Vehicular vision system

• US 7,344,261 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schofield, Kenneth, Larson, Mark L
• Primary Examiner(s): Pritchett; Joshua L
• Application Number:
  US11/246,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 359/604
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 : with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 : for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 : using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 : characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 : for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 : in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 : for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 : for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8073 : for vehicle security, e.g. parked vehicle surveillance, burglar detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 : for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 : characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• 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: G01J 1/4204 : with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 : arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 : Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 : Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30268 : Vehicle interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 : Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• 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 13/243 : using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/443 : by reading pixels from selected 2D regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 : Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vehicular vision system comprises a photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a predefined arrangement. The photosensor array has a field of view forward of the vehicle that is generally in line with the vehicle'"'"'s primary direction of forward travel. The photosensor array captures an image of at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle within its forward field of view. A control is responsive to an output of the photosensor array. Preferably, the control analyzes particular groupings of photosensor elements of the photosensor array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements of the photosensor array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of the at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicular vision system, said system comprising:

a photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a predefined arrangement;

said photosensor array having a field of view forward of the vehicle that is generally in line with the vehicle'"'"'s primary direction of forward travel;

at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle and within said forward field of view;

a portion of said photosensor array capturing an image of said at least one item of interest;

a control responsive to an output of said photosensor array; and

said control analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said photosensor array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said photosensor array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said photosensor array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photosensor array detects an ambient lighting level below a predetermined level.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein said predetermined level is below approximately 500 lux.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said predefined arrangement comprises an array of rows and columns.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photo sensor array comprises a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) photosensor array.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein an interior cabin of the vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly attaches to one of a windshield and a headliner of the vehicle.

7. The vision system of claim 6, wherein said photo sensor array is incorporated into said interior rearview mirror assembly.

8. The vision system of claim 7, wherein said photosensor array is incorporated into a bracket portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein an interior cabin of the vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly attaches to a windshield of the vehicle and wherein said photosensor array is disposed at or adjacent said interior rearview mirror assembly.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system includes anti-blooming.

11. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control compares image data captured by said photosensor array with stored data.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein said control outputs a vehicle equipment control signal based on the comparison.

13. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control determines peak light levels of a plurality of groupings of photosensor elements of said photosensor array.

14. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control determines a peak light level of at least one grouping of photosensor elements of said photosensor array.

15. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said item of interest comprises a headlight.

16. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said item of interest comprises a taillight.

17. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said item of interest comprises rain.

18. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control controls a headlight system of the vehicle.

19. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control controls a windshield wiper system of the vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said control controls a collision avoidance system of the vehicle.

21. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photosensor array comprises a component of a vehicle-to-vehicle communications system.

22. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photo sensor array comprises a component of a road-to-vehicle communications system.

23. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photosensor array and at least a portion of said control share a common semiconductor substrate.

24. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said photo sensor array is responsive to non-visible illumination.

25. The vision system of claim 24, wherein said non-visible radiation comprises infrared illumination.

26. The vision system of claim 24, wherein said non-visible radiation comprises near-infrared illumination.

27. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of photosensor elements comprises at least 64 photosensor elements.

28. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of photosensor elements comprises at least 6,400 photosensor elements.

29. A vehicular vision system, said system comprising:

a photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a predefined arrangement;

said photosensor array having a field of view forward of the vehicle that is generally in line with the vehicle'"'"'s primary direction of forward travel;

at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle and within said forward field of view;

a portion of said photosensor array capturing an image of said at least one item of interest;

a control responsive to an output of said photosensor array;

said control analyzing particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said photosensor array while ignoring other particular groupings of photosensor elements from said portion of said photosensor array so as to determine at least one of presence, size, shape, contour and motion of said at least one item of interest exterior the vehicle, wherein said particular groupings of photosensor elements and said other particular groupings of photosensor elements are within a region of said photosensor array where an object of interest is expected to be imaged;

wherein said photosensor array comprises a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) photosensor array; and

wherein an interior cabin of the vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein said photosensor array is disposed at or adjacent said interior rearview mirror assembly.

30. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said control compares image data captured by said photosensor array with stored data.

31. The vision system of claim 30, wherein said control outputs a vehicle equipment control signal based on said comparison.

32. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said control determines a peak light level of at least one grouping of photo sensor elements of said photo sensor array.

33. The vision system of claim 32, wherein said control determines peak light levels of a plurality of groupings of photo sensor elements of said photo sensor array.

34. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said item of interest comprises a headlight.

35. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said item of interest comprises a taillight.

36. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said item of interest comprises rain.

37. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said control controls a headlight system of the vehicle.

38. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said control controls a windshield wiper system of the vehicle.

39. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said control controls a collision avoidance system of the vehicle.

40. The vision system of claim 29, wherein said photosensor array is responsive to non-visible illumination.

41. The vision system of claim 40, wherein said non-visible radiation comprises infrared illumination.

42. The vision system of claim 41, wherein said non-visible radiation comprises near-infrared illumination.