Parking Aid - Visual

System Diagram - Vehicles Built On Or Before November 17, 2013

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Network Message Chart

Image Processing Module - B (IPM-B) Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Camera commands	APIM	Used to command the static and active guideline status, zoom level and object distance.
Parking aid range to object	Parking Aid Module (PAM)	Used to highlight the zone in the rear camera image where an object is detected.
Power mode	BCM	Used to communicate the ignition switch position.
Selector lever (PRNDL) position	PCM	Used to enable the video display when the selector lever is placed in reverse.
Steering angle status	SASM	Used to calculate the vehicle's intended path of travel and generate the active guideline overlay on the rear camera image.

Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Backup camera status	Image Processing Module B (IPM-B)	Used to display the video status for static and active guidelines, zoom level and object distance.
Selector lever (PRNDL) status	BCM	Used to enable the video display.
Vehicle speed	PCM	Used to support the video camera delay feature.

System Diagram - Vehicles Built On Or After November 04, 2013

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Network Message Chart

BCM Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Camera commands	APIM	Used to command the visual park aid alert, static guidelines, active guidelines and zoom level.
Parking aid range to object	PAM	Used to highlight the zone on the video image where an object has been detected by the rear parking aid system.
Steering wheel angle	SASM	Used to generate the active guidelines on the video display (if equipped with active guidelines).

APIM Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Camera status	BCM	Used in the on-screen menus to display the current settings for visual park aid alert, static guidelines, active guidelines and zoom level.
Selector lever (PRNDL) status	BCM	Used to enable the rear video camera display when reverse gear is selected.
Vehicle speed	PCM	Used to support the video camera delay feature.

Image Display

NOTE: Vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013 (2012 and 2013 model years) are equipped with an IPMB that communicates with the rear video camera via the LIN circuit. Vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013 (2014 model year and newer) are not equipped with an IPMB. On these vehicles, the BCM incorporates the functionality of the IPMB and communicates with the rear video camera via the LIN circuit.

NOTE: The liftgate must remain closed for correct operation of the video camera system.

The video camera image is displayed by the FDIM when the transmission is placed in reverse. To determine the selector lever position and enable the rear video camera display, the APIM receives the selector lever status message from the BCM through the MS-CAN and the Infotainment Controller Area Network (I-CAN), with the IPC serving as a gateway. The camera generates a video signal any time it receives voltage, regardless of the current configuration. If the video camera is not configured properly, some features may be inoperative. The camera is supplied voltage when the ignition is on. When the camera is on, the image signal is sent from the video camera on shielded twisted pair wires to the APIM, which displays the image on the FDIM.

The video camera features are enabled and disabled within the FDIM menu screen. Some features may not be driver-selectable. The video camera system has 5 features:

Fixed guidelines - this feature assists the driver when backing into a parking space or aligning the vehicle with an object.
Active guidelines - this feature projects the intended path of the vehicle when backing up based on steering wheel position.
Visual park aid alert - this feature assists the driver by visually highlighting the zone within the video image where an object has been detected by the audible parking aid system.
Manual zoom - this feature assists the driver with connecting or towing a trailer, allowing the driver to manually zoom closer to an object behind the vehicle.
Video camera delay - this feature continues to display the image from the rear view camera after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. The image will not be displayed if the vehicle is shifted into park.

For each of these system features, except the camera delay feature, the APIM receives the FDIM touch inputs and sends the camera commands message to the BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013) or IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013) via the MS-CAN. The BCM or IPMB then sends the command to the video camera via the LIN. The video camera generates the requested feature on top of the video image that is sent to the APIM.

The video camera delay feature is controlled by the APIM.

The video camera retains the last known setting for the fixed guidelines, active guidelines, and visual park aid alert when the ignition is turned off, therefore the rear video camera settings shown in the FDIM when the ignition is off may not reflect the actual rear video camera settings. Within 3 seconds of the ignition being turned on, the APIM requests the last known settings from the video camera, then changes the rear video camera menu selections to the settings stored in the video camera. If fixed guideline, active guideline or visual park aid alert settings are changed in the FDIM when the ignition is off, the menu reverts back to the last known settings that are stored in the camera after the ignition is turned on.

LIN Communication

The LIN is a dedicated single wire communication network. The LIN circuit is used between the video camera and the BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013) or IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013). The modules use broadcast serial communication over the LIN, with the BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013) or IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013) sending a message, and the video camera either replying to or simply receiving certain messages. The BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013) or IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013) is the master module on the LIN, and it sets and stores Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) for the video camera and the communication network.

The messages sent from the BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013) or IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013) to the video camera are:

liftgate ajar status
camera configuration data
manual zoom request
enable/disable visual park aid alert
enable/disable fixed guidelines
enable/disable active guidelines
parking aid audible warning status
parking aid sensor distance to object data
steering wheel angle data

The reply messages sent from the video camera to the BCM or IPMB are:

camera status
zoom status
visual park aid alert status
fixed guideline status
active guideline status
camera part number data

Visual Park Aid Alert

The visual park aid alert feature utilizes the rear parking aid sensor inputs from the PAM and the video camera image. When the transmission selector is in REVERSE and an object is detected by the rear parking aid sensors, the parking aid range to object data is sent from the PAM to the IPMB (vehicles built on or before November 17, 2013) or BCM (vehicles built on or after November 04, 2013). The IPMB or BCM then sends the message to the camera through the LIN circuit. The visual alerts generated by the camera are red, yellow or green and appear as highlights on top of the video image to indicate in which zone the object is detected. The highlighted visual alerts are still operational if the parking aid system is disabled within the FDIM and the visual alert feature is enabled.

Fixed Guidelines

NOTE: The color-coded lines cannot indicate accurate or consistent distances between objects located behind the vehicle and at the rear of the vehicle. This normal condition is due to variances in vehicle ride height, including but not limited to, vehicle loading.

The video camera fixed guidelines feature displays guidelines on top of the video image to assist the driver with alignment of the vehicle. A dashed line on the displayed image represents the center of the vehicle and 3 color-coded lines (red, yellow, green) identify different distance zones between the rear of the vehicle and objects.

Active Guidelines

The active guidelines feature displays an overlay on the video image the intended path of travel when backing up based on steering wheel angle. The active guidelines are not shown when the steering wheel is straight.

Manual Zoom

The manual zoom feature is controlled by the video camera. The manual zoom feature has 3 zoom levels that are only active when the vehicle is in reverse. If the manual zoom feature is enabled and the vehicle is shifted out of reverse the manual zoom feature is disabled. The manual zoom feature must be re-enabled the next time the vehicle is shifted into reverse.

Video Delay

The video delay feature allows the rear video camera image to remain on the FDIM after the transmission is shifted out of reverse until the vehicle reaches 10 km/h (6 mph). With the delay off (default) the image displays until the transmission is shifted out of reverse.

The BCM serves as a gateway module between the video camera and other modules on the HS-CAN and MS-CAN. It communicates with the rear video camera via the LIN and stores Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) for the camera and the LIN in the event of a concern.