Infrared camera vehicle integration systems and methods

• US 8,581,982 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne FLIR LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Terre, William A., Frank, Jeff, Haley, Darren M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sall, El Hadji
• Application Number:
  US11/830,682
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 362/545
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• 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 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed in accordance with some embodiments for integrating an infrared camera system into a vehicle'"'"'s lighting component. For example in accordance with an embodiment, a lighting component for a vehicle includes a housing; an infrared camera disposed within the housing; a light source disposed within the housing and disposed at least partially around the infrared camera; and a lens coupled to the housing and adapted to allow infrared radiation to pass through and be received by the infrared camera and to allow light provided by the light source to be transmitted through the lens. Furthermore, one or more infrared cameras may be integrated into a vehicle to provide various capabilities, such as for example stereoscopic infrared imaging, multi-spectral stereoscopic imaging (e.g., using infrared and visible wavelengths or various infrared wavelengths for multi-color infrared imaging), and/or provide various fields of view (e.g., foveal imaging).

Claims

1. A lighting component for a vehicle, the lighting component comprising:

a housing;

a thermal infrared camera disposed within the housing;

a light source, disposed within the housing and disposed at least partially around the thermal infrared camera, to provide visible light; and

a lens coupled to the housing and adapted to allow external thermal infrared radiation to pass through and be received by the thermal infrared camera and to allow the visible light provided by the light source to be transmitted through the lens;

wherein the thermal infrared camera has a first field of view and is adapted to provide thermal image data, and wherein the thermal infrared camera comprises a focal plane array having uncooled microbolometers that are sensitive to infrared radiation in approximately 7.5 to 13.5 micrometer wavelengths, the focal plane array having a different number of pixels in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical direction to provide the thermal image data for the desired first field of view.

2. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein a portion of the lens comprises an infrared window to pass through thermal infrared radiation.

3. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein a portion of the lens comprises an opening with a weatherproof seal between the lens and the thermal infrared camera.

4. The lighting component of claim 1, further comprising a lens bracket adapted to secure the lens to the housing to completely enclose the thermal infrared camera and the light source within the housing.

5. The lighting component of claim 4, further comprising a blackout reflector disposed within the housing, wherein the lens bracket further comprises a blackout window for the blackout reflector, and wherein a position of the blackout window is maintained in an approximately same position to that of a conventional version of the lighting component that does not include the thermal infrared camera.

6. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

7. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein the lighting component is formed as a portion of a side view mirror.

8. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein the lighting component comprises a turn signal light, a headlight, a taillight, a spotlight, a fog light, a running light, an accessory light, or a safety light.

9. The lighting component of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a ground vehicle, a watercraft, or an aircraft.

10. A vehicle having at least one lighting component, the lighting component comprising:

a housing;

a thermal infrared camera disposed within the housing;

means disposed within the housing and adjacent to the thermal infrared camera for providing light; and

means for enclosing the housing, wherein the enclosing means includes a lens adapted to allow external thermal infrared radiation through to be received by the thermal infrared camera and to allow visible light generated by the light providing means to be transmitted through the lens;

wherein the thermal infrared camera has a first field of view and is adapted to provide thermal image data, and wherein the thermal infrared camera comprises a focal plane array having uncooled microbolometers that are sensitive to infrared radiation in approximately 7.5 to 13.5 micrometer wavelengths, the focal plane array having a different number of pixels in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical direction to provide the thermal image data for the desired first field of view.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the lighting component further comprises a blackout reflector disposed within the housing, and wherein the enclosing means further includes a blackout window for the blackout reflector such that a position of the blackout window is maintained in an approximately same position to that of a conventional version of the lighting component that does not include the thermal infrared camera.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the lighting component is formed as a portion of a side view mirror.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the lighting component comprises a turn signal light, a headlight, a taillight, a spotlight, a fog light, a running light, an accessory light, or a safety light, and wherein the vehicle comprises a ground vehicle, a watercraft, or an aircraft.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the vehicle has a plurality of the lighting components, and wherein the vehicle further comprises:

a display for viewing infrared image data provided by the thermal infrared cameras of the lighting components; and

system electronics adapted to process the infrared image data and provide to the display for viewing.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the infrared image data provided by the lighting components is processed by the system electronics to provide stereoscopic infrared images for viewing on the display.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the infrared image data provided by the lighting components is processed by the system electronics to provide multi-spectral stereoscopic infrared images for viewing on the display.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a camera adapted to provide image data from a visible spectrum, and wherein the system electronics is further adapted to process the image data and provide to the display for viewing on the display.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the infrared image data provided by the lighting components is processed by the system electronics to provide foveal images for viewing on the display.

19. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the infrared image data provided by the lighting components is processed by the system electronics to provide panoramic images for viewing on the display.

20. A method of reconfiguring an existing vehicle component to provide a driver vision enhancer module, the method comprising:

removing an existing lens from a housing of the existing vehicle component;

removing any existing lighting components and associated hardware from the housing;

installing in the housing a thermal infrared camera along with one or more light sources, adjacent to the thermal infrared camera, to provide visible light; and

securing a lens to the housing, wherein the lens is adapted to allow external thermal infrared radiation to pass through and be received by the thermal infrared camera and to allow the visible light provided by the light sources to be transmitted through the lens;

wherein the thermal infrared camera has a first field of view and is adapted to provide thermal image data, and wherein the thermal infrared camera comprises a focal plane array having uncooled microbolometers that are sensitive to infrared radiation in approximately 7.5 to 13.5 micrometer wavelengths, the focal plane array having a different number of pixels in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical direction to provide the thermal image data for the desired first field of view.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the light sources at least partially encircle the thermal infrared camera, and wherein the securing includes securing a lens bracket to the housing, wherein the lens bracket includes a blackout window for a blackout reflector disposed within the housing, wherein the lens has an approximately same size relative to the existing lens, and the blackout window is disposed below the lens in approximately a same position as previously to the existing lens.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the existing vehicle component is a side view mirror.

23. A method of providing infrared imaging capability for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing one or more lighting components on the vehicle, wherein the lighting component comprises;

a thermal infrared camera,

a light source adjacent to the thermal infrared camera to provide visible light,

a lens adapted to allow external thermal infrared radiation through to be received by the thermal infrared camera and to allow the visible light generated by the light source to be transmitted through the lens, and

a housing, wherein the thermal infrared camera and the light source are within the housing and the lens is secured to the housing with a lens bracket;

wherein the thermal infrared camera has a first field of view and comprises a focal plane array having uncooled microbolometers that are sensitive to infrared radiation in approximately 7.5 to 13.5 micrometer wavelengths, the focal plane array having a different number of pixels in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical direction to provide the desired first field of view;

processing infrared image data from the thermal infrared camera to provide processed infrared image data; and

displaying the processed infrared image data to an occupant of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting the processed infrared image data to a remote location from the vehicle, and wherein the lighting component comprises a blackout reflector, within the housing, and the lens bracket includes a blackout window disposed over the blackout reflector, wherein a position of the blackout window is maintained in an approximately same position to that of a conventional version of the lighting component that does not include the thermal infrared camera.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the lighting component is formed as a portion of a side view mirror.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the processed infrared image data provides stereoscopic infrared images for the displaying.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the processed infrared image data provides multi-spectral stereoscopic infrared images for the displaying.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a camera on the vehicle to provide image data from a visible spectrum region, and wherein the processing processes the image data for the displaying.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the processed infrared image data provides foveal images for the displaying.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the processed infrared image data provides panoramic images for the displaying.