Vehicular optical system

• US 7,364,301 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Skiver, Steven G, Harter, Joseph E. Jr., Scharenbroch, Gregory K.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US10/986,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 353/13, 353/14, 353/29, 353/28, 353/37, 353/98, 353/99, 345/7, 345/8, 345/5, 359/13, 359/269, 359/443, 359/449, 359/451, 359/452, 359/630, 359/632, 359/634, 348/77, 348/115, 348/148, 348/744, 340/425.5, 340/575, 340/576, 362/276, 362/464, 362/466, 362/503, 362/802, 382/115, 382/117, 382/118, 349/11
• US Class Current: 353/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

An optical system for vehicle operating monitoring is disclosed. The optical system includes at least one illuminator that illuminates a profile of a vehicle operator and an imager in optical communication with a reflector that captures a reflected image of the vehicle operator profile from the reflector. A method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An optical system comprising:

at least one illuminator that illuminates a profile of a vehicle operator; and

an imager in direct optical communication with a reflector, wherein the imager captures a directly reflected image of the vehicle operator profile from the reflector, and the reflector is adhered to a portion of an inboard surface of a vehical windshield in optical communication with the vehicle operator and comprises a reflective layer and a substrate layer, wherein the reflector does not include a metal layer.

2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the substrate layer of the reflector includes a quartz material adhered to the inboard surface of the vehicle windshield and layer of the reflector consisting of a multi-layer dielectric coating adhered to the quartz material.

3. The optical system according to claim 2, wherein the imager is positioned on top of a valance panel of the vehicle, proximate the windshield.

4. The optical system according to claim 2, wherein the imager is positioned within a bezel that is located below a plane of a valance panel of the vehicle, proximate the windshield.

5. The optical system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one illuminator is co-located with the imager, and, wherein light from the at least one illuminator is reflected to the vehicle operator'"'"'s profile.

6. The optical system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one illuminator is remotely located with respect to the location of the imager, and, wherein light from the at least one illuminator is directly radiated to the vehicle operator'"'"'s profile.

7. The optical system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one illuminator is located about an A-pillar.

8. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminator is an incandescent lamp.

9. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminator is a light emitting diode.

10. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminator is an infrared illuminator.

11. The optical system according to claim 10, wherein the infrared illuminator emits light between the range of 850 nm to 950 nm.

12. The optical system according to claim 10 further comprising an infrared band-pass filter positioned in front of the imager that may be matched with the at least one infrared illuminator.

13. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the imager is a CMOS camera.

14. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the imager is a CCD camera.

15. A method for capturing optical images comprising the steps of:

illuminating a profile of a vehicle operator;

positioning an imager in direct optical communication with a reflector, wherein the reflector is in optical communication with the vehical operator and comprises a first layer of quartz material adhered to a portion of an inboard surface of a vehicle windshield and a second layer consisting of a multi-layer dielectric, wherein the reflector does not include a layer of metal material; and

capturing a directly reflected image of the vehicle operator profile from the reflector.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the positioning step further comprises positioning the imager on top of a valance panel of the vehicle, proximate the windshield.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the positioning step further comprises positioning the imager within a bezel that is located below a plane of a valance panel of the vehicle, proximate the windshield.

18. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of co-locating at least one illuminator with the imager and reflecting light from the at least one illuminator to the vehicle operator'"'"'s profile.

19. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of remotely locating at least one illuminator with respect to the location of the imager and directly radiating light from the at least one illuminator to the vehicle operator'"'"'s profile.

20. The method according to claim 15 further comprising at least one infrared illuminator and further comprising the step of positioning an infrared band-pass filter in front of the imager to match the radiated light of the at least one infrared illuminator.

21. A method for illuminating and capturing images of a vehicle operator'"'"'s profile comprising the steps of:

positioning at least one illuminator within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

positioning a reflector on a portion of an inboard side of a windshield in optical communication with a vehicle operator, wherein the reflector comprises a first layer of quartz material and a second layer consisting of a multi-layer dielectric material, wherein the reflector does not include material;

positioning an imager within the passenger compartment about a valance panel of the vehicle such that the at least one illuminator, reflector, and imager are all in optical communication and the reflector and imager are in direct optical communication; and

regulating a captured directly reflected image of the vehicle operator profile by positioning the imager at a horizontal distance from the windshield.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising the step of increasing or decreasing a vertical distance positioning of the imager to the reflector when the horizontal distance is increased or decreased, respectively.