Abstract: The invention relates to an anisotropic stray light or sun screen for a camera in a motor vehicle, wherein this sun screen shields the camera lens from stray light coming from the vehicle interior or is reflected by a window of the vehicle. The sun screen is thereby however designed in such a manner that a vehicle occupant can see the surroundings of the vehicle through the shield.

Abstract: A carrier device for attaching to a pane, particularly a windshield, of a motor vehicle is provided. The carrier device has a carrier plate that can be attached to the pane, which is made of plastic at least in segments, and by which at least one camera, a sensor or the like is carried, wherein the plastic of the carrier plate is permeated with an additive material, particularly a glass additive material.

Abstract: Poor visibility at night is a tiring and dangerous situation in traffic, feared by many drivers. As a result of poor visibility, the frequency of accidents at night is significantly higher than during the day with good visibility conditions. Cars are thus prospectively fitted with night vision systems, in order to increase safety in traffic. A night vision system used for this purpose generally comprises an illumination unit for illuminating the environment surrounding the vehicle, an image recording unit for collecting environmental data, and an image processing unit for evaluating the environmental data. So that the operation of the night vision system can be adapted to different situations, it must be designed in a flexible manner. To this end, the individual components of the night vision system must be able to be operated in different combinations. In order to achieve this, the components of the night vision system can be individually controlled by means of at least one control signal.

Abstract: Future vehicle headlamps will provide light functions, such as, for example, town light, country road light, motorway light, full beam, poor weather light, etc. A method and a device is therefore provided with which the light functions of vehicle headlamps are controlled in a reliable manner. The device essentially comprises front headlamps with a dipped headlight and full beam, and at least one variable actuator with which different light functions can be realized. In order to select a light function, the variable actuator is set to a predetermined, fixed position. In this case, it is not possible to select a light function in the region between the dipped headlight and the full beam, there being no means of locking the actuator in the intermediate region between the position of the actuator for the dipped headlight and the position for full beam. Only a light function which is matched to the driving situation and can be selected in a reliable manner is therefore possible.

Abstract: Future motor vehicles will require additional lighting means. Additional lighting means are required, above all, in conjunction with environmental sensors, especially sensors which are used in night vision systems. As a result of the generally increasing number of electric and electronic systems in motor vehicles, such systems must be easy to operate for the driver. The invention thus relates to a switching arrangement which enables a plurality of lighting systems to be ergonomically operated on one motor vehicle. Said switching arrangement comprises a single switch having a plurality of switching stages. In this way, all switching stages pertaining to different lighting systems are located in the same switching region, enabling the lighting systems to be operated in a simple and intuitive manner.

Abstract: A method for detecting surroundings by an automotive night vision system comprising several areas, including a detection area (3) in which surroundings related data is detected, an evaluation area within which the surroundings-related data detected by the night vision system is evaluated, and an area of representation in which information about the surroundings-related data detected therein is represented to the driver by an optical display unit. The area of representation is therefore restricted in the inventive method for detecting surroundings such that the area of representation comprises no more than the high beam area (2). The driver is shown only the surroundings related data which he/she would see anyway when actuating the conventional high beam due to the fact that the area of representation is restricted.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automobile infrared-night viewing device comprising an infrared camera used to receive image data representing the surroundings of the automobile. Said device also comprises an image processing unit which is connected to the infrared-camera and which processes the image data supplied by said camera in such am manner that a continuous image section from the supplied image data is selected and said selected data is retransmitted to a display. Said display then completely or almost completely reproduces the selected data, thereby renouncing any other further representations of the image data. Preferably, the selection of the image data is made according to the speed of the vehicle, the surroundings of the vehicle or the driver.

Abstract: The invention concerns an automobile display unit, an automobile infrared night vision device and an automobile with such a display unit or, as the case may be, with such an infrared night vision device. The display includes an image processing unit which processes the image data supplied to it such that contiguous areas of maximal light intensity are recognized and these image data are adapted to the extent that they are at least partially replaced by image data with reduced light intensity values. These changed image data are supplied to the display, which reproduces these image data. This display unit makes possible a reduction or a prevention of blinding by brilliant light, which is particularly disturbing in a case of display of infrared night vision image information.

Abstract: First commercial automobile night vision systems are already available on the market. These should assist the driver in difficult situations involving poor visibility, particularly in darkness or fog. To this end, systems of this type have an active infrared illuminating device (2), a camera (3) for recording infrared images, and an image display (1) for playing back the image information obtained by the system. In doing this, the activation of the active infrared illuminating device (2) ensues according to an evaluation of operating parameters (5) and parameters (6) of the surroundings (4). In addition, according to a feature of the present invention, a controller (7), which is independent of the evaluator (4), is provided for directly activating/deactivating the image display (1). The controller (7) enables the driver to immediately obtain information regarding a successful activation of the night vision system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting surroundings by means of an automotive night vision system comprising several areas, including a detection area (3) in which surroundings-related data is detected, an evaluation area within which the surroundings-related data detected by means of the night vision system is evaluated, and an area of representation in which information about the surroundings-related data detected therein is represented to the driver by means of an optical display unit. All previous commercially available night vision systems are configured so as to be able to display objects at the greatest possible distance. However, said systems involve the great risk of leading the driver into driving faster than would be possible without the night vision system in situations where visibility is poor or in the dark.

Abstract: Future motor vehicles will require additional lighting means. Additional lighting means are required, above all, in conjunction with environmental sensors, especially sensors which are used in night vision systems. As a result of the generally increasing number of electric and electronic systems in motor vehicles, such systems must be easy to operate for the driver. The invention thus relates to a switching arrangement which enables a plurality of lighting systems to be ergonomically operated on one motor vehicle. Said switching arrangement comprises a single switch having a plurality of switching stages. In this way, all switching stages pertaining to different lighting systems are located in the same switching region, enabling the lighting systems to be operated in a simple and intuitive manner.

Abstract: Environment detection systems are used to aid drivers in road vehicles. To this end, optical sensors are applied to the road vehicle in order to record environmental data. The recorded environmental data is processed to form an image by means of a computing unit, and is then presented to the driver, for example on a display. In addition, the image data can be subjected to a further evaluation, for example, in order to identify objects located therein. For this purpose, a very large amount of data must be processed however, such that the requirements for the efficiency of the hardware are very high, in order to provide the system with a real-time capacity. The invention thus relates to a method which provides the system with a real-time capacity by means of simple data processing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sensor array (3, 28) with a number of sensors (17, 18, 19, 20) arranged in periodic groups (21, 29, 30) for detection of electro-magnetic radiation, including sensors (17) of a first type for detection of radiation in an infrared spectral range and sensors (18, 19, 20) of at least a second type for detection of light in a visible spectral range. In each group (21, 29, 30) the number of sensors (17) of the first type exceeds the number of sensors (18, 19, 20) of the second type. Also disclosed is a camera (2) with such a sensor array (3, 28) as well as an image reproduction system (1) with such a camera (2) and a vehicle with such an image reproduction system (1).

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for improving visibility in a motor vehicle. It includes a radiation source for illumination of the vehicle environment with infrared radiation, an infrared sensitive camera for detection of at least a portion of the illuminated vehicle environment and a display for depicting the image information detected by the camera. In accordance with the invention the camera is provided with a homogenous IR-filter, which exhibits various spectral transmission characteristics. The IR-filter exhibits a degree of transmission of about 1 in at least a partial range of the infrared spectrum. In the visual spectral region, the typical blocking effect of an IR-filter is 10?5 or less. In the visual spectrum the transmission of the IR-filter according to the invention is not continuous, and includes at least one narrow band transmissive region with a degree of transmissivity of approximately or greater than 10?3 for visible light.

Abstract: In a camera system to be installed in a passenger compartment of motor vehicle, a camera (3) is surrounded by a housing (7) and is oriented towards the windshield (1) of the passenger compartment. Between the camera (3) and the windshield (1) a shield (11) is provided, which is moveable between a closed position in which the camera (3) is shielded against scatter light from the passenger compartment and an open position in which access may be had to the front lens (4) of the camera (3) and the area (6) of the windshield lying in the field of view of the camera (3).

Abstract: A shifting system for a motor vehicle transmission shifts the transmission into the neutral and returns a steering column shift lever to the neutral position from the reverse position, when the vehicle speed is above a pre-determined positive value and the shift lever is shifted into the reverse position. The system may further shift the transmission into the neutral and returns the steering column shift lever to the neutral position from the forward drive position, when vehicle speed is below a pre-determined negative value and the shift lever is shifted into the forward drive position.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automobile infrared-night viewing device comprising an infrared camera used to receive image data representing the surroundings of the automobile. Said device also comprises an image processing unit which is connected to the infrared-camera and which processes the image data supplied by said camera in such am manner that a continuous image section from the supplied image data is selected and said selected data is retransmitted to a display. Said display then completely or almost completely reproduces the selected data, thereby renouncing any other further representations of the image data. Preferably, the selection of the image data is made according to the speed of the vehicle, the surroundings of the vehicle or the driver.

Abstract: Modern vehicles are equipped with image providing assist systems. Each of these systems conventionally includes a dedicated display for the depiction of system information. A process for imaging system information on a single vehicle display is provided herein, wherein in particular image data of various systems can be depicted. The image data associated with the system information are herein first subjected to prioritization on the basis of operating parameters and, depending upon the result of this prioritization, are subsequently depicted upon the vehicle display. As a result of prioritization the image parameters of the image data, and in particular the size, position and shape, are varied. Thereby it becomes possible that multiple image data associated with the prioritized system information can be simultaneously depicted or displayed.

Abstract: A video image display (1) for a vehicle environment surveillance unit (0). The environment information is acquired by a camera (3) and processed into image information by a computer or processor (2). The produced image information is then displayed for the vehicle operator on a video image display (1). In order to be able to inform the vehicle operator regarding a malfunction (for example, a static image), acquired image information is stored in an intermediate memory (4). The most recently recorded image is then compared with the image information in intermediate memory using an image processing algorithm (5) and in the case that impermissible deviations are detected the displayed video image is modified or the video display is switched off. In the framework of the comparison of the image information, additional vehicle operating parameters (6) are taken into consideration, in order that a reliable check of the functioning of the video image display becomes possible.

Abstract: The invention concerns an automobile display unit, an automobile infrared night vision device and an automobile with such a display unit or, as the case may be, with such an infrared night vision device. The display includes an image processing unit which processes the image data supplied to it such that contiguous areas of maximal light intensity are recognized and these image data are adapted to the extent that they are at least partially replaced by image data with reduced light intensity values. These changed image data are supplied to the display, which reproduces these image data. This display unit makes possible a reduction or a prevention of blinding by brilliant light, which is particularly disturbing in a case of display of infrared night vision image information.