Method for determining windshield condition and an improved vehicle imaging system
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorStephen Fox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imaging system for use in a vehicle is disclosed wherein the imaging system images an object spaced apart from the vehicle in a first configuration and images an object supported by the vehicle in a second configuration. The imaging system may include a fluid lens. An imaging system for use in a vehicle is disclosed wherein the imaging system has a first configuration corresponding to a first imaging application and a second configuration corresponding to a second imaging application. The imaging system may include a fluid lens.
Claims29
An imaging system for use with a vehicle, the vehicle including a window through which light is transmitted, the imaging system comprising:
- a detector which provides an image of the light transmitted through the window;
- imaging optics having a first configuration wherein an object spaced apart from the vehicle is imaged onto the detector and a second configuration wherein at least a portion of the window is imaged onto the detector;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the imaging optics, the controller configured to adjust the imaging optics to place the imaging optics in the first configuration to image the object spaced apart from the vehicle and further configured to adjust the imaging optics to place the imaging optics in the second configuration to image the portion of the window.
An imaging system for use with a vehicle, the vehicle including a window through which light is transmitted, the imaging system comprising:
- a detector which provides an image of the light transmitted through the window;
- imaging optics having a first configuration wherein a first object spaced apart from the vehicle is imaged onto the detector and a second configuration wherein a second object supported by the vehicle is imaged onto the detector;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the imaging optics, the controller configured to adjust the imaging optics to place the imaging optics in the first configuration to image the first object and further configured to adjust the imaging optics to place the imaging optics in the second configuration to image the second object.
An imaging system for use with a vehicle, the vehicle including a window through which light is transmitted, the imaging system comprising:
- a detector which provides an image of the light transmitted through the window;
- imaging optics including a variable focus lens positioned to focus light on the detector, the imaging optics having a first configuration corresponding to a first imaging application analyzing one or more objects spaced apart from the vehicle and having a second configuration corresponding to a second imaging application analyzing one or more objects spaced apart from the vehicle;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the variable focus lens, the controller configured to adjust a shape the variable focus lens, wherein the first imaging configuration corresponds to a first shape of the variable focus lens and the second imaging configuration corresponds to a second shape of the variable focus lens.
A method for detecting problems with an imaging system for a vehicle, the imaging system looking at a scene through a window of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying a degraded optical quality of the window with an optical system having a variable focus lens;
- and
- alerting a driver of the vehicle of the degraded optical quality of the window.
A method for detecting problems with an imaging system for a vehicle, the imaging system looking at a scene through a window of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- imaging the scene with the imaging system;
- adjusting the imaging system to image at least a portion of the window;
- imaging the at least a portion of the window;
- and
- analyzing the imaged portion of the window to detect if a degraded optical quality of the window is present.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.