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry;
wherein the electronic circuitry of said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprises (i) auto dimming circuitry operable to electrically adjust reflectivity of the transflective electrochromic mirror reflective element and (ii) video processing circuitry operable to process image data captured by said rearward-viewing color video camera carried as digital signals by the coaxial cable connecting said rearward-viewing color video camera with said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly; and
wherein, during forward travel of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to processing of image data at the video processing circuitry, said video display screen is operable to (i) display at said left display region video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rearward-viewing color video camera in order to display a scene occurring in a left side traffic lane at a left side of the equipped vehicle where another vehicle may overtake the equipped vehicle, (ii) display at said right display region video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rearward-viewing color video camera in order to display a scene occurring in a right side traffic lane at a right side of the equipped vehicle where another vehicle may overtake the equipped vehicle and (iii) display at said middle display region video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said rearward-viewing color video camera in order to display a scene occurring rearward of the equipped vehicle in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is travelling in.