Image pickup apparatus of a surrounding area of a vehicle

• US 7,030,907 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Nagao, Mitsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US10/170,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 348/164, 348/294
• US Class Current: 348/164
• 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: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/22 for viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus which is equipped in a vehicle includes an infrared light emitter, an infrared camera and an infrared light sensor. The infrared light emitter irradiates an infrared light towards a surrounding area of the vehicle. The infrared camera performs an image pickup by receiving a reflected infrared light, which is emitted from the infrared light emitter and is reflected by an obstacle present in the surrounding area. The infrared light sensor detects a pulse light ranging from near-infrared region to infrared region, which is irradiated from an oncoming vehicle. The infrared camera delays performing the image pickup when the infrared light sensor detects the pulse light.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus equipped in a vehicle, comprising:

an infrared light emitter configured to irradiate an infrared light towards a surrounding area of said vehicle;

an infrared camera configured to perform an image pickup by receiving a reflected infrared light, which is emitted from said infrared light emitter and is reflected by an obstacle present in said surrounding area; and

an infrared light sensor configured to detect a pulse light ranging from near-infrared region to infrared region irradiated from an oncoming vehicle, wherein;

said infrared camera delays performing the image pickup, when said infrared light sensor detects said pulse light.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said infrared light emitter and the infrared camera are provided at an inner mirror of the vehicle.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a synchronizer, which controls irradiation of said infrared light from said infrared light emitter so that the irradiation of said infrared light is intermittently performed and synchronized with a shutter releasing movement of said infrared camera.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said infrared camera stops performing the image pickup while said infrared light sensor detects said pulse light irradiated from the oncoming vehicle so that an occurrence of a whiteout phenomenon caused by said pulse light picked up by said infrared camera is prevented.

4. An image pickup apparatus equipped in a vehicle, comprising:

an infrared light emitter configured to irradiate an infrared light towards a surrounding area of said vehicle;

an infrared camera configured to perform an image pickup by receiving a reflected infrared light, which is emitted from said infrared light emitter and is reflected by an obstacle present in said surrounding area;

an infrared light sensor configured to detect a pulse light ranging from near-infrared region to infrared region irradiated from an oncoming vehicle; and

a control unit configured to delay performing the image pickup by said infrared camera while said pulse light is detected by said infrared light sensor.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control unit comprising:

an infrared light detecting circuit configured to detect whether or not said pulse light is detected by said infrared light sensor;

a shutter control circuit configured to output a shutter un-releasing signal to said infrared camera while said pulse light is detected by said infrared light detecting circuit, and configured to output a shutter releasing signal to said infrared camera at every pickup interval; and

an infrared light emitting circuit configured to output a command signal to the infrared light emitter to irradiate the infrared light while said shutter releasing signal is input to said infrared camera.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control unit delays performing the image pickup by said infrared camera so that an occurrence of a whiteout phenomenon caused by said pulse light picked up by said infrared camera is prevented.