Vehicle camera peripheral

Abstract

A vehicle camera peripheral. It has a frame having a surface for supporting a license plate, at least one compartment for containing a battery and a circuit board having a wireless transmitter and video transmission circuitry, the compartment provided in the frame and positioned behind the license plate supporting surface, a camera mounted to the frame and connected to the circuit board, and a mounting for connecting the frame to existing license plate fastening devices of a vehicle.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A vehicle camera peripheral system configured to connect with a display device to display on said display device images received from said vehicle camera peripheral system, comprising:
 a peripheral unit comprising:
 a camera for producing a stream of images; 
 a peripheral unit interface configured to establish a wireless connection with said display device, and to transmit said stream of images produced by said camera to said display device via said wireless connection once said peripheral unit is activated; and 
 a mounting for securing said peripheral unit to a vehicle; and 
   a gear shift signaling device for detecting the shifting of a gear stick of a vehicle from a first position to a second position, said gear shift signaling device comprising:
 a property change generator that is adapted to produce a property change when said gear stick is shifted to said second position; and 
 a detector configured to detect said property change; 
 wherein said gear shift signaling device transmits a signal to one of said peripheral unit and said display device, upon said detector detecting said property change, that causes said stream of images to be transmitted from said peripheral unit interface to said display device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein said peripheral unit further comprises a battery for powering said camera when said peripheral unit is activated. 
     
     
         13 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein said peripheral unit interface is a Bluetooth interface. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , comprising a rear license plate mounting, wherein said camera is a rear-view camera. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein said property change generator comprises a magnet and a magnetic strip, and said detector is a magnetic field sensor adapted to detect a change in a magnetic field caused by said magnet and said magnetic strip when said magnet and said magnetic strip are placed in proximity as a result of said gear stick shifting to said second position. 
     
     
         30 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein said property change generator comprises a reflective surface and a light source, and said detector is a light sensor adapted to detect light produced by said light source, reflected off said reflective surface, when said reflective surface and said light source are placed in proximity so that light produced by said light source may reflect off said reflective surface as a result of a said gear stick shifting to said second position. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A vehicle camera peripheral comprising:
 a frame having a surface for supporting a license plate;   at least one compartment for containing a battery and a circuit board having a wireless transmitter and video transmission circuitry, wherein at least one of said at least one compartment provided in said frame and positioned behind said license plate supporting surface;   a camera mounted to said frame and connected to said circuit board; and   a mounting for connecting said frame to existing license plate fastening devices of a vehicle,   wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to transmit wirelessly to a display device a stream of image data produced by said camera.   
     
     
         33 . The vehicle camera peripheral as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said mounting is adjustable for connecting said frame at a selected one of a plurality of vertical offset positions. 
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 11 , wherein said second position corresponds to said gear stick being placed in a reverse position. 
     
     
         38 . A vehicle camera peripheral comprising:
 a frame having a surface for supporting a license plate;   at least one compartment for containing a battery and a circuit board having a wireless transmitter and video transmission circuitry;   a camera mounted to said frame and connected to said circuit board; and   a mounting for connecting said frame to existing license plate fastening devices of a vehicle, wherein said mounting is adjustable for connecting said frame at a selected one of a plurality of vertical offset positions,   wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to transmit wirelessly to a display device a stream of image data produced by said camera.   
     
     
         39 . A vehicle camera peripheral system configured to connect with a handheld device to display on said display device, by running a camera viewing application program on said handheld device, images received form said vehicle camera peripheral system, comprising:
 a peripheral unit comprising:
 a camera for producing a stream of images; 
 a peripheral unit interface configured to establish a first wireless connection with said display device, and to transmit said stream of images produced by said camera to said display device via said first wireless connection once said peripheral unit is activated; and 
   a mounting for securing said peripheral unit to a vehicle; and   an activation unit configured to transmit, upon receiving specific external input, an activation signal to at least one of said peripheral unit and said display device for causing said peripheral unit to transmit said stream of images to said display device;   wherein said peripheral unit is activated upon receiving one of:   said activation signal from said activation unit; and   an activation signal from said display device.   
     
     
         40 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 39 , wherein said activation unit is configured to receive as said specific external input a power signal taken from a back-up lamp of a vehicle when said back-up lamp is turned on. 
     
     
         41 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 39 , wherein said activation unit has a button and is configured to receive the pressing of said button as said specific external input. 
     
     
         42 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 39 , wherein said peripheral unit interface is a Bluetooth interface. 
     
     
         43 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 39 , comprising a rear license plate mounting, wherein said camera is a rear-view camera. 
     
     
         44 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 39 , wherein said activation unit further comprises a gear shift signaling device for detecting the shifting of a gear stick of a vehicle from a first position to a second position, said gear shift signaling device comprising:
 a property change generator that is adapted to produce a property change when said gear stick is shifted to said second position; and   a detector configured to detect said property change;   wherein said activation unit receives as said specific external input an indication of said property change from said gear shift signaling device.   
     
     
         45 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 44 , wherein said property change generator comprises a magnet and a magnetic strip, and said detector is a magnetic field sensor adapted to detect a change in a magnetic field caused by said magnet and said magnetic strip when said magnet and said magnetic strip are placed in proximity as a result of said gear stick shifting to said second position. 
     
     
         46 . The camera peripheral system of  claim 44 , wherein said property change generator comprises a reflective surface and a light source, and said detector is a light sensor adapted to detect light produced by said light source, reflected off said reflective surface, when said reflective surface and said light source are placed in proximity so that light produced by said light source may reflect off said reflective surface as a result of a said gear stick shifting to said second position.