Imaging system

• US 10,196,041 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Takeki, Kimura, Akio, Sakaguchi, Atsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US15/385,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/002 with means for clear vision, e.g. anti-frost or defog panes, rain shields window heating in H05B3/84, H05B3/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields

Abstract

An imaging system mounted on a vehicle is proposed. The imaging system includes: an imager configured to capture an image of the outside of a vehicle through a glass of the vehicle; a heater configured to heat at least an imaging region of a windshield included in an imaging range of the imager; an image processer configured to detect a fogging level of an image captured by the imager; and a controller configured to adjust the output of the heater based on a detected fogging level and allow the heater to heat the imaging region of the windshield.

Claims

1. An imaging system mounted on a vehicle, the imaging system comprising:

an imager configured to capture an image of the outside of a vehicle through a glass of the vehicle, the imager having an operation stop temperature over which the imager stops operating;

a heater configured to heat at least a glass region included in an imaging range of the imager;

a fogging level detector configured to detect a fogging level of the glass region;

a controller configured to adjust the output of the heater on the basis of the detected fogging level and allow the heater to heat the glass region; and

a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the glass region, wherein

the controller adjusts the output of the heater on the basis of the fogging level and the temperature detected by the temperature detector, and controls the heater so that the detected temperature does not exceed a predetermined first temperature,

the first temperature is set lower than the operation stop temperature of the imager.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the output of the heater so that the fogging level is maintained lower than or equal to a predetermined value and the temperature detected by the temperature detector is maintained constant.