VEHICLE ACCESSORY SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
- a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system;
wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield;
wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side;
wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element;
wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield;
wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield;
wherein a camera is disposed in said module;
said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens;
wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield via a generally wedge-shaped structure;
wherein said camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory system for a vehicle includes a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield, a module mounted at a side of the mounting element that opposes the side that attaches at the windshield, and a camera disposed in the module. The module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of the mounting element in order to detachably mount the module at the mounting element. The camera, with the module mounted at the mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, may view forwardly through the vehicle windshield via a generally wedge-shaped structure. The camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the vehicle. Electrical circuitry is disposed in the module and, with the module mounted at the mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, the electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the vehicle.
3 Citations
90 Claims
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1. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
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a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system; wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield; wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side; wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element; wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein a camera is disposed in said module; said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield via a generally wedge-shaped structure; wherein said camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
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a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system; wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield; wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side; wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element; wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein a camera is disposed in said module; said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield via a generally wedge-shaped structure; wherein said camera captures image data for driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said lens is spaced from the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield and with said module mounted at said mounting element, the principal axis of the forward field of view of said camera is generally at or below horizontal; and wherein at least one of (a) said electrical circuitry communicates over said vehicle communication bus to provide an output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle and (b) said electrical circuitry receives an input over said vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
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a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system; wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield; wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side; wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element; wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein a camera is disposed in said module; said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield; wherein said camera captures image data for at least two of (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle and (v) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said lens is spaced from the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield and with said module mounted at said mounting element, the principal axis of the forward field of view of said camera is generally at or below horizontal; wherein said electrical circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a microprocessor, memory and a power supply; and wherein at least one of (a) said electrical circuitry communicates over said vehicle communication bus to provide an output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle and (b) said electrical circuitry receives an input over said vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
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a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system; wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield; wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side; wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element; wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein a camera is disposed in said module; said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield; wherein said camera captures image data for at least two of (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle and (v) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said lens is spaced from the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said electrical circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a microprocessor, memory and a power supply; wherein said electrical circuitry communicates over said vehicle communication bus to provide an output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle and said electrical circuitry receives an input over said vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein at least two of (i) said attachment portion of said mounting element is generally flat, (ii) said mounting element comprises a metallic mounting element, (iii) said attachment portion of said mounting element is configured for adhesive attachment at the vehicle windshield and (iv) said attaching structure of said module snap attaches to said mounting element to mount said module at said mounting element; and wherein at least one of (a) said output communicated over said vehicle communication bus comprises a status indication, (b) said output communicated over said vehicle communication bus comprises a status indication, (c) said output communicated over said vehicle communication bus comprises least one of (i) an intelligent headlamp control status, (ii) a rain sensor status, (iii) a compass status, (iv) an ambient light level status, (v) an exterior condition status, (vi) an autolamp status and (vii) a sunload status, and (c) said input received over said vehicle communication bus comprises at least one of (i) an intelligent headlamp control enabled status, (ii) an intelligent headlamp control disabled status, (iii) a gear transmission status, (iv) a headlamp status, (v) a vehicle speed, (vi) a steering wheel angle and (vii) a turn signal status - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. An accessory system for a vehicle, said vehicular accessory system comprising:
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a mounting element attached at a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with the accessory system; wherein said mounting element comprises an attachment portion at a first side of said mounting element for attachment of said mounting element at the vehicle windshield; wherein, at least when said mounting element is attached at the vehicle windshield, a module is mounted at a second side of said mounting element that opposes said first side; wherein said module includes attaching structure that cooperates with attaching structure of said mounting element in order to detachably mount said module at said mounting element; wherein said module has a windshield-facing side that faces towards the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said module has a cabin-facing side that faces away from the vehicle windshield towards the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein a camera is disposed in said module; said camera comprising a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said camera, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, views forwardly through the vehicle windshield; wherein said camera captures image data for at least two of (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle and (v) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said module and wherein, with said module mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said lens is spaced from the vehicle windshield when said module is mounted at said mounting element attached at the vehicle windshield; wherein said electrical circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a microprocessor, memory and a power supply; and wherein said electrical circuitry communicates over said vehicle communication bus to provide an output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle and said electrical circuitry receives an input over said vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90)
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Specification