The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 25, 1994
Guenter Abersfelder, Sindelfingen, DE;
Helmut Grantz, Sindelfingen, DE;
Wolfgang Odebrecht, Sindelfingen, DE;
Mercedes-Benz AG, Stuttgart, DE;
Abstract
A system for monitoring the rear or front space of a motor vehicle being parked is provided. The system is based on a video camera having an image sharpness control, which can follow an object once detected, in terms of its sharpness, with the camera's autofocus over the whole search field, for example, by using fuzzy logic. The device uses this property for an image-processing-supported tracking of the viewing angle of a video camera which is designed to be pivotable and is used for rear-space or front-space monitoring, by which an object limiting the rearward or forward penetration depth of the vehicle can be seen up until contact with the vehicle's bumper. The device eliminates obstacles which previously prevented the use of such video cameras in the rear space monitoring of private cars. A corresponding device can also be provided and used for monitoring the front space of a vehicle.