Device and method for producing images

• US 7,935,928 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Seger, Ulrich, Schick, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malevic; Djura
• Application Number:
  US10/544,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20070023660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/341.8
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A method and a device for generating images in a motor vehicle are provided. An infrared-sensitive camera generates images of the surroundings of the motor vehicle. An emission source emitting in the near infrared spectral region is used for the pulsed illumination of sub-ranges of the image recording region of the camera. The camera generates the images by recording partial image regions. To record the partial image regions, a synchronization in time is carried out with the pulsed illumination of the sub-range including at least the partial image region. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the recording of partial image regions of an infrared-sensitive CMOS camera is synchronized in time with a laser diode array emitting in the near infrared spectral region.

Claims

1. A device for generating an image in a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one infrared-sensitive camera for generating at least one image of surroundings of the motor vehicle;

at least one emission source radiating at least in a near infrared spectral region for a pulsed illumination of sub-ranges of image recording regions of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera; and

an arrangement for recording the at least one image in partial image regions and for carrying out a synchronization in time of a recording of a partial image region with the pulsed illumination of the sub-range that at least includes the partial image region;

wherein the at least one emission source includes at least one of a laser array and a laser diode array; and

wherein rows of the at least one emission source are activated one after the other so that the sub-ranges of the image recording regions are illuminated in a sequentially pulsed manner.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the partial image regions include at least one of a scanning line and at least one scanning column of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one infrared-sensitive camera includes at least one infrared-sensitive CMOS camera.

4. A method for generating an image in a motor vehicle, comprising:

providing at least one infrared-sensitive camera for generating at least one image of surroundings of the motor vehicle;

providing at least one emission source radiating at least in a near infrared spectral region and illuminating in a pulsed manner sub-ranges of image recording regions of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera; and

recording the at least one image in partial image regions, the recording of a partial image region being synchronized in time with the pulsed illumination of the sub-range that at least includes the partial image region;

wherein the at least one emission source includes at least one of a laser array and a laser diode array; and

wherein rows of the at least one emission source are activated one after the other so that the sub-ranges of the image recording regions are illuminated in a sequentially pulsed manner.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein during the recording of the partial image regions, the corresponding sub-range of the image recording region of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera is illuminated in a pulsed manner.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one sub-range of the image recording region of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera includes at least two partial image regions.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

for the recording of at least one partial image region, the corresponding sub-range of the image recording region is illuminated in a pulsed manner at least once, and

in a pulsed illumination of a sub-range of the image recording region, at least two partial image regions are recorded.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein in a pulsed illumination of the sub-range all partial image regions including the sub-range are recorded.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the partial image regions include at least one of a scanning line and at least one scanning column of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera.

12. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the at least one infrared-sensitive camera includes at least one infrared-sensitive CMOS camera.

10. An infrared-sensitive camera for generating at least one image, comprising:

a recording arrangement for recording the at least one image in partial image regions; and

a synchronizing arrangement for carrying out a synchronization in time of the recording of the partial image regions with a sub-range, of an image recording region of the infrared-sensitive camera, which includes at least the partial image region and is illuminated in a pulsed manner at least in the near infrared radiation spectrum by at least one of a laser array and a laser diode array;

wherein rows of the at least one emission source are activated one after the other so that the sub-ranges of the image recording regions are illuminated in a sequentially pulsed manner.

11. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 10, wherein the partial image regions include at least one of a scanning line and at least one scanning column of the infrared-sensitive camera.

13. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 10, wherein the infrared-sensitive camera includes an infrared-sensitive CMOS camera.

14. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one sub-range of the image recording region of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera includes at least two partial image regions.

15. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

for the recording of at least one partial image region, the corresponding sub-range of the image recording region is illuminated in a pulsed manner at least once, and

in a pulsed illumination of a sub-range of the image recording region, at least two partial image regions are recorded.

16. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 15, wherein in a pulsed illumination of the sub-range all partial image regions including the sub-range are recorded.

17. The infrared-sensitive camera as recited in claim 10, wherein the partial image regions include at least one of a scanning line and at least one scanning column of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera.