IMAGE SENSING SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20080054161A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Larson, Mark, Vadas, Keith, Schofield, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,423,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/087 including an ambient light sensor control of vehicle lights B60Q
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/51 using colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

An automatic exterior light control includes an image array sensor and a controller. The image array sensor includes an array of pixel sensors, and is configured and mounted such that a field of view of the image array sensor substantially passes through an associated windshield area that is wiped by a windshield wiper. The controller is connected to the image array sensor and configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image from the image array sensor that is substantially free of windshield surface contamination.

Claims

1. An automatic exterior light control, comprising:

an image array sensor, said image array sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors, wherein said image array sensor is configured and mounted such that a field of view of said image array sensor substantially passes through an associated windshield area that is wiped by a windshield wiper; and

a controller connected to said image array sensor and configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image from said image array sensor that is substantially free of windshield surface contamination.

2. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 wherein an image array sensor aim is adjustable electronically.

3. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 wherein an image array sensor aim is automatically adjusted.

4. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 comprising an ambient light level input.

5. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 4 wherein automatic exterior light control is enabled when an ambient light level is below a threshold.

6. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 comprising an exterior light control signal comprising a variable rate of change.

7. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 comprising a variable exterior light control signal threshold.

8. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 1 wherein at least one image acquired from said image array sensor covers a glare area including points at which drivers of oncoming and leading vehicles would perceive the headlamps to cause excessive glare, said image is processed to determine if at least one oncoming or leading vehicle is within a glare area and if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, the headlamp illumination range is reduced.

9. An automatic exterior light control, comprising:

an image array sensor, said image array sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors, wherein said image array sensor is configured and mounted such that a field of view of said image array sensor is adjustable electronically; and

a controller connected to said image array sensor configured to acquire pixel data from a subset of pixels associated with a desired field of view.

10. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 wherein an image array sensor aim is automatically adjusted.

11. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 wherein said image array sensor is configured and mounted such that a field of view of said image array sensor substantially passes through an associated windshield area that is wiped by a windshield wiper.

12. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 comprising an ambient light level input.

13. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 12 wherein automatic exterior light control is enabled when an ambient light level is below a threshold.

14. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 comprising an exterior light control signal comprising a variable rate of change.

15. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 comprising a variable exterior light control signal threshold.

16. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 9 wherein at least one image acquired from said image array sensor covers a glare area including points at which drivers of oncoming and leading vehicles would perceive the headlamps to cause excessive glare, said image is processed to determine if at least one oncoming or leading vehicle is within a glare area and if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, the headlamp illumination range is reduced.

17. An automatic exterior light control, comprising:

an image array sensor, said image array sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors; and

a controller configured with an ambient light input, wherein automatic exterior light control is enabled when an ambient light level is below a threshold, wherein manual operation of exterior lights remains functional.

18. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 wherein said ambient light input is derived from said image array sensor.

19. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 wherein an image array sensor aim is adjustable electronically.

20. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 wherein an image array sensor aim is automatically adjusted.

21. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 wherein said image array sensor is configured and mounted such that a field of view of said image array sensor substantially passes through an associated windshield area that is wiped by a windshield wiper.

22. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 comprising an exterior light control signal comprising a variable rate of change.

23. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 comprising a variable exterior light control signal threshold.

24. An automatic exterior light control as in claim 17 wherein at least one image acquired from said image array sensor covers a glare area including points at which drivers of oncoming and leading vehicles would perceive the headlamps to cause excessive glare, said image is processed to determine if at least one oncoming or leading vehicle is within a glare area and if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, the headlamp illumination range is reduced.