Camera system for a vehicle

• US 10,137,842 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Mueller, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chio, Tat C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lima, Fabio S
• Application Number:
  US14/115,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20140300738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/04 Combinations of cameras with non-electronic flash apparatus; Non-electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/023 Multi-image cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/002 Details of arrangement of components in or on camera body
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

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.

Claims

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 substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and said first camera module is focused on the outside scene in front of the vehicle so as to record a focused image of the outside scene in said first field of view;

a second camera module including a second image recording element and a second objective, wherein said second camera module is configured and arranged separately from said first camera module in said housing so that when said housing is mounted behind the windshield, then a second optical axis of said second camera module is oriented differently from said first optical axis and substantially upwardly toward the windshield, and said second camera module is focused on a front surface of the windshield so as to record a focused image of the front surface of the windshield in at least a focused portion of a detected area on the front surface of the windshield covered by a second field of view of said second camera module; and

a light shield configured and arranged in a space between said housing and the windshield to prevent scattered, stray or reflected light below said first field of view of said first camera module from entering said first camera module;

wherein said second camera module is integrated in said light shield or arranged with said second optical axis extending through said light shield toward the windshield; and

wherein said first and second camera modules are configured and arranged so that when said housing is mounted behind the windshield, said first optical axis and said second optical axis cross one another in the space between said housing and the windshield at an angle greater than 45° and

less than 90°

facing toward the windshield, and the detected area on the front surface of the windshield covered by said second field of view of said second camera module at least partially overlaps a first area of the windshield covered by said first field of view of said first camera module.

20. The camera system according to claim 19, wherein said light shield extends along a plane parallel to a plane of said second image recording element of said second camera module.

21. The camera system according to claim 19, wherein said second camera module is integrated in said light shield.

22. The camera system according to claim 19, wherein an opening and/or a radiation window penetrates through said light shield and a wall of said housing, and wherein said second camera module is arranged inside said housing with said second optical axis extending through said opening and/or said radiation window through said wall of said housing and said light shield toward the windshield.

23. The camera system according to claim 19,

wherein said housing includes a first housing wall, a second housing wall, and a housing interior space enclosed inside said housing between said first housing wall and said second housing wall,

wherein said light shield is arranged extending along a surface of said first housing wall that faces toward the windshield,

wherein said first camera module is received in a first opening in said first housing wall, and

wherein said second camera module is received in a second opening in said first housing wall.