Image sensing system for a vehicle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
- an imaging sensor;
said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate;
a logic and control circuit;
said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle;
said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle;
a lens imaging light external to the vehicle onto said imaging sensor;
at least one object of interest within said field of view of said imaging sensor;
a portion of said array of light sensing photosensor elements capturing an image of said at least one object of interest; and
said logic and control circuit analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one object of interest, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged.
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Abstract
An image sensing system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements. The system includes a logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from the imaging sensor. The logic and control circuit generates at least one control output for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle. The imaging sensor is disposed at an interior portion of the cabin of the vehicle and preferably has a field of view exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor; said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate; a logic and control circuit; said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle; said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; a lens imaging light external to the vehicle onto said imaging sensor; at least one object of interest within said field of view of said imaging sensor; a portion of said array of light sensing photosensor elements capturing an image of said at least one object of interest; and said logic and control circuit analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one object of interest, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor; said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate; a logic and control circuit; said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor, said logic and control circuit generating at least one control output for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle; said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; wherein said logic and control circuit comprises at least one of (i) an analog-to-digital converter, (ii) a logic circuit, (iii) a clock, (iv) random access memory, and (v) a digital-to-analog converter; wherein said array of sensing elements and at least a portion of said logic and control circuit are commonly formed on said semiconductor substrate; at least one object of interest within said field of view of said imaging sensor; a portion of said array of light sensing photosensor elements capturing an image of said at least one object of interest; and said logic and control circuit analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one object of interest, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor; a logic and control circuit; said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements; said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor; said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view at least one of (i) interior of the vehicle and (ii) exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; at least one object of interest within said field of view of said imaging sensor; a portion of said array of light sensing photosensor elements capturing an image of said at least one object of interest; said logic and control circuit analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one object of interest, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged; wherein said image sensing system generates an indication of the presence of an object within the field of view of said imaging sensor; and wherein said array of sensing elements and at least a portion of said logic and control circuit are commonly formed on a semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An image sensing system for a vehicle, said image sensing system comprising:
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an imaging sensor; a logic and control circuit; said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements; said logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from said imaging sensor; wherein said array of sensing elements is formed on a semiconductor substrate; said imaging sensor disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle proximate the windshield of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; at least one object of interest within said field of view of said imaging sensor; a portion of said array of light sensing photosensor elements capturing an image of said at least one object of interest; said logic and control circuit analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one object of interest, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged; wherein said image sensing system generates an indication of the presence of an object within the field of view of said imaging sensor; and wherein said indication comprises at least one of a visual warning and an audible warning. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification