An imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging device having a field of view exteriorly and forward of the vehicle in its direction of travel, and an image processor operable to process the captured images in accordance with an algorithm. The algorithm comprises a sign recognition routine and a character recognition routine. The image processor processes the image data captured by the imaging device to detect signs in the field of view of the imaging device and applies the sign recognition routine to determine a sign type of the detected sign. The image processor is operable to apply the character recognition routine to the image data to determine information on the detected sign. The image processor applies the character recognition routine to the captured images in response to an output of the sign recognition routine being indicative of the detected sign being a sign type of interest.

Imaging system for vehicle

An Internet appliance, comprising, within a single housing, packet data network interfaces, adapted for communicating with the Internet and a local area network, at least one data interface selected from the group consisting of a universal serial bus, an IEEE-1394 interface, a voice telephony interface, an audio program interface, a video program interface, an audiovisual program interface, a camera interface, a physical security system interface, a wireless networking interface; a device control interface, smart home interface, an environmental sensing interface, and an environmental control interface, and a processor, for controlling a data transfer between the local area network and the Internet, and defining a markup language interface communicated through a packet data network interface, to control a data transfer or control a remote device.

Internet appliance system and method

A forward-facing vision system for a vehicle includes a forward-facing camera disposed in a windshield electronics module attached at a windshield of the vehicle and viewing through the windshield. A control includes a processor that, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects taillights of leading vehicles during nighttime conditions and, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects lane markers on a road being traveled by the vehicle. The control, responsive to lane marker detection and a determination that the vehicle is drifting out of a traffic lane, may control a steering system of the vehicle to mitigate such drifting, with the steering system manually controllable by a driver of the vehicle irrespective of control by the control. The processor, based at least in part on detection of lane markers via processing of captured image data, determines curvature of the road being traveled by the vehicle.

Vision system for vehicle

A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a lens and a CMOS photosensor array having a plurality of photosensor elements. The camera is disposed at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system. The camera one of (i) views exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and forward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) views from the windshield of the equipped vehicle into the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the photosensor array. The image processor processes captured image data to detect an object viewed by the camera. The photosensor array is operable at a plurality of exposure periods and at least one exposure period of the plurality of exposure periods is dynamically variable.

Vehicular vision system

An interior rearview mirror system and assembly includes a variable reflectivity reflective element and a video display screen disposed behind the reflective element and operable to display images viewable through the reflective element by a person viewing the interior rearview mirror assembly when it is normally mounted in a vehicle. The video display screen may be operable to brighten or enhance the intensity of images displayed by the video display screen responsive to a dimming condition of the variable reflectivity reflective element. The mirror system may include an image sensor and a decoder that decodes an output signal of the image sensor. The decoder has a microprocessor operable to control the video display screen, such that the captured image data are processed and images are displayed via operation of a common microprocessor. A compass chip may connect to a vehicle wire harness that extends from a vehicle headliner.

Interior mirror assembly with display

The present invention relates to information display assemblies (figures 1, 7) and various covert displays using the same.

Vehicle information displays

An inventive rearview assembly for a vehicle may comprise a mirror element and a display including a light management subassembly. The subassembly may comprise an LCD placed behind a transflective layer of the mirror element. Despite a low transmittance through the transflective layer, the inventive display is capable of generating a viewable display image having an intensity of at least 250 cd/m 2 and up to 3500 cd/m 2 . The display includes a novel backlighting subassembly and novel optical components including a magnifying system, a depolarizer, a reflector, and a reflective polarizer. The display may be configured to display an image having edges contoured to correspond to the edges of the mirror element.

Vehicle Rearview Mirror Assembly Including a High Intensity Display

An apparatus (10) including at least one LED (16) mounted to a printed circuit board (14), a reflector (20) including at least one heat stake (24, 26), and a mounting plate (30) comprising at least one aperture (36, 38) for receiving the at least one heat stake (24, 26). The at least one LED (16) is positioned between the reflector (20) and the mounting plate (30) such that the at least one LED (16) is held in position when the at least one heat stake (24, 26) is received within the at least one aperture (36, 38).

Vehicle lamp assembly with heat sink

The optical system of the present invention includes a lens system assembly, a spectral filter material and a pixel array configured such that small, distant, light sources can be reliably detected. The optical system of the present invention provides accurate measurement of the brightness of the detected light sources and identification of the peak wavelength and dominant wavelength of the detected light sources. Use of the optical system of the present invention provides the ability to distinguish headlights of oncoming vehicles and taillights of leading vehicles from one another, as well as, from other light sources.

Light source detection and categorization system for automatic vehicle exterior light control and method of manufacturing

The present invention relates to various improvements relating to automatic vehicle equipment control systems.

Darin D. Tuttle

Papers

Vehicle information displays

Vehicle Rearview Mirror Assembly Including a High Intensity Display

Vehicle lamp assembly with heat sink

Light source detection and categorization system for automatic vehicle exterior light control and method of manufacturing

Automatic vehicle exterior light control system assemblies