Image sensing system for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
- an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said interior portion is generally centrally located along the vehicle axis and is relatively high in the interior of the vehicle; and
wherein said at least one control output comprises an output for controlling a vehicle lighting switch, and wherein said vehicle lighting switch controls at least one of (i) a headlight of the vehicle and (ii) a side light of the vehicle.
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Abstract
An image sensing system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, and a logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from the imaging sensor. The logic and control circuit generates at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle. The imaging sensor is disposed at an interior portion of the cabin of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle and has a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle, preferably through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers. The imaging sensor is generally centrally located along the vehicle axis and is relatively high in the interior of the vehicle.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said interior portion is generally centrally located along the vehicle axis and is relatively high in the interior of the vehicle; and
wherein said at least one control output comprises an output for controlling a vehicle lighting switch, and wherein said vehicle lighting switch controls at least one of (i) a headlight of the vehicle and (ii) a side light of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein a lens images light external to the vehicle onto said imaging sensor;
wherein said logic and control circuit comprises at least one of (i) an analog-to-digital converter, (ii) a logic circuit, (iii) a clock, (iv) random access memory, and (v) a digital-to-analog converter;
wherein said at least one light of the vehicle comprises a headlight of the vehicle; and
wherein at least one of (i) said array of sensing photosensor elements and (ii) at least a portion of said logic and control circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said logic and control circuit comprises at least one of (i) an analog-to-digital converter, (ii) a logic circuit, (iii) a clock, (iv) random access memory, and (v) a digital-to-analog converter;
wherein said at least one light of the vehicle comprises a headlight of the vehicle;
wherein said image sensing system determines a lighting configuration for the vehicle appropriate to improve the forward field of view of a driver of the vehicle;
wherein said image sensing system controls a lighting system of the vehicle in accordance with said determination of a lighting configuration for the vehicle; and
wherein said lighting system comprises said headlight. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through a windshield area that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said at least one light of the vehicle comprises a headlight of the vehicle;
wherein said image sensing system determines a lighting configuration for the vehicle appropriate to improve the forward field of view of a driver of the vehicle;
wherein said image sensing system controls a lighting system of the vehicle in accordance with said determination of a lighting configuration for the vehicle;
wherein said lighting system comprises said headlight; and
wherein said image sensing system determines an appropriate zone of interest for the lighting pattern of said headlight of the vehicle - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification