Vehicle vision system with high dynamic range
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
- an image sensor comprising a silicon substrate and a first passivation layer material;
a first antireflective coating between at least a portion of said silicon substrate and said first passivation layer material a second antireflective coating on at least a portion of a side of said first passivation layer material opposite from said silicon substrate;
said image sensor being at least partially within an encapsulated package;
a third antireflective coating on at least a portion of said encapsulated package;
non-silicon features within a pixel region of said image sensor, wherein said at least a portion of said non-silicon features are coated with a light ray absorptive material;
a light source, said light source is configured to emit light rays in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate objects within a scene external to a controlled vehicle beyond an exterior surface of a windshield, wherein said light source is configured to operate in synchronous relationship with acquisition of images from said image sensor;
a spectral filter located between said image sensor and the scene, wherein said spectral filter is configured to substantially block light rays other than the predominant spectral band of light rays emitted by said light source; and
a control system configured to activate said light source and to acquire images from said image sensor.
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Abstract
A vehicular vision system is disclosed comprising a high dynamic range. The systems and methods are advantages for rear vision, collision avoidance, obstacle detection, adaptive cruise control, rain sensing, exterior light control, and lane departure warning, as well as other applications where a given scene may comprise objects having widely varying brightness values.
75 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising a silicon substrate and a first passivation layer material;
a first antireflective coating between at least a portion of said silicon substrate and said first passivation layer material a second antireflective coating on at least a portion of a side of said first passivation layer material opposite from said silicon substrate;
said image sensor being at least partially within an encapsulated package;
a third antireflective coating on at least a portion of said encapsulated package;
non-silicon features within a pixel region of said image sensor, wherein said at least a portion of said non-silicon features are coated with a light ray absorptive material;
a light source, said light source is configured to emit light rays in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate objects within a scene external to a controlled vehicle beyond an exterior surface of a windshield, wherein said light source is configured to operate in synchronous relationship with acquisition of images from said image sensor;
a spectral filter located between said image sensor and the scene, wherein said spectral filter is configured to substantially block light rays other than the predominant spectral band of light rays emitted by said light source; and
a control system configured to activate said light source and to acquire images from said image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 9)
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5. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
an array of pixel sensors, wherein at least a portion of said pixel sensors comprise substantially no attenuating spectral filter, at least a portion of said pixel sensors comprise an at least partially attenuating spectral filter and at least a portion of said pixel sensors comprise a highly attenuating spectral filter. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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10. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising a silicon substrate and a passivation layer material; and
a first antireflective coating between at least a portion of said silicon substrate and said passivation layer material. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising a silicon substrate and a passivation layer material; and
an antireflective coating on at least a portion of a side of said passivation layer material opposite from said silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising a silicon substrate in an encapsulated package; and
an antireflective coating on at least a portion of said encapsulated package. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
an image sensor comprising non-silicon features within a pixel region, wherein said at least a portion of said non-silicon features are coated with a light ray absorptive material. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
an image sensor and a light source, said light source is configured to emit light rays in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate objects within a scene external to a controlled vehicle beyond an exterior surface of a windshield, wherein said light source is configured to operate in synchronous relationship with acquisition of images from said image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
a control system configured to receive images from an image sensor and to construct a synthetic high dynamic range image from a plurality of individual images having varying exposure times. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A vehicular vision system, comprising:
a control system configured to identify individual light sources within a scene by finding distinct peaks within an image. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. A vehicular vision system comprising a method of creating a synthetic high dynamic image, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
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acquiring at least two individual digital images of substantially the same scene utilizing a image sensor having an array of pixel sensors wherein each individual image comprises a unique maximum light detection level;
applying a scaling factor to the individual images to normalize individual pixel sensor values; and
adding the individual images together on a pixel by pixel basis.
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- 57. The method of claim 57 wherein the individual images represent groups of pixel sensors within the image sensor having similar attenuation spectral filtering.
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59. A vehicular vision system comprising a method of detecting objects within a synthetic high dynamic range image, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
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providing a synthetic high dynamic range image; and
examining said synthetic high dynamic range image to find distinct peaks. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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Specification