Device and method for generating images

• US 20060257140A1
• Filed: 11/08/2003
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Heerlein, Joerg, Burg, Michael, Abel, Bjorn, Seger, Ulrich, Schick, Jens, Apel, Uwe
• Application Number:
  US10/544,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method and a device for generating images in a motor vehicle. An infrared-sensitive camera generates images of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, line by line in scanning lines. The image recording region of the infrared-sensitive camera is illuminated in pulsed fashion by at least one emission source that radiates in the infrared spectral region. The recording of the scanning lines is carried out synchronized in time with the pulsed illumination. In a first example embodiment, the recording of scanning lines of an infrared-sensitive CMOS camera is synchronized in time with a laser diode emitting in the near infrared spectral region. In a second example embodiment, the synchronization in time of the recording of scanning lines of the infrared-sensitive CMOS camera with the pulsed illumination is performed autonomously by the CMOS camera by evaluation of at least one recorded scanning line.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A device for image generation in a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one infrared-sensitive camera configured to generate 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 an image recording region of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera; and

an arrangement configured to record the at least one image line by line in scanning lines, and to carry out a synchronization in time of the recording of the scanning lines with the pulsed illumination.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one infrared-sensitive camera is at least one infrared-sensitive CMOS camera.

13. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one emission source radiating at least in the near infrared spectral region is at least one of:

i) at least one infrared-radiating laser, and ii) at least one infrared-radiating laser diode.

14. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one emission source radiating at least in the near infrared spectral region includes an arrangement configured to output light pulses having a pulse duration adapted to a time response of at least one pixel of the camera.

15. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein the light pulses have a pulse duration between 50 ns and 200 ns.

16. The device as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

an arrangement carrying out the synchronization in time scanning at least one of line by scanning line, image by image, and image sequence by image sequence.

17. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one infrared-sensitive camera has an arrangement configured to carry out the synchronization in time with the pulsed illumination autonomously.

18. A method for image generation in a motor vehicle, comprising:

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

in a pulsed manner at least in the near infrared spectral region, illuminating by at least one emission source an image recording region of the at least one infrared-sensitive camera; and

recording the at least one image line-wise in scanning lines and synchronizing in time the recording of the scanning lines with the pulsed illumination.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one emission source includes at least one of an infrared radiating laser and an infrared-radiating laser diode.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the infrared-sensitive camera is an infrared-sensitive CMOS camera.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one emission source radiating at least in the near infrared spectral region outputs light pulses having a pulse duration adapted to the time response of at least one pixel of the camera.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the at least one emission source output light pulses having a pulse duration between 50 ns and 200 ns.

23. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the synchronization in time is carried out scanning at least one of line-wise, image-wise, and image sequence-wise.

24. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one infrared-sensitive camera autonomously synchronizes itself with the pulsed illumination.