Rain/moisture and object imaging system for vehicle

• US 7,247,838 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Otsuka, Yuji, Muramatsu, Shoji, Takenaga, Hiroshi, Monji, Tatsuhiko, Furusawa, Isao, Fukuhara, Masaaki, Ohsumi, Ken, Kasuya, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONBLEAU, DAVIENNE N
• Application Number:
  US11/474,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20060243894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.25, 250/574, 250/208.1, 73/290.1, 73/290.2, 73/290.4, 73/290.5, 733/350.1, 340/601, 340/602, 340/438, 318/643
• US Class Current: 250/227.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0896 including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

An image processing system includes a lamp which emits light to a glass, an imaging device which captures light which is emitted from the lamp and reflected by the glass, and an optical filter, located between the glass and the imaging device, which transmits rays with a specific wavelength of the reflected light. A lens is provided in front of the imaging device, and a focus of the lens is adjusted to a point beyond the glass, and an image processor is provided which processes an image captured by the imaging device and detects moisture on the glass.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising:

an imaging device which captures light

a lamp located at a place where the imaging device can directly capture light reflected by a glass;

an optical filter, located in front of the imaging device, which transmits rays with a specific wavelength of the reflected light;

a lens provided in front of the imaging device, a focus of the lens being adjusted to a point beyond the glass; and

an image processor which processes an image captured by the imaging device and detects moisture on an inner surface of the glass based on a decrease of an amount of the reflected light captured by the imaging device.

2. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp is located on a dashboard near a driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle.

3. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass is a windshield of a vehicle, and foreign matter on the glass and a taillight of a vehicle in front are detected.

4. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical filter has areas with different optical characteristics.

5. The image processing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein in the optical filter, one area is used as an infrared cut area, and at least one of areas other than the infrared cut area is used as an infrared bandpass area with a peak transmittance in the infrared band.

6. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein an upper area of the optical filter constitutes the infrared bandpass area when the optical filter is located between the glass and the imaging device.

7. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein an upper area of the optical filter constitutes the infrared bandpass area, and a lower area constitutes the infrared cut area when the optical filter is located between the glass and the imaging device.

8. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lens has a coating with optical characteristics which are the same as optical characteristics of the optical filter.

9. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cover is provided in front of the imaging device, and the cover has a coating the optical characteristics which are the same as optical characteristics of the optical filter.

10. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image processor processes an image captured in the infrared bandpass area to detect raindrops.

11. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image processor processes an image captured in the infrared cut area to detect a vehicle in front.

12. The image processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image processor processes an image captured in the infrared cut area to detect a traffic lane.

13. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a field of view of the image device is oriented downward from a horizontal direction.

14. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mirror is provided, and after light emitted from another lamp is reflected by the glass, the reflected light is reflected by the mirror and again reflected by the glass before reaching the imaging device.

15. The image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens has one of a single fixed focus adjusted to the point beyond the glass and multiple focuses, all of the multiple focuses being adjusted to at least one point beyond the glass.

16. An image processing system comprising:

an imaging device which captures light;

a light source in the form of an array of plural light emitters, the light source being located at a place where the imaging device can directly capture light reflected by fog on a glass;

a light source controller which turns on the plural light emitters;

a lens which is provided in front of the imaging device, a focus of the lens being adjusted to a point beyond the glass; and

an image processor which processes an image captured by the imaging device;

wherein the image processor processes the image and measures at least one of an extent of fog on an inner surface of the glass, a direction of fog spread, and speed of fog spread on the inner surface of the glass based on a decrease of an amount of the reflected light captured by the imaging device.

17. The image processing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the lens has one of a single fixed focus adjusted to the point beyond the glass and multiple focuses, all of the multiple focuses being adjusted to at least one point beyond the glass.