DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to reverse parking/driving assistance system and more specifically to a system for assisting reverse parking/driving of a vehicle. In particular, the present invention is directed to develop a vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistance with unique capability to provide illusion of driving forward even while driving reverse, also to maneuver vehicle in reverse just like maneuvering in forward direction.

BACKGROUND ART.:
During parking a vehicle in a parking zone with limited space, a driver usually moves the vehicle in reverse direction, observing obstacles on the lateral sides and rear side of the vehicle through the side mirrors and the rear-view mirror which are mounted on the vehicle. However, a blind spot that is seldom recognized by the driver is formed around the rear corners of the vehicle, and even when the driver recognizes an obstacle, failure to identify the correct length and width of the vehicle may lead to failure of recognition of the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle, thereby resulting in contact of the vehicle with the obstacle and thus damages in the vehicle body.
In some vehicles, rear view video cameras are installed in response to the rear-view mirrors' inability to show the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle and the road directly behind the vehicle. Apart from the rear view video cameras, different vehicle mounted parking assist systems have been reported in the recent years to assist the driver in recognition of the distance of the vehicle from an obstacle and view the road directly behind the vehicle.
US patent application 2005/0043871 discloses a parking-assist device for an automotive vehicle comprising an imaging unit which creates an image of an exterior behind the vehicle. A target-parking-position input unit inputs a target parking position to park the vehicle when requested. A target-parking-position memory access unit stores the target parking position and reads the stored target parking position when requested. A vehicle-travel-amount detection unit detects an amount of travel of the vehicle. A parking-route determining unit calculates a parking route from a current position of the vehicle to the target parking position. A display unit displays the created image and displays one of the target parking position inputted and the stored target parking position read on the created image in a superimposed manner.
US patent 7069128 teaches a parking-assist system for providing parking-assist information, including: a front imaging camera, a left imaging camera, a right imaging camera, a rear imaging camera, a left infrared laser camera configured to obtain information on a distance as to the left side on a pixel to pixel basis; a right infrared laser camera configured to obtain information on a distance as to the right side on a pixel to pixel basis; a rear infrared laser camera configured to obtain information on a distance as to the rear side on a pixel to pixel basis; and a signal processing portion, wherein the parking-assist system provides the parking-assist information according to the information on the images from the imaging cameras and the information on the distances as to each pixel from the infrared laser cameras.
US 2013/0289825 A1 discloses a parking assist system to park a vehicle at the center of a target position in parking of the vehicle at the target position and a control method thereof. The control method of a parking assist system includes a state sensor to sense a state of a vehicle, an obstacle sensor to sense obstacles present at a front side, a rear side or lateral sides of the vehicle, and an interface to provide a driver with information about a state or operation of the vehicle includes computing a parking path for the vehicle based on results of sensing by the state sensor and the obstacle sensor, controlling steering of the vehicle such that the vehicle is parked at a target position along the computed parking path, and when the vehicle reaches the target position, controlling steering of the vehicle to position the vehicle at a center of the target position based on information related to situations at the front and rear sides of the vehicle sensed by the obstacle sensor.
However, it would be apparent from the above disclosed state of the art that the existing vehicle mounted parking-assist systems fail to allow the driver to maneuver the vehicle backwards during parking as comfortably as driving the vehicle in forward direction. Further with assistance of the existing vehicle parking systems parking is often completed with the vehicle positioned very closer to the rear vehicle/obstacle that a sufficient space may not be secured in loading/unloading the trunk. As with the existing systems driver not get feeling of front direction driving, could not accurately recognize the sufficient space from the rear vehicle or obstacle securing loading/unloading the trunk. Thus there has been a need for developing a new vehicle mounted reverse parking assistance system which would address the above stated problem of the existing vehicle parking assistance system.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
It is thus basic object of the present invention is to develop a vehicle mounted reverse parking or driving assistant system which would be adapted to allow the driver to maneuver the vehicle backwards during parking as comfortably as driving the vehicle in forward direction.
Another object of the present invention is to develop a vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system which would be adapted to assist a driver in parking a vehicle by facilitating to accurately recognize the sufficient space from the rear vehicle or obstacle securing loading/unloading the trunk.
Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system which would be adapted to gives the driver illusion of driving forward while reversing the vehicle by representing the obstacles at vehicle’s rear and the road directly behind the vehicle in the windshield of the vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is thus according to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system comprising
an imaging means to capture image/video of rear view of the vehicle;
an image processing unit disposed in operative communication with the imaging means to receive the captured image of the rear view of the vehicle and laterally invert the captured image;
a display means in front of the driver cooperating with said image processing unit for displaying the laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle in real time to driver of the vehicle during reverse driving and/or parking of the vehicle providing the driver the comfort of driving in forward direction and easing challenges of reverse driving and/or parking of the vehicle.

According to another aspect, the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system comprises
said image processing unit disposed in operative communication with the imaging means to receive the captured image of the rear view of the vehicle and laterally invert the captured image;
said display means disposed in operative communication with the image processing unit for selectively displaying the said laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle in real time in front of the driver of the vehicle.

According to a further aspect in the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, the imaging means preferably includes a camera disposed in rear side of the vehicle to capture the image/video of obstacles at the vehicle’s rear and road directly behind the vehicle.

According to yet another aspect in the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, the display means includes
a electro-chromic sheet embedded over windshield screen of the vehicle; and
a projector placed within the vehicle in front of the windshield;
wherein said electro-chromic sheet is configured to switch between transparent form and opaque form based on external switching signal and said projector is configured to receive laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle from the image processing unit.

According to yet another aspect, the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system further comprises an activation switch co-operatively connected with gear assembly of the vehicle and disposed in operative communication with the projector and the electro-chromic sheet.

According to another aspect in the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, the activation switch generates a high reverse signal when the driver changes gear of the vehicle to reverse gearing position and press the activation switch for reverse assistance,
said high reverse signal simultaneously activates (i) the electro-chromic sheet to became opaque, and (ii) the projector for displaying/projection of real-time laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle on the opaque electro-chromic sheet, thus providing illusion of driving forward even while driving reverse and enabling the driver to maneuver the vehicle in reverse like maneuvering in forward direction by representing the obstacles at vehicle’s rear and the road directly behind the vehicle in the windshield of the vehicles.

According to another aspect in the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, the activation switch generates a low reverse signal upon non-pressing or releasing said activation switch or changing the gear of the vehicle to any forward gearing positions;
said low reverse signal simultaneously deactivates (i) the electro-chromic sheet to became transparent, and (ii) the projector for stopping displaying/projection of real-time laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle enabling normal front view on the windshield of the vehicle.

According to another aspect in the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, the rear side camera of the vehicle is configured to rotate to give the driver a larger field of view of the rear side of the vehicle.

According to another aspect, the present vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system, further comprises a front camera to capture images of the driver and send the captured image to the image processing unit, whereby said image processing unit embodies face tracking mechanism to analyze the driver’s image and detect where the driver wants to see and accordingly rotates the rear view camera.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES:
Figure 1 shows front view of a vehicle having the vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows side view of a vehicle having the vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the operative sequences in assisting reverse parking/driving of a vehicle involving the system of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows what driver of the vehicle sees in front of his windshield when the vehicle is in still or moving in forward direction and the present vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system is in non-operational condition.
Figure 5 shows what the driver sees on the windshield when driver changes the gear to reverse (i.e. image processed by the present system and not what is actually in front of the vehicle which is observed in Figure 4.).
Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 shows the image projected on windshield after the driver drives for some time along the path visible to him.
Figure 9 shows the image when driver has reached his desired location and has shifted out from revere gear. (Note: that this image is not processed by reverse parking assistant system rather it is what is in front of the vehicle.)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES:
As stated hereinbefore, the present invention discloses a vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system directed to ease the challenges of reverse driving and/or parking of vehicles faced by drivers by allowing the driver to maneuver the vehicle backwards as comfortably as driving the vehicle in forward direction.
Reference is invited from the accompanying figure 1 and 2 which shows a preferred embodiment of the present reverse parking/driving assistant system mounted on a vehicle.
As shown in the referred figures, the present vehicle mounted reverse parking/driving assistant system basically includes an imaging means or a camera (2), an image processing unit (not shown) and display means.
The camera (2) is disposed at rear side of the vehicle from which image/video of the vehicle’s rear and the road directly behind the vehicle is captured. The captured image of the rear side of the vehicle is then processed at the image processing unit where the image is laterally inversed. After lateral inversion of the image it is forwarded to the display means. In a preferred embodiment, the rear view camera (2) is configured to rotate to give the driver a larger field of view of the background. In a preferred embodiment, rotation of the rear view camera (2) is controlled based on face tracking mechanism which is facilitated by a camera in front of the driver. The camera in front of the driver sends captured image to the image processing unit which observes the driver and detects where he/she wants to see and accordingly rotates the rear view camera.
The display means includes a projector (1) and electro-chromic sheet (3). The projector (1) is placed within the vehicle in front of the windshield and the electro-chromic sheet (3) is embedded over the windshield screen. The electro-chromic sheet (3) is configured to switch between transparent form and opaque form depending upon an external switching signal.
The present reverse parking/driving assistant system also includes an activation switch which is co-operatively connected with the gear assembly of the vehicle. The activation switch is also disposed in operative communication with the projector (1) and the electro-chromic sheet (3).
When the driver of the vehicle changes the gear of the vehicle to reverse gearing position and press the activation switch for reverse assistance, the activation switch generates a high reverse signal which simultaneously activates the electro-chromic sheet (3) and the projector (1). Upon receiving the high reverse signal from the activation switch, the electro-chromic sheet (3) became opaque and the projector (1) gets activated enabling displaying/projection of real-time laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle on the opaque electro-chromic sheet (3) as received by the projector (1) from the image processing unit.
The projection of the real-time inverted image of the rear portion of the vehicle on the windshield facilitates the driver to drive the vehicle according to the projected image. This relieves the driver from the fact that he/she is driving backward rather it will appear to the driver just as if the driver is driving the vehicles in forward direction.
If the driver did not press or release the activation switch or change the gear of the vehicle to any forward gearing positions then the activation switch generates a low reverse signal. Upon receiving the low reverse signal from the activation switch, the electro-chromic sheet (3) became transparent and the projector (1) gets deactivated thus stopping displaying/projection of the laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle.
The above logic operation of the present reverse parking/driving assistant system is summarized in the accompanying figure 3.
Reference is now invited from the accompanying figures 4-9 which are further exemplifying the operation of the present reverse parking/driving assistant system. The accompanying figure 4 shows driver’s view on the windshield of the vehicle when the present system is not in operational condition and the electro-chromic sheet embedded on the windshield is transparent. The accompanying figure 5 shows the projection of the laterally inverted rear view of the same vehicle by the projector on the opaque electro-chromic sheet on the windshield as seen by the driver after activation of the present system.
The accompanying figure 6, figure 7 and figure 8 show the projection of the laterally inverted rear views of the same vehicle by the projector on the opaque electro-chromic sheet on the windshield while the driver drives the same vehicle along the path visible to him on the windshield.
Figure 9 shows the view in the windshield as seen by the driver, when driver has reached his desired location and has shifted out from revere gear. (i.e. the present system is again in non-operational condition and the electro-chromic sheet embedded on the windshield has became transparent.)
The present reverse parking/driving system is thus significantly is different from present day reverse parking cameras because it gives the illusion of driving forward while reversing the vehicle and thus facilitates the driver to accurately recognize the sufficient space from the rear vehicle or obstacle securing loading/unloading the trunk.
The reverse display area on the windshield can be changed according to the driver’s need. While the present invention may have been described through reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Other changes and modifications known to those of ordinary skill are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system comprising
an imaging means to capture image/video of rear view of the vehicle;
an image processing unit disposed in operative communication with the imaging means to receive the captured image of the rear view of the vehicle and laterally invert the captured image;
a display means in front of the driver cooperating with said image processing unit for displaying the laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle in real time to driver of the vehicle during reverse driving and/or parking of the vehicle providing the driver the comfort of driving in forward direction and easing challenges of reverse driving and/or parking of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in claim 1 comprising
said image processing unit disposed in operative communication with the imaging means to receive the captured image of the rear view of the vehicle and laterally invert the captured image;
said display means disposed in operative communication with the image processing unit for selectively displaying the said laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle in real time in front of the driver of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the imaging means preferably includes a camera disposed in rear side of the vehicle to capture the image/video of obstacles at the vehicle’s rear and road directly behind the vehicle.

4. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the display means includes
a electro-chromic sheet embedded over windshield screen of the vehicle; and
a projector placed within the vehicle in front of the windshield;
wherein said electro-chromic sheet is configured to switch between transparent form and opaque form based on external switching signal and said projector is configured to receive laterally inverted captured image/video of the rear view of the vehicle from the image processing unit.

5. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4, further comprises an activation switch co-operatively connected with gear assembly of the vehicle and disposed in operative communication with the projector and the electro-chromic sheet.

6. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the activation switch generates a high reverse signal when the driver changes gear of the vehicle to reverse gearing position and press the activation switch for reverse assistance,
said high reverse signal simultaneously activates (i) the electro-chromic sheet to became opaque, and (ii) the projector for displaying/projection of real-time laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle on the opaque electro-chromic sheet, thus providing illusion of driving forward even while driving reverse and enabling the driver to maneuver the vehicle in reverse like maneuvering in forward direction by representing the obstacles at vehicle’s rear and the road directly behind the vehicle in the windshield of the vehicles.

7. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the activation switch generates a low reverse signal upon non-pressing or releasing said activation switch or changing the gear of the vehicle to any forward gearing positions;
said low reverse signal simultaneously deactivates (i) the electro-chromic sheet to became transparent, and (ii) the projector for stopping displaying/projection of real-time laterally inversed rear view of the vehicle enabling normal front view on the windshield of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rear side camera of the vehicle is configured to rotate to give the driver a larger field of view of the rear side of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle reverse parking/driving assisting system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8, further comprises a front camera to capture images of the driver and send the captured image to the image processing unit, whereby said image processing unit embodies face tracking mechanism to analyze the driver’s image and detect where the driver wants to see and accordingly rotates the rear view camera.