Photosensitive sensor and applications in the automotive field

• US 7,491,939 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Fleury, Benoist
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRYANT, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/401,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20060226365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/338.4, 250/339.01, 250/339.05, 356/51, 359/885
• US Class Current: 250/339.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0204 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02162 for filtering or shielding light, e.g. multicolour filters for photodetectors

Abstract

The invention concerns a sensor that is photosensitive vis-à-vis at least part of the radiation in the infrared range and at least part of the radiation in the visible range. This sensor is provided with a filter affecting all or part of a receiving zone of the sensor and able to filter radiation in the wavelengths to which the sensor is sensitive according to a filtering level that varies locally.

Claims

1. A sensor photosensitive in relation to at least part of the radiation in the infrared and at least part of the radiation in the visible range, wherein the sensor comprises a filter affecting all or part of a receiving zone of the sensor and able to filter radiation in wavelengths to which the sensor is sensitive according to a degree of filtering that varies locally;

wherein said receiving zone comprises a plurality of zones, said filter providing infrared filtering of different levels to said plurality of zones;

wherein said filter filters only a top portion or a bottom portion of said receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter filters radiation in the infrared, radiation in the near infrared.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter has a degree of filtering of the radiation that is uniform or varies locally.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said receiving zone of the sensor is disposed, in the position of use, in a substantially vertical or oblique plane, and in that the filter affects a part of the receiving zone, situated at the bottom or top part of the receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

5. The sensor according to claim 4, wherein said receiving zone of the sensor is disposed, in the position of use, in a substantially vertical or oblique plane, and in that the filter affects at least the bottom or top quarter or third of the height of the receiving zone.

6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter affects at least, in particular at least 30% or at least 50%, of the surface of the receiving zone.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter affects no more than 65%, no more than 60% or no more than 50%, of the surface of the receiving zone.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter has a substrate provided with at least one thin film of the interferential type or a lacquer or which is self-filtering.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter has a substrate comprising at least one active zone provided with a thin film or films of the interferential type or a lacquer or coating or at least one neutral zone with no thin films or lacquer or coating.

10. The sensor according to claim 9, wherein said receiving zone has at least two zones provided with a thin film or films or lacquer or coating with different natures and/or numbers and/or thicknesses.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said filter is disposed on or close to the sensor, or in or close to an intermediate image plane of the said sensor.

12. The sensor according to claim 1, which is associated with a lens comprising an optical means of the lens type provided with a plurality of microlenses with constant or variable step and/or focal distance.

13. The sensor according to claim 1, which is incorporated in a motor vehicle.

14. The sensor according to claim 1, which serves as a daytime or night-time sensor.

15. The sensor according to claim 1, which is integrated in a night vision function of a motor vehicle.

16. Image processing device installed on a motor vehicle, which uses at least one sensor according to claim 1.

17. Image processing method, which uses the signals received by a sensor installed on a motor vehicle according to claim 1.

18. A motor vehicle, which is provided with the sensor according to claim 1.

19. A sensor photosensitive in relation to at least part of the radiation in the infrared and at least part of the radiation in the visible range, wherein the sensor comprises a filter affecting all or part of a receiving zone of the sensor and able to filter radiation in wavelengths to which the sensor is sensitive according to a degree of filtering that varies locally;

wherein said filter affects substantially all the surface of said receiving zone of the sensor, with a degree of filtering that is gradual according to the height of the receiving zone, in the position of use of the sensor.

20. A vehicle image system for use on a vehicle, said vehicle image system comprising:

a sensor comprising a receiving zone capable of sensing, at least in part, radiation in the infrared and, at least in part, radiation in the visible range; and

a filter associated with said sensor for filtering at least a portion of said receiving zone, said filter removing sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of at least a portion of said receiving zone during the day and, at night, said receiving zone captures sufficient infrared, thereby enabling said sensor to obtain an image of a desired quality during the day and at night;

wherein said filter filters only a bottom portion of said receiving zone.

21. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 20 wherein said sensor is situated in a vertical or oblique plane.

22. A vehicle image system for use on a vehicle, said vehicle image system comprising:

a sensor comprising a receiving zone capable of sensing, at least in part, radiation in the infrared and, at least in part, radiation in the visible range; and

a filter associated with said sensor for filtering at least a portion of said receiving zone, said filter removing sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of at least a portion of said receiving zone during the day and, at night, said receiving zone captures sufficient infrared, thereby enabling said sensor to obtain an image of a desired quality during the day and at night;

wherein said sensor is situated in a vertical or oblique plane;

wherein said filter filters only a bottom portion of said receiving zone.

23. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 22 wherein said filter provides a gradual degree of filtering of said receiving zone.

24. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 22 wherein said filter filters substantially all of said receiving zone.

25. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 22 wherein said filter comprises a substrate that comprises at least one thin film or a lacquer.

26. A vehicle image system for use on a vehicle, said vehicle image system comprising:

a sensor comprising a receiving zone capable of sensing, at least in part, radiation in the infrared and, at least in part, radiation in the visible range; and

a filter associated with said sensor for filtering at least a portion of said receiving zone, said filter removing sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of at least a portion of said receiving zone during the day and, at night, said receiving zone captures sufficient infrared, thereby enabling said sensor to obtain an image of a desired quality during the day and at night;

wherein said receiving zone comprises a plurality of zones, said filter providing infrared filtering of different levels to said plurality of zones;

wherein said filter filters only a top portion or a bottom portion of said receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

27. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 26 wherein said filter comprises a substrate that comprises at least one thin film or a lacquer.

28. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 26 wherein said vehicle image system further comprises at least one lens situated adjacent said filter.

29. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 28 wherein said at least one lens comprises a plurality of microlenses.

30. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 26 wherein said filter filters infrared in the near infrared.

31. The vehicle image system as recited in claim 26 wherein said sensor generates signals for receipt and use by at least one of a night vision system, a lane departure warning system, or an automatic headlight switching system in said vehicle, respectively.

32. A vehicle image system for use on a vehicle, said vehicle image system comprising:

a sensor comprising a receiving zone capable of sensing, at least in part, radiation in the infrared and, at least in part, radiation in the visible range; and

a filter associated with said sensor for filtering at least a portion of said receiving zone, said filter removing sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of at least a portion of said receiving zone during the day and, at night, said receiving zone captures sufficient infrared, thereby enabling said sensor to obtain an image of a desired quality during the day and at night;

wherein said filter filters less than sixty percent of said receiving zone;

wherein said filter filters only a top portion or a bottom portion of said receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

33. A method for facilitating control of a vehicle by capturing images of a desired quality during the day and at night using a sensor having a receiving zone, said method comprising the steps of:

filtering at least a first portion of said receiving zone with a filter to remove sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of said at least a first portion of said receiving zone while capturing a first image during the day, wherein said receiving zone comprises a plurality of zones, said filter providing infrared filtering of different levels to said plurality of zones;

enabling at least a second portion of said receiving zone to capture sufficient infrared at night to obtain a second image of sufficient quality; and

using signals generated by said sensor and corresponding to said first and second images to facilitate controlling the operation of the vehicle by an operator or to trigger a functionality during the day and at night;

wherein said filter filters only a top portion or a bottom portion of said receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

34. The method as recited in claim 33 wherein said at least one first portion corresponds to a bottom portion of said receiving zone.

35. The method as recited in claim 33 wherein said sensor is situated in a vertical or oblique plane.

36. A method for facilitating control of a vehicle by capturing images of a desired quality during the day and at night using a sensor having a receiving zone, said method comprising the steps of:

filtering at least a first portion of said receiving zone with a filter to remove sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of said at least a first portion of said receiving zone while capturing a first image during the day;

enabling at least a second portion of said receiving zone to capture sufficient infrared at night to obtain a second image of sufficient quality; and

using signals generated by said sensor and corresponding to said first and second images to facilitate controlling the operation of the vehicle by an operator or to trigger a functionality during the day and at night;

wherein said at least a first and second portions of said receiving zone are different;

wherein said filter filters only a top portion or a bottom portion of said receiving zone, which corresponds to a bottom part of the object or scene.

37. A method for facilitating control of a vehicle by capturing images of a desired quality during the day and at night using a sensor having a receiving zone, said method comprising the steps of:

filtering at least a first portion of said receiving zone with a filter to remove sufficient infrared radiation to facilitate preventing saturation of said at least a first portion of said receiving zone while capturing a first image during the day;

enabling at least a second portion of said receiving zone to capture sufficient infrared at night to obtain a second image of sufficient quality; and

using signals generated by said sensor and corresponding to said first and second images to facilitate controlling the operation of the vehicle by an operator or to trigger a functionality during the day and at night;

wherein said method further comprises the step of filtering only a bottom portion of said receiving zone.

38. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein said method further comprises the step of gradually filtering said receiving zone.

39. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein said method further comprises the step of filtering substantially all of said receiving zone.

40. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein said filter comprises a substrate that comprises at least one thin film or a lacquer.

41. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein the method further comprises the step of:

coupling said sensor to at least one of a night vision system, a lane departure warning system, or an automatic headlight switching system in said vehicle;

using signals generated by said sensor to control at least one of said night vision system, said lane departure warning system, or said automatic headlight switching system in said vehicle, respectively.