Vehicle exterior imaging systems
This disclosure relates to vehicle exterior imaging systems that capture and display views of the exterior environment to vehicle operators. An exemplary vehicle exterior imaging system may include a glass panel including a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and a second layer of glass, a first exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture images of a vehicle exterior environment, and a projector assembly configured to project an output image onto the glass panel. The output image is based on the images captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly. The glass panel may be part of either a windshield or a door window, and the projector assembly may be mounted either outside or inside of a housing of the first exterior side-view imager assembly.
1. A vehicle, comprising:
a glass panel including a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and a second layer of glass;
a first exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a first view of an exterior environment around the vehicle;
a first projector assembly configured to project a first output image onto a first section of the glass panel,
wherein the first output image is based on the first view captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly;
a second exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a second view of the exterior environment; and
a second projector assembly configured to project a second output image onto a second section of the glass panel,
wherein the second output image is based on the images captured by the second exterior side-view imager assembly.
2. The vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the glass panel is a windshield and the first section is a lower, driver-side corner of the windshield and the second section is a lower, passenger-side corner of the windshield.
3. A vehicle, comprising:
a glass panel including a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and a second layer of glass;
a first exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a first view of an exterior environment around the vehicle;
a first projector assembly configured to project a first output image onto a first section of the glass panel,
wherein the first output image is based on the first view captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly;
a second exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a second view of the exterior environment; and
a second projector assembly configured to project a second output image onto a second section of the glass panel,
wherein the second output image is based on the images captured by the second exterior side-view imager assembly,
wherein the first projector assembly and the second projector assembly are mounted on top of an instrument panel located within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.
4. The vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first projector assembly is mounted inside a first housing of the first exterior side-view imager assembly and the second projector assembly is mounted inside a second housing of the second exterior side-view imager assembly.
5. The vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the combiner includes at least one layer of a combiner film that is sandwiched between a first and a second layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB).
6. The vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein a camera of the first exterior side-view imager assembly and the first projector assembly are mounted within a common housing.