VEHICLE CAMERA SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A vehicular camera system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular camera system comprising:
- a vehicle windshield that, as installed in a vehicle equipped with said vehicular camera system, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal;
a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle;
an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed;
an accessory module comprising a camera;
wherein said camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens;
wherein said accessory module is configured to detachably mount at said attachment member;
wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said lens of said camera is spaced from the vehicle windshield;
wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera views forward of the equipped vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the vehicle windshield and that tapers from the vehicle windshield towards where said lens of said camera is located;
wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield, said angling compensating, at least in part, for slope of the vehicle windshield;
wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said accessory module;
wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said electrical circuitry receives input over the vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle;
wherein input received over the vehicle communication bus comprises at least one input selected from the group consisting of (i) intelligent headlamp control enabled status, (ii) intelligent headlamp control disabled status, (iii) gear transmission status, (iv) vehicle speed, (v) steering angle and (vi) turn signal status;
wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said driver assistance system comprises an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular camera system includes a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of a windshield as installed in a vehicle, an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the windshield where the black-out layer is disposed, and an accessory module including a camera. The accessory module is configured to detachably mount at the attachment member at the windshield such that the lens of the camera is spaced from the windshield, and such that the camera views forward of the vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the windshield and that tapers from the windshield towards where the lens of the camera is located. The tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield. The camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.
18 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A vehicular camera system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular camera system comprising:
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a vehicle windshield that, as installed in a vehicle equipped with said vehicular camera system, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal; a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle; an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed; an accessory module comprising a camera; wherein said camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said accessory module is configured to detachably mount at said attachment member; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said lens of said camera is spaced from the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera views forward of the equipped vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the vehicle windshield and that tapers from the vehicle windshield towards where said lens of said camera is located; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield, said angling compensating, at least in part, for slope of the vehicle windshield; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said accessory module; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said electrical circuitry receives input over the vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein input received over the vehicle communication bus comprises at least one input selected from the group consisting of (i) intelligent headlamp control enabled status, (ii) intelligent headlamp control disabled status, (iii) gear transmission status, (iv) vehicle speed, (v) steering angle and (vi) turn signal status; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said driver assistance system comprises an adaptive cruise control 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)
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21. A vehicular camera system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular camera system comprising:
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a vehicle windshield that, as installed in a vehicle equipped with said vehicular camera system, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal; a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle; an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed; an accessory module comprising a camera; wherein said camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said accessory module is configured to detachably mount at said attachment member; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said lens of said camera is spaced from the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera views forward of the equipped vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the vehicle windshield and that tapers from the vehicle windshield towards where said lens of said camera is located; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield, said angling compensating, at least in part, for slope of the vehicle windshield; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said accessory module; wherein said electrical circuitry of said accessory module is disposed on a printed circuit board, and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a microprocessor, memory and a power supply; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said accessory module comprises a connector for connecting to the vehicle communication bus; wherein said electrical circuitry receives input over the vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein input received over the vehicle communication bus comprises at least two inputs selected from the group consisting of (i) vehicle speed, (ii) steering angle and (iii) turn signal status; wherein said electrical circuitry communicates over the vehicle communication bus to provide output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera captures image data for at least two systems selected from the group consisting of (i) a sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle and (v) an adaptive control system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A vehicular camera system suitable for use in a vehicle, said vehicular camera system comprising:
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a vehicle windshield that, as installed in a vehicle equipped with said vehicular camera system, is sloped at an acute angle relative to horizontal; a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of the vehicle windshield as installed in the equipped vehicle; an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed; an accessory module comprising a camera; wherein said camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor and a lens; wherein said accessory module is configured to detachably mount at said attachment member; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said lens of said camera is spaced from the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera views forward of the equipped vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the vehicle windshield and that tapers from the vehicle windshield towards where said lens of said camera is located; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield, said angling compensating, at least in part, for slope of the vehicle windshield; wherein said accessory module comprises a housing, and wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said lens of said camera at least partially protrudes through said housing into a cavity that is at least partially bounded by said tapered structure; wherein electrical circuitry is disposed in said accessory module; wherein said electrical circuitry of said accessory module is disposed on a printed circuit board, and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a microprocessor, memory and a power supply; wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said electrical circuitry communicates over a vehicle communication bus with at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein said accessory module comprises a connector for connecting to the vehicle communication bus; wherein said electrical circuitry receives input over the vehicle communication bus from at least one system of the equipped vehicle; wherein input received over the vehicle communication bus comprises turn signal status; wherein said electrical circuitry communicates over the vehicle communication bus to provide output to at least one system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, with said attachment member attached at the upper central region of the vehicle windshield where the black-out layer is disposed and with said accessory module mounted at said attachment member, said camera captures image data for at least two systems selected from the group consisting of (i) a sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a pedestrian detection system of the equipped vehicle and (iii) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification