Patent ID: 11884215
Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle comprising:
a camera system having at least two rear-facing cameras, each camera constructed and arranged to obtain an image of an area behind a rear of the vehicle;
a tailgate position determining system constructed and arranged to determine a position of a tailgate of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit having a processor circuit configured to receive a plurality of images provided by the at least two cameras of the camera system, and select one or more images of the plurality of images based upon the determined position of the tailgate of the vehicle for use in a driver assistance operation,
wherein the at least two rear-facing cameras comprise a first camera fixedly disposed along the tailgate so as to move therewith, and a second camera disposed proximate a central rear brake light of the vehicle, and upon an affirmative determination by the electronic control unit that the position of the tailgate is in an open position, the electronic control unit selects as the selected one or more images a first image captured by the first camera and a second image captured by the second camera, and combines the first and second images to generate a combined image for use in the driver assistance operation.