AUTOMATIC VEHICLE EXERIOR LIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM ASSEMBLIES

• US 20130235600A1
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Fogg, Jeremy A., Ejsmont, Gregory M., Tuttle, Darin D., Stam, Joseph S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,912,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/464
• 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: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/60 characterised by a variable light distribution

Abstract

The present invention relates to various improvements relating to automatic vehicle equipment control systems.

Claims

1. An automatic vehicle exterior light control system, comprising;

an attachment member and carrier baffle configured to secure an imager board, such that said imager board is horizontally aligned within approximately 5 degrees and approximately −

5 degrees of a desired image sensor optical axis.

2. An automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 1 wherein the control system is configured to self calibrate an image area of an image sensor to compensate for minor image sensor misalignment.

3. An automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 1 wherein said imager board is vertically aligned within approximately 5 degrees and approximately −

5 degrees of said desired image sensor optical axis.

4. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 1, said attachment member further comprising a ball for attachment of a rearview mirror assembly.

5. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 1 wherein the image sensor and at least one other device selected from the group comprising;

an image sensor control logic;

an A/D converter;

a low voltage differential signal line driver;

a temperature sensor;

control output;

a voltage regulator;

a second image sensor;

a microprocessor;

a moisture sensor and a compass are integrated in a common application specific integrated chip.

6. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 5 wherein said image sensor and said at least one other device are integrated on a common silicon wafer.

7. An automatic vehicle exterior light control system, comprising:

an attachment member and a carrier that cooperate to define an image sensor optical axis and secure an imager board, wherein said imager board is horizontally aligned within approximately 5 degrees and approximately −

5 degrees of a desired image sensor optical axis; and

at least one shim positioned at least partially between said attachment member and said carrier to define a second image sensor optical axis.

8. An automatic;

vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 7, said image sensor comprising peripheral pixels that surround pixels associated with a nominal field of view.

9. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 8, further comprising automatic alignment means to compensate for minor image sensor optical axis misalignment.

10. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 7, said attachment member further comprising a ball for attachment of a rearview mirror assembly.

11. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 7 wherein the image sensor and at least one other device selected from the group comprising;

an image sensor control logic;

an A/D converter;

a low voltage differential signal line driver;

a temperature sensor;

control output;

a voltage regulator;

a second image sensor;

a microprocessor;

a moisture sensor and a compass are integrated in a common application specific integrated chip.

12. An automatic vehicle exterior light control system, comprising:

an attachment member and carrier configured to secure an imager board within approximately 5 degrees and approximately −

5 degrees of a desired image sensor optical axis, said attachment member and said carrier cooperate to define an image sensor optical axis; and

a mechanical image sensor repositioning means that allows automatic and, or, manual image sensor alignment.

13. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 12, wherein the image sensor and at least one other device selected from the group comprising;

an image sensor control logic;

an A/D converter;

a low voltage differential signal line driver;

a temperature sensor;

control output;

a voltage regulator;

a second image sensor;

a microprocessor;

a moisture sensor and a compass are integrated in a common application specific;

integrated chip.

14. The automatic vehicle exterior light control system as in claim 13, further comprising at least one shim positioned at least partially between said attachment member and said carrier to define a second image sensor optical axis.

15. An automatic vehicle equipment control system, comprising;

an attachment member and carrier configured to secure an imager board, such that said imager board is horizontally aligned within approximately 5 degrees and approximately −

5 degrees of said desired image sensor optical axis, said attachment member and said carrier cooperate to define said image sensor optical axis.

16. An automatic vehicle equipment control system as in claim 15, wherein the image sensor and at least one other device selected from the group comprising;

an image sensor control logic;

an A/D converter;

a low voltage differential signal line driver;

a temperature sensor;

control output;

a voltage regulator;

a second image sensor;

a microprocessor;

a moisture sensor and a compass are integrated in a common application specific integrated chip.

17. An automatic vehicle equipment control system as in claim 16, further comprising at least one shim positioned at least partially between said attachment member and said carrier to define a second image sensor optical axis.

18. An automatic vehicle equipment control system as in claim 15, further comprising at least one device selected from the group comprising;

an electro-optic mirror element;

an ambient light sensor;

a glare light sensor;

an information display;

an indicator;

a microphone;

a compass;

an operator interface;

a temperature indicator;

a Bluetooth interface;

a wireless transceiver;

a vehicle bus interface;

a passenger side restraint status display and an electro-optic mirror element control.