Patent ID: 9469250
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: B60R,B62D,G06T,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A vision display system for a vehicle, said vision display system comprising: a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision display system; said plurality of cameras each having respective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; said plurality of cameras comprising a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a front camera disposed at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side camera disposed at a driver side portion of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side camera disposed at a passenger side portion of the equipped vehicle; said rear camera comprising a backup camera; a display system of the equipped vehicle comprising a display screen disposed in the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle, said display screen having a diagonal dimension greater than 3.5 inches; wherein said display screen is operable to display a surround view composite image derived from image data captured by said front, rear, driver side and passenger side cameras of the equipped vehicle; a tow check function comprising a video zoom feature for use when reversing the equipped vehicle towards a trailer so the driver of the equipped vehicle can more readily align a trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with a tongue of the trailer the driver of the equipped vehicle desires to hitch the equipped vehicle to; wherein the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle comprises a ball and wherein, during a trailer hitch maneuver of the equipped vehicle, the video zoom feature zooms to show on said display screen the region immediately behind the equipped vehicle where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located so that the driver can view the ball in video images shown on said display screen and also see the tongue of the trailer as the equipped vehicle approaches the trailer; wherein said tow check function is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle prior to or during a reversing maneuver; wherein actuation of said tow check function zooms what is shown on said display screen from a broad view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located to a narrower view of where the ball of the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle is located; wherein said vision display system allows for first shifting of a vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence a reversing maneuver and then prohibiting switching to a tow check or zoomed view for a threshold or minimum period of time; wherein, after said threshold or minimum period of time has elapsed after said first shifting of the vehicle transmission into reverse gear to commence that reversing maneuver, the tow check or zoomed view remains available during that reversing maneuver even if the equipped vehicle is again shifted back into reverse gear in order to allow for the driver to make multiple attempts to align the trailer hitch of the equipped vehicle with the tongue of the trailer via shifting of the vehicle transmission in and out of reverse gear multiple times during that reversing maneuver; and wherein said threshold or minimum period of time is at least about three seconds.