VISION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vision system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor and a logic and control circuit, which generates at least one control output for controlling at least one vehicular light of the vehicle. The vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in the field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, with the scattered light being caused by at least one of fog, snow and rain present in the field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle. The vision system, responsive to the recognition of the veiling glare in the field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of the veiling glare. The logic and control circuit may generate a control output for controlling at least one headlight, which may be operable in a high beam mode and a lower beam mode.
11 Citations
78 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. :
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision 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 vehicular light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle through the windshield of the vehicle;
a lens imaging light external to the vehicle onto said imaging sensor;
wherein said vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
said scattered light caused by at least one of fog, snow and rain present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle; and
wherein said vision system, responsive to said recognition of said veiling glare in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising;
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31. :
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision 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 vehicular light of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle through a windshield of the vehicle;
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 array of sensing elements and at least a portion of said logic and control circuit are commonly formed on said semiconductor substrate;
wherein said vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
said scattered light caused by snow present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle; and
wherein said vision system, responsive to said recognition of said veiling glare caused by snow in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising;
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47. :
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision 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 headlight of the vehicle, said headlight operable in a high beam mode and a low beam mode;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle through the windshield of the vehicle at a portion thereof that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
said scattered light caused by snow present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
wherein said vision system, responsive to said recognition of said veiling glare caused by snow in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare; and
wherein said selection of an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare comprises changing said headlight from a high beam mode to a low beam mode. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising;
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58. :
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision 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 headlight of the vehicle, said headlight operable in a high beam mode and a low beam mode;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle through the windshield of the vehicle at a portion thereof that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
said scattered light caused by fog present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
wherein said vision system, responsive to said recognition of said veiling glare caused by fog in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare; and
wherein said selection of an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration comprises at least one of (a) changing said headlight from a high beam mode to a low beam mode and (b) actuation of at least one fog light of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising;
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69. :
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision 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 headlight of the vehicle, said at least one headlight operable in a high beam mode and a lower beam mode;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle through the windshield of the vehicle at a portion thereof that is swept by the windshield wipers;
wherein said vision system recognizes veiling glare caused by scattered light in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
said scattered light caused by at least one of (a) snow present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle and (b) fog present in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle;
wherein said vision system, responsive to said recognition of said veiling glare caused by snow or fog in said field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle, selects an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare;
wherein said selection of an appropriate vehicular lighting configuration so as to reduce the level of said veiling glare comprises changing said headlight from a high beam mode to a lower beam mode; and
wherein said at least one control output comprises a pulse-width-modulated control signal. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
- A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising;
Specification