Image capturing apparatus and monitoring apparatus for vehicle driver

• US 20060202843A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ota, Shunji
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions

Abstract

A driver image capturing apparatus includes an interior rear-view mirror, an infrared emitter, and an infrared camera. The mirror is mounted at a location obliquely upward and forward from a driver seat. Mounted at a location obliquely upward and backward from the mirror, the infrared emitter emits infrared radiation to the mirror. The camera is pointed at a face of a driver in the driver seat. The mirror has a first reflecting mirror and a second reflecting mirror. The first mirror reflects visible light and transmits infrared radiation. Disposed behind the first mirror at an angle θ relative to the first mirror, the second mirror reflects infrared radiation. The first mirror provides a field of rear vision to the driver. Infrared radiation emitted by the infrared emitter is delivered to the face of the driver through the first and second mirrors, reflected by the face, and received by the camera.

Claims

1. A driver image capturing apparatus adapted for use in a vehicle, the driver image capturing apparatus comprising:

a rear-view mirror mounted at a location obliquely upward and forward from a driver seat, the rear-view mirror including;

a first reflector for reflecting visible light and transmitting infrared radiation; and

a second reflector for reflecting infrared radiation, the second reflector being disposed behind the first reflector so as to be at a predetermined angle θ

relative to the first reflector;

a driver illuminating device adapted to emit infrared radiation to the rear-view mirror, the driver illuminating device being mounted at a location obliquely upward and backward from the rear-view mirror; and

an infrared camera with infrared sensitivity, the infrared camera being mounted so as to be pointed at a face of a driver in the driver seat.

2. The driver image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driver illuminating device is located on a line inclined at a predetermined angle 2θ

to a center line of a field of rear vision provided by the first reflector.

3. The driver image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover for concealing the infrared camera, the cover reflecting visible light and transmitting infrared radiation.

4. The driver image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared camera is a high dynamic range camera with logarithmic response to light intensity.

5. A driver monitoring apparatus comprising:

the driver image capturing apparatus of claim 1;

and

an image recognition device adapted to detect any one of a face and eyes of the driver out of an image of the driver captured by the infrared camera, and to determine condition of the driver based on any one of the facial and eye images as detected.