VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH CAMERA VIEWING THROUGH WINDSHIELD

• US 20160264063A1
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Toma, Tom, Cordeiro, Alan M., Salomonsson, Ove J., Achenbach, Garret F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,112,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle windshield and viewing through the windshield and exterior of the vehicle. A light-absorbing hiding layer is established at the windshield at an area at which the camera is disposed and includes an portion established therethrough, with the portion aligned with the camera such that the camera views through the windshield via the portion. The portion comprises a wider central region and narrower upper and lower regions. The wider central region of the portion provides a wide angle field of view of the camera at a region ahead of the vehicle and the narrower lower region of the portion reduces the field of view at regions near to and sidewards from the front of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera for a machine vision function or driver assistance system.

Claims

1. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a windshield of a vehicle viewing through the windshield and exterior of the vehicle;

a light-absorbing hiding layer established at part of the windshield at an area at which said camera is disposed;

wherein said light-absorbing hiding layer has a light-transmitting portion established therethrough and wherein said light-transmitting portion is aligned with a lens and imager of said camera such that said camera views through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion;

wherein said light-transmitting portion comprises a wider central region and narrower upper and lower regions, and wherein said wider central region of said light-transmitting portion provides a wide angle field of view through the windshield for said camera at a region ahead of the vehicle and wherein said narrower lower region of said light-transmitting portion reduces the field of view through the windshield for said camera at regions near to and sidewards from the front of the vehicle; and

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera for at least one of (i) an object detection function, (ii) a lane marker detection function, (iii) an emergency braking function and (iv) a warning function.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the shape of said light-transmitting portion is determined at least in part responsive to the particular function of said image processor and said vision system.

3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a stray light shield configured to limit light emanating from an interior portion of the vehicle from entering a lens of said camera.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprising a camera module, and wherein a lens and imager of said camera module are disposed at a camera housing that is configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of the windshield so that said lens and said imager view through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein said camera module comprises a stray light shield disposed generally in front of said lens of said camera module so that said lens views through a recess established by said stray light shield and through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said narrower upper region of said light-transmitting portion has a width that is substantially the same as the width of said narrower lower region.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said narrower upper region of said light-transmitting portion has a width that is less than the width of said narrower lower region.

8. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said narrower upper region of said light-transmitting portion has a width that is greater than the width of said narrower lower region.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said light-transmitting portion is shaped with curved sides.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera is mounted at a mounting bracket that is attached at an in-cabin surface of the windshield.

11. The vision system of claim 10, wherein said mounting bracket is adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein said mounting bracket is adhesively attached at said light-absorbing hiding layer.

13. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a camera module adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of the windshield.

14. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera module disposed at a windshield of a vehicle, wherein said camera module comprises an imager and a lens and a camera housing, and wherein said imager and said lens are disposed at said camera housing such that, when said camera module is disposed at the windshield of the vehicle, said imager views through the windshield and exterior of the vehicle;

wherein said camera module comprises a stray light shield disposed generally in front of said lens so that said imager views through a recess established by said stray light shield, and wherein said stray light shield is configured to limit light emanating from an interior portion of the vehicle from entering said lens of said camera module;

a light-absorbing hiding layer established at part of the windshield at an area at which said camera module is disposed;

wherein said light-absorbing hiding layer has a light-transmitting portion established therethrough and wherein said light-transmitting portion is aligned with said lens and imager of said camera module such that said imager views through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion;

wherein said light-transmitting portion comprises a wider central region and narrower upper and lower regions, and wherein said wider central region of said light-transmitting portion provides a wide angle field of view through the windshield for said imager of said camera module at a region ahead of the vehicle and wherein said narrower lower region of said light-transmitting portion reduces the field of view through the windshield for said imager at regions near to and sidewards from the front of the vehicle;

wherein said narrower upper region of said light-transmitting portion has a width that is one of (ii) less than the width of said narrower lower region and (iii) greater than the width of said narrower lower region; and

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said imager of said camera module for at least one of (i) an object detection function, (ii) a lane marker detection function, (iii) an emergency braking function and (iv) a warning function.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein the shape of said light-transmitting portion is determined at least in part responsive to the particular function of said image processor and said vision system.

16. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said light-transmitting portion is shaped with curved sides.

17. The vision system of claim 14, wherein said camera module is mounted at a mounting bracket that is adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of the windshield.

18. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera module disposed at a windshield of a vehicle, wherein said camera module comprises an imager and a lens and a camera housing, and wherein said imager and said lens are disposed at said camera housing such that, when said camera module is disposed at the windshield of the vehicle, said imager views through the windshield and exterior of the vehicle;

a light-absorbing hiding layer established at part of the windshield at an area at which said camera module is disposed;

wherein said light-absorbing hiding layer has a light-transmitting portion established therethrough and wherein said light-transmitting portion is aligned with said lens and said imager of said camera module such that said imager views through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion;

wherein said light-transmitting portion comprises a wider central region and narrower upper and lower regions, and wherein said wider central region of said light-transmitting portion provides a wide angle field of view through the windshield for said imager of said camera module at a region ahead of the vehicle and wherein said narrower lower region of said light-transmitting portion reduces the field of view through the windshield for said imager at regions near to and sidewards from the front of the vehicle;

wherein said light-transmitting portion is shaped so as to have curved sides between said narrower upper region and said narrower lower region; and

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said imager of said camera module for at least one of (i) an object detection function, (ii) a lane marker detection function, (iii) an emergency braking function and (iv) a warning function, wherein the shape of said light-transmitting portion is determined at least in part responsive to the particular function of said image processor and said vision system.

19. The vision system of claim 18, wherein said camera module comprises a stray light shield configured to limit light emanating from an interior portion of the vehicle from entering said lens of said camera module, and wherein said stray light shield is disposed generally in front of said lens of said camera module so that said lens views through a recess established by said stray light shield and through the windshield via said light-transmitting portion.

20. The vision system of claim 18, wherein said camera module is mounted at a mounting bracket that is adhesively attached at said light-absorbing hiding layer at an in-cabin surface of the windshield.