Multi-direction camera

• US 5,765,063 A
• Filed: 05/28/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Takeshi, Kawamura, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapik, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US08/653,840
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 354/95, 354/150, 354/68, 354/117, 348/46, 348/49, 348/335, 396/9, 396/322, 396/332, 396/351, 396/429
• US Class Current: 396/332
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/10 characterised by the type of camera system used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A multi-direction camera is provided in which a mirror (3) having a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32) is disposed in front of a lens (4). The mirror (3) reflects the light from a plurality of directions and the lens (4) receives the reflected light to form an image on an image sensing device (7). In a first embodiment, a partitioning plate (81) is provided between the lens (4) and the edge line (33) of the mirror (3). The partitioning plate (81) optically isolates a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32) to prevent a ghost image from appearing in the image taken. In a second embodiment, the mirror (3) is enclosed by an opaque cover (2), and the cover (2) has a transparent window (21, 22) opposing each of the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32). The shields (23, 24), which are formed as a part of the window (21, 22), are arranged at locations away from the lens (4) such that an image of the shield is received by the lens (4). The present invention provides an improved multi-direction camera in which no ghost image appears in a video image taken through the camera, and in which a clear boundary line is provided between a plurality of sensed video images without using electrical means.

Claims

1. A multi-direction camera in which a lens (4) is disposed in front of a mirror (3) having a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32), the mirror (3) reflects light from a plurality of directions, and the lens (4) receives the reflected light to form images on an image sensing device (7);

wherein a partitioning plate (81) is provided to optically isolate the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), said partitioning plate (81) being disposed between the lens (4) and an edge line (33) of the mirror that lies between the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) of the mirror;

wherein one (31) of the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) is oriented to face a direction to the left of an automobile and the other (32) is oriented to face a direction to the right of the automobile; and

wherein an opaque shield is provided at a location away from and in front of the lens (4), said shield having an edge which is generally parallel to said edge line (33) of the mirror, and said lens (4) being positioned completely in front of and spaced from a plane containing said edge of the shield and said edge line (33) of the mirror, said shield and said mirror being arranged such that a part of an image of the shield serves as a boundary line between the images formed on the image sensing device.

2. The multi-direction camera according to claim 1, wherein the lens (4) is disposed at a forward end portion of the automobile and the lens (4) is oriented such that a light receiving face of the lens faces a direction opposite to a traveling direction of the automobile.

3. A multi-direction camera in which a lens (4) is disposed in front of a mirror (3) having a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32), the mirror (3) reflects light from a plurality of directions, and the lens (4) receives the reflected light to form images on an image sensing device (7);

wherein a partitioning plate (81) is provided to optically isolate the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), said partitioning plate (81) being disposed between the lens (4) and an edge line (33) of the mirror that lies between the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) of the mirror;

wherein one (31) of the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) is oriented to face a direction to the left of an automobile and the other (32) is oriented to face a direction to the right of the automobile;

wherein an opaque shield (23,

     24) is provided at a location away from and in front of the lens (4), said shield having an edge which is generally parallel to said edge line (33) of the mirror, and said lens (4) being positioned completely in front of and spaced from a plane containing said edge of the shield and said edge line (33) of the mirror, said shield and said mirror being arranged such that a part of an image of the shield serves as a boundary line between the images; and

wherein the mirror (3) is enclosed by an opaque cover (2), the cover (2) has a transparent window (21,

     22) opposing each of the reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), the window (21,

     22) has a frame, and part of the frame serves as said shield (23,

     24).

4. A multi-direction camera in which a lens (4) is disposed in front of a mirror (3) having a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32), the mirror (3) reflects light from a plurality of directions, and the lens (4) receives the reflected light to form images on an image sensing device (7);

a wherein a partitioning plate (81) is provided to optically isolate the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), said partitioning plate (81) being disposed between the lens (4) and an edge line (33) of the mirror that lies between the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) of the mirror;

wherein one (31) of the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) is oriented to face a direction to the left of an automobile and the other (32) is oriented to face a direction to the right of the automobile;

wherein an opaque shield (23,

     24) is provided at a location away from and in front of the lens (4), said shield having an edge which is generally parallel to said edge line (33) of the mirror, and said lens (4) being positioned completely in front of and spaced from a plane containing said edge of the shield and said edge line (33) of the mirror, said shield and said mirror being arranged such that a part of an image of the shield serves as a boundary line between the images; and

wherein the mirror (3) is enclosed by an opaque cover (2), the cover (2) has a transparent window (21,

     22) opposing each of the reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), and said shield (23,

     24) is provided in proximity to the window (21,

     22) within the cover (2).

5. In combination, a multi-direction camera mounted on the front of an automobile, comprising:

a mirror (3) having first and second reflecting surfaces (31,

     32) disposed at an angle to one another, said first reflecting surface being oriented to face a direction to the left of the automobile and said second reflecting surface being oriented to face a direction to the right of the automobile, said first and second reflecting surfaces forming an edge line (33) therebetween;

a lens (4) positioned in front of said mirror (3) to receive reflected light from said first and second reflecting surfaces (31,

     32), said lens being spaced in front of said edge line (33);

an image sensing device (7) for forming images based upon the reflected light received by said lens (4);

a partitioning plate (81) extending between said edge line (33) and said lens (4) to optically isolate the first and second reflecting surfaces (31,

     32);

ad

an opaque shield (23,

     24) provided at a location away from and in front of to lens (4), said shield having an edge which is generally parallel to said edge line (33) of the mirror, said lens (4) being positioned completely in front of and spaced from a plane containing said edge of the shield and said edge line (33) of the mirror, said shield and said mirror being arranged such that a part of an image of the shield serves as a boundary line between the images formed on the image sensing device.