Vehicular imaging system with controlled illumination device and camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015172527-A1
Application number	US-201514628351-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2009
Publication date	Jun 18, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging system of a vehicle includes a tail lamp assembly that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the vehicle. A light source control operates at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level. A camera is operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination. A camera control may operate the camera to capture image data during at least part of the first illumination period and to not capture image data during at least part of the second illumination period.

First claim

1 . An imaging system for capturing images rearward of a vehicle, the imaging system comprising:
a tail lamp assembly configured for mounting at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with the imaging system, wherein the tail lamp assembly includes at least one light source operable to emit light and wherein, with the tail lamp assembly mounted at the equipped vehicle and with the at least one light source activated, the tail lamp assembly emits light that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the equipped vehicle; a light source control operable to operate at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level, and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level; a camera operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination; and a camera control operable to control the camera, wherein the camera control operates the camera to capture image data during at least part of the first illumination period and wherein the camera control operates the camera to not capture image data during at least part of the second illumination period.

2 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the light source control deactivates the at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly during the second illumination period.

3 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the camera control operates the camera to not capture image data during the second illumination period.

4 . The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to display video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

5 . The imaging system of claim 4 , wherein the display device displays images derived from image data captured by the camera during the first illumination period and does not display images derived from image data captured by the camera during the second illumination period.

6 . The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising an image processor that is operable to process image data captured by the camera to remove image data captured by the camera during the second illumination period.

7 . The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the image processor processes image data captured by the camera during the first illumination period to detect objects present in the region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination.

8 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the light source control operates the at least one light source in a repeating cycle that repeats sufficiently frequently such that the at least one light source, when disposed at the rear portion of the equipped vehicle and when cycled, appears to onlookers to be illuminated at a constant third brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level and higher than the second brightness level.

9 . The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the repeating cycle repeats at least about 30 times per second.

10 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the camera control receives timing signals from the light source control indicative of when to operate the camera to capture image data and when to operate the camera to not capture image data.

11 . An imaging system for capturing images rearward of a vehicle, the imaging system comprising:
a tail lamp assembly configured for mounting at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with the imaging system, wherein the tail lamp assembly includes at least one light source operable to emit light, wherein, with the tail lamp assembly mounted at the equipped vehicle and with the at least one light source activated, the tail lamp assembly emits light that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the equipped vehicle; a control operable to operate at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level, and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level; a camera operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination; wherein the camera captures image data during at least part of the first illumination period and during at least part of the second illumination period; and an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera, wherein the image processor receives image data captured by the camera during both the first and second illumination periods and removes image data corresponding to image data captured by the camera during the second illumination period.

12 . The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly is deactivated during the second illumination period.

13 . The imaging system of claim 11 , further comprising a display device, wherein the display device displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

14 . The imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the display device displays images derived from image data captured by the camera during the first illumination period and does not display images derived from image data captured by the camera during the second illumination period.

15 . The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the image processor processes image data captured by the camera during the first illumination period to detect objects present in the region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination.

16 . The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the control operates the at least one light source in a repeating cycle that repeats sufficiently frequently such that the at least one light source, when disposed at the rear portion of the equipped vehicle and when cycled, appears to onlookers to be illuminated at a constant third brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level and higher than the second brightness level.

17 . The imaging system of claim 16 , wherein the repeating cycle repeats at least about 30 times per second.

18 . An imaging system for capturing images rearward of a vehicle, the imaging system comprising:
a tail lamp assembly configured for mounting at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with the imaging system, wherein the tail lamp assembly includes a plurality of light emitting diodes operable to emit light and wherein, with the tail lamp assembly mounted at the equipped vehicle and with at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes activated, the tail lamp assembly emits light that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the equipped vehicle; a light source control operable to operate at least one light emitting diode of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level, and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level; wherein the repeating cycle repeats at least about 30 times per second; a camera operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination; a camera control operable to control the camera, wherein the camera cont

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Mcelroy Clarence P
• Lu Yuesheng
• Nix Axel

Classifications

• H04N23/74 Primary

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• B60R11/04

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

• H04N5/2354 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• B60Q1/26 Primary

  the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic · CPC title

• B60Q2300/43

  following vehicle · CPC title