Vehicle imaging system and vehicle control apparatus

• US 8,659,406 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Usami, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/127,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 340/435
• 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 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/40 Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A vehicle imaging system includes an imaging device that images at least a part of an area around a vehicle; and a visible light attenuation device that attenuates part of visible light that enters the imaging device. The imaging device includes an imaging element that converts both of the infrared light and an infrared ray to electric signals. The imaging device outputs both of image data produced based on the electric signal to which the visible light, which has entered the imaging device without passing through the visible light attenuation device, has been converted, and image data produced based on the electric signal to which the infrared ray, which has passed through the visible light attenuation device, has been converted.

Claims

1. A vehicle imaging system comprising:

an imaging device that images at least a part of an area around a vehicle through a front windshield;

a head light assembly including;

a low beam head lamp which emits a visible light to a region ahead of the vehicle, and

an infrared ray projection device that projects an infrared ray to a region ahead of the vehicle, the region to which the infrared ray is projected by the infrared ray projection device being farther from the vehicle than the region to which the visible light is emitted by the low beam head lamp; and

a visible light attenuation device which is directly joined to the front windshield, and

which attenuates part of visible light that enters the imaging device, wherein;

the imaging device includes an imaging element that converts both of the visible light and the infrared ray to electric signals, the imaging device outputs both of image data produced based on the electric signal to which the visible light, which has entered the imaging device without passing through the visible light attenuation device, has been converted, and image data produced based on the electric signal to which the infrared ray, which has passed through the visible light attenuation device, has been converted, and

wherein the visible light attenuation device, which is directly joined to the front windshield and attenuates part of the visible light that enters the imaging element, is disposed such that the infrared ray, which is projected by a high beam head lamp including the infrared ray projection device and is received by the imaging element, passes through the visible light attenuation device, and

wherein the infrared ray projection device is positioned closer to a front end of the vehicle than the front windshield and the imaging device.

2. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 1, wherein:

the imaging device images an area ahead of the vehicle through the front windshield.

3. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 2, wherein:

the visible light attenuation device is disposed to attenuate the visible light that enters the imaging device from the region to which the infrared ray is projected by the infrared ray projection device.

4. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 3, wherein the infrared ray projection device is a high beam head lamp that is composed of a halogen lamp.

5. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a movable filter that is disposed ahead of the infrared ray projection device in a direction in which the infrared ray is projected, and that blocks or attenuate the visible light; and

a drive device that changes a position of the movable filter between a position at which the movable filter covers a front surface of the infrared ray projection device, and a position at which the movable filter is removed from the front surface of the infrared ray projection device.

6. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the visible light attenuation device is disposed between the imaging element and an imaging lens that are provided in the imaging device.

7. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

the vehicle imaging system according to claim 1;

a collision prediction control device that executes a collision prediction control based on the image data that is produced based on the electric signal to which the infrared ray has been converted, and that is output from the imaging device of the vehicle imaging system; and

a lane keeping control device that executes a lane keeping control based on the image data produced based on the electric signal to which the visible light has been converted.

8. The vehicle imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the visible light attenuation device is directly joined to the front windshield by being directly affixed on, inserted into, or integrally formed with the front windshield.