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US 10,317,771 B2Granted
Driver assistance apparatus and vehicle
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsJooyoung Kim, Hun Kim, Wonsuk Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle camera includes an image sensor and a variable lens. The variable lens includes a liquid crystal layer that includes liquid crystal molecules having an arrangement that depends on a voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer. The variable lens is configured to, based on the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the image sensor.
Claims23
A vehicle camera comprising:
- an image sensor;
- a variable lens comprising a liquid crystal layer that comprises liquid crystal molecules having an arrangement that depends on a voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer,
- the variable lens configured to, based on the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the image sensor;
- a housing that defines an external appearance of the vehicle camera, the housing configured to accommodate the image sensor and the variable lens, wherein the housing comprises a holder for supporting the variable lens;
- and
- at least one hot wire configured to supply heat to the variable lens,
- wherein the holder of the housing comprises:
- a first fixing portion configured to support a first surface of the variable lens, wherein the first fixing portion comprises (i) a first ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the first surface of the variable lens;
- and
- a second fixing portion configured to support a second surface of the variable lens, wherein the second fixing portion comprises (i) a second ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the second surface of the variable lens, and
- wherein the at least one hot wire comprises:
- a first hot wire formed on the first ridged portion of the first fixing portion of the holder of the housing;
- and
- a second hot wire formed on the second ridged portion of the second fixing portion of the holder of the housing.
11 more elements
A vehicle camera comprising:
- an image sensor;
- a first variable lens comprising a first liquid crystal layer comprising first liquid crystal molecules having a first arrangement that depends on a first voltage applied to the first liquid crystal layer, the first variable lens configured to, based on the first arrangement of the first liquid crystal molecules in the first liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the image sensor;
- a second variable lens disposed between the image sensor and the first variable lens, the second variable lens comprising a second liquid crystal layer comprising second liquid crystal molecules having a second arrangement that depends on a second voltage applied to the second liquid crystal layer, the second variable lens configured to, based on the second arrangement of the second liquid crystal molecules in the second liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the image sensor,
- a housing that defines an external appearance of the vehicle camera, the housing configured to accommodate the image sensor, the first variable lens, and the second variable lens, wherein the housing comprises a holder for supporting the first variable lens and the second variable lens;
- and
- at least one hot wire configured to supply heat to at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens,
- wherein the holder of the housing comprises:
- a first fixing portion configured to support a first surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, wherein the first fixing portion comprises (i) a first ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the first surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens;
- and
- a second fixing portion configured to support a second surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, wherein the second fixing portion comprises (i) a second ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the second surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, and
- wherein the at least one hot wire comprises:
- a first hot wire formed on the first ridged portion of the first fixing portion of the holder of the housing;
- and
- a second hot wire formed on the second ridged portion of the second fixing portion of the holder of the housing.
11 more elements
A vehicle stereo camera comprising:
- a first image sensor;
- a first variable lens comprising a first liquid crystal layer comprising first liquid crystal molecules having a first arrangement that depends on a first voltage applied to the first liquid crystal layer, the first variable lens configured to, based on the first arrangement of first liquid crystal molecules in the first liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the first image sensor;
- a second image sensor;
- a second variable lens comprising a second liquid crystal layer comprising second liquid crystal molecules having a second arrangement that depends on a second voltage applied to the second liquid crystal layer, the second variable lens configured to, based on the second arrangement of second liquid crystal molecules in the second liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the second image sensor;
- at least one processor configured to process a first image acquired via the first image sensor and a second image acquired via the second image sensor,
- a housing that defines an external appearance of the vehicle stereo camera, the housing configured to accommodate the first image sensor, the first variable lens, the second image sensor, and the second variable lens, wherein the housing comprises a holder for supporting the first variable lens and the second variable lens;
- and
- at least one hot wire configured to supply heat to at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens,
- wherein the holder of the housing comprises:
- a first fixing portion configured to support a first surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, wherein the first fixing portion comprises (i) a first ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the first surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens;
- and
- a second fixing portion configured to support a second surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, wherein the second fixing portion comprises (i) a second ridged portion comprising at least one ridge and (ii) at least one furrow configured to contact with at least a portion of the second surface of the at least one of the first variable lens or the second variable lens, and
- wherein the at least one hot wire comprises:
- a first hot wire formed on the first ridged portion of the first fixing portion of the holder of the housing;
- and
- a second hot wire formed on the second ridged portion of the second fixing portion of the holder of the housing.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.