Vehicle with a catadioptric camera

• US 7,499,644 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Wuerz-Wessel, Alexander, Franke, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval; Melissa J
• Application Number:
  US10/543,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20060078328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 396/429, 359/725, 359/729, 359/366, 359/859, 359/435, 359/740, 340/903, 340/932.2, 340/118, 340/435, 340/E7.087, 340/E7.088, 340/461, 340/436, 348/118, 348/148, 348/E7.087, 348/E7.088, 382/293
• US Class Current: 396/429
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising at least one catadioptric camera (2), which is mounted on the vehicle and which has an optical axis (5) and at least one first mirror (6) that is arranged on the optical axis. The optical axis (5) of the camera (2) is slanted relative to a vertical (9).

Claims

1. A vehicle (1) with at least one catadioptric camera (2) fitted on the vehicle (1), which has an optical axis (5) and at least a curved first mirror (6) arranged on the optical axis, wherein the optical axis (5) is inclined by an angle α

with respect to an upward vertical (9) that is perpendicular to a vehicle base, wherein the camera remains so oriented, that it'"'"'s field of view continuously encompasses both a fender (15) of the vehicle and a horizontal (10), such that distant objects can be detected, wherein the field of view is bounded by an upper cone (12) with a semivertex angle β

, which is centered on the optical axis (5), the angles α and

β

satisfying the following inequality;

β

<

90°

−

α

.

2. The vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catadioptric camera (2) has a second mirror (8), which is arranged opposite the first mirror (6) on the optical axis.

3. The vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a catadioptric camera (2) is mounted on the front and/or the rear of the vehicle (1).

4. A vehicle (1) with at least one catadioptric camera (2) fitted on the vehicle (1), which has an optical axis (5) and at least a curved first mirror (6) arranged on the optical axis, wherein the optical axis (5) is inclined by an angle α

with respect to an upward vertical (9) that is perpendicular to a vehicle base, wherein the camera remains so oriented, that it'"'"'s field of view continuously encompasses both a fender (15) of the vehicle and a horizontal (10), such that distant objects can be detected, wherein the field of view of the catadioptric camera (2) is bounded by a lower cone (13) with a semivertex angle χ

, which is centered on the optical axis (5), the semivertex angle χ

being greater than the angle α

.

5. A vehicle (1) with at least one catadioptric camera (2) fitted on the vehicle (1), which has an optical axis (5) and at least a curved first mirror (6) arranged on the optical axis, wherein the optical axis (5) is inclined by an angle α

with respect to an upward vertical (9) that is perpendicular to a vehicle base, wherein the camera remains so oriented, that it'"'"'s field of view continuously encompasses both a fender (15) of the vehicle and a horizontal (10), such that distant objects can be detected, wherein the field of view of the catadioptric camera (2) is bounded by a lower cone (13) with a semivertex angle χ

, which is centered on the optical axis (5), the angles χ and

α

satisfying the following inequality;

χ

<

α

+30°

.

6. A vehicle (1) with at least one catadioptric camera (2) fitted on the vehicle (1), which has an optical axis (5) and at least a curved first mirror (6) arranged on the optical axis, wherein the optical axis (5) is inclined by an angle α

with respect to an upward vertical (9) that is perpendicular to a vehicle base, wherein the camera remains so oriented, that it'"'"'s field of view continuously encompasses both a fender (15) of the vehicle and a horizontal (10), such that distant objects can be detected, wherein the field of view of a catadioptric camera is bounded by conical blind regions, wherein the incline of the optical axis (5) of the camera (2) with respect to the vertical is maintained such that the camera can also observe spatial regions in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle which would lie in the blind regions of the camera if its optical axis was arranged vertically, and wherein the incline of the optical axis (5) is selected so that the vehicle completely fills up one of the blind regions.

7. A vehicle (1) with at least one catadioptric camera (2) fitted on the vehicle (1), which has an optical axis (5) and at least a curved first mirror (6) arranged on the optical axis, wherein the optical axis (5) is inclined by an angle α

with respect to an upward vertical (9) that is perpendicular to a vehicle base, wherein the camera remains so oriented, that it'"'"'s field of view continuously encompasses both a fender (15) of the vehicle and a horizontal (10), such that distant objects can be detected, wherein the at least one catadioptric camera (2) is retractable so that it is fully retracted and no longer protruded from a surface of the vehicle when it is not needed, and deployable when it is needed.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the camera is covered when it is in a retracted state to protect it from effects of dirt, whether and airflow and provide esthetic appearance of the vehicle.