Patent ID: 8733938

Claim:
A virtual-sunroof system, for providing a virtual sunroof at an interior of a vehicle for viewing by a passenger when the passenger is seated in the vehicle, comprising: a virtual-sunroof image-collection device configured and arranged at the vehicle to sense an environment above the vehicle and create digital image data using the image information, wherein the sensing is performed continuously over time and the digital image data is updated in real-time based on the continuous sensing and any changes of the environment being sensed; and a virtual-sunroof projection device configured and arranged in the vehicle to be in communication with the virtual-sunroof image-collection device for providing a virtual sunroof display that: is viewable above a head of the passenger seated in the vehicle, where a conventional sunroof would be positioned but is absent; is formed using the image data; represents accurately at the interior of the vehicle a rendition of the environment above the vehicle in real-time as the image data is updated; and has a size, shape, and location corresponding generally to a size, shape, and location that an actual conventional-type sunroof would have in the vehicle.