Vehicle night vision system
First Claim
1. A vehicle night vision camera comprising. an optical lens for receiving an image, a low light CCD image sensor array which converts the received image into an electronic signal;
- a signal processor which receives the electronic signal and is capable of automatically controlling a gain of the electronic signal, a timing controller which is capable of automatically controlling an electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array;
a display which converts the electronic signal into a image on the display, and at least one luminance threshold detector which determines the luminance of the electronic signal and generates a luminance threshold detector output signal for enabling or disabling the automatic gain control of the electronic signal and the automatic electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a night vision system in an automobile is disclosed. Disclosed is a vehicle night vision camera comprising an optical lens and a low light CCD image sensor array which converts an image received by the optical lens into an electronic signal. A signal processor receives the electronic signal and is capable of automatically controlling a gain of the electronic signal. A timing controller automatically controls an electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array A display which converts the electronic signal into a image on the display Finally, a luminance threshold detector determines the luminance of the electronic signal and generates a luminance threshold detector output signal for enabling or disabling the automatic gain control of the electronic signal and the automatic electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array
48 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vehicle night vision camera comprising.
an optical lens for receiving an image, a low light CCD image sensor array which converts the received image into an electronic signal; -
a signal processor which receives the electronic signal and is capable of automatically controlling a gain of the electronic signal, a timing controller which is capable of automatically controlling an electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array;
a display which converts the electronic signal into a image on the display, and at least one luminance threshold detector which determines the luminance of the electronic signal and generates a luminance threshold detector output signal for enabling or disabling the automatic gain control of the electronic signal and the automatic electronic iris size of the CCD image sensor array - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling a night vision system for a vehicle comprising the steps of
projecting an image through a lens onto a low light CCD image sensor array, converting the image into an electronic signal with the low light CCD image sensor array, detecting the luminance of the image; -
automatically controlling the gain of the electronic signal when the luminance of the image is beyond a threshold level;
setting the gain to maximum when the luminance of the image is below the threshold level, automatically controlling the electronic iris of the CCD image sensor array when the luminance of the image is above the threshold level; and
setting the iris size to maximum when the luminance of the image is below the threshold level - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
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13. A system for controlling a night vision system for a vehicle comprising
means for projecting an image through a lens onto a low light CCD image sensor array, means for converting the image into an electronic signal with the low light CDD image sensor array; -
means for detecting the luminance of the image;
means for automatically controlling the gain of the electronic signal when the luminance of the image is beyond a threshold level;
means for setting the gain to maximum when the luminance of the image is below the threshold level;
means for automatically controlling the electronic iris of the CCD image sensor array when the luminance of the image is beyond the threshold level; and
means for setting the iris size to maximum when the luminance of the image is below the threshold level.
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17. A night vision camera for a vehicle comprising
a camera portion; -
a camera portion securement for attaching the camera portion to the windshield of an automobile, a display portion;
a display portion securement for attaching the display portion to the windshield of an automobile
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21. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising
a camera portion; -
a camera portion mounted within the interior of the vehicle, a display portion;
a display portion securement for attaching the display portion to the windshield of an automobile.
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Specification