Camera assembly for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937876-B2
Application number	US-201715488714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2002
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A camera assembly for a vehicle includes a camera housing portion, an imaging sensor disposed at a base portion of the camera housing portion, and a lens system disposed at a first portion of the camera housing portion. A first circuit board includes circuitry associated with the imaging sensor, which is disposed at a second circuit board that is in board-to-board electrical connection with the first circuit board. The camera housing portion and a connector portion are configured to join together to encase the first and second circuit boards. The connector portion includes a multi-pin connector having terminals that include (i) a first terminal portion for electrically connecting with a connector of the vehicle and (ii) a second terminal portion for electrically connecting with circuitry disposed at the first circuit board.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A camera assembly suitable for use for a vision system of a vehicle, said camera assembly comprising:
a camera housing portion;
said camera housing portion comprising a first portion extending outwardly from a base portion;
an imaging sensor disposed at said base portion;
a lens system disposed at said first portion of said camera housing portion;
wherein said camera assembly is configured for mounting at a portion of a vehicle;
wherein, with said camera assembly mounted at the portion of the equipped vehicle, said imaging sensor has a field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
a first circuit board including circuitry associated with said imaging sensor;
wherein said imaging sensor is disposed at a second circuit board that is in board-to-board electrical connection with said first circuit board;
wherein said first and second circuit boards overlap one another;
a connector portion;
wherein said camera housing portion and said connector portion are configured to join together to encase said first and second circuit boards;
wherein said connector portion comprises a multi-pin connector;
said multi-pin connector comprising a plurality of terminals each of which comprises (i) a first terminal portion configured to electrically connect with a connector of a vehicle equipped with said camera assembly and (ii) a second terminal portion configured for electrical connection with circuitry disposed at said first circuit board; and
wherein one of (i) said first terminal portion configured to electrically connect with the connector of the equipped vehicle extends straight outwardly from said connector portion and is in-line with said second terminal portion and (ii) said first terminal portion configured to electrically connect with the connector of the equipped vehicle is bent at an angle relative to said second terminal portion.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein, with said camera assembly mounted at the portion of the equipped vehicle, image data captured by said imaging sensor is processed by an image processor.

3. The camera assembly of claim 2 , wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said imaging sensor, an object in the field of view of said imaging sensor is detected.

4. The camera assembly of claim 3 , wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said imaging sensor, distance to the object detected is determined.

5. The camera assembly of claim 2 , wherein said camera assembly is configured for mounting at a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, with said camera assembly mounted at the windshield of the equipped vehicle and responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said imaging sensor, a vehicle headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle is controlled.

6. The camera assembly of claim 2 , wherein said camera assembly is configured for mounting at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, with said camera assembly mounted at the rear portion of the equipped vehicle, said imaging sensor is associated with a backup assist system of the equipped vehicle.

7. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said camera assembly comprises shielding to reduce electronic noise.

8. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first terminal portion configured to electrically connect with the connector of the equipped vehicle is bent at a 90 degree angle relative to said second terminal portion.

9. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said board-to-board electrical connection comprises a multi-wire ribbon connection.

10. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said camera assembly comprises a semi-permeable ventilation portion that is at least partially permeable to water vapor.

11. The camera assembly of claim 10 , wherein said semi-permeable ventilation portion comprises a material that is at least partially permeable to water vapor.

12. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said circuitry at said first circuit board comprises a plurality of pin-receiving sockets, and wherein pin-receiving sockets of said plurality of pin-receiving sockets are configured to connect with respective ones of said second terminal portions of said plurality of terminals of said multi-pin connector.

13. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said base portion has a square shape.

14. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first portion is cylindrical.

15. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said camera housing portion comprises a mating portion of said base portion that mates at a corresponding portion of said connector portion when said camera housing portion and said base portion are joined together.

16. The camera assembly of claim 15 , wherein said connector portion and said base portion are joined together by welding.

17. The camera assembly of claim 15 , wherein said connector portion and said base portion are joined together by an adhesive.

18. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein said camera assembly, when mounted at a portion of the equipped vehicle, is positioned in a movable housing that is movable relative to an exterior portion of the equipped vehicle to move said camera assembly between a stored position generally within the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle and an operational position where said imaging sensor of said camera assembly is positioned to have its field of view exteriorly of the equipped vehicle.

19. The camera assembly of claim 18 , wherein said movable housing comprises a transparent panel, said camera assembly viewing to the exterior via said transparent panel when said camera assembly is in said operational position, and wherein said movable housing comprises a panel cleaning device operable to clean said transparent panel as said housing moves said camera assembly between said stored position and said operational position.

20. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein, when joined together, said camera housing portion and said connector portion are hermetically sealed.

21. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic range of said imaging sensor follows, at least in part, a linear response curve.

22. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic range of said imaging sensor follows, at least in part, a non-linear response curve.

23. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic range of said imaging sensor is at least 62 dB.

24. The camera assembly of claim 23 , wherein the dynamic range of said imaging sensor is at least 100 dB.

25. A camera assembly suitable for use for a vision system of a vehicle, said camera assembly comprising:
a camera housing portion;
said camera housing portion comprising a first portion extending outwardly from a base portion;
a CMOS imaging sensor disposed at said base portion;
wherein the dynamic range of said CMOS imaging sensor is at least 62 dB;
a lens system disposed at said first portion of said camera housing portion;
wherein said camera assembly is configured for mounting at a portion of a vehicle;
wherein, with said camera assembly mounted at the portion of the equipped vehicle, said CMOS imaging sensor has a field of view external of the equipped vehicle;
a first circuit board including circuitry asso

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Bingle Robert L
• Camilleri Joseph
• Whitehead Peter J
• Schofield Kenneth

Classifications

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/57

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

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• H04N25/76

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