Method and system for visualizing the environment of a vehicle with a distance-dependent merging of an infrared and a visual image

US7834905B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Hahn · Neutraubling, DE
• Thomas Weidner · Edenkoben, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2004
• Grant date: Nov 16, 2010
• Expiry date: Sep 12, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2300/8053
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved method for visualizing the environment of a vehicle, especially in the dark. The invention also relates to a night vision system, which especially provides a visual image of the environment or the digital data thereof. Preferably, the visual image is a color image which indicates the visually perceptible objects of the environment. The system also provides an infrared image of the environment or the digital data thereof. The infrared image indicates the infrared radiation radiated by the visually perceptible and/or other objections. In a preferred form of embodiment, a merged image of the visual image and the infrared image of largely identical sections of the environment of the vehicle is represented on a display comprising at least one merged region and at least one region which is not merged or not merged to the same extent or not merged with the same weighting.