Camera system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10137842-B2
Application number	US-201214115743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2012
Priority date	Jun 3, 2011
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A camera system for a vehicle, which is to be arranged inside the vehicle behind a windshield of the vehicle, includes a housing, a first camera module that detects or images an area ahead of the vehicle and a second camera module that detects or images at least an area of the windshield.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camera system for a vehicle, which is to be arranged inside the vehicle behind a windshield of the vehicle, said camera system comprising:
a housing,
a first camera module including an objective and an image recording element, wherein the first camera module has a first optical axis and a first field of view oriented through the windshield, and is focused on, and configured and arranged to detect, an outside area ahead of the vehicle in the first field of view of the first camera module,
a second camera module that is focused on at least a focused portion of, and configured and arranged to detect, a detected area of the windshield covered by a second field of view of the second camera module, and
at least one lens hood for the first camera module, which lens hood is configured and arranged to avoid reflections into the first camera module of laterally incident light on the camera system and on the windshield,
wherein the second camera module is integrated in the lens hood or arranged with a second optical axis of the second camera module oriented through the lens hood toward the windshield, and
wherein the first and second camera modules are configured and arranged so that when the housing is mounted behind the windshield, the first optical axis is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the second optical axis is oriented substantially upwardly, the first optical axis and the second optical axis cross one another in a space between the housing and the windshield at an angle greater than 45° and less than 90° facing toward the windshield, and the detected area of the windshield covered by the second field of view of the second camera module at least partially overlaps a first area of the windshield covered by the first field of view of the first camera module.

2. The camera system according to claim 1 , wherein the lens hood is arranged in the space between the housing and the windshield.

3. The camera system according to claim 1 , wherein the first camera module and the second camera module are constructed to respectively detect electromagnetic radiation in different wavelength ranges.

4. The camera system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one active light that emits electromagnetic radiation of a defined wavelength range.

5. The camera system according to claim 4 , wherein the active light is arranged so that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the active light is transferred into the windshield.

6. The camera system according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one active light is arranged next to the second camera module, with a direction of emission of the at least one active light being oriented through the lens hood toward the windshield.

7. The camera system according to claim 6 , wherein the second camera module and/or the at least one active light is respectively arranged with a respective radiation axis thereof oriented through an aperture in the lens hood.

8. The camera system according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one optical element arranged in the aperture of the lens hood.

9. The camera system according to claim 6 , wherein the second camera module and/or the at least one active light is respectively arranged with a respective radiation axis thereof oriented through a radiation window portion of the lens hood constructed and adapted to allow electromagnetic radiation to pass through.

10. The camera system according to claim 9 , wherein the radiation window portion of the lens hood is constructed and adapted to allow electromagnetic radiation having a defined wavelength range to pass through.

11. The camera system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a shared printed circuit board on which the first camera module and the second camera module are arranged,
wherein the printed circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board including a first planar area at right angles to an optical axis of the first camera module, a second planar area below the lens hood, and a curved area connecting the first planar area and the second planar area, and
wherein the first camera module is arranged on the first planar area of the flexible printed circuit board, and the second camera module is arranged on the second planar area of the flexible printed circuit board.

12. The camera system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a first printed circuit board, a second printed circuit board, and flexible contacts,
wherein the first camera module is arranged on the first printed circuit board and the second camera module is arranged on the second printed circuit board, and
wherein the second printed circuit board is arranged below the lens hood and connected to the first printed circuit board by the flexible contacts.

13. The camera system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a printed circuit board on which the first camera module is arranged,
wherein the second camera module is integrated in the lens hood, and
wherein the lens hood is arranged in the camera system such that arranging the lens hood in the camera system establishes a mechanical connection between the lens hood and the housing, and establishes a direct or indirect electrical connection between the second camera module and the printed circuit board.

14. The camera system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising electronic components configured and adapted to process recorded image data,
wherein the first camera module and the second camera module are both connected to and make shared use of the electronic components.

15. The camera system according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of view of the second camera module is not aligned at right angles to the detected windshield area so that only the focused portion of the detected windshield area is imaged as a focused image by the second camera module.

16. The camera system according to claim 1 , wherein the second camera module is integrated in the lens hood.

17. The camera system according to claim 1 , wherein an opening and/or a radiation window penetrates through the lens hood and a wall of the housing, and wherein the second camera module is arranged inside the housing with the second optical axis of the second camera module oriented through the opening and/or the radiation window through the wall of the housing and the lens hood toward the windshield.

18. The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the housing includes a first housing wall, a second housing wall, and a housing interior space enclosed inside the housing between the first housing wall and the second housing wall,
wherein the lens hood is arranged extending along a surface of the first housing wall that faces toward the windshield,
wherein the first camera module is received in a first opening in the first housing wall, and
wherein the second camera module is received in a second opening in the first housing wall.

19. A camera system for a vehicle, which is to be arranged inside the vehicle behind a windshield of the vehicle, said camera system comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted behind the windshield;
a first camera module including a first image recording element and a first objective, wherein said first camera module is configured and arranged in said housing so that when said housing is mounted behind the windshield, then a first optical axis and a first field of view of said first camera module are oriented through the windshield into an outside scene in front of the vehicle with said first optical axis oriented su

Assignees

• Mueller Gerhard
• Conti Temic Microelectronic Gmbh

Inventors

• Mueller Gerhard

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• B60R2011/0026

  Windows, e.g. windscreen · CPC title

• B60R11/04 Primary

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G03B15/03

  Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units · CPC title