FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the transport and optical device industry. In particular, the present invention relates to an innovative camera system aimed at improving drivers' visibility in any weather conditions, whether during the day or at night, and that can be implemented in the transport vehicles, such as for example on or near vehicle windscreens, capturing images outside of the vehicle and transmitting them to a screen inside the vehicle.

It is known that one of the factors influencing accidents that occur when a means of transport moves is the decreased or poor visibility at night or caused by fog, smoke, rain, extreme humidity, snow, sandstorms, inter alia, wherein the human eye does not identify or does not see the changes that occur around the means of transport being driven. The existence of different ancillary viewing systems is also known, such as for example cameras installed in vehicles for driver assistance. These cameras are exposed to various climatic factors which affect their performance, preventing them from effectively providing the driver assistance for which they were designed. To this end, there must be a camera system that is always operational and with unobstructed vision, offering the driver and passengers of the vehicle greater safety and visibility. The present invention relates to a camera system that maintains vision, comprising a spinning system that can spin at any speed, which prevents it from fogging up in cases of extreme humidity, fog, rain, snow or sudden changes in temperature, which can be implemented anywhere in the vehicle or means of transport, wherethrough the driver will have a device that will allow him or her to see, through viewing means, the realtime images shown by the cameras in order to drive safely upon having a clear view of the surroundings of the means of transport being driven.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Different in-vehicle camera systems are currently known in the state of the art, including patent application WO2015191512 A1 , which discloses a system for controlling the environment of an in-vehicle camera for driver assistance comprising: a camera mounted inside a housing, adapted for connecting to the window and to a lining of the vehicle; and a port for connecting to a duct, which can be connected to a liner air duct, allowing a forced flow of air through the housing, in order to control the environment, wherein the air duct is connected to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle and the housing includes an air outlet for directing the air flow through the housing and to the windscreen of the vehicle, aiding cleaning thereof.

Application WO2015191512 is not an autonomous viewing system which makes it possible to prevent the loss of visibility, since it requires the vehicle's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which means that in addition to depending on an external system, said HVAC system requires complex and expensive installation.

Another solution for maintaining an unobstructed view of the camera is that disclosed by application US20060230570; this application mentions a housing unit for an external all-weather mobile video consisting of a transparent glass lens which allows 180° vision of a video camera housed in the interior thereof. This unit provides protection against weather conditions for the camera in its interior. The lens is immobile, closed on both ends to attach component parts, which comprises a frame and four vertical rubber windscreen wipers connected to a rotating plate at the top of the unit that cleans the lens. They are actuated by an electric motor and fed by a power supply for the vehicle's accessories. The cleaning blades or plumes remain in contact with the lens at all times through the loading of the springs and work intermittently or continuously in case of rain and also comprise a defroster and a cleaning spray (water). This application does not prevent the protective lens of the video camera from fogging up, due to which it cannot transmit a clear or sharp image to viewing means such as a video screen.

Therefore, there is a need to have a camera system that ensures the availability of vision at all times and that this vision is not obstructed by the fogging up of its transparent cover or outer lens, wherein its outer lens may be made of glass, crystal, polycarbonate or any transparent material. In order to remediate the problem posed, a viewing system for the vehicle is proposed that prevents loss of visibility, wherein the camera is covered by a spinning system that prevents it from fogging up in cases of extreme humidity, fog, rain, snow or sudden changes in temperature, offering the driver and passengers riding in the vehicle or means of transport such as, inter alia, an automobile, a motorboat, a truck and a train, greater safety and visibility. This camera system can be implemented anywhere in the vehicle and also where glass or mirrors are currently disposed, in order to allow greater visibility from different points of the vehicle. The driver will have a viewing device or means that will allow him or her to see what the cameras show in real time, thereby driving the vehicle safely.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an in-vehicle viewing system with cameras that improves a vehicle driver's visibility, thereby preventing fatal accidents and offering greater versatility in the vehicle. The system comprises cameras having a spinning system that prevents the camera from fogging up in adverse weather conditions. These cameras will send the signal in real time through devices inside the vehicle. The main objective of the viewing system is to replace the function of the windscreen wipers in vehicles, affording the driver greater visibility.

Another objective of the viewing system is to eliminate the use of windscreen wipers and vehicle windscreen dehumidification systems, particularly in rainy weather, affording the driver greater visibility. Another important objective is to provide the driver and passengers with greater safety, ensuring greater control from all viewing angles of the vehicle, thereby avoiding fatal accidents.

Another advantage of this viewing system is that it enables the implementation of better safety systems for the driver and copilot at the front of the vehicle, such as airbags, since current windscreen wipers obstruct its installation and, in extreme cases, impede saving their lives.

Another advantage of the viewing system is that it can be implemented wherever there is glass or mirrors in the vehicle, such as, for example: rear-view mirrors, rear windscreen and windows, affording the driver visibility from all viewing angles of the vehicle.

Additionally, the present in-vehicle viewing system is autonomous, due to which it does not require external elements to operate its defogging system, such as those required in the devices or systems of the prior art; additionally, the installation of this technology is minimally invasive. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following figures are not drawn to scale, since the dimension, distribution and/or real shape of each of the components of the in-vehicle viewing system (10) may vary. However, the person of ordinary skill in the art can observe how the system may be built without having very much experience. The figures shown represent preferred configurations of the invention, which may be subject to change.

Figure 1 shows the in-vehicle viewing system (10), implemented on the front windscreen or window of a vehicle.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the in-vehicle viewing system (10).

Figure 3 shows a front view of the in-vehicle viewing system (10), wherein the spinning system (2) is solidly connected to the cover (1).

Figure 4 shows a front view of the in-vehicle viewing system (10), wherein the spinning system (2) is in the interior and separated from the cover (1).

Figure 5 shows the in-vehicle viewing system (10), connected to viewing means (7) through wireless means of communication (8a). Figure 6 shows the in-vehicle viewing system (10), connected to viewing means (7) through wireless means of communication (8i).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the figures, the present invention relates to a in-vehicle viewing system (10) which comprises at least one camera (3), one cover (1) for the at least one camera (3) that protects it from adverse weather conditions or from any other object that could damage it, a spinning system (2) which, in a preferred configuration, causes the protective cover (1) of the camera (3) to spin and the camera (3) inside the cover (1) will be in charge of sending the driver a real-time video.

Specifically, the in-vehicle viewing system (10), which prevents loss of visibility, comprises: at least one camera (3) which is disposed on a base (5); fixing means (6) which are located on the base (5) on the opposite side of the camera (3); a cover (1) that is installed on the base (5) and covers the camera (3); an outer lens (4) disposed on the cover (1) to insulate and protect the camera (3) from the exterior; a spinning system (2) located on the base (5), wherein the spinning system (2) rotates with respect to the base and generates an air flow that prevents loss of visibility or fogging up of the camera (3); means of communication (8a, 8i) that communicate the viewing system (10) with a viewing medium (7) that displays the real-time images captured by the camera (3) in the interior of a vehicle; and an electrical power supply to feed the spinning system (2) and the camera (3), wherein the spinning system (2) comprises blades (9).

In a preferred configuration, the spinning system (2) is solidly connected to the cover (1), wherein the spinning system (2) and the cover (1) spin solidly with respect to the base, generating an internal air flow by means of the blades (9), which prevent the camera (3) from fogging up. In another preferred configuration, the spinning system (2) is in the interior and separated from the cover (1), wherein the spinning system (2) spins with respect to the base and to the cover (1), generating an internal air flow by means of the blades (9), which prevents the camera (3) from fogging up.

The cameras (3) of the in-vehicle viewing system (10) are a day camera or a day and night camera, or use at least one day camera and one night camera, wherein in another preferred configuration the plurality of cameras (3) also comprises an infrared camera and/or a thermographic camera.

In order to provide better visual information, the plurality of cameras (3) consists of at least one day camera, one night camera, one infrared camera and one thermographic camera.

Furthermore, the fixing means (6) are a magnet, a suction cap, screws, bolts or glue, aimed at fixing the viewing system (10) in the vehicle.

The blades (9) of the spinning system (2) may have different shapes, wherein said blades (9) are flat or curved or helical. In another preferred configuration, the in-vehicle viewing system (10) also comprises a heating system to increase the temperature in the interior of the viewing system (10), thereby preventing loss of visibility or fogging up of the camera (3) and, in order to better control the temperature, the viewing system (10) comprises temperature sensors that activate or deactivate the heating system, wherein the temperature sensors may be a thermistor or a sensor connected to a control unit, not shown in the figures. The means of communication are wireless (8i), such as: wireless personal area networks (WPAN), Bluetooth or wireless or cable Internet (8a) and the electrical power supply feeds the means of communication (8a, 8i).

In another preferred configuration, wherein the in-vehicle viewing system (10) is autonomous, the electrical power supply is internal and said internal electrical power supply is a battery or a solar cell, not shown in the figures.

In another preferred configuration, the electrical power supply is external and is operationally connected to the viewing system (10) such as, for example, those stemming from the vehicle's electrical system. The present invention can be installed in any vehicle, wherein the vehicle is any means of transport such as, inter alia, an automobile, a motorboat, a truck, a train or a bus, and even in an airplane or an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone).

In another preferred configuration, the in-vehicle viewing system (10) is installed in a user's helmet, wherein the user's helmet comprises viewing means (7) that display the real-time images captured by the camera (3).

The viewing means (7) that display the real-time images captured by the camera (3) may be, inter alia, a screen, a touch screen or a wireless device, such as a mobile phone, a PDA, a Tablet or a personal computer.