View Selection in a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Network

Abstract

In V2V or other networks in which multiple video cameras can share video data, a network participant ordinarily has the option of selecting a particular video data stream (either generated by local cameras or received from other network participants. To facilitate the process of selecting a video data stream for presentation, the user's vehicle (in a V2V network) receives video data streams generated by other network participants along with identifiers indicating the video data stream actually being presented to the sender. The receiving system identifies the received video data stream by the greatest number of network participants and displays the identified video data stream on the user's in-vehicle video display.

1 . A method for determining which video data stream is to be presented on a video display used by a first participant in a network in which multiple participants produce video data streams that may be shared among other participants, said method comprising:
 receiving video data streams currently being presented on video displays used by a plurality of other participants;   identifying which of said received video data streams is currently being presented on displays used by the greatest number of participants;   presenting the identified video data stream on the video display used by said first participant.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining whether the video data stream currently being presented on the video display used by said first participant is different than said identified video data stream; 
 providing an indicator to the first participant that the video data stream currently being presented is not said identified video data stream; 
 in response to an input from said first participant, switching the video data stream being presented to said identified video data stream. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising automatically switching the video data stream currently being presented on the video display used by said first participant when the video data stream currently being presented on displays used by the greatest number of participants changes from the video data stream currently being presented. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said method is performed as the first participant joins the network. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said network is a vehicle-to-vehicle network and at least some of said video data streams are produced by vehicle-mounted video cameras. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving an override video data stream produced by another network participant; and 
 replacing the video data stream currently being presented with the received override video data stream. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein said override video data stream is received from a source outside the vehicle-to-vehicle network. 
     
     
         8 - 19 . (canceled)