VEHICULAR CAMERA WITH ON-BOARD MICROCONTROLLER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicular camera, comprising:
- a lens;
an image processor configured to receive images from the lens; and
a microcontroller containing flash memory, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the image processor by a first bus through which command data is communicated to the image processor from the microcontroller, wherein the command data includes application instructions to draw application data from a selected point in the flash memory, and wherein the microcontroller is connected to the image processor by a second bus through which application data is communicated to the image processor from the flash memory.
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Abstract
In one aspect of the invention, a vehicular camera is provided, comprising a lens, a housing, an imager and a microcontroller that is capable of handling certain functions, such as applying overlays to images received by the imager, dewarping the image and/or providing different viewing modes.
196 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A vehicular camera, comprising:
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a lens; an image processor configured to receive images from the lens; and a microcontroller containing flash memory, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the image processor by a first bus through which command data is communicated to the image processor from the microcontroller, wherein the command data includes application instructions to draw application data from a selected point in the flash memory, and wherein the microcontroller is connected to the image processor by a second bus through which application data is communicated to the image processor from the flash memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A vehicular camera, comprising:
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a lens having a field of view; an image sensor; a housing, wherein the lens and image sensor are mounted to the housing at a selected position relative to each other, wherein the image sensor receives raw images from the lens; and a controller, wherein for at least one raw image the controller is programmed to generate a dewarped image by stretching and compressing portions of the raw image so as to provide in the dewarped image a selected shape for a selected known element in the field of view of the lens. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A camera system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a camera; a distance sensor; and a controller that determines whether there is an element in the fields of view of the camera and the distance sensor that represents a collision risk for the vehicle based on an image from the camera and input from the distance sensor, wherein upon detection of an element that represents a collision risk the controller is programmed to carry out at least one action consisting of;
informing the driver of the vehicle of the collision risk; and
control at least one vehicle component to inhibit a collision by the vehicle with the element that represents a collision risk. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A camera system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of cameras, each camera having a field of view and being positioned at selected positions about the vehicle, wherein the plurality of cameras has a combined field of view, wherein each camera includes; a lens; an image sensor; a housing, wherein the lens and image sensor are mounted to the housing at a selected position relative to each other, wherein the image sensor receives raw images from the lens; and a controller programmed to modify at least one raw image to produce a processed image; a central controller programmed to combine the processed images from the cameras into a single combined image showing the combined field of view; and an electrical cable connecting each camera to the central controller, wherein the electrical cable is a non-coaxial cable. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A camera for a vehicle having a towing device, comprising:
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a lens having a field of view; an image sensor; a housing, wherein the lens and image sensor are mounted to the housing at a selected position relative to each other, wherein the image sensor receives raw images from the lens; and a controller programmed to modify at least one raw image to produce a processed image, wherein the camera is positioned at an actual viewing angle such that the towing device is in the field of view of the lens, and wherein the camera has a bird'"'"'s eye viewing mode in which the controller is programmed to modify the raw image so that the processed image appears to have been taken at an apparent viewing angle that is more vertically oriented than the actual viewing angle. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A camera for a vehicle, comprising:
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a lens having a field of view; an image sensor; a housing, wherein the lens and image sensor are mounted to the housing at a selected position relative to each other, wherein the imager receives raw images from the lens; and a controller programmed to determine the position of a selected feature in the field of view of the lens and to apply an overlay on the selected feature in an initial raw image to produce an initial processed image and to thereafter hold the overlay in a fixed position in subsequent processed images regardless of movement of the selected feature in subsequent raw images. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification