VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH EXTERIOR VIEWING CAMERA

• US 20180152609A1
• Filed: 01/15/2018
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wang, Jianguo, Achenbach, Garret, Salomonsson, Ove, Toma, Tom H., Ahlquist, JR., Edward R., Winden, Brian J., Van Dan Elzen, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,033,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a camera module having a camera, a flexible ribbon cable and a main PCB. The main PCB has a first planar side and an opposing second planar side. First circuitry is disposed at the first planar side and second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the main PCB. The main PCB at its second planar side includes a second electrical connector, which is configured for mating with a first electrical connector of the flexible ribbon cable. Image data provided via the flexible ribbon cable at least to the second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the main PCB is processed by a digital image processor for at least one driving assist system of the vehicle. At least a portion of a lens barrel of the camera extends through an aperture of a housing portion of the camera module.

Claims

1. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera module;

said camera module comprising a camera;

said camera comprising (i) an imager disposed on an imager circuit board and (ii) a lens assembly comprising a lens barrel accommodating at least one lens;

wherein said camera, when mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, is operable to capture image data representative of a scene exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board;

said flexible ribbon cable comprising electrical conductors that connect electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board to a terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable,

wherein said terminator portion comprises a first electrical connector;

wherein the electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board comprises the imager;

said camera module comprising a main circuit board, said main circuit board including a digital image processor for processing image data captured by the imager;

wherein said main circuit board comprises a multilayered printed circuit board (PCB) having a first planar side and an opposing second planar side separated from the first planar side by a thickness dimension of the multilayered PCB;

wherein first circuitry is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, and wherein second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said camera is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises said digital image processor;

wherein the multilayered PCB at its second planar side comprises a second electrical connector, and wherein said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is configured for mating with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable;

wherein, with said camera module disposed at an equipped vehicle and with said camera operated to capture image data and with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable mated with said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB and with said flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board, image data captured by the imager of said camera is provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein image data provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is processed by said digital image processor for at least one driving assist system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera module comprises a housing;

wherein said main circuit board is disposed within said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially disposed within said housing;

wherein said housing encloses said main circuit board and the imager circuit board;

wherein said housing comprises a front portion that is in front of a rear portion of said housing;

wherein said main circuit board is enclosed within said front and rear portions of said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially housed within said rear portion of said housing;

wherein said rear portion of said housing has an aperture;

wherein at least a portion of said lens barrel of said camera extends through said aperture of said rear portion; and

wherein said lens barrel of said camera protrudes outside said housing at an acute angle relative to said front portion of said housing.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera module is configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of a vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the vehicle windshield, as installed in the equipped vehicle, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera of said camera module views through the vehicle windshield to capture image data forward of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 2, wherein said camera module mounts at the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 3, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, a stray light shield is positioned between said camera and the vehicle windshield to reduce incidence of stray light at the at least one lens of said camera.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 4, wherein said stray light shield is formed separately from said camera module.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 5, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said stray light shield is urged towards the in-cabin side of the windshield.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 4, wherein the mounting bracket comprises said stray light shield.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 7, wherein said stray light shield is integrally formed with the mounting bracket and constitutes an integral part thereof.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 4, wherein said stray light shield is formed separately from said camera module, and wherein said stray light shield is formed separately from the mounting bracket.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 9, wherein said stray light shield is attached at said camera module before said camera module is mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 3, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, a stray light shield is positioned between said camera and the vehicle windshield to reduce incidence of stray light at the at least one lens of said camera, and wherein the mounting bracket is formed of a polymeric material in an injection molding operation, and wherein the mounting bracket comprises said stray light shield, and wherein said stray light shield is integrally formed with the mounting bracket by injection molding of the polymeric material in the injection molding operation, and wherein said stray light shield constitutes an integral part of the mounting bracket, and wherein said stray light shield comprises a base portion and side walls that extend upward from said base portion so as to establish a pocket, and wherein at least said base portion of said stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to at least partially trap extraneous light emanating from exterior the equipped vehicle and passing through the vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to be incident at said base portion, said light traps reducing incidence of the extraneous light at the imager, and wherein said light traps are integrally formed as part of said stray light shield by the injection molding operation, and wherein said light traps comprise a plurality of shaped light absorbing elements that are spaced apart and shaped to trap light, and wherein said shaped light absorbing elements comprise a plurality of generally vertical ribs each having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein said first surface of a given rib is closer to the windshield than said second surface of the given rib, and wherein said first surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to five degrees relative to vertical and said second surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to ten degrees relative to vertical when said camera module is mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said first and second surfaces are different so that said rib narrows towards its upper end, and wherein a ratio of a distance between adjacent ribs to the height dimension of the ribs is greater than one, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, (i) said first surface is at an angle of zero degrees relative to vertical and (ii) said second surface is at an angle of five degrees relative to vertical.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 3, wherein one side of the mounting bracket comprises structure configured to cooperate with corresponding other structure of said camera module, and wherein, when the mounting bracket is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield and said camera module mounts at the mounting bracket, the structure of the mounting bracket and the other structure of said camera module cooperate to detachably secure said camera module at the mounting bracket.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 12, wherein an opposing other side of the mounting bracket is configured for adhesive attachment at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, and wherein, when the mounting bracket is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, the other side of the mounting bracket is bonded using a cured adhesive at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield.

14. The vehicular vision system of claim 12, comprising a plurality of at least three fixing elements, each bonded using a cured adhesive at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a corresponding plurality of at least three slots configured for mounting the mounting bracket to the plurality of at least three fixing elements bonded at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 2, wherein said camera module mounts at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle via the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera has a forward field of view with its principal axis directed within 2 degrees upward with respect to horizontal ground.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 2, wherein said camera module mounts at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle via the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera has a forward field of view with its principal axis directed parallel to horizontal ground.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 2, wherein said camera module mounts at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the vehicle windshield via the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, the imager of said camera is within 4 mm distance to the portion of the vehicle windshield said camera views through.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein a portion of said camera extends through an opening of the multilayered PCB.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein the opening of the multilayered PCB comprises a hole that is surrounded by material of the multilayered PCB and that extends from the first side of the multilayered PCB to the second side of the multilayered PCB.

20. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein the opening of the multilayered PCB comprises a cut-out section that is cut out from a section of the multilayered PCB.

21. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein the opening of the multilayered PCB has a rectangular shape.

22. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the imager circuit board is tilted at an acute angle with respect to said main circuit board.

23. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said flexible ribbon cable passes via an opening in the multilayered PCB to connect with said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB.

24. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said housing of said camera module has a breadth and a length, and wherein the multilayered PCB extends across the breadth of said housing and along the length of said housing.

25. The vehicular vision system of claim 24, wherein the maximum height dimension of said rear portion of said housing is greater than the maximum height dimension of said front portion of said housing.

26. The vehicular vision system of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of said lens barrel of said camera protrudes outside said housing at least partially over and above said front portion of said housing.

27. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein, with said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, the lens barrel of said camera is tilted at an angle between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB, whereby a principal viewing axis of the at least one lens accommodated in the lens barrel is angled between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB.

28. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB is mechanically secured at the multilayered PCB.

29. The vehicular vision system of claim 28, wherein said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB is mechanically secured to the multilayered PCB by at least one fastener.

30. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said digital image processor disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises an image processing chip.

31. The vehicular vision system of claim 30, wherein a heat sink is placed over and in contact with said image processing chip.

32. The vehicular vision system of claim 31, wherein said image processing chip comprises an EyeQ3™

image processing chip.

33. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said housing of said camera module has a breadth and a length, and wherein the multilayered PCB extends across the breadth of said housing and along the length of said housing, and wherein said rear portion of said housing has a height, and wherein the imager circuit board is enclosed by said rear portion of said housing and is tilted at an acute angle with respect to said main circuit board.

34. The vehicular vision system of claim 33, wherein the breadth of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the length of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the height of said rear portion of said housing has a maximum dimension of 35 mm or less.

35. The vehicular vision system of claim 33, wherein said camera module is configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of a vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the vehicle windshield, as installed in the equipped vehicle, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal, and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera of said camera module views through the vehicle windshield to capture image data forward of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said camera module mounts at the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, and wherein the mounting bracket, as attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, establishes the angle of view of said camera relative to the vehicle windshield when said camera module is mounted at the mounting bracket.

36. The vehicular vision system of claim 35, wherein the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield is configured and constructed so that, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield which is sloped at the acute angle relative to horizontal as installed in the equipped vehicle, said camera has a principal axis of its forward field of view directed at an angle closer to horizontal than the acute angle made by the vehicle windshield to horizontal.

37. The vehicular vision system of claim 36, wherein said camera, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket and with the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle, has the principal axis of its forward field of view directed within 2 degrees of horizontal.

38. The vehicular vision system of claim 37, wherein said camera, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket and with the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle, has the principal axis of its forward field of view directed within 2 degrees upward from horizontal.

39. The vehicular vision system of claim 37, wherein image data provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is processed by said digital image processor for at least two driving assist systems of the equipped vehicle selected from the group consisting of (i) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) an object detection system of the equipped vehicle and (v) a distance to a leading vehicle determination system of the equipped vehicle.

40. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera module;

said camera module comprising a camera;

said camera comprising (i) an imager disposed on an imager circuit board and (ii) a lens assembly comprising a lens barrel accommodating at least one lens;

wherein said camera, when mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, is operable to capture image data representative of a scene exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board;

said flexible ribbon cable comprising electrical conductors that connect electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board to a terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable, wherein said terminator portion comprises a first electrical connector;

wherein the electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board comprises the imager;

said camera module comprising a main circuit board, said main circuit board including a digital image processor for processing image data captured by the imager;

wherein said main circuit board comprises a multilayered printed circuit board (PCB) having a first planar side and an opposing second planar side separated from the first planar side by a thickness dimension of the multilayered PCB;

wherein first circuitry is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, and wherein second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said camera is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises said digital image processor;

wherein the multilayered PCB at its second planar side comprises a second electrical connector, and wherein said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is configured for mating with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable;

wherein, with said camera module disposed at an equipped vehicle and with said camera operated to capture image data and with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable mated with said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB and with said flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board, image data captured by the imager of said camera is provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein image data provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is processed by said digital image processor for at least one driving assist system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, the lens barrel of said camera is tilted at an acute angle relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB, whereby a principal viewing axis of the at least one lens accommodated in the lens barrel is orientated at the acute angle relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said camera module comprises a housing;

wherein said main circuit board is disposed within said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially disposed within said housing;

wherein said housing encloses said main circuit board and the imager circuit board;

wherein said housing comprises a front portion that is in front of a rear portion of said housing;

wherein said main circuit board is enclosed within said front and rear portions of said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially housed within said rear portion of said housing;

wherein said camera module is configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of a vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the vehicle windshield, as installed in the equipped vehicle, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal;

wherein said camera module mounts at the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield;

wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera of said camera module views through the vehicle windshield to capture image data forward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein one side of the mounting bracket comprises structure configured to cooperate with corresponding other structure of said camera module;

wherein, when the mounting bracket is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, the structure of the mounting bracket and the other structure of said camera module cooperate to detachably secure said camera module at the mounting bracket;

wherein the mounting bracket, as attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, establishes the angle of view of said camera relative to the vehicle windshield when said camera module is mounted at the mounting bracket; and

wherein the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield is configured and constructed so that, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield which is sloped at the acute angle relative to horizontal as installed in the equipped vehicle, said camera has a principal axis of its forward field of view directed at an angle closer to horizontal than the acute angle made by the vehicle windshield to horizontal.

41. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein said camera, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket and with the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle, has the principal axis of its forward field of view directed within 2 degrees of horizontal.

42. The vehicular vision system of claim 41, wherein said camera, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket and with the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle, has the principal axis of its forward field of view directed within 2 degrees upward from horizontal.

43. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein, with said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, the lens barrel of said camera is tilted at an angle between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB, whereby the principal viewing axis of the at least one lens accommodated in the lens barrel is angled between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB.

44. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, a stray light shield is positioned between said camera and the vehicle windshield to reduce incidence of stray light at the at least one lens of said camera.

45. The vehicular vision system of claim 44, wherein said stray light shield is integrally formed with the mounting bracket by injection molding of a polymeric material in the same injection molding operation, and wherein said stray light shield constitutes an integral part of the mounting bracket.

46. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein said flexible ribbon cable passes via an opening in the multilayered PCB to connect with said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB.

47. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the vehicle windshield via the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, the imager of said camera is within 4 mm distance to the portion of the vehicle windshield said camera views through.

48. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB is mechanically secured by at least one fastener at the multilayered PCB.

49. The vehicular vision system of claim 48, wherein said digital image processor disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises an image processing chip, and wherein a heat sink is placed over and in contact with said image processing chip.

50. The vehicular vision system of claim 49, wherein said image processing chip comprises an EyeQ3™

image processing chip.

51. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, wherein said housing of said camera module has a breadth and a length, and wherein the multilayered PCB extends across the breadth of said housing and along the length of said housing, and wherein said rear portion of said housing has a height, and wherein the imager circuit board is enclosed by said rear portion of said housing and is tilted at an acute angle with respect to said main circuit board, and wherein said rear portion of said housing has an aperture, and wherein at least a portion of said lens barrel of said camera extends through said aperture of said rear portion.

52. The vehicular vision system of claim 51, wherein the breadth of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the length of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the height of said rear portion of said housing has a maximum dimension of 35 mm or less.

53. A vehicular vision system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera module;

said camera module comprising a camera;

said camera comprising (i) an imager disposed on an imager circuit board and (ii) a lens assembly comprising a lens barrel accommodating at least one lens;

wherein said camera, when mounted at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, is operable to capture image data representative of a scene exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board;

said flexible ribbon cable comprising electrical conductors that connect electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board to a terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable, wherein said terminator portion comprises a first electrical connector;

wherein the electrical circuitry of the imager circuit board comprises the imager;

said camera module comprising a main circuit board, said main circuit board including a digital image processor for processing image data captured by the imager;

wherein said main circuit board comprises a multilayered printed circuit board (PCB) having a first planar side and an opposing second planar side separated from the first planar side by a thickness dimension of the multilayered PCB;

wherein first circuitry is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, and wherein second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said camera is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises said digital image processor;

wherein the multilayered PCB at its second planar side comprises a second electrical connector, and wherein said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is configured for mating with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable;

wherein, with said camera module disposed at an equipped vehicle and with said camera operated to capture image data and with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable mated with said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB and with said flexible ribbon cable connecting to and extending from the imager circuit board, image data captured by the imager of said camera is provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB;

wherein image data provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB is processed by said digital image processor for at least one driving assist system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, the lens barrel of said camera is tilted at an acute angle relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB, whereby a principal viewing axis of the at least one lens accommodated in the lens barrel is orientated at the acute angle relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB;

wherein said camera module comprises a housing;

wherein said main circuit board is disposed within said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially disposed within said housing;

wherein said housing encloses said main circuit board and the imager circuit board;

wherein said housing comprises a front portion that is in front of a rear portion of said housing;

wherein said main circuit board is enclosed within said front and rear portions of said housing;

wherein said camera is at least partially housed within said rear portion of said housing;

wherein said camera module is configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of a vehicle windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the vehicle windshield, as installed in the equipped vehicle, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal;

wherein said camera module mounts at the vehicle windshield via a mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield;

wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, said camera of said camera module views through the vehicle windshield to capture image data forward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein one side of the mounting bracket comprises structure configured to cooperate with corresponding other structure of said camera module;

wherein, when the mounting bracket is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield and said camera module mounts at the mounting bracket, the structure of the mounting bracket and the other structure of said camera module cooperate to detachably secure said camera module at the mounting bracket;

wherein the mounting bracket, as attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, establishes the angle of view of said camera relative to the vehicle windshield when said camera module is mounted at the mounting bracket; and

wherein said flexible ribbon cable passes via an opening in the multilayered PCB to connect with said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB.

54. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein the opening of the multilayered PCB comprises a hole that is surrounded by material of the multilayered PCB and that extends from the first side of the multilayered PCB to the second side of the multilayered PCB.

55. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein the opening of the multilayered PCB comprises a cut-out section that is cut out from a section of the multilayered PCB.

56. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein a portion of said camera extends through an opening of the multilayered PCB.

57. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein, with said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB, the lens barrel of said camera is tilted at an angle between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB, whereby the principal viewing axis of the at least one lens accommodated in the lens barrel is angled between 10 degrees and 20 degrees relative to the plane of the multilayered PCB.

58. The vehicular vision system of claim 57, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, a stray light shield is positioned between said camera and the vehicle windshield to reduce incidence of stray light at the at least one lens of said camera.

59. The vehicular vision system of claim 57, wherein said camera disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB is mechanically secured by at least one fastener at the multilayered PCB.

60. The vehicular vision system of claim 59, wherein said digital image processor disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB comprises an image processing chip, and wherein a heat sink is placed over and in contact with said image processing chip.

61. The vehicular vision system of claim 60, wherein said image processing chip comprises an EyeQ3™

image processing chip.

62. The vehicular vision system of claim 61, wherein said housing of said camera module has a breadth and a length, and wherein the multilayered PCB extends across the breadth of said housing and along the length of said housing, and wherein said rear portion of said housing has a height, and wherein the imager circuit board is enclosed by said rear portion of said housing and is tilted at an acute angle with respect to said main circuit board.

63. The vehicular vision system of claim 62, wherein the breadth of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the length of said housing has a maximum dimension of 100 mm or less, and wherein the height of said rear portion of said housing has a maximum dimension of 35 mm or less.

64. The vehicular vision system of claim 62, wherein the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield is configured and constructed so that, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield which is sloped at the acute angle relative to horizontal as installed in the equipped vehicle, said camera has a principal axis of its forward field of view directed at an angle closer to horizontal than the acute angle made by the vehicle windshield to horizontal.

65. The vehicular vision system of claim 64, wherein the acute angle made by the vehicle windshield to horizontal is in the range 24 degrees to 28 degrees, and wherein said camera, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, has the principal axis of its forward field of view directed at an angle within 2 degrees of horizontal.

66. The vehicular vision system of claim 62, wherein said flexible ribbon cable provides LVDS signals to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB.

67. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the mounting bracket that is attached at the in-cabin side of the vehicle windshield, the imager of said camera is within 4 mm distance to the portion of the vehicle windshield said camera views through.

68. The vehicular vision system of claim 53, wherein said rear portion of said housing has an aperture, and wherein at least a portion of said lens barrel of said camera extends through said aperture of said rear portion.