Abstract:
A real time video device for viewing the images at the rear and the sides of a vehicle. The real time video device includes a video camera movably mounted to the vehicle for capturing images of events occurring surrounding the vehicle and a video screen mounted within the vehicle and connected to display the images captured by the video camera. A device for moving the video camera along a horizontal plane to capture images along the horizontal plane and a device for moving the video camera along a vertical plane to capture images along the vertical plane are connected to the video camera. A manual control device is connected to the devices for moving the video camera along both the horizontal and vertical planes for capturing images along both the horizontal and vertical planes based upon desires of the driver for real time viewing by the driver of the vehicle on said video screen. An automatic control device is connected to the device for moving the video camera along the horizontal plane for capturing images along said horizontal plane based upon sensed conditions along the sides of the vehicle for display on said video screen to alert the driver to the sensed conditions thereby avoiding blind spots which inhibit the driver from driving safely.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to rear and side viewing devices for vehicles and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a rear and side viewing device for vehicles providing real time images of the area surrounding the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle by utilizing a video camera. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Numerous innovations for rear and side viewing devices for vehicles void of rear and quarter windows have been provided in the prior art. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the prior art external rear view mirrors  32   a  and  32   b  are mounted to the doors  24   a  and  24   b  of the cab portion  20   a  of a vehicle  18   a . The vehicle includes an opaque rear side  17   a . With the prior art external rear view mirrors  32   a  and  32   b  extending from the sides of vehicle  18   a , the width of the vehicle  18   a  is increased and, more importantly, the mirrors  32   a  and  32   b  include blind spots preventing the driver from viewing all areas surrounding the vehicle  18   a  regardless of the distance to which the prior art external rear view mirrors  32   a  and  32   b  extend from the vehicle  18   a.    
     Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,710,040; 4,161,352; 4,934,246; and 4,964,712 are all also illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,040 
     Inventor: Jorgen Boysen 
     Issued: May 9, 1929 
     This invention relates to automobile-mirrors, and has for its object to provide a specimen of mirror, somewhat similar to a periscope, which, when properly adjusted, will at all times keep the driver of a car informed as to the movements that take place in the rear of the automobile as well as in front thereof. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,352 
     Inventor: Larry L. Felix et al. 
     Issued: Jul. 17, 1979 
     Apparatus for use in surveillance from a vehicle includes an adapter which is mounted adjacent to a wall opening in the vehicle and a casing which is rotatably mounted on the adapter. Mounted within the casing is an extendible-retractable scope for selective shifting through the wall opening. The scope includes a pair of opposed mirror surfaces for reflecting images from outside the vehicle to the inside. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,246 
     Inventor: William M. Benson et al. 
     Issued: Jun. 19, 1990 
     A wide angle trapezoidal periscope is disclosed having an upper trapezoidal housing and a smaller lower trapezoidal housing secured to said upper housing having optics sealed therein which include parallel upper and lower windows and parallel upper and lower mirrors. When used on military vehicles, the lower trapezoidal periscope housings are inserted within evenly and closely spaced trapezoidal openings in the rim of a hatch and are secured to the hatch with comer connectors to clamp non-parallel walls of said upper housings within about ⅛ of an inch of the adjacent non-parallel walls of the next adjacent trapezoidal housing. Each periscope provides a vertical field of view of about 43 degrees and a horizontal field of view of about 140 degrees. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,712 
     Inventor: Allen J. Anderson 
     Issued: Oct. 23, 1990 
     A device for enabling the driver of a vehicle to view behind the vehicle as he is driving. The apparatus includes a number of elongated periscopes mounted generally vertical within the vehicle. The periscopes are mounted so as to provide adjacent angular fields about a generally vertically-oriented axis. The device further includes a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve receiving a corresponding periscope for axial movement relative thereto. The sleeves are mounted for movement about a generally horizontal axis. Each sleeve includes a pawl member which projects axially from its corresponding sleeve. The apparatus is, further, constructed so that when a main body portion of a periscope is moved telescopically within its corresponding sleeve to bring that sleeve into engagement with a collar carried by a head portion of the periscope, the pawl member will enter one of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced notches formed in the collar to enable rotation of the main body portion of the periscope tube about the axis of elongation thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to rear and side viewing devices for vehicles and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a rear and side viewing device for vehicles providing real time images of the area surrounding the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle by utilizing a video camera. 
     A primary object of the present invention to provide a rear and side viewing device for vehicles which will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device for vehicles which eliminates the need for prior art external rear view mirrors on vehicles. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device for vehicles which does not fog up and thus reduce the effectiveness of the device. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device for vehicles which displays images of objects so as to appear at their actual distance. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device for vehicles which reflects images present in the rear and immediately adjacent lane on each side of the vehicle. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device in which images at the rear and sides of the vehicle are captured by a video camera and are available for real time viewing by the driver of the vehicle on a video screen within the vehicle cab thereby eliminating blind spots. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a video screen having a plurality of screen picture adjusters, the plurality of screen picture adjusters including adjusters for at least one of brightness, contrast, vertical hold, horizontal hold, and color. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a video screen having a plurality of camera position adjusters, the plurality of camera position adjusters including adjusters for at least one of vertical span, horizontal span, on/off, and focus. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device wherein a vertical scan range of the video camera is 90° and the horizontal scan range of the video camera is 180°. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including horizontal motion sensors for detecting objects adjacent the vehicle and turn the video camera to capture an image of the object. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including manual controls within the cab of the vehicle for controlling the movement of the video camera along the vertical and horizontal scan ranges based upon the desires of the driver. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a mount for retaining the video camera having a fixed base portion and a movable fork portion, the movable fork portion being movably affixed to the fixed base portion and including a left fork and a right fork emanating therefrom, the left fork having a left end containing a left throughbore and the right fork having a right end containing a right throughbore. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device wherein the fixed base portion of the mount includes an internally positioned fixed horizontal scan motor having a horizontal scan gear and a revolving shaft, the revolving shaft including a free end to which the horizontal scan gear is affixed. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device wherein the movable fork portion of the mount contains a substantially cylindrically-shaped cavity having an upper side portion, the upper side portion including a closed ring of gear teeth disposed thereon which meshes with the horizontal scan gear, wherein when power is supplied to the fixed horizontal scan motor the horizontal scan gear is caused to revolve via the revolving shaft thereby causing the mount and ultimately the video camera to revolve through the 180° horizontal scan range as desired by the user. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a stationary pin having a first end including a fixed pin gear. The stationary pin is fixedly secured within the left throughbore of the left fork and extends into the video camera. The video camera contains an internally fixed vertical scan motor having a vertical scan gear and a revolving shaft, the revolving shaft includes a free end to which the vertical scan gear is affixed, the fixed pin gear meshes with the vertical scan gear whereby when power is supplied to the fixed vertical scan motor the vertical scan gear and thus the video camera are caused to revolve through the 90° vertical scan range, as required by the user. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a pivot pin pivotally passing through the right throughbore contained in the right fork and rigidly affixed to the video camera. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a watertight gasket seal disposed around the perimeter of the throughbore in the top of the vehicle whereby the junction between the hollow tubular substantially cylindrically-shaped body portion and the throughbore will not leak. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device wherein the substantially prism-shaped receiving portion includes a transparent pane of glass wherein images captured from the rear and sides of the vehicle can pass therethrough. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a real time video rear and side viewing device including a horizontal scan range of 180° and a vertical scan range dependent upon the length of the hollow tubular substantially cylindrically-shaped body portion. The substantially prism-shaped receiving portion and the substantially prism-shaped viewing portion both functioning as limit points for the vertical scan range. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     A real time video device for viewing the images at the rear and the sides of a vehicle is disclosed by the present invention. The real time video device includes a video camera movably mounted to the vehicle for capturing images of events occurring surrounding the vehicle and a video screen mounted within the vehicle and connected to display the images captured by the video camera. A device for moving the video camera along a horizontal plane to capture images along the horizontal plane and a device for moving the video camera along a vertical plane to capture images along the vertical plane are connected to the video camera. A manual control device is connected to the devices for moving the video camera along both the horizontal and vertical planes for capturing images along both the horizontal and vertical planes based upon desires of the driver for real time viewing by the driver of the vehicle on said video screen. An automatic control device is connected to the device for moving the video camera along the horizontal plane for capturing images along said horizontal plane based upon sensed conditions along the sides of the vehicle for display on said video screen to alert the driver to the sensed conditions thereby avoiding blind spots which inhibit the driver from driving safely. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a prior art vehicle without the use of rear and quarter windows and using a rear view mirror for viewing along the sides of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a vehicle using the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention for viewing; 
     FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the vehicle including the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, wherein a door of the cab portion is opened to illustrate the interior of the cab portion of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the dashboard of the cab portion of the vehicle of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention illustrating the vertical span range of the video camera, in phantom; 
     FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the video camera of the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention mounted to the top of the cargo portion of the vehicle illustrating the horizontal span range of the video camera, in phantom; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of the video camera of the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention with parts broken away illustrating the positioning mechanisms of the video camera; and 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the Figures illustrate the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures. 
       12  video camera of the present invention 
       14  top 
       16  cargo portion 
       18  vehicle utilizing video camera of the present invention 
       20  cab portion of the vehicle 
       22  mount for video camera 
       23  motion sensors 
       24  door of cab portion 
       26  interior of the cab portion 
       28  dashboard of the cab portion 
       30  items mounted on or in the dashboard 
       32  video screen mounted in the dashboard 
       34  approximate center of the dashboard 
       36  glove compartment of the dashboard 
       38  plurality of ventilation vents (HVAC) on the dashboard 
       40  a plurality of control switches on the dashboard 
       42  plurality of gauges on the dashboard 
       43  steering wheel on the dashboard 
       44  speedometer of the plurality of gauges 
       46  tachometer of the plurality of gauges 
       48  amp gauge of the plurality of gauges 
       50  coolant temperature gauge of the plurality of gauges 
       52  ohm gauge of the plurality of gauges 
       54  fuel gauge of the plurality of gauges 
       56  drive selector indicator of the plurality of gauges 
       57  plurality of directional buttons 
       58  plurality of screen picture adjusters for the video screen 
       59  upward directional button 
       60  plurality of camera position adjusters for the video camera vertical 
       61  downward directional button 
       62  power pack for powering the video camera 
       63  leftward directional button 
       64  screen cable of the video camera 
       65  rightward directional button 
       66  camera cable of the video camera 
       68  mount cable of the video camera 
       70  image cable of the video camera 
       72  arrow indicating vertical span of the video camera 
       73  video cassette recorder 
       74  arrow indicating horizontal span of the video camera 
       76  fixed base portion of the mount 
       78  movable fork portion of the mount 
       80  left fork of the movable fork portion 
       82  right fork of the movable fork portion 
       84  end of the left fork 
       86  throughbore contained in the left fork 
       88  end of the right fork 
       90  throughbore contained in the right fork 
       92  left phantom video camera of the video camera 
       94  right phantom video camera of the video camera 
       96  fixed horizontal span motor of the video camera 
       98  horizontal span gear of the video camera 
       100  revolving shaft of the fixed horizontal span motor 
       102  substantially cylindrically shaped cavity contained in the movable fork portion 
       104  upper side portion of the substantially cylindrically shaped cavity 
       106  closed ring of gear teeth disposed on the upper side portion 
       108  teeth of the horizontal span gear 
       110  stationary pin of the video camera 
       112  throughbore contained in the video camera 
       114  fixed gear terminating in the stationary pin 
       116  fixed vertical span motor of the video camera 
       118  vertical span gear 
       120  rotating shaft of the fixed vertical span motor 
       122  teeth of the fixed gear 
       124  teeth of the vertical span gear 
       126  pivot pin of the video camera 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 2 through 8 illustrate the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention indicated generally by the numeral  10 . 
     A top perspective view of a video camera  12  for use with the real time video rear and side viewing device  10  of the present invention is shown mounted to the top  14  of the cargo portion  16  of a vehicle  18 . The vehicle  18  also includes a cab portion  20 . The cargo portion  16  is void of any rear and quarter windows and thus, it is difficult for a driver of the vehicle  18  to see other vehicles both behind and along the sides of the vehicle  18  when driving on the road. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the video camera  12  is rigidly mounted to the top  14  of the cargo portion  16  of the vehicle  18  by a mounting structure  22 . On either side of the video camera are positioned motion sensors  23 . The motion sensors are able to detect objects moving on either side of the vehicle  18  and direct the video camera  12  to turn towards the object alerting the driver as to its presence. A door  24  of the cab portion  20  is in the open position to reveal the interior  26  thereof. Within the interior  26  of the cab portion  20  is a dashboard  28  mounted to a firewall (not shown) of the vehicle  18  in a commonly known manner. The connection between the dashboard  28  and the firewall does not form part of the present invention and thus will not be discussed further. In addition to the standard complement of items  30  mounted on or in the dashboard  28  is a video screen  32 , preferably mounted in a substantially central portion  34  of the dashboard  28 . 
     The details of the dashboard  28  can be more clearly seen in FIG.  4 . The dashboard  28  contains a glove compartment  36 , a plurality of ventilation vents for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)  38 , a plurality of control switches  40  for controlling certain conditions within the vehicle  18 , and a plurality of gauges  42  for monitoring the condition of the engine (not shown) of the vehicle  18 . The plurality of gauges  42  can include a speedometer  44 , a tachometer  46 , an amp gauge  48 , a coolant temperature gauge  50 , an ohm gauge  52 , a fuel gauge  54 , and a drive selector indicator  56 . A steering wheel  43  is also present extending from the dashboard  28 . The steering wheel  43  includes a plurality of directional buttons  57  positioned thereon for use in controlling the movement of the camera  12  as will be explained hereinafter. The plurality of directional buttons  57  includes an upward directional button  59  for directing an upward vertical movement of the camera, a downward directional button  61  for directing a downward vertical movement of the camera, a leftward directional button  63  for directing a leftward horizontal movement of the camera and a rightward directional button  65  for directing a rightward horizontal movement of the camera. 
     The video screen  32  that is mounted in the approximate center  34  of the dashboard  28  includes a plurality of screen picture adjusters  58  and a plurality of camera position adjusters  60 . The plurality of screen picture adjusters  58  include adjusters for brightness, contrast, vertical hold, horizontal hold, color, etc. The plurality of camera position adjusters  60  include adjusters for vertical position, horizontal position, on/off, focus, etc. for the video camera  12 . The video screen  32  is also connected to a video cassette recorder  73  for taping the images captured by the video camera  12  and displayed on the video screen  32 . 
     The schematic diagram of the present invention may be best seen in FIG.  5 . The video screen  32  is connected to a power pack  62  by a screen cable  64  containing a plurality of conductors (not shown). The power pack  62  may be the vehicle battery wherein the real time video rear and side viewing device  10  will be activated upon turning the ignition of the vehicle  18  or may be a separate power source connected within the vehicle  18 . The video camera  12  is connected to the power pack  62  by a camera cable  66  containing a plurality of conductors (not shown). The mount  22  is connected to the power pack  62  by a mount cable  68  containing a plurality of conductors (not shown). Additionally, an image cable  70  is provided between the video cassette recorder  73  and the camera  12  and the video screen  32  is connected to the video cassette recorder  73  for transmission of images for recording and display. The video cassette recorder  73  is connected between the power pack  62  and the screen for recording all images displayed on the screen  32 . The video recording of the images displayed on the screen can be used to view any accidents which the video camera may capture and thus aid in determining the cause of the accident. The plurality of movement buttons  57  are connected to manually turn the video camera  72  as desired by the driver and motion sensors  23  are also connected to turn the video camera  72  across the horizontal scan range as other vehicles on the road approach the vehicle  18  from either side thus alerting the driver as to their presence. 
     Additionally, it can be seen from FIG. 5, that the video camera  12  of the present invention can span 90° in the vertical direction, as shown by arrow  72 , and can span 180° in the horizontal direction, as shown by arrow  74 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the mount  22  of the video camera  12  includes a fixed base portion  76  which is rigidly affixed to the top  14  of the cargo portion  16  of the vehicle  18 . The mount  22  also includes a movable fork portion  78  that is free to rotate 180°, as shown by the arrow  74 , about the fixed base portion  76  of the mount  22 . The movable fork portion  78  includes a left fork  80  and a right fork  82  emanating therefrom. The left fork  80  includes an end  84  that contains a throughbore  86 . Likewise, the right fork  82  includes an end  88  that contains a throughbore  90 . 
     The left phantom video camera  92  and the right phantom video camera  94  indicate the extremes of the horizontal span range of the video camera  12 , while the arrow  74  further indicates the horizontal span range of the video camera  12 . 
     The mechanism for rotating the video camera  12  through its horizontal span and its vertical span ranges, is shown in FIG.  7 . Internal to the fixed base portion  76 , of the mount  22  is disposed a fixed horizontal span motor  96 . The fixed horizontal span motor  96  carries a horizontal span gear  98 , on its revolving shaft  100 . Internal to the movable fork portion  78  is contained a substantially cylindrically shaped cavity  102  whose upper side portion  104  contains a closed ring of gear teeth  106 . The closed ring of gear teeth  106  mesh with the teeth  108  of the horizontal span gear  98 . 
     As power is supplied to the fixed horizontal span motor  96 , the horizontal span gear  98 , via the revolving shaft  100 , revolves the movable mount  22 , for horizontal position of the video camera  12  through its 180° horizontal span range. Horizontal movement of the video camera  12  is controlled either manually by the driver using the movement buttons  57  positioned on the steering wheel  43  or automatically by the motion sensors  23  connected to the video camera  12  as objects are sensed passing the vehicle  18  on either side. 
     A stationary pin  110  is fixedly secured within the throughbore  86  of the left fork  80 . The stationary pin  110  continues, via a throughbore  112  contained in the video camera  12 , into the video camera  12  and terminates with a fixed gear  114 . The video camera  12  contains a fixed vertical span motor  116  carrying a vertical span gear  118  on its rotating shaft  120 . The teeth  122  of the fixed gear  114  mesh with the teeth  124  of the vertical span gear  118 . 
     As power is supplied to the fixed vertical span motor  116 , the vertical span gear  118 , via the rotating shaft  120 , revolves the video camera  12 , through its 90° vertical span, as required by the user. A pivot pin  126  is rigidly affixed to the video camera  12  and pivotally passes through the throughbore  90  contained in the right fork  82  of the movable fork portion  78 , of the mount  22 . 
     A schematic block diagram of the real time video rear and side viewing device of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  8 . As can be seen from this diagram the power source  62  is connected to supply power to both the video camera  12  and the video cassette recorder  73 ; The video camera  12  is also directly connected to the video cassette recorder  73  for supplying images captured thereby to the video cassette recorder  73  for recording. The video cassette recorder  73  is connected to the display device  32  for supplying the images received from the video camera  12  to be displayed thereon. The video camera  12  is connected to the horizontal motor  96  and the vertical motor  116  for controlling the movement of the video camera  12 . The horizontal motor  96  is driven by both the motion sensors  23  and the manual movement control buttons  57  to turn the video camera through its horizontal span range. The vertical motor  116  is driven by the manual movement control buttons  57  to turn the video camera through its vertical span range. 
     The operation of the real time video rear and side viewing device  10  will now be described with reference to the figures. In operation, the video camera  12  of the real time video rear and side viewing device  10  is mounted on a top  14  of the vehicle  18  so as to capture images on either side and behind the vehicle  18 . A motor for turning the video camera  12  in both the horizontal and vertical directions,  96  and  116  respectively, is connected to the video camera  12 . The video camera  12  is also connected to either the vehicle battery or a separate power source  62 . Motion sensors  23  are connected to control the horizontal motor  96  to automatically turn the video camera  12  based upon sensed conditions. Manual movement control buttons are positioned within the cab portion  20  of the vehicle  18  and preferably connected to the steering wheel  43  for being readily reachable by the driver of the vehicle  18 . The manual movement control buttons  57  are connected to control both the horizontal and vertical motors  96  and  116 , respectively, to automatically turn the video camera  12  based upon the desires of the driver. 
     When the vehicle  18  is turned on the real time video rear and side viewing device  10  is automatically activated. The video cassette recorder  73 , video screen  32  and the video camera  12  are turned on and the video screen  32  begins to display the images captured by the video camera  12 . The video cassette recorder  73  includes a looped tape therein and begins to record the images captured by the video camera  12 . The looped tape within the video cassette recorder  73  will be able to tape the images captured by the video camera  12  for a certain predetermined period of time and then record over the tape as it loops around. Thus, the area surrounding the vehicle  18  as it travels along the road can be taped and any accidents or occurrences happening around the vehicle can be recorded for later viewing. This will aid in determining the cause of numerous accidents. 
     As the driver is driving along the road, the movement control buttons may be used to control the direction at which the video camera points allowing the driver to view different sides of the vehicle on the video screen  32 . The activation of any of the movement control buttons  57  will transmit a signal to either the horizontal or vertical motor causing it to turn the video camera  12  as desired. The video camera  12  will capture images within its field of view as it is moved and thus the driver can observe the area surrounding the entire vehicle  18 . The movement of the video camera  12  is also automatically controlled to move in the horizontal direction by the motion sensors  23  connected thereto. The motion sensors detect objects moving along either side of the vehicle  18  and turn the video camera  12  towards the object thus alerting the driver as to their presence. Manual and automatic movement of the video camera  12  will continue for as long as the vehicle  18  is in operation and thus the driver is aware of conditions surrounding the entire vehicle  18  and eliminating any blind spots which may cause the driver to be unaware of certain occurrences surrounding the vehicle  18 . 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.