Patent Document ID: 20090160630
Application ID: 12397803
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for attracting attention of the driver in a motor vehicle to a potential hazardous spot, the method comprising the acts of: scanning surroundings in front of the vehicle using at least one laser scanner in the vehicle and determining a shape of an object and a distance of the object from the vehicle; recording the surroundings in front of the vehicle using at least one thermal imaging camera provided in the vehicle and making available a real image or a virtual image of the surroundings for display; comparing the object with at least a first reference object utilizing a first pattern recognition process; if a significant correspondence occurs between the object and the reference object, determining an area on the real or virtual image displayed to the driver in which the object is to be found; and highlighting at least one of the determined area of the real or virtual image and the respective object to be found in that area.