INTEGRATED CAMERA AND COMMUNICATION ANTENNA

• US 20180175491A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veoneer, Inc. (SSW Partners LP)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeMersseman, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 10,559,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

An apparatus includes a camera lens assembly and a printed circuit board attached to said camera lens assembly. The camera lens assembly may be configured to provide a forward view through a windshield of a vehicle. The printed circuit board generally comprises an antenna, a ground plane, and an image sensor. The antenna is generally disposed on a front surface of the printed circuit board. The ground plane may be disposed either on the front surface or within a layer of the printed circuit board. The image sensor is generally mounted on a back surface of the printed circuit board. The camera lens assembly is generally configured to focus an image of the forward view through the windshield on the image sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a camera lens assembly configured to provide a forward view through a windshield of a vehicle;

a printed circuit board attached to said camera lens assembly, said printed circuit board comprising an antenna, a ground plane, and an image sensor, wherein (i) said antenna is disposed on a front surface of said printed circuit board, (ii) said ground plane is disposed either on said front surface or within a layer of said printed circuit board, (iii) said image sensor is mounted on a back surface of said printed circuit board, and (iv) said camera lens assembly is configured to focus an image of the forward view through said windshield on said image sensor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna is configured to receive signals of a global positioning satellite system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a cellular communication antenna.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a vehicle to vehicle (V2V), vehicle to infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle to everything (V2X) communication antenna.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera lens assembly further comprises a mirror configured to direct light received through said camera lens onto said image sensor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera lens assembly further comprises a prism configured to direct light received through said camera lens onto said image sensor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit mounted on said back surface of said printed circuit board, wherein said control circuit is configured to manage said image sensor.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control circuit is further configured to control emitters and detectors of one or more light/rain sensors.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a lens assembly mounted to said front surface of said printed circuit board and configured to provide at least four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium, wherein said central atrium is aligned with said antenna;

a first emitter and a second emitter mounted on said printed circuit board, said first emitter located between a first pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second emitter located between a second pair of said four orthogonal optical paths;

a first detector and a second detector mounted on said printed circuit board, said first detector located between a third pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second detector located between a fourth pair of said four orthogonal optical paths.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said printed circuit board is square, said first and said second emitters are mounted in opposite corners on said front side of said printed circuit board, and said first and said second detectors are mounted on said back side of said printed circuit board and are aligned with respective vias in said printed circuit board.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to be mounted near a rearview mirror of said vehicle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to be mounted in front of a rearview mirror of said vehicle.

13. A method of generating automated driver assistance information comprising:

mounting a camera lens assembly to a back surface of a windshield of a vehicle, wherein said camera lens assembly is configured to provide a forward view through said windshield of a vehicle;

attaching a printed circuit board to said camera lens assembly, said printed circuit board comprising an antenna, a ground plane, and an image sensor, wherein said antenna is disposed on a front surface of said printed circuit board, said ground plane is disposed either on said front surface or within a layer of said printed circuit board, said image sensor is mounted on a back surface of said printed circuit board, and said camera lens assembly is configured to focus an image of the forward view through said windshield on said image sensor.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said antenna is configured to receive and/or transmit one or more of signals of a global positioning satellite system, signals of a cellular communication system, signals of a vehicle to vehicle (V2V), vehicle to infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle to everything (V2X) communication system, and one or more portions of a wireless communication frequency spectrum.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said camera lens assembly further comprises a mirror configured to direct light received through said camera lens onto said image sensor.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said camera lens assembly further comprises a prism configured to direct light received through said camera lens onto said image sensor.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein said camera lens assembly further comprises a control circuit mounted on said back surface of said printed circuit board, wherein said control circuit is configured to manage said image sensor.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising configuring said image sensor to simultaneously deliver high-quality video and scene information content.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said image sensor is configured to support automotive applications that involve concurrent vision and sensing functions.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

mounting a light/rain sensor lens assembly between said front surface of said printed circuit board and said back surface of said windshield, wherein (i) said light/rain sensor lens assembly is configured to provide at least four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium, (ii) said central atrium is aligned with said antenna, (iii) said printed circuit board includes a first emitter, a second emitter, a first detector, and a second detector, said first emitter located between a first pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, said second emitter located between a second pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, said first detector located between a third pair of said four orthogonal optical paths, and said second detector located between a fourth pair of said four orthogonal optical paths.