Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02684783 2009-11-06
19568P0002CA01
PARKING SENSOR/OBSERVATION SYSTEM ADD-ON FOR A VEHICLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to vehicle parking sensors and vehicle backup
cameras, and more particularly, to aftermarket devices therefor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Parking sensors are a technology that allows the driver of a vehicle to be
alerted to
nearby objects in their path. Parking sensors are also known as backup
sensors, parking
sonar or just sonar depending on the automaker. While there are variations in
the design
and features of these systems, the basic design puts sensors in the vehicle's
bumper. These
sensors send ultrasonic waves at 40,000 times per second to detect obstacles
behind the
vehicle. A controller installed inside the vehicle receives the signal from
the sensors and
transmits it to a speaker that emits a tone, or to a combination speaker and
display unit.
A backup camera system, such as those found in many SUVs, minivans and luxury
vehicles shows a driver what is behind them as they are reversing and displays
it on the
vehicle dashboard LCD so that the driver can avoid accidents. Such a system
generally
includes a camera mounted onto the rear of a vehicle, a display device mounted
in the
interior of the vehicle and the necessary wiring.
For vehicles that do not have built-in parking sensors or a backup camera
system,
aftermarket systems are available. Some aftermarket systems are mountable on a
vehicle's
license plate. License plate mounting of an aftermarket system can obstruct
parts of the
license plate that must be legally visible. Examples of license plate parts
with legal
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visibility requirements include a registration sticker, State or County name.
Further, in
aftermarket systems that are only license plate mountable, the parking sensors
may not be
positionable for optimal detection of objects behind the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need for an aftermarket system with backup camera
and/or
parking sensor capabilities that does not obstruct license plate parts with
legal visibility
requirements and that can be positionable for optimal object detection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bar of a parking sensor and
observation
system add-on for a vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a bar of a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle in accordance
with
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a number of different
views;
FIG. 3 shows a parking sensor and observation system add-on for a vehicle in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle in accordance with
an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a bar of a parking sensor and observation system add-on for a
vehicle
mounted to a license plate in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention; and
FIG. 6 shows a bar of a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle mounted to
a
license plate in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a parking sensor and
observation system for a vehicle, comprises: an elongated housing, wherein the
housing
has a front side with first to third openings and a back side with an
elongated opening, the
first and third openings are adjacent to opposite ends of the housing, the
second opening is
located at a center portion of the housing; a first parking sensor disposed
within the housing
and having its proximity detector disposed in the first opening; a second
parking sensor
disposed within the housing and having its proximity detector disposed in the
third opening;
a camera disposed within the housing and having its lens disposed in the
second opening;
and a backing plate disposed at the back side of the housing to seal the
elongated opening.
The parking sensor and observation system further comprises mounting brackets
connectable to the backing plate and for enabling the elongated housing to be
mounted.
The elongated housing is mountable to a license plate, bumper or under the
bumper
of a vehicle.
The parking sensor and observation system further comprises a signal/power
cable
extended from the elongated housing and connectable to a reverse light of the
vehicle.
The parking sensor and observation system is activated when the vehicle is put
in
reverse.
The parking sensor and observation system further comprises a monitor
positionable within the vehicle, the monitor including: a display that
displays images
captured by the camera; and a sound source, wherein the sound source emits
sound when
either of the parking sensors detects an object near the back of the vehicle.
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In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a parking sensor system
for
a vehicle, comprises: an elongated housing, wherein the housing has a front
side with first
to third openings and a back side with an elongated opening, the first and
third openings are
adjacent to opposite ends of the housing, the second opening is located at a
center portion
of the housing; a first parking sensor disposed within the housing and having
its proximity
detector disposed in the first opening; a second parking sensor disposed
within the housing
and having its proximity detector disposed in the second opening; a third
parking sensor
disposed within the housing and having its proximity detector disposed in the
third opening;
and a backing plate disposed at the back side of the housing to seal the
elongated opening.
The parking sensor system further comprises mounting brackets connectable to
the
backing plate and for enabling the elongated housing to be mounted.
The elongated housing is mountable to a license plate, bumper or under the
bumper
of a vehicle.
The parking sensor system further comprises a signal/power cable extended from
the elongated housing and connectable to a reverse light of the vehicle.
The parking sensor system is activated when the vehicle is put in reverse.
The parking sensor system further comprises a sound source positionable within
the vehicle, wherein the sound source emits sound when either of the parking
sensors
detects an object near the back of the vehicle.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an aftermarket system for
a
vehicle, comprises a bar configured to extend from one end of a vehicle
license plate to
another end of the license plate and to be mounted in front of the license
plate while not
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obstructing parts of the license plate that must be legally visible, wherein
the bar includes
at least one parking sensor.
The bar further includes a camera.
The bar further includes mounting brackets connectable to the bar for mounting
the
bar to the vehicle license plate, wherein the mounting brackets are configured
so that they
are not seen in front of the license plate when the bar is mounted in front of
the license
plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is
a
provided a parking sensor/observation system add-on for a vehicle. The system
may
include only parking sensors or a combination of parking sensors and a camera.
The
system includes a bar that can be easily mounted to a vehicle's license plate.
However, the
bar can also be mounted below a vehicle's bumper or on the bumper, depending
on which
mounting scheme provides the best viewing and/or sensing position, for
example. The
system includes mounting brackets and hardware for this purpose.
In a parking sensor and observation system add-on according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a bar with two parking
sensors and
a backup camera, and a monitor. The monitor, which may be an LCD monitor,
automatically activates to show distance and a clear view of the rear of the
vehicle when
the vehicle is put into reverse. The display shows digital distance indicators
of obstructions.
An audible display beeps faster as you get closer to an obstacle. The bar,
which includes
the sensors, camera and required operating circuitry, may be a chrome
waterproof and
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dustproof housing. The bar is electronically coupled to the vehicle by a
single hookup
connection at the vehicle's reverse lamp.
In a parking sensor system add-on according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, there is provided a bar with three parking sensors, and a
buzzer. The
parking sensors give full range detection up to six feet behind the vehicle,
for example.
The system automatically activates when the vehicle is put into reverse gear.
The buzzer
beeps faster as you get closer to an obstacle. The external structure of the
bar is essentially
the same as that of the parking sensor and observation system. The bar is also
electronically coupled to the vehicle by a single hookup connection at the
vehicle's reverse
lamp. This system additionally includes an extension cable to connect to the
buzzer
mounted inside the vehicle.
Both of the above-described systems are configured such that they can be
installed
in any vehicle by a consumer. The systems' bars can be mounted on either the
front or rear
bumpers/plates of a vehicle. The bar's dimensions may be exactly as wide as a
standard
United States license plate, and the bar can be configured such that it does
not extend
downward passed the plate, since this could cause it not to fit many vehicles.
It is to be
understood that when the bar is mounted to a vehicle's license plate, it
should in most cases,
not restrict parts of the plate that legal authorities wish to see. In doing
this, the bar is legal
in most of the United States. If, however, the bar were to restrict required
viewing portions
of the license plate, or if such mounting is not feasible or if a user desires
a different
viewing/sensing angle, the mounting brackets enable mounting below the plate,
directly to
the bumper or under the bumper.
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Exemplary designs of these systems will now be described with reference to the
figures.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bar of a parking sensor and
observation
system add-on for a vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the bar includes a heavy-duty chrome bar
housing 105 (e.g.,
a waterproof housing), two ultrasonic parking sensors 110a, 110b, and a CMOS
camera
115. The bar also includes a printed circuit board 120 for the camera 115 and
a printed
circuit board 125 for the parking sensors 110a/b. The circuit boards 120/125
include
microprocessors for running the camera 115 and sensors I I Oa/b, respectively.
The bar is
further provided with a backing plate 130 for sealing the unit (e.g.,
completing the
waterproof housing). Also illustrated are flat brackets 135a,b, which can be
coupled to the
backing plate 130 via screw holes 140a/b for mounting.
FIG. 2 is a bar of a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle in accordance
with
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a number of different
views.
Particularly, FIG. 2 shows a back-view 205 of the bar with flat brackets
240a/b having
holes 235a,b attached, a top-view 210 of the bar, a front-view 215 of the bar,
a bottom-view
220 of the bar and left- and right-side views 225 and 230 of the bar. It is to
be understood
that the views shown in FIG. 2 are essentially the same for the parking sensor
and
observation system add-on in FIG. 1, except that the center of the bar in the
front-view 215
includes a parking sensor, not a camera.
FIG. 3 shows a parking sensor and observation system add-on for a vehicle in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 3,
the system includes a bar 305 with two parking sensors 310a,b (one obstructed)
and a
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camera 315. The system includes mounting brackets 320 and hardware 325 for
mounting
the bar 305 to a vehicle license plate or bumper, and an LCD display 330. The
system also
includes an extension cord 335 for connecting the display 330 to the bar 305
when the
display 330 is installed inside a vehicle and the bar 305 is mounted on the
vehicle's license
plate. The system further includes a wire 340 for connecting the bar 305 to
the vehicle's
reverse lamp for power and scotch locks 345 for making the wiring connections.
FIG. 4 shows a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle in accordance with
an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the system
includes
a bar 405 with three parking sensors 410a-c. The system includes mounting
brackets 415
and hardware 420 for mounting the bar 405 to a vehicle license plate or
bumper, and a
buzzer 425. The system further includes wires 430 attached to the bar 405 for
connecting
to buzzer wires 435, wires 440 for connecting to the vehicle's reverse lamp
along with a
wire 445 coming from the bar 405 for power and scotch locks 450 for making the
wiring
connections.
FIG. 5 shows a bar 505 of a parking sensor and observation system add-on for a
vehicle mounted to a license plate 510 in accordance with an exemplary
embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 6 shows a bar 605 of a parking sensor system add-on for a vehicle mounted
to
a license plate 610 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
With reference to FIGS. 1-6, any of the exemplary bars can be mounted to the
bottom or top of the license plate by placing the bar over the front of the
license plate and
lining up the bracket holes with corresponding license plate holes. The bar
can be fastened
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to the license plate using the screws/bolts from behind the plate and then the
license plate is
fastened to the vehicle.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of
ordinary
skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the
following
claims.
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