Car Side-View Camera

• US 20090295906A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ishiyama, Yutaka, Toyoda, Takashi, Masaki, Yasuo, Nakao, Yoshizumi, Kushimoto, Takuya
• Application Number:
  US12/472,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295906A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A car side-view camera has, on the side of a car, a side turn lamp housing containing a compound-eye imaging device and a near-infrared lamp forming the camera. The compound-eye imaging device has 6 imaging units in 2 rows 3 columns. Three imaging units in one row are provided with an infrared cut filter. The imaging units in left and right columns are provided with rectangular prisms to shift light entrance zones left and right. The microprocessor sets the near-infrared lamp in off-state for image capture during the day to combine 3 unit images by the imaging units with the infrared cut filter into a panoramic image, and switches the near-infrared lamp to on-state for image capture at night to combine 3 unit images by the imaging units without the infrared cut filter into a panoramic image. This camera can stably obtain a clear image regardless of day or night.

Claims

1. A car side-view camera to be attached to a side of a car body of a car to capture an image of an area around the side of the car body, the car side-view camera comprising:

a compound-eye imaging device having integrated multiple imaging units for collecting light in a capture zone around the side of the car body so as to image unit images;

an infrared light source provided for the compound-eye imaging device for emitting infrared light to a capture zone around the side of the car body; and

a microprocessor for controlling the entire car side-view camera including the compound-eye imaging device and the light source,

wherein a part of the multiple imaging units are provided with an infrared cut filter for cutting infrared light in the collected light (such “

part of the multiple images units”

being hereafter referred to as “

imaging units with the infrared cut filter”

) without providing the other imaging units with an infrared cut filter (such “

the other imaging units”

being hereafter referred to as “

imaging units without the infrared cut filter”

).

2. The car side-view camera according to claim 1,

wherein the microprocessor switches the infrared light source between on-state and off-state.

3. The car side-view camera according to claim 2,

further comprising a brightness sensor for detecting ambient brightness around the car side-view camera,

wherein the microprocessor switches the infrared light source between the on-state and the off-state according to the ambient brightness detected by the brightness sensor.

4. The car side-view camera according to claim 3,

wherein the microprocessor outputs an image based on only a part of the unit images imaged by the multiple imaging units.

5. The car side-view camera according to claim 4,

wherein the imaging units with the infrared cut filter capture images in different capture zones from each other, and the imaging units without the infrared cut filter capture images also in different capture zones from each other.

6. The car side-view camera according to claim 5,

wherein the capture zones of the imaging units with the infrared cut filter are contiguous to each other, and the capture zones of the imaging units without the infrared cut filter are also contiguous to each other, and

wherein the microprocessor combines the unit images imaged by the imaging units with the infrared cut filter into a panoramic image, and also combines the unit images imaged by the imaging units without the infrared cult filter into a panoramic image.

7. The car side-view camera according to claim 2,

wherein the imaging units with the infrared cut filter capture images in different capture zones from each other, and the imaging units without the infrared cut filter capture images also in different capture zones from each other.

8. The car side-view camera according to claim 1,

wherein the compound-eye imaging device and the infrared light source are contained in a housing of a side turn lamp of the car.

9. The car side-view camera according to claim 8,

wherein the microprocessor allows the compound-eye imaging device to capture images while the side turn lamp is in the off-state, and to pause the image capture when the side turn lamp is in the on-state.

10. The car side-view camera according to claim 1,

wherein the imaging units with the infrared cut filter capture images in different capture zones from each other, and the imaging units without the infrared cut filter capture images also in different capture zones from each other.

11. The car side-view camera according to claim 1,

wherein the microprocessor outputs an image based on only a part of the unit images imaged by the multiple imaging units.