Systems and components for enhancing rear vision from a vehicle

• US 6,509,832 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Bauer, Frederick T., Stam, Joseph S., Bauer, Lois
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/724,117
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/436, 340/435, 340/901, 340/903, 348/148
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 45/00 Arrangements or adaptations of signalling or lighting devices arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; life-buoys, -belts, -jackets, -suits or the like, characterised by signalling means B63C9/20; lighting devices or systems therefor F21L, F21S
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/02 of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/13 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 : using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

A vehicle system is disclosed that includes a vehicle lamp assembly including a plurality of LEDs that emit white light so as to function as an illuminator light. The lamp assembly also may include a plurality of LEDs that emit colored light, such as red or red-orange, so as to function as a signal light. Alternatively or additionally, the lamp assembly may include a camera of a vehicle imaging system. The lamp assembly may serve as a center high mounted stop light or as a tail light. The system also includes a controller that rapidly pulses the LEDs on and off at a rate that is imperceivable by the human eye. The pulsing intervals of the LEDs may be related to the readout intervals of the camera sensor array. In this manner, the LEDs may be pulsed on during camera readout so as to increase their intensity while the camera is capturing an image, or may be pulsed off during camera readout to prevent feedback glare from interfering with image capture by a highly sensitive image sensor array of the camera.

Claims

1. A modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly comprising:

a rear window;

an opaque frit disposed on a peripheral region of said rear window

a camera housing integrally mounted to an inner surface of said rear window behind a transparent zone formed in said frit; and

a camera mounted in said camera housing so as to capture an image to the rear of the vehicle through said rear window and said transparent zone formed in said frit.

2. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said rear window is made of tinted low transmittance privacy glass.

3. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a windshield wiper mounted to said rear window, wherein said camera is mounted behind a wiper zone defined by the sweep of said wiper across the outer surface of said rear window.

4. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a window washer, wherein said camera is mounted behind a wash zone defined by the area over which said washer dispenses washer fluid.

5. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a defroster disposed on said rear window, wherein said camera is mounted behind a defroster zone defined by the area covered on said rear window by said defroster.

6. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a radiation source mounted to the inner surface of said rear window for emitting radiation rearward of the vehicle.

7. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said radiation source emits IR radiation.

8. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said radiation source emits white light.

9. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said radiation source emits light to which said camera is sensitive.

10. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said camera captures images at periodic intervals and said radiation source is activated to emit radiation at the same periodic intervals.

11. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said rear window is made of privacy glass having a transmittance that is highest in a spectral region corresponding to the spectral region of highest sensitivity of said camera.

12. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a light source mounted to the inner surface of said rear window.

13. The modular integrated vehicle rear window assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said camera captures images at periodic intervals and said light source is periodically activated to emit light at during those intervals when said camera is not capturing images.