US 5,670,935 · Granted 1997-09-23

The 1997 Patent That Invented the Rearview Camera

Before backup cameras became standard on cars, this patent described how to mount cameras behind a vehicle and display what they see on a screen inside the cabin. It's the foundational idea behind the technology that now helps millions of drivers avoid backing into things they can't see.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a system that uses one or more cameras mounted on the rear of a vehicle to capture images behind it, then displays those images on a screen positioned inside the car where the driver can see them clearly. What's protected here is specifically the arrangement of placing this display at a focal distance that lets the driver look at it naturally without refocusing their eyes too much, and the method of stitching multiple camera feeds together to create a unified panoramic view of what's behind the vehicle.

Why it matters

This patent is foundational to backup camera technology, which became mandatory on new cars sold in the United States starting in 2018. Donnelly Corporation's early work on synthesizing multiple camera feeds into a single useful image solved a key engineering challenge: raw camera feeds alone are disorienting and hard to interpret while driving. By patenting the approach of combining cameras into one coherent rearward view, the company established IP control over a category that would eventually become safety-critical infrastructure in every modern vehicle.

Real-world use

When you shift your car into reverse and a camera image pops up on your dashboard or infotainment screen, you're seeing the direct offspring of this 1997 patent in action.

Original USPTO abstract

A rearview vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image capture device directed rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle. A display system displays an image synthesized from output of the image captive device. The display system is preferably contiguous with the forward field of view of the vehicle driver at a focal length that is forward of the vehicle passenger compartment. A plurality of image capture devices my be provided and the display system displays a unitary image synthesized from outputs of the image captive devices which approximates a rearward-facing view from a single location, such as forward of the vehicle.

Patent details

Publication number: US 5,670,935
Filing date: 1995-05-22
Grant date: 1997-09-23
Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
Inventor(s): SCHOFIELD; KENNETH, LARSON; MARK L., VADAS; KEITH J.
CPC class: H04N13/239

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