Vehicle-mounted camera apparatus

• US 7,466,339 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Usami, Tomohide
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHIPKEY, JASON T
• Application Number:
  US10/827,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/208.99, 348/208.1, 348/208.2, 280/734, 280/735, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

A stable display of an image on a screen with no motion blur which is obtained without providing a camera with a sensor for detecting vibration. A vehicle-mounted camera apparatus detects vibrations transferred to a vehicle from signals detected by a road surface sensor 4c that detects variation of force applied to a piston rod 6a of a shock absorber 6 constituting a suspension of the vehicle and corrects image motion blur based on the detected vibrations. This allows stable display of the image, with no motion blur, on the screen without providing the camera with a sensor for detecting vibration.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted camera apparatus, comprising:

a camera mounted on a vehicle;

a vibration detector provided on a suspension of said vehicle that detects variation of force applied to a piston rod of a shock absorber contained within said suspension of said vehicle as vibration transferred to said vehicle;

a sensor provided on an impact-absorbing air bag for detecting acceleration in a transverse direction of said vehicle;

an image motion blur corrector for correcting a motion blur, in an image captured by said camera, in a vertical direction, based on vibrations detected by said vibration detector and correcting a motion blur, in said image capture by said camera, in the transverse direction, based on acceleration detected by said sensor; and

a display controller for displaying an image corrected by said image motion blur corrector.

2. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detector is a sensor for controlling damping force of a shock absorber of a suspension of said vehicle.

3. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image motion blur corrector determines an amount and direction of a motion blur in an image displayed on a screen that corresponds to the image captured by said camera based on vibrations detected by said vibration detector, and

changes an area to be displayed on said screen, within an image captured by said camera, according to said amount and direction of a image motion blur.

4. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image motion blur corrector determines an amount and direction of a motion blur in an image displayed on a screen that corresponds to the image captured by said camera based on vibrations detected by said vibration detector, and

changes an area to be displayed on said screen, within an image captured by said camera, according to said amount and direction of a image motion blur.

5. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detector outputs a voltage to the image motion blur corrector that is relative to an amount of expansion or contraction of said suspension of said vehicle.

6. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detector detects the variation in force applied to the piston rod due to an unevenness of the road surface and outputs a voltage based thereon to the image motion blur corrector.

7. A vehicle-mounted camera apparatus comprising:

a camera mounted on a vehicle;

a vibration detector provided on a suspension of said vehicle in the vicinity of the position where said camera is mounted;

a sensor provided on an impact-absorbing air bag for detecting acceleration in a transverse direction of said vehicle;

an image motion blur corrector for correcting a motion blur, in an image captured by said camera, in a vertical direction, based on vibrations detected by said vibration detector and correcting a motion blur, in said image captured by said camera, in the transverse direction, based on acceleration detected by said sensor; and

a display controller for displaying an image corrected by said image motion blur corrector.

8. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said vibration detector is a sensor for controlling damping force of a shock absorber of a suspension of said vehicle.

9. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image motion blur corrector determines an amount and direction of a motion blur in an image displayed on a screen that corresponds to the image captured by said camera based on vibrations detected by said vibration detector, and

changes an area to be displayed on said screen, within an image captured by said camera, according to said amount and direction of a image motion blur.

10. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said vibration detector outputs a voltage to the image motion blur corrector that is relative to an amount of expansion or contraction of said suspension of said vehicle.

11. The vehicle-mounted camera apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said vibration detector is connected to a piston rod contained within said suspension system of said vehicle, detects a variation in force applied to the piston rod due to an unevenness of the road surface and outputs a voltage based thereon to the image motion blur corrector.

12. A vehicle-mounted camera apparatus, comprising:

a camera mounted on a vehicle;

a road surface sensor mounted on a suspension of said vehicle;

a suspension controller receiving an output from said road surface sensor and outputting a signal controlling an actuator of said suspension of said vehicle;

a sensor provided on an impact-absorbing air bag for detecting acceleration in a transverse direction of said vehicle;

an image motion blur corrector for correcting a motion blur in an image captured by said camera, in a vertical direction, based on a voltage output from the suspension controller and correcting a motion blur, in said image captured by said camera, in the transverse direction, based on acceleration detected by said sensor; and

a display controller displaying an image corrected by said image motion blur corrector.