Image pickup apparatus of a surrounding area of a vehicle

• US 20030043280A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Nagao, Mitsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,030,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/22 for viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, which is equipped in a vehicle and is used for obtaining an image of the surrounding area by performing the image pickup.

This image pickup apparatus has an infrared light emitter for irradiating an infrared light towards the surrounding area of the vehicle, an infrared camera capable of performing the image pickup by receiving the reflected infrared light, an infrared light sensor for detecting a pulse light of infrared region from near-infrared region to be irradiated form oncoming vehicle. In this image pickup apparatus, if the obstacle is presenting in the area covered with the infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitter, since the inflected light, which is irradiated from the infrared light emitter and is reflected by the obstacles, is recorded by the infrared camera, a driver of the vehicle can recognize existence of the obstacle.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus obtaining an image of the surrounding area by performing the image pickup, said image pickup apparatus is equipped in a vehicle, and said image pickup apparatus comprising;

an infrared light emitter for irradiating an infrared light towards the surrounding area of said vehicle;

an infrared camera capable of performing the image pickup by receiving the reflected infrared light, which is emitted from said infrared light emitter and is reflected by an obstacles presenting in said surrounding area;

an infrared light sensor for detecting a pulse light of infrared region from near-infrared region to be irradiated form oncoming vehicle;

said infrared camera delays the performing of the image pickup, when said infrared light sensor detects said pulse light.

2. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said infrared light emitting apparatus and the infrared camera are provided at said inner mirror.

3. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup apparatus further comprising;

a synchronizer, which controls the irradiation of said infrared light emitter so that the irradiation of infrared light may be intermittently performed synchronizing with the shutter releasing movement of said infrared camera.

4. An image pickup apparatus for obtaining an image of the surrounding area by performing the image pickup, said image pickup apparatus is equipped in a vehicle, and said image pickup apparatus comprising;

an infrared light emitter for irradiating an infrared light towards the surrounding area of said vehicle;

an infrared camera capable of performing the image pickup by receiving the reflected infrared light, which is emitted from said infrared light emitter and is reflected by an obstacles presenting in said surrounding area;

an infrared light sensor for detecting a pulse light of infrared region from near-infrared region to be irradiated form oncoming vehicle;

a control unit, which delays the image pickup performed by said infrared camera while said pulse light is detected by said infrared light sensor.

5. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control unit has an infrared light detecting circuit, which detects whether or not said pulse light is detected by said infrared light sensor;

an shutter control circuit, said shutter control circuit outputs a shutter un-releasing signal to said infrared camera while said pulse light is detected by said infrared light detecting circuit, and said shutter control circuit outputs a shutter releasing signal to said infrared camera at every pickup intervals; and

an infrared light emitting circuit, which output the command signal to the infrared light irradiator for irradiating a infrared light while said shutter releasing signal is inputting to said infrared camera.