US 10,958,830 B2Granted

Vehicle vision system with infrared LED synchronization

AssigneeMagna Electronics Inc.

InventorKrishna Koravadi

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Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle, an infrared light emitting diode disposed at the vehicle and operable to illuminate a region at least partially within the field of view of the camera, and a control having an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera. The camera captures frames of image data at a first rate, and the infrared light emitting diode is pulsed at a second rate, with the first rate being faster than and a multiple of the second rate. The control processes captured frames of image data when the region is illuminated for a first driving assist function of the vehicle and processes captured frames of image data when the region is not illuminated for a second driving assist function.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle;
an infrared light emitting diode disposed at the vehicle and operable to illuminate a region at least partially within the field of view of said camera;
a control comprising an image processor that processes image data captured by said camera;
wherein said camera captures frames of image data at a first rate;
wherein said infrared light emitting diode is pulsed at a second rate;
wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate;
wherein said control processes first frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a first driving assist function of the vehicle;
wherein said control processes second frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is not illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a second driving assist function of the vehicle;
and
wherein the first driving assist function comprises a night vision function of the vehicle, and wherein the second driving assist function comprises a headlamp control function of the vehicle.

7 more elements

A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle;
an infrared light emitting diode disposed at the vehicle and operable to illuminate a region at least partially within the field of view of said camera;
a control comprising an image processor that processes image data captured by said camera;
wherein said camera captures frames of image data at a first rate;
wherein said infrared light emitting diode is pulsed at a second rate;
wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate;
wherein said control processes first frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a first driving assist function of the vehicle;
wherein said control processes second frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is not illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a second driving assist function of the vehicle;
wherein the infrared light emitting diode is pulsed on and off at the second rate;
wherein said control does not process frames of image data captured by said camera for the first driving assist function when the region is not illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode;
and
wherein the first driving assist function comprises a night vision function of the vehicle, and wherein the second driving assist function comprises a headlamp control function of the vehicle.

9 more elements

A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle;
wherein the camera comprises a rear backup camera disposed at the vehicle so as to have its field of view at least rearward of the vehicle;
an infrared light emitting diode disposed at the vehicle and operable to illuminate a region at least partially within the field of view of said camera;
wherein said infrared light emitting diode comprises one of a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes;
a control comprising an image processor that processes image data captured by said camera;
wherein said camera captures frames of image data at a first rate;
wherein said infrared light emitting diode is pulsed at a second rate;
wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate;
wherein said control processes first frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a first driving assist function of the vehicle;
wherein said control processes second frames of image data captured by said camera when the region is not illuminated by said infrared light emitting diode for a second driving assist function of the vehicle;
and
wherein the first driving assist function comprises a night vision function of the vehicle, and wherein the second driving assist function comprises a headlamp control function of the vehicle.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/411,170Filed 14 May 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 24 May 2018
Published: US 2019/0364199 A128 Nov 2019
Granted: 23 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H04N 23/665
Control of cameras or camera modules: involving internal camera communication with the image sensor, e.g. synchronising or multiplexing SSIS…
B60R 1/23
For viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle: with a predetermined field of view
B60R 1/30
Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted…:…
H04N 23/20
Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only