Rear vision system

• US 20070001095A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Angell, Daniel, Mikolajczak, Matthew, Luettgen, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,365,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/10 characterised by the type of camera system used
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

A rear vision system having a divided lens configuration and sensor array. The sensor array has a first, second section and third sections. The lens configuration includes a first portion directing a first field of view onto the first section of the sensor array, and a second portion directing a second field of view onto the second section of the sensor array. The sensor array may be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera or a charge coupled device camera.

Claims

1. A rear vision system comprising:

a sensor array having a plurality of sensor sections;

a lens configuration having a first portion directing a first field of view onto one of the plurality of sensor sections, the lens configuration having a second portion directing a second field of view onto the another one of the plurality of sensor sections.

2. The rear vision system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor portions corresponds in number to portions of the lens configuration defining different fields of view.

3. The rear vision system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes three sensor portions and the lens configuration includes three portions defining three different fields of view.

4. The rear vision system of claim 1, wherein the first and second fields of view overlap one another.

5. The rear vision system of claim 1, wherein the first and second fields of view do not overlap one another.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the lens configuration includes a wall having a viewing opening defined therein;

the second portion of the lens configuration also having a wall with a viewing opening defined therein, the second portion further having a reflective wall including a reflective surface, the reflective wall positioned adjacent to the wall having the viewing opening and angled with respect to the sensor array.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the lens configuration includes a third portion directing a third field of view onto a further one of the plurality of sensor sections, the third portion of the lens configuration having a wall with a viewing opening therein, the third portion also having a reflective wall including a reflective surface positioned adjacent to the having the viewing opening wall and angled with respect to the sensor array.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the angling of the reflective surfaces with regard to the sensor array are substantially the same.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the angling of the reflective surfaces is in the range of about 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the angling of the reflective surfaces is about 45 degrees.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a lens positioned within the opening.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the lens is a plastic lens.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the lens is a glass lens.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the reflective surface of the second portion is a mirror.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array is part of a charge coupled device camera.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic system and a display device, whereby the electronic system is configured to display at least one of the first field of view, the second field of view and the third field of view on the display device.