INFRARED NIGHT DRIVING ASSISTANT SYSTEM FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20140160290A1
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangzhou Sat Infrared Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guangzhou Sat Infrared Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Jiping
• Granted Patent: US 9,350,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/24 in front 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 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/40 characterised by the details of the power supply or the coupling to vehicle components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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

Abstract

A night driving assistant system uses a tablet to wirelessly control an infrared camera in a motor vehicle. An infrared camera system is detachably fixed to the motor vehicle and captures the infrared thermal images of the road scene while the motor vehicle is moving and outputs the video signals of the captured infrared thermal images. A magnetic base is positioned under the chassis of the infrared camera system and attaches the infrared camera system to the motor vehicle. A tablet is detachably mounted inside the motor vehicle, connecting wirelessly with the infrared camera system and displaying video signals transmitted from the infrared camera system. By manipulating the tablet, functions can be realized such as operating the infrared camera system, recognizing a human/animal, triggering Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, record/store/redisplay videos as well as processing multi-functions like split-screen display etc.

Claims

1. A night driving assistant system using a tablet wirelessly controlling an infrared camera on a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

an infrared camera system to capture infrared thermal images of a road scene while the motor vehicle is moving and to transmit video signals of the infrared thermal images;

a magnetic base to detachably fix the infrared camera to the motor vehicle, the magnetic base connected to a chassis of the infrared camera system, the magnetic base comprising a rubber pad and one or more magnets for positioning the infrared camera system on the motor vehicle; and

a tablet detachably installed inside the motor vehicle, the tablet comprising an intelligent operating system and a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system, wherein the infrared camera system wirelessly communicates with the tablet, the tablet configured to receive the video signals transmitted from the infrared camera system and to display the infrared thermal images on a touch screen of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), the displayed infrared thermal images including marks indicating recognized human beings and/or animals.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a suction chuck cage to detachably install the tablet inside the motor vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a skid mount to detachably install the tablet inside the motor vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the chassis of the infrared camera system comprises:

a housing;

a left buckle;

a right buckle, and

a self-locking M16 lamp-equipped water-proof switch positioned to one side of the housing and configured to control a power switch of the infrared camera system.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the housing of the chassis comprises:

a first bottom face to provide a battery bracket and screw holes, the battery bracket configured for holding a battery which serves as a power source for the infrared camera system, the screw holes configured to receive screws to secure the chassis to the magnetic base;

a second flat face; and

a slope cut face, the inside of a top end of the slope cut face engages two non-connected axes on both sides,

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein a left axis of the two non-connected axes comprises an M5 axis which is adjacent to the housing of the chassis and connected to the left buckle using screws, the screws attaching the housing of the chassis to an infrared camera the M5 axis comprising:

an M5 thin nut at an inside of the housing of the chassis; and

a manual rotating mechanism to secure the infrared camera while it also enables the infrared camera to be rotated manually by a user.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the manual rotating mechanism comprises:

a gasket adjacent to the M5 thin nut;

a wavy spring on a right side of the gasket, the wavy spring to effectively secure the gear group so as to prevent the infrared camera from unfastening; and

a gear group on the right of the wavy spring, the gear group comprising a pair of identical gears, a left gear of the gear group connects with the chassis while a right gear connects with a middle part of a shell of the infrared camera, if the infrared camera is manually moved, the left axis and a right axis rotate, but if the infrared camera remains stationary, the gear group serves as a securing mechanism.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein a right axis of the two non-connected axes comprises a hollow M8 thick axis to connect a core of an infrared camera with a battery unit, the infrared camera utilizes an outside screw thread of the M8 thick axis together with the right buckle to connect the core of the infrared camera and the chassis.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the slope cut face has protruding lines on the top of both outsides to facilitate holding of the infrared camera system by enhancing friction of the outsides to thereby avoid a smooth surface enabling the infrared camera to slip down from a user'"'"'s hands.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared camera system comprises an infrared camera fixed to the chassis and configured to capture the infrared thermal images of the road scene while the motor vehicle is moving, and to wirelessly transmit video signals to the tablet for displaying the video on the touch screen, at the same time, the infrared camera receives wireless signals transmitted from the tablet in order to adjust a brightness and gain.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the infrared camera is a streamlined design with an elongated egg shape, the infrared camera further comprising:

a shell mounted on the chassis, the shell including a top part, a middle part, and a bottom part, the top part and the bottom part respectively fixed onto the middle part through screws, the middle part being hollow, the shell comprising a shape configured to mate with the chassis;

an infrared camera core unit fixed to the front end of the middle part through screws, to receive signals regarding the brightness, gain, human being/animal recognition and the “

on”

/“

off”

signals of the power from the tablet and performs these instructions, and transmits current status information of the core unit back to the tablet to be presented on the touch screen; and

a wireless receive-and-transmit unit positioned at a rear end of the middle part to achieve wireless communication with the tablet.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a wireless receive-and-transmit unit comprising:

a 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module to transform a wireless signals from the tablet into serial port signals so as to have the infrared camera core unit perform related instructions and to transmit current status information of the core unit to the tablet through the 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module; and

a 2.4 GHz video radio frequency (RF) wireless transmitter module built in the infrared camera, to transform the composite video broadcast signal (CVBS) analog signals into wireless video signals and to transmit the wireless video signals to a 2.4 GHz multi-frequency analog video RF wireless receiver module.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the infrared camera core unit comprises:

an operating module used to receive serial port signals transmitted from the 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module of the wireless receive-and-transmit unit, to perform instructions and to transmit the current state of the core to the 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module for presentation on the touch screen of the tablet.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the tablet comprises:

a motherboard located inside the tablet, the motherboard including an intelligent operating system configured to achieve the operation of the infrared camera core using a central processing unit (CPU) of the motherboard, and also configured to achieve functions including adjustment of a brightness/gain of the infrared thermal images, a perception of on/off of the recognition of human being/animal, a record/store/redisplay of the infrared video, and the on/off of the power as well as multi-function processing;

a 2.4 GHz multi-frequency analog video radio frequency (RF) wireless receiver module located inside the tablet, configured to receive the wireless video signals transmitted from the infrared camera and transform the video signals into analog signals so as to address the interference problem between machines by using multiple frequency points;

a human being/animal recognizing module positioned inside the tablet, configured to receive the video signals of the infrared thermal images transmitted from the 2.4 GHz multi-frequency analog video (RF) wireless receiver module and process the signals to mark the human being/animal so as to be presented on the touch screen of the tablet; and

a 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module built inside the tablet, configured to receive wireless signals transmitted from the infrared camera core unit and to transform the signals into serial port signals in order to transmit them to the motherboard, at substantially the same time, the 433/315 MHz wireless data receive-and-transmit module built inside the tablet receives the serial port signals transmitted from the motherboard and transforms the signals into wireless signals in order to transmit them back to the infrared camera core to achieve wireless communication between the tablet and the infrared camera.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the tablet further comprises:

a touch screen configured to display the infrared thermal images, wherein the touch screen is a high-resolution multi-touch capacitive touch screen.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the touch screen comprises:

an infrared control interface configured to enable users to achieve an object of operating the infrared camera core through touching icons presented on the interface so as to record/store/redisplay video and to split the interface into two divided portions with one presenting a current roadway annotation navigation map and another current infrared thermal images of the road scene.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the infrared control interface includes icons comprising:

a power switch icon using the intelligent operating system of the tablet to turn on the power in response to a touch to the power switch icon and then to turn off the power by touching an “

X”

icon on a top right corner of the touch screen; and

a record/store/redisplay icon located at a left lower corner of the touch screen, by touching the record/store/redisplay icon, the tablet can record the video and annotation footage of the road scene while the motor vehicle is moving, by retouching the record/store/redisplay icon, a mode enters into a procedure of storing, at any time, a user can touch the record/store/redisplay icon to repeat and listen to a recorded document in order to facilitate post processing.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the infrared control interface, through the intelligent operating system, is configured to proportionately display a road scene annotation navigation map and infrared thermal images of the road scene in the form of split-screen.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared camera system is configured to be installed and uninstalled without any need to transform the motor vehicle.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tablet is configured to be selectively installed and uninstalled, and the tablet is configured to perform any function of a high-end tablet.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tablet further comprises:

a Big Dipper or Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation module integrated in a motherboard configured to display using the touch screen, a navigation map for Big Dipper/GPS, wherein the Bid Dipper/GPS map can be displayed in split-screen or in full screen.