Image-acquisition Module comprising a heating device, which is used to monitor the exterior of a motor vehicle

• US 20060108352A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fernandez, Francesc Xavier Hernando
• Granted Patent: US 7,645,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/522
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

The unit comprises: a casing (1) with a protected interior, a window (2) closed by a transparent element (3) and support means (4) to carry an optical system (5) facing said window (2); image detection means (6) accommodated in said casing (1), facing said optical system (5), an associated with connection means with the exterior for the supply and/or bidirectional signal exchange; and heating means to provide thermal energy to said transparent element (3), or to an adjacent zone thereto, aiming at avoiding lacking transparency problems, due to ambient and climatic factors.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. An image acquisition unit with a heating device for monitoring an exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

a casing comprising a protected interior, a window closed by a transparent element and supporting means for supporting an optical system facing said window;

image detection means located in said casing, facing said optical system and associated with connection means with the exterior, for supplying electrical signal and/or for bidirectional signal interchange; and

heating means for providing thermal energy to said transparent element, or to an adjacent zone thereto.

29. The image acquisition unit according to claim 28, wherein said heating means comprises at least one electrical heater supplied with direct current from said connection means.

30. The image acquisition unit according to claim 29, further comprising control means for controlling the operation of said electrical heater.

31. The image acquisition unit according to claim 30, wherein said control means comprises an on/off switch to control an activation time of said supply current of the electrical heater.

32. The image acquisition unit according to claim 31, wherein said on/off switch is associated with a thermostat.

33. The image acquisition unit according to claim 31, wherein said on/off switch is at a vehicle user'"'"'s disposal.

34. The image acquisition unit according to claim 32, wherein said on/off switch is common for at least another heating device of the vehicle, selected from a group consisting of:

a heating system for a rear window, and a heating system for an external rear view mirror.

35. The image acquisition unit according to claim 30, wherein said control means comprises a man-machine interface to provide different parameters coming from one or more detectors associated with the image acquisition unit and/or with other parts of the vehicle, and/or from an input device at a vehicle'"'"'s user disposal, to a central processor of the vehicle, which supports a program adapted to control said supply current of the electrical heater through time as a function of the result of an analysis and a processing of said parameters.

36. The image acquisition unit according to claim 35, wherein said parameters are selected from a group consisting of an interior temperature of the image acquisition unit casing (1), and the exterior environment temperature.

37. The image acquisition unit according to claim 29, wherein said electrical heater comprises at least one electrical resistance directly applied on said transparent element.

38. The image acquisition unit according to claim 37, wherein said electrical resistance has the form of an open ring of resistive ink or paste applied on the internal face of said transparent element (3).

39. The image acquisition unit according to claim 38, wherein connection lines are connected to end portions of said open ring of resistive ink or paste.

40. The image acquisition unit according to claim 38, wherein said resistive ink or paste is not weldable and comprises a layer of conductive ink or paste weldable to at least the end portions of said open ring of resistive ink or paste.

41. The image acquisition unit according to claim 40, wherein connection lines are connected to said layer of weldable conductive ink or paste applied on the end portions of said open ring of resistive ink or paste.

42. The image acquisition unit according to claim 40, wherein said layer of weldable conductive ink or paste is, furthermore, extended along one or more sections of the open ring of resistive ink or paste, in order to reduce its resistance and, therefore, adjust the heating power to a requested value.

43. The image acquisition unit according to claim 38, further comprising a layer of a protective mask material over said resistive ink or paste and/or conductive ink or paste, in order to protect the electrical resistance.

44. The image acquisition unit according to claim 39, further comprises a layer of a protective mask material over said resistive ink or paste and/or conductive ink or paste, in order to protect the electrical resistance.

45. The image acquisition unit according to claim 40, further comprises a layer of a protective mask material over said resistive ink or paste and/or conductive ink or paste, in order to protect the electrical resistance.

46. The image acquisition unit according to claim 41, further comprises a layer of a protective mask material over said resistive ink or paste and/or conductive ink or paste, in order to protect the electrical resistance.

47. The image acquisition unit according to claim 42, further comprises a layer of a protective mask material over said resistive ink or paste and/or conductive ink or paste, in order to protect the electrical resistance.

48. The image acquisition unit according to claim 37, wherein said electrical resistance has the form of a laminar layer of a resistive transparent material applied on the internal face of said transparent element.

49. The image acquisition unit according to claim 48, wherein a pair of electrodes of conductive ink or paste are applied on opposite zones of the resistive material laminar layer, in connection to itself, and connection lines are connected to said electrodes.

50. The image acquisition unit according to claim 29, wherein said electrical heater comprises at least one electrical resistance applied in an enclosing way on a zone of the casing adjacent to the transparent element.

51. The image acquisition unit according to claim 50, wherein said electrical resistance is applied on an external surface of said zone of the casing adjacent to the transparent element.

52. The image acquisition unit according to claim 50, wherein said electrical resistance is applied on an internal surface of said zone of the casing adjacent to the transparent element.

53. The image acquisition unit according to claim 37, wherein said electrical resistance comprises of a material, the resistance of which increases with the increase of its temperature.

54. The image acquisition unit according to claim 48, wherein said electrical resistance comprises of a material, the resistance of which increases with the increase of its temperature.

55. The image acquisition unit according to claim 50, wherein said electrical resistance comprises of a material, the resistance of which increases with the increase of its temperature.

56. The image acquisition unit according to claim 37 wherein said electrical resistance comprises a material, the resistance of which remains substantially constant with the temperature variations of itself.

57. The image acquisition unit according to claim 48 wherein said electrical resistance comprises a material, the resistance of which remains substantially constant with the temperature variations of itself.

58. The image acquisition unit according to claim 50 wherein said electrical resistance comprises a material, the resistance of which remains substantially constant with the temperature variations of itself.

59. The image acquisition unit according to claim 28, wherein said heating means comprises at least one element of a heat conductive material to transfer heat from a zone of the casing, where electronic components of said image detection means are located, to an adjacent zone to the transparent element, or close to it.

60. The image acquisition unit according to claim 59, wherein said heat conductive material is the material the casing is made of.

61. The image acquisition unit according to claim 28, wherein said heating means comprises a Peltier cell to transfer heat from a zone of the casing, where electronic components of said image detection devices are located, to an adjacent zone to the transparent element, or close to it.

62. The image acquisition unit according to claim 28, wherein said heating means comprises an air expulsion nozzle located near the transparent element, and connected to a heating or air conditioning system of a vehicle'"'"'s compartment, in order to create a warm air barrier in front of the external face of the transparent element.