Vehicle display enhancements

1. A method for enhancing display content in a vehicle comprising:

receiving a video signal comprising at least one video frame from at least one image sensor;

identifying a driving path based at least in part on vehicle data;

performing a first segmentation on the at least one video frame to divide the at least one video frame into a plurality of segments containing input pixel data;

altering input pixel data based on a segment associated with the input pixel data to create output pixel data; and

providing the at least one video frame comprising the output pixel data to a display,

wherein the input pixel data comprises pixel luminance, and

wherein altering input pixel data comprises

altering the input pixel luminance to create a distribution of output pixel luminance for all pixels contained in at least one driving path segment according to a predetermined function, and

altering the input pixel luminance to create a distribution of output pixel luminance for all pixels contained in a non-driving path segment according to a predetermined function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first segmentation comprises dividing the at least one video frame into the non-driving path segment and the at least one driving path segment.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising performing a second segmentation that divides the at least one video frame into luminance segments based on luminance thresholds.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein altering input pixel luminance results in all output pixel luminance contained in non-driving path luminance segments being adjusted between an upper and lower luminance value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined function is a Gaussian function.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average output pixel luminance in the at least one driving path segment is higher than an average output pixel luminance in the non-driving path segment.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein an average output pixel luminance in the at least one driving path segment is altered with respect to time in a predetermined manner such that the average output pixel luminance in the at least one driving path segment in a first video frame provided to the display differs from an average output pixel luminance in the at least one driving path segment in a temporally subsequent video frame provided to the display by a predetermined amount.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one driving path segment is a single continuous segment of pixels with a perimeter.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one driving path segment comprises a plurality of distinct continuous segments of pixels formed in a predetermined pattern.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is a video camera mounted on an exterior of the vehicle to capture a rear view and the display is heads up display mounted in an interior of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle data comprises steering data.

12. An apparatus for enhancing display content in a vehicle comprising:

at least one image sensor configured to output a video signal comprising at least one video frame;

a steering wheel positioning module configured to detect vehicle data;

a driving path module configured to identify a driving path based at least in part on the vehicle data;

at least one processing device configured to:

perform a first segmentation on the at least one video frame to divide the at least one video frame into a plurality of segments containing input pixel data, the input pixel data comprising pixel luminance;

alter input pixel data based on a segment associated with the input pixel data wherein the altered pixel data are output pixel data, wherein altering input pixel data comprises

altering the input pixel luminance to create a distribution of output pixel luminance for all pixels contained in at least one driving path segment according to a predetermined function, and

altering the input pixel luminance to create a distribution of output pixel luminance for all pixels contained in a non-driving path segment according to a predetermined function; and

provide the at least one video frame comprising the output pixel data to a display.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein performing the first segmentation comprises dividing the at least one video frame into the non-driving path segment and the at least one driving path segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein an average output pixel luminance in the at least one driving path segment is higher than an average output pixel luminance in the non-driving path segment.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one driving path segment comprises a plurality of distinct continuous segments of pixels formed in a predetermined pattern.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the image sensor is a video camera mounted on an exterior of the vehicle to capture a rear view and the display is heads up display mounted in an interior of the vehicle.