Abstract:
In order to enable a driver to see areas in a blind spot, operation of a turn signal is integrated with an exterior vehicle-mounted camera and an on-board video display that is located in a cabin of the vehicle. Whenever a turn signal is activated, a camera feed from a vehicle-mounted external camera is sent to the on-board video display, thus providing the driver with a real-time view of the blind spot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates in general to the field of vehicles, and more particularly to vehicles equipped with driver-viewable video displays. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to vehicles that have a “blind spot” from a driver&#39;s cabin position. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    “Blind spots” are common hazards to vehicle drivers. A “blind spot” is defined as an area proximate to a vehicle in which objects are not visually apparent to a driver. That is, a blind spot includes an area near the vehicle in which hazards are not seen by the driver, either through the use of central and side mirrors, or through unaided vision, including peripheral vision. If a driver does not see a hazard in the blind spot, then there is a high likelihood that the driver&#39;s vehicle, when turning or changing lanes, will hit that object, which may be another vehicle, a pedestrian, a fixed object, etc. 
         [0005]    In some cases, a driver can see objects in a blind spot by twisting his head around to look directly at the blind spot. However, this causes him to take his eyes completely away from the on-coming road, and often results in dangerous unintended movement of the steering wheel. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In order to enable a driver to safely see areas in a blind spot, the present invention integrates an operation of a turn signal with an exterior vehicle-mounted camera and an on-board video display that is located in a cabin of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, whenever a turn signal is activated, a camera feed from a vehicle-mounted external camera is sent to the on-board video display, thus providing the driver with a real-time view of the blind spot. 
         [0007]    The above, as well as additional purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0009]      FIGS. 1A-B  depict a vehicle with a vehicle-mounted external camera whose field of view is directed to a blind spot of a driver of the vehicle; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates an on-board video display located in a dashboard of the vehicle depicted in  FIGS. 1A-B , wherein the on-board video display shows a real-time view of the blind spot; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary on-board computer and service provider server in which the present invention may be utilized; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow-chart of exemplary steps taken by the present invention to display a view of a blind spot on the on-board video display when a turn signal on the vehicle is turned on; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a flow-chart of exemplary steps taken b the present invention to display a view of a blind spot on the on-board video display when the vehicle is executing a turn. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    With reference now to the figures and in particular to  FIGS. 1A-B , a vehicle  100  is presented. Note that while vehicle  100  is presented for exemplary purposes, and as a preferred embodiment, as an automobile, vehicle  100  may be any vehicle, including but not limited to trucks, buses, aircraft, water craft, construction equipment (e.g., forklifts, graders, etc.), agricultural equipment (e.g., tractors, combines, etc.), and any other vehicle capable of transporting passengers and/or material, and/or performing work during vehicle movement. 
         [0015]    Vehicle  100  includes multiple turn signals  102   a - d.  Note that for illustrative purposes, the left turn signals  102 A-B as shown as being illuminated, suggesting that a driver of vehicle  100  desires to drive to the left (either to make a turn or to change lanes in a multi-lane road). Problematic for the driver of vehicle  100  is a blind spot  104 , which, if seen at all, is visible only by the driver twisting his head around in a manner that requires him to take his eyes off the road in front of him. However, in accordance with the present invention, vehicle  100  has vehicle-mounted cameras  106 A-B. As depicted, vehicle-mounted camera  106   a  has a field of view that is directed to the blind spot  104 . In a preferred embodiment, each vehicle-mounted camera  106 A-B is discretely hidden for security reasons. 
         [0016]    In an alternate embodiment, vehicle  100  also includes one or more proximity sensors  110 , depicted in  FIG. 1A  as proximity sensors  110   a - b.  If an object is within blind spot  104 , proximity sensor  110   a  detects its presence. This detection may be utilized to present an aural and/or visual cue to the driver of vehicle  100 . For example, a Heads-Up Display (HUD), a signal in a gauge panel, etc. may present to the driver a visual and/or aural cue that the object is located within the blind spot  104  on the left side of the vehicle  100 . 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a dashboard  200  located in the cabin of vehicle  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A-B , includes an on-board video display  202 . As suggested by the figure, a turn signal arm  204  has been pulled downward, thus activating left turn signals  102 A-B. In a manner described in further detail below, this activation of left turn signals  102 A-B causes a video feed from vehicle-mounted camera  106   a  to be displayed on on-board video display  202 . When turn signal arm  204  returns to a neutral position (no longer causing left turn signals  102 A-B to flash), then the display on on-board video display  202  returns to whatever was being displayed before the turn signal arm  204  was engaged. 
         [0018]    Thus, a high-level overview of components utilized by the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3A . As illustrated, a turn signal detection logic  301  detects that a turn signal has been engaged, and also detects whether the turn signal is for a left blinker or a right blinker. Alternatively, an inertial detection logic  305  may sense that the vehicle has changed directions, to a degree that the vehicle may strike an object that is in the block spot  104 . Inertial detection logic  305  may be composed of any logic known to those skilled in the art, including but not limited to three-axis inertia detectors. This direction information (either from the turn signal being activated or from the inertia detection logic) is sent to an on-board computer  302  in a vehicle, which sends an instruction to a camera feed logic  303 . This instruction tells the camera feed logic  303  which direction (left or right) has been signaled. From this information, the camera feed logic  303  selects a camera feed from one of the multiple vehicle-mounted cameras  106  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-B  as vehicle-mounted cameras  106   a - d ) that is appropriate. For example, if the turn signal indicates a left turn, then video feed from the vehicle-mounted camera on the left side of the vehicle will be sent to on-board video display  202 . Similarly, if the turn signal had indicated a right turn, then video feed from the vehicle-mounted camera on the left side of the vehicle would have been sent to on-board video display  202 . Note further that the proximity sensor  110  may be used to alert a driver of the vehicle that an object is located in the blind spot of the vehicle, thus providing an alert cue to the driver to look at the on-board video display  202  in order to identify the detected object. 
         [0019]    With reference now to  FIG. 3B , there is depicted a block diagram of an exemplary on-board computer  302 , in which the present invention may be utilized. On-board computer  302  includes a processor unit  304  that is coupled to a system bus  306 . A video adapter  308 , which drives/supports a on-board video display  310 , is also coupled to system bus  306 . System bus  306  is coupled via a bus bridge  312  to an Input/Output (I/O) bus  314 . An I/O interface  316  is coupled to I/O bus  314 . I/O interface  316  affords communication with various I/O devices, including a keyboard  318 , a mouse  320 , a Compact Disk—Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) drive  322 , a floppy disk drive  324 , and a flash drive memory  326 . The format of the ports connected to I/O interface  316  may be any known to those skilled in the art of computer architecture, including but not limited to Universal Selial Bus (USB) ports. 
         [0020]    On-board computer  302  is able to communicate with a service provider server  350  via a network  328  using a network interface  330 , which is coupled to system bus  306 . Network  328  may be an external network such as the Internet, or an internal network such as an Ethernet or a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Note the service provider server  350  may utilize a same or substantially similar architecture as on-board computer  302 . 
         [0021]    A hard drive interface  332  is also coupled to system bus  306 . Hard drive interface  332  interfaces with a hard drive  334 . In a preferred embodiment, hard drive  334  populates a system memory  336 , which is also coupled to system bus  306 . System memory is defined as a lowest level of volatile memory in on-board computer  302 . This volatile memory includes additional higher levels of volatile memory (not shown), including, but not limited to, cache memory, registers and buffers. Data that populates system memory  336  includes on-board computer  302 &#39;s operating system (OS)  338  and application programs  344 . 
         [0022]    OS  338  includes a shell  340 , for providing transparent user access to resources such as application programs  344 . Generally, shell  340  is a program that provides an interpreter and an interface between the user and the operating system. More specifically, shell  340  executes commands that are entered into a command line user interface or from a file. Thus, shell  340  (as it is called in UNIX®), also called a command processor in Windows®, is generally the highest level of the operating system software hierarchy and serves as a command interpreter. The shell provides a system prompt, interprets commands entered by keyboard, mouse, or other user input media, and sends the interpreted command(s) to the appropriate lower levels of the operating system (e.g., a kernel  342 ) for processing. Note that while shell  340  is a text-based, line-oriented user interface, the present invention will equally well support other user interface modes, such as graphical, voice, gestural, etc. 
         [0023]    As depicted, OS  338  also includes kernel  342 , which includes lower levels of functionality for OS  338 , including providing essential services required by other parts of OS  338  and application programs  344 , including memory management, process and task management, disk management, and mouse and keyboard management. 
         [0024]    Application programs  344  include a browser  346 . Browser  346  includes program modules and instructions enabling a World Wide Web (WWW) client (i.e., on-board computer  302 ) to send and receive network messages to the Internet using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) messaging, thus enabling communication with service provider server  350 . 
         [0025]    Application programs  344  in on-board computer  302 &#39;s system memory (as well as service provider server  350 &#39;s system memory) also include a Signal-Camera Integration Program (SCIP)  348 . SCIP  348  includes code for implementing the processes described in  FIGS. 3A and 4 . 
         [0026]    The hardware elements depicted in on-board computer  302  are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are representative to highlight essential components required by the present invention. For instance, on-board computer  302  may include alternate memory storage devices such as magnetic cassettes, Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), Bernoulli cartridges, and the like. These and other variations are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0027]    Note further that, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, service provider server  350  performs all of the functions associated with the present invention (including execution of SCIP  348 ), thus freeing on-board computer  302  from having to use its own internal computing resources to execute SCIP  348 . 
         [0028]    With reference now to  FIG. 4 , a high-level flow-chart of exemplary steps taken by the present invention is presented. After initiator block  402 , a query is made to determine if a turn signal has been activated (query block  404 ). If so, then a video feed selection logic (e.g., camera feed logic  303  shown in  FIG. 3A ) selects (block  406 ) a video feed from an appropriate camera (left camera for left turn, right camera for right turn), which is displayed on the on-board video display  202 . The step shown in block  406  assumes that all cameras  106  are continuously turned on. Alternatively, when a left turn signal is detected, then a left-side camera  106   a  can be turned on, such that the only feed coming into camera feed logic  303  (and ultimately on-board video display  202 ) is that coming from the turned on camera. Once the turn signal arm  204  is returned to its original position (block  408 ), then the display on the on-board video display  202  returns to what was being displayed before the turn signal was activated (block  410 ), and the process ends (terminator block  412 ). 
         [0029]    With reference now to  FIG. 5 , an alternate use of the on-board video display  202  and cameras  106  is presented. After initiator block  502 , a determination is made that the vehicle is turning (query block  504 ) at a rate sufficient to cause the vehicle to strike an object that may be in its blind spot. Upon this determination, a video feed selection logic (e.g., camera feed logic  303  shown in  FIG. 3A ) selects (block  506 ) a video feed from an appropriate camera (left camera for leftward movement, right camera for rightward movement), which is displayed on the on-board video display  202 . The step shown in block  506  assumes that all cameras  106  are continuously turned on. Alternatively, when a left turn signal is detected, then a left-side camera  106   a  can be turned on, such that the only feed coming into camera feed logic  303  (and ultimately on-board video display  202 ) is that coming from the turned on camera. Once the vehicle is no longer turning (query block  508 ), then the on-board video display  202  returns to displaying what was being displayed before the vehicle began turning (block  510 ), and the process ends (terminator block  512 ). 
         [0030]    It should be understood that at least some aspects of the present invention may alternatively be implemented in a computer-useable medium that contains a program product. Programs defining functions on the present invention can be delivered to a data storage system or a computer system via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, without limitation, non-writable storage media (e.g., CD-ROM), writable storage media (e.g., hard disk drive, read/write CD ROM, optical media), and communication media, such as computer and telephone networks including Ethernet, the Internet, wireless networks, and like network systems. It should be understood, therefore, that such signal-bearing media when carrying or encoding computer readable instructions that direct method functions in the present invention, represent alternative embodiments of the present invention. Further, it is understood that the present invention may be implemented by a system having means in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware as described herein or their equivalent. 
         [0031]    The present invention thus assists a driver of a vehicle by providing that driver with a view of a blind spot of the vehicle, such that the blind spot is effectively eliminated. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for a method that includes the steps of: detecting an activation of a turn-signal mechanism; determining a direction of a turn-signal associated with the turn-signal mechanism; and supplying a video feed from a vehicle-mounted camera to an on-board video display, wherein the vehicle-mounted camera has a field of view that includes a blind spot in the direction of the turn-signal. The method may further include the step of, in response to the turn-signal mechanism being turned off, returning a display on the on-board video display to a pre-turn display of information that was presented before the turn-signal mechanism was activated. The pre-turn display may be a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based map. Furthermore, the video feed may be selected, by a camera feed logic, from a plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras. Alternatively, the video feed is created by activating, from a plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras, a specific vehicle-mounted camera that has the field of view of the includes the blind spot. The vehicle may be an earth-moving piece of powered equipment (e.g., a bulldozer, a grader, a front-end loader, etc.), or a transportation vehicle (e.g., a car, trick, bus, aircraft, watercraft, etc.). 
         [0032]    The inventive vehicle includes: a turn signal activation mechanism; a turn signal detection logic that detects: a direction of a turn signal, and an activation of the turn signal activation mechanism; at least one vehicle-mounted cameras; a camera feed logic; and an on-board video display, wherein the camera feed logic selects a video feed from one or more of the at least one vehicle-mounted cameras to the on-board video display, and wherein a selected video feed is from a vehicle-mounted camera having a field of view of a blind spot that is in the direction of the turn signal. The at least one vehicle-mounted cameras may be a single camera that has a field of view of all blind spots for the vehicle. Each blind spot of the vehicle may have a dedicated vehicle-mounted camera. As noted above, the vehicle may be an earth-moving piece of powered equipment (e.g., a bulldozer, a grader, a front-end loader, etc.), or a transportation vehicle (e.g., a car, truck, bus, aircraft, watercraft, etc.). The on-board video display may be an in-dash display that is capable of displaying Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based map information. 
         [0033]    Furthermore, the present invention describes and claims a system that includes, but is not limited to, a turn signal activation mechanism; a turn signal detection logic that detects a direction of a turn signal, and an activation of the turn signal activation mechanism; at least one vehicle-mounted cameras; a camera feed logic; and an on-board video display, wherein the camera feed logic selects a video feed from one or more of the at least one vehicle-mounted cameras to the on-board video display, and wherein a selected video feed is from a vehicle-mounted camera having a field of view of a blind spot of a vehicle that is in the direction of the turn signal. The at least one vehicle-mounted cameras may be a single camera that has a field of view of all blind spots for the vehicle. Alternatively, each blind spot of the vehicle has a dedicated vehicle-mounted camera. As noted above, the on-board video display may be an in-dash display that is capable of displaying Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based map information. 
         [0034]    While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the term “computer” or “system” or “computer system” or “computing device” includes any data processing system including, but not limited to, personal computers, servers, workstations, network computers, main frame computers, routers, switches, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA&#39;s), telephones, and any other system capable of processing, transmitting, receiving, capturing and/or storing data.