Rear view mirror simulation

Abstract

A rear view assembly includes a housing, which is fixedly secured to a motor vehicle. The housing includes an optical sensor that is housed therewith. A lens focuses light for the optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image. The optical sensor creates electrical signals representative of the focused light. The electrical signals are transmitted to a display device, which is operatively connected to the optical sensor for receiving the electrical signal and displaying the electrical signal as a rear view image for a driver of the motor vehicle such that the rear view image includes distortions created by the lens.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A rear view assembly for a motor vehicle, said rear view assembly comprising:
 a housing fixedly secured to the motor vehicle, said housing including an optical sensor housed therewith and a lens focusing light for said optical sensor to capture a wide-angle image, said optical sensor creating electrical signal representative of the focused light;   a display device operatively connected to said optical sensor for receiving said electrical signal and for displaying the electrical signal as a rear view image for a driver of the motor vehicle such that said rear view image includes distortions created by said lens.   
     
     
         2 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the image on said display device simulates a plane exterior mirror. 
     
     
         3 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the image on said display device simulates a convex exterior mirror. 
     
     
         4 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the image on said display device simulates an aspherical exterior mirror. 
     
     
         5 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the image on said display device simulates an exterior mirror with additional lens. 
     
     
         6 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the image on said display device simulates an adjustment of the view for the driver. 
     
     
         7 . A rear view assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a reverse view switch to adjust said display device to an extended display when the motor vehicle is reversing. 
     
     
         8 . A method for exterior mirror simulation, whereby an image of a wide-angle lens having a field of view is recorded, and the information of the pixels of the optical sensor undergoes the following steps:
 recording of the image;   determining the distortion;   selecting an image rectification algorithm;   applying the rectification algorithm to subset of the total pixels in the image to create a rectified image;   storing the rectified image; and   displaying the rectified image on the display.   
     
     
         9 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  including the step of calculating the field of view of the driver prior to the step of applying the rectification algorithm. 
     
     
         10 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  including the step of enlarging the field of view in the display when the motor vehicle is being reversed. 
     
     
         11 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the display is calibrated by the manufacturer. 
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the calibrating of the display is set to a type of mirror to be simulated. 
     
     
         13 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  including the step of adjusting the image on the display by selecting a subset of pixels in the display differing from those in the image.