Mirror assembly incorporating a scanning apparatus

• US 10,824,860 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2019
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Lundy, Eric S., Hallack, Jason D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matt, Marnie A
• Application Number:
  US16/504,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20200019775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/197 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings

Abstract

A scanning apparatus for a vehicle comprises a display housing comprising a display device forming a display plane and a support housing in supportive connection with the display housing. The support housing is in connection with a connection surface of a portion of the vehicle and forms an interior cavity extending substantially perpendicular from the connection surface. A first PCB is disposed in the interior cavity, wherein the first PCB comprises a plurality of planar faces terminating at a plurality of edges. The planar faces extend substantially perpendicular to the connection surface.

Claims

1. A scanning apparatus for a vehicle configured to process a biometric scanning operation, the apparatus comprising:

a display housing comprising a display device forming a display plane;

a support housing in supportive connection with the display housing, wherein the support housing is in connection with a connection surface of a portion of the vehicle and forms an interior cavity extending substantially perpendicular from the connection surface; and

a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the interior cavity, wherein the first PCB comprises a plurality of planar faces terminating at a plurality of edges, wherein the planar faces extend substantially perpendicular to the connection surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connection interface adjustably connecting the display housing to the support housing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein connection interface comprises a ball and socket connection.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an image sensor disposed in the display housing and in communication with a second PCB, wherein the image sensor is configured to capture biometric data for the biometric scanning operation.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first PCB comprises a controller in communication with the image sensor via a communication interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive the biometric data from the image sensor; and

identify a passenger of the vehicle by processing the biometric data.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the imager disposed in the display housing is thermally isolated from the controller in the support housing by the connection interface.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection interface is configured to support the display housing while providing a multi-axial rotation of the display housing relative to the support housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is thermally isolated from the image sensor by the connection interface throughout a full range of the multi-axial rotation of the display housing relative to the support housing.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the planar faces of the first PCB are arranged substantially perpendicular to the display surface in a neutral mounting configuration, wherein the display surface is directed rearward relative to an operating direction of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second PCB disposed in the display housing parallel to the display plane and in communication with the display device and an image sensor, wherein the second PCB is in communication with the first PCB.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second PCB is arranged perpendicular to the first PCB in a neutral orientation of the display housing directed into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection surface comprises one of a windshield, a headliner, a roof portion, and an overhead console of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support housing comprises an enclosure forming the internal cavity and the enclosure forms an air gap separating the planar faces of the PCB from the enclosure.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the perpendicular orientation of the planar face extends along a normal vector extending from the connection surface.

16. A scanning apparatus for a vehicle configured to process a biometric scanning operation, the apparatus comprising:

a support housing in connection with a connection surface of a portion of the vehicle forms an interior cavity extending substantially perpendicular from the connection surface;

a first printed circuit board (PCB), comprising a controller disposed in the interior cavity, wherein the first PCB comprises a plurality of planar faces extending substantially perpendicular to the connection surface;

a display housing in connection with the support housing via a connection interface, wherein an image sensor and a display device are disposed in the display housing; and

a second PCB disposed in the display housing and in communication with the display device, the image sensor, and the first PCB; and

wherein the controller is configured to process image data captured by the image sensor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to identify a passenger of the vehicle by processing the image data.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the imager disposed in the display housing is thermally isolated from the controller in the support housing by the connection interface.

19. A scanning apparatus for a vehicle configured to process a biometric scanning operation, the apparatus comprising:

a display housing comprising a display device forming a display plane and an image sensor configured to capture image data in the vehicle;

a support housing in supportive connection with the display housing via a connection interface, wherein the support housing is in connection with a connection surface of a portion of the vehicle and forms an interior cavity extending substantially perpendicular from the connection surface; and

a first printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a controller configured to process the image data disposed in the interior cavity, wherein the first PCB comprises a plurality of planar faces terminating at a plurality of edges, wherein the planar faces extend substantially perpendicular to the connection surface; and

wherein the connection interface is configured to support the display housing while providing a multi-axial rotation of the display housing relative to the support housing.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controller is thermally isolated from the image sensor by the connection interface throughout a full range of the multi-axial rotation of the display housing relative to the support housing.