Camera system and method for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle

• US 8,913,132 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Seger, Ulrich, Franz, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): SECHSER, JILL D
• Application Number:
  US13/129,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0837 with a particular arrangement of the optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/435 Sensing drops on the contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/552 Attenuated total reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens

Abstract

A camera system for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle through a vehicle window pane (1), having a camera (2) having an image sensor (4), a first optical radiation (6) generated by the vehicle surroundings detectable by a sensor surface (10) of the image sensor (4), and a radiation source (3) for emitting a second optical radiation (7). At least a portion of the emitted second optical radiation (7) is detectable by the sensor surface (10) of the image sensor (4), and the portion of the second optical radiation (7) detected by the sensor surface (10) is a function of a state of window pane (1). The first and second optical radiation (6, 7) are jointly detectable via at least one partial area (8, 9) of the sensor surface (10). A method is also provided for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle employing the camera system.

Claims

1. A camera system for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle through a vehicle window pane, comprising:

a camera having an image sensor for recording images, wherein there is at least one image recording cycle, a first optical radiation generated by the vehicle surroundings being detectable by a sensor surface of the image sensor, and

a radiation source for emitting a second optical radiation,

wherein at least a portion of the emitted second optical radiation is detectable by the sensor surface of the image sensor, and the at least a portion of the emitted second optical radiation detected by the sensor surface of the image sensor is a function of a state of the vehicle window pane, wherein the second optical radiation is periodically coupled-in not in every image recording cycle but only in each nth image recording cycle, and

the first optical radiation and the second optical radiation are jointly detectable via at least one partial area of the sensor surface of the image sensor.

2. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the emitted second optical radiation which is detected by the sensor surface of the image sensor is a function of wetting of the vehicle window pane by a liquid, scratches or indentations in the vehicle window pane.

3. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera system is set up in such a way that the state of the vehicle window pane is determinable using the second optical radiation which is detected by the partial area.

4. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera system further comprises a first controller that controls the radiation source, a second controller that controls the image sensor, and an evaluator that evaluates image data recorded by the image sensor.

5. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein in the image recording cycle a first partial area and a second partial area of the sensor surface of the image sensor are provided for exposure in a time-offset manner with respect to one another, the first partial area being exposed in the absence of the second optical radiation, and the second partial area being exposed by the second optical radiation.

6. The camera system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second partial area corresponds to a maximum of 10% of the entire sensor surface of the image sensor.

7. The camera system as recited in claim 6, wherein the second partial area corresponds to a maximum of 5% of the entire sensor surface of the image sensor.

8. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein, at least before detection by the image sensor, the second optical radiation is guided through the interior of the vehicle window pane in places and is reflected at least once on a surface of the vehicle window pane.

9. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera system has a first coupling means and a second coupling means,

wherein the at least a portion of the emitted second optical radiation which is a function of the state of the window pane may be coupled out of the vehicle window pane and coupled into the camera with the aid of the first coupling means, and the second optical radiation which is generated by the radiation source may be coupled into the window pane with the aid of the second coupling means.

10. The camera system according to claim 9, wherein the first and second coupling means are optical elements.

11. The camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein at every nth image recording cycle where the second optical radiation is coupled-in, the second optical radiation remains activated for more than one consecutive image recording cycle.

12. A method for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting a first optical radiation generated by the vehicle surroundings using an image sensor,

generating a second optical radiation using a radiation source and guiding the second optical radiation through the vehicle window pane,

detecting a portion of the second optical radiation which is a function of a state of the window pane by the image sensor,

in at least one image recording cycle of the image sensor exposing at least one partial area of a sensor surface of the image sensor by the first optical radiation and the second optical radiation, wherein the second optical radiation is periodically coupled-in not in every image recording cycle but only in each nth image recording cycle, and

determining the state of the window pane using the first radiation and second optical radiation detected by the partial areas.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the sensor surface of the image sensor has a first partial area and a second partial area which are exposed or read out in a time-offset manner with respect to one another,

the first partial area being exposed in the absence of the second optical radiation, and

the second partial area being exposed by the second optical radiation and at least partially exposed by the first optical radiation.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein image data detected by the first partial area and the second partial area of the sensor surface of the image sensor are read out during or after an image recording cycle, the image data of the second partial area being evaluated for determining the state of the window pane.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first partial area and the second partial area are exposed by the second optical radiation in a calibration cycle which is subsequent to an image recording cycle.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein for determining the state of the window pane the image data of the first partial area and of the second partial area are compared to reference values, and on the basis of the comparison of the image data to the reference values a mask is created for image data of the second partial area, and image data of the second partial area are masked by the mask before the state of the window pane is determined.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the position or the size of the first partial area or of the second partial area are changed for a further subsequent image recording cycle.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein n is greater than 10.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein n is 30 to 50.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein at every nth image recording cycle where the second optical radiation is coupled-in, the second optical radiation remains activated for more than one consecutive image recording cycle.