Vehicular forward viewing image capture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11623559-B2
Application number	US-202217814577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 11, 2006
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A vehicular forward viewing image capture system includes an accessory module configured for attachment at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, whereby a CMOS image sensor views through the windshield forward of the vehicle. With the accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield, and while the vehicle is traveling along a road, captured image data is processed to determine movement of an object of interest viewed by the image sensor. Multiple frames of captured image data are processed in determining movement of the object of interest. The accessory module includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting to a vehicle wiring system of the vehicle. Image data captured by the image sensor may be processed for an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system may compensate for misalignment of the image sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular forward viewing image capture system, said vehicular forward viewing image capture system comprising:
an accessory module configured for attachment at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular forward viewing image capture system;
wherein said accessory module comprises a CMOS image sensor, said CMOS image sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensor elements;
wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said CMOS image sensor views forward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said CMOS image sensor views through a portion of the windshield that is swept by a windshield wiper of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said accessory module is configured to removably attach at an attachment plate that is attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle;
an image processor for processing image data captured by said CMOS image sensor;
wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and while the equipped vehicle is traveling along a road, captured image data is processed at said image processor to determine movement of an object of interest present in a forward field of view of said CMOS image sensor;
wherein multiple frames of captured image data are processed at said image processor in determining movement of the object of interest present in the forward field of view of said CMOS image sensor;
wherein said vehicular forward viewing image capture system is provided with vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus;
wherein the provided vehicle data comprises vehicle speed data;
wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, image data captured by said CMOS image sensor and vehicle data provided via the vehicle communication bus are processed at said image processor;
wherein said accessory module comprises a printed circuit board assembly, the printed circuit board assembly comprising electronic components supporting operation of said CMOS image sensor;
wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, said accessory module is electrically connected to a vehicle wiring system of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said accessory module comprises an electrical connector for electrically connecting to the vehicle wiring system.

2. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, captured image data is processed at said image processor for an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 2 , wherein said automatic headlamp control system comprises an adaptive front lighting system.

4. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to processing at said image processor of captured image data, said vehicular forward viewing image capture system determines presence of other road users in a region of influence of a vehicle headlamp of the equipped vehicle.

5. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to processing at said image processor of captured image data and responsive to the provided vehicle data, said vehicular forward viewing image capture system at least in part provides at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) traffic sign recognition, (b) traffic light status detection, (c) adaptive cruise control and (d) pedestrian detection.

6. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, image data captured by said CMOS image sensor is processed at said image processor for an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle.

7. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein the object of interest present in a forward field of view of said CMOS image sensor comprises a pedestrian.

8. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, captured image data is processed at said image processor to determine a general illumination level at the equipped vehicle in a forward field of view of said CMOS image sensor.

9. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein an output of said image processor when the vehicle speed data is indicative of the speed of the equipped vehicle being above a threshold speed level is different than the output of said image processor when the vehicle speed data is indicative of the speed of the equipped vehicle being below a threshold speed level.

10. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, captured image data is processed at said image processor to determine an incline of the road ahead of the equipped vehicle.

11. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein said vehicular forward viewing image capture system inhibits adjustment of a beam pattern of a vehicle headlamp of the equipped vehicle if other road users are detected within a region of influence of the vehicle headlamp of the equipped vehicle.

12. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein, with said accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the equipped vehicle, captured image data is processed at said image processor to determine a road condition of the road ahead of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein said vehicular forward viewing image capture system determines misalignment of said CMOS image sensor responsive at least in part to a focus of expansion ahead of the equipped vehicle.

14. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 13 , wherein said vehicular forward viewing image capture system determines misalignment of said CMOS image sensor responsive to determination of location and movement of another vehicle relative to the focus of expansion as the equipped vehicle travels along a straight section of the road.

15. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein said vehicular forward viewing image capture system determines misalignment of said CMOS image sensor responsive to tracking movement of light sources through multiple frames of captured image data when the equipped vehicle travels along a straight section of the road.

16. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein the provided vehicle data comprises vehicle trajectory data.

17. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein the provided vehicle data comprises vehicle GPS data.

18. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system of claim 1 , wherein the provided vehicle data comprises vehicle pitch data.

19. The v

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Schofield Kenneth

Classifications

• B60Q1/1423 Primary

  Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic · CPC title

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• B60Q2300/41

  preceding vehicle · CPC title

• G06V10/147

  Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) · CPC title

• G06V20/584

  of vehicle lights or traffic lights · CPC title