GPS-based anti-blinding system for active night vision
First Claim
1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
- an illumination subsystem for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle;
a receiver for receiving light reflected off objects illuminated in said region by said illumination subsystem and generating a signal responsive to said received light;
a GPS unit in operative communication with a GPS network for generating a time signal and vehicle directional data; and
a controller programmed to periodically activate said illumination subsystem and said receiver substantially simultaneously as a function of said time signal and said vehicle directional data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A night vision system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes an illumination subsystem for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, a receiver for receiving light reflected off objects in the illuminated region and generating a signal responsive to the received light. A GPS unit is included in operative communication with a GPS network for generating a time signal and vehicle directional data. A controller is programmed to periodically pulse on the illuminating device and the receiver substantially simultaneously as a function of the time signal and the vehicle directional data. In particular, vehicles traveling in opposite directions will have their night vision system activated out-of-phase with each other so that neither night vision system is “blinded” by illumination emitting from the other.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
-
an illumination subsystem for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle;
a receiver for receiving light reflected off objects illuminated in said region by said illumination subsystem and generating a signal responsive to said received light;
a GPS unit in operative communication with a GPS network for generating a time signal and vehicle directional data; and
a controller programmed to periodically activate said illumination subsystem and said receiver substantially simultaneously as a function of said time signal and said vehicle directional data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
-
a NIR light source;
a thin-sheet optical element receiving light from said light source and reflecting said light generally in a first direction;
a NIR-sensitive camera for receiving said light reflected off an object and generating a video signal responsive to said received light;
a GPS unit in operative communication with a GPS network for generating a time signal and vehicle directional data; and
a controller programmed to periodically activate said infrared light source and said NIR-sensitive camera substantially simultaneously as a function of said time signal and said vehicle directional data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of detecting objects with a night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
-
determining a vehicle directional heading;
receiving a timing signal from a GPS network;
periodically transmitting infrared light by activating an infrared light source and a NIR-sensitive camera substantially simultaneously as a function of said vehicle directional heading and said timing signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification