Full display mirror with on-demand spotter view

Abstract

A rearview display system is provided for a vehicle having: a rear camera generating a rearward video stream, a right-side camera generating a right-side stream, and a left-side camera generating a left-side stream. The system includes a processing circuit for generating a composite video stream from: (a) the rearward stream and the right-side stream, (b) the rearward stream and the left-side stream, and (c) at least the rearward stream. When the composite stream is formed from the rearward stream and the right-side stream, the rearward stream extends across the whole composite stream with the exception of a right corner where the right-side stream is superimposed over the rearward stream. When the composite stream is formed from the rearward stream and the left-side stream, the rearward stream extends across the whole composite stream with the exception of a left corner where the left-side stream is superimposed over the rearward stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rearview display system for a vehicle equipped with: a rear camera for generating a rearward video stream of a scene to a rear of the vehicle, a right-side camera for generating a right-side video stream of a scene to a right side of the vehicle, and a left-side camera for generating a left-side video stream of a scene to a left side of the vehicle, the rearview display system comprising:
 a processing circuit for receiving the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, the left-side video stream, and an active spotter signal, wherein the processing circuit generates a composite video stream in response to the active spotter signal, the processing circuit forming the composite video stream from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, and (c) at least the rearward video stream; and   a display for displaying the composite video stream,   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper right corner of the composite video stream where the right-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream, and   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper left corner of the composite video stream where the left-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream.   
     
     
         2 . The rearview display system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream and the left-side video stream when the active spotter signal is not received. 
     
     
         3 . The rearview display system of  claim 2 , wherein, when the active spotter signal is not received, the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream by seamlessly stitching the video streams together to appear as one contiguous video stream. 
     
     
         4 . The rearview display system of  claim 1 , wherein the active spotter signal is selected from at least one of a turn signal, a side blind zone signal, a rear cross path signal, an object detection signal, and a speed signal. 
     
     
         5 . The rearview display system of  claim 1 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from a turn signal of the vehicle and that includes a right turn signal and a left turn signal, wherein the processing circuit receives the right turn signal and the left turn signal, wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right turn signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left turn signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right turn signal nor the left turn signal is received. 
     
     
         6 . The rearview display system of  claim 1 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from left and right blind spot detectors of the vehicle that detect when a vehicle is present in one of a left blind spot or a right blind spot and the active spotter signal includes a right blind zone signal and a left blind zone signal, wherein the processing circuit receives the right blind zone signal and the left blind zone signal, wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right blind zone signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left blind zone signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right blind zone signal nor the left blind zone signal is received. 
     
     
         7 . A rearview display system for a vehicle equipped with: a rear camera for generating a rearward video stream of a scene to a rear of the vehicle, a right-side camera for generating a right-side video stream of a scene to a right side of the vehicle, and a left-side camera for generating a left-side video stream of a scene to a left side of the vehicle, the rearview display system comprising:
 a processing circuit for receiving the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream, wherein the processing circuit generates a composite video stream, the processing circuit forming the composite video stream from one of: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, and (c) at least the rearward video stream; and   a display for displaying the composite video stream,   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper right corner of the composite video stream where the right-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream, and   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper left corner of the composite video stream where the left-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream.   
     
     
         8 . The rearview display system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuit generates the composite video stream from selected combinations of the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream in response to an active spotter signal. 
     
     
         9 . The rearview display system of  claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream and the left-side video stream when the active spotter signal is not received. 
     
     
         10 . The rearview display system of  claim 9 , wherein, when the active spotter signal is not received, the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream by seamlessly stitching the video streams together to appear as one contiguous video stream. 
     
     
         11 . The rearview display system of  claim 8 , wherein the active spotter signal is selected from at least one of a turn signal, a side blind zone signal, a rear cross path signal, an object detection signal, and a speed signal. 
     
     
         12 . The rearview display system of  claim 8 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from a turn signal of the vehicle and that includes a right turn signal and a left turn signal, wherein the processing circuit receives the right turn signal and the left turn signal, wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right turn signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left turn signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right turn signal nor the left turn signal is received. 
     
     
         13 . The rearview display system of  claim 8 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from left and right blind spot detectors of the vehicle that detect when a vehicle is present in one of a left blind spot or a right blind spot and the active spotter signal includes a right blind zone signal and a left blind zone signal, wherein the processing circuit receives the right blind zone signal and the left blind zone signal, wherein the processing circuit forms the composite video stream from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right blind zone signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left blind zone signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right blind zone signal nor the left blind zone signal is received. 
     
     
         14 . The rearview display system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuit generates the composite video stream from selected combinations of the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream in response to user input. 
     
     
         15 . A method of displaying rearward images on a rearview display for a vehicle equipped with: a rear camera for generating a rearward video stream of a scene to a rear of the vehicle, a right-side camera for generating a right-side video stream of a scene to a right side of the vehicle, and a left-side camera for generating a left-side video stream of a scene to a left side of the vehicle, the method comprising:
 generating a composite video stream in response to an active spotter signal from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, and (c) at least the rearward video stream; and   displaying the composite video stream,   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper right corner of the composite video stream where the right-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream, and   wherein, when the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream, the rearward video stream extends across the whole composite video stream with the exception of an upper left corner of the composite video stream where the left-side video stream is superimposed over the rearward video stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream and the left-side video stream when the active spotter signal is not received. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, when the active spotter signal is not received, the composite video stream is formed from the rearward video stream, the right-side video stream, and the left-side video stream by seamlessly stitching the video streams together to appear as one contiguous video stream. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the active spotter signal is selected from at least one of a turn signal, a side blind zone signal, a rear cross path signal, an object detection signal, and a speed signal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from a turn signal of the vehicle and that includes a right turn signal and a left turn signal, wherein the composite video stream is formed from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right turn signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left turn signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right turn signal nor the left turn signal is received. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the active spotter signal is received from left and right blind spot detectors of the vehicle that detect when a vehicle is present in one of a left blind spot or a right blind spot and the active spotter signal includes a right blind zone signal and a left blind zone signal, wherein the composite video stream is formed from: (a) the rearward video stream and the right-side video stream in response to the right blind zone signal, (b) the rearward video stream and the left-side video stream in response to the left blind zone signal, and (c) at least the rearward video stream when neither the right blind zone signal nor the left blind zone signal is received.