Interior Camera Apparatus, Driver Assistance Apparatus Having The Same And Vehicle Having The Same

• US 20170291548A1
• Filed: 03/01/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Yiebin, SONG, Eunhan, LEE, Hoyoung
• Application Number:
  US15/446,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20170291548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0092 Image segmentation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An interior camera apparatus includes a frame body and a stereo camera provided in the frame body and including a first camera and a second camera. The interior camera apparatus also includes a light module provided in the frame body and configured to radiate infrared light; and a circuit board connected to the stereo camera and the light module. The light module includes a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element. The interior camera apparatus is configured to direct infrared light emitted from the first light emitting element in a first irradiation direction and to direct infrared light emitted from the second light emitting element in a second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction.

Claims

1. An interior camera apparatus comprising:

a frame body;

a stereo camera provided in the frame body and comprising a first camera and a second camera;

a light module provided in the frame body and configured to radiate infrared light; and

a circuit board connected to the stereo camera and the light module,

wherein the light module comprises a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element, the interior camera apparatus configured to direct infrared light emitted from the first light emitting element in a first irradiation direction and to direct infrared light emitted from the second light emitting element in a second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction.

2. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame body defines a first hole in which the first camera is provided, a second hole in which the light module is provided, and a third hole in which the second camera is provided, and

the first hole, the second hole, and the third hole are arranged along a common direction.

3. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first light emitting element comprises a first light emitting chip and a first substrate supporting the first light emitting chip,

the second light emitting element comprises a second light emitting chip and a second substrate supporting the second light emitting chip,

an upper surface of the first substrate is aligned in the first irradiation direction, and

an upper surface of the second substrate is aligned in the second irradiation direction.

4. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first optical member provided on the first light emitting element and configured to distribute infrared light radiated by the first light emitting element in the first irradiation direction; and

a second optical member provided on the second light emitting element and configured to distribute infrared light radiated by the second light emitting element in the second irradiation direction.

5. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first light emitting element comprises a first light emitting chip and a first body that surrounds the first light emitting chip and that is configured to guide infrared light radiated by the first light emitting chip in the first irradiation direction, and

the second light emitting element comprises a second light emitting chip and a second body that surrounds the second light emitting chip and that is configured to guide infrared light radiated by the second light emitting chip in the second irradiation direction.

6. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame body is a first frame body, the stereo camera is a first stereo camera, the light module is a first light module, and the circuit board is a first circuit board, and

the interior camera apparatus further comprises a second frame body, a second stereo camera, a second light module, and a second circuit board,

the interior camera apparatus further comprising;

a first interior camera module comprising the first frame body, the first stereo camera, the first light module, and the first circuit board;

a second interior camera module comprising the second frame body, the second stereo camera, the second light module, and the second circuit board; and

a frame cover configured to support the first interior camera module and second interior camera module.

7. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the frame cover defines:

a first cavity configured to accommodate the first interior camera module; and

a second cavity configured to accommodate the second interior camera module, and

wherein the frame cover comprises a bridge base configured to connect the first cavity and the second cavity.

8. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the frame cover comprises a first surface that defines the first cavity, the first surface further defining a first cover hole, a second cover hole, and a third cover hole, and

the frame cover comprises a second surface that defines the second cavity, the second surface further defining a fourth cover hole, a fifth cover hole, and a sixth cover hole.

9. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the frame cover are symmetrical to each other around a reference line traversing the bridge base of the frame cover.

10. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one processor provided on the circuit board and configured to control the stereo camera and the light module.

11. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to selectively drive the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element.

12. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to sequentially and repeatedly perform:

a first control process of controlling the first light emitting element to be in an on state and controlling the second light emitting element to be in an off state,

a second control process of controlling the first light emitting element to be in an off state and controlling the second light emitting element to be in an on state, and

a third control process of controlling both the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element to be in an off state.

13. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the stereo camera comprises a rolling shutter type camera and is configured to sense an image, and

the at least one processor is configured to perform the first control process of controlling the first light emitting element to be in the on state and controlling the second light emitting element to be in the off state in coordination with an exposure time of the stereo camera.

14. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, during the first control process:

control the stereo camera to sense, during the first control period, an image on a first pixel area of the stereo camera matching the first irradiation direction in which the infrared light is emitted from the first light emitting element of the light module.

15. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

perform the second control process of controlling the first light emitting element to be in the off state and controlling the second light emitting element to be in the on state an based on completion of sensing the image on the first pixel area being completed, and

control the stereo camera to sense, during the second control process, the image on a second pixel area matching the second irradiation direction in which the infrared light is emitted from the second light emitting element of the light module.

16. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the third control process of controlling both the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element to be in the off state based on completion of sensing the image on the first pixel area and the second pixel area.

17. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the stereo camera and the light module are configured such that an image-sensing direction of the stereo camera corresponds to an infrared-light irradiation direction of the light module.

18. The interior camera apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the stereo camera and the light module are configured such that a change in the image sensing direction of the stereo camera matches a change in the infrared-light irradiation direction of the light module.

19. A driver assistance apparatus configured to:

monitor, by the interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, a user entering a vehicle;

acquire monitoring information based on monitoring the user entering the vehicle; and

control a driver assistance function based on the monitoring information.

20. A vehicle comprising the interior camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interior camera apparatus is provided on a ceiling of the vehicle.