# US 2018/0324367 A1 · Using nir illuminators to improve vehicle camera performance in low light scenarios > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324367 A1 - Document ID: US20180324367A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/586,186 - Filed: 2017-05-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Adil Nizam Siddiqui; Jonathan Diedrich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324367A1 ## CPC - H05B 45/12: using optical feedback - B60R 1/26: to the rear of the vehicle - B60R 1/30: providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision - H04N 23/21: from near infrared [NIR] radiation - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04N 23/76: by influencing the image signals - H04N 23/95: Computational photography systems, e.g. light-field imaging systems - B60R 2300/103: using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source - H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source} - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Method and apparatus are disclosed for using NIR illuminators to improve vehicle camera performance in low light scenarios. An example vehicle includes an illumination system, a rear-view camera, a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator integrated with the illumination system, and a control system. The control system is configured for pulsing the NIR illuminator on and off based on a frame rate of the rear-view camera, and processing images captured by the camera while the NIR illuminator is on separately from images captured while the NIR illuminator is off. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: an illumination system; a rear-view camera; a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator integrated with the illumination system; and a control system for: pulsing the NIR illuminator on and off based on a frame rate of the rear-view camera; and processing images captured by the camera while the NIR illuminator is on separately from images captured while the NIR illuminator is off. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the illumination system comprises a set of LED lights. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the NIR illuminator comprises a set of NIR LEDs mounted between the illumination system set of LED lights. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the NIR illuminator is configured to emit light below 750 nm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system is further for: determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state; and responsively activating the NIR illuminator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, wherein determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state is based on a gain applied to an image captured by the camera. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, wherein determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state is based on an ambient light sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein pulsing the NIR illuminator on and off based on a frame rate of the rear-view camera comprises pulsing the NIR illuminator at half the rate of the rear-view camera, such that half the images captured by the rear-view camera are exposed to NIR light and half the images are not. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein pulsing the NIR illuminator comprises repeatedly turning the illuminator on for a first length of time, and then off for a second length of time, wherein the first length of time corresponds to a length of time for which the rear-view camera accumulates signal for each frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system is further for determining color data based on the images captured while the NIR illuminator is off. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cutoff filter for suppressing light emitted by the NIR illuminator to between 700 and 750 nm. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: illuminating a vehicle rear-view camera field of view with an illumination system; pulsing a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator on an off based on a frame rate of the rear-view camera, wherein the NIR illuminator is integrated with the illumination system; processing images captured by the camera while the NIR illuminator is on separately from images captured while the NIR illuminator is off; and displaying the processed images on a vehicle display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the illumination system comprises a set of LED lights, and wherein the NIR illuminator comprises a set of NIR LEDs mounted between the illumination system LED lights. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the NIR illuminator is configured to emit light below 750 nm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state; and responsively activating the NIR illuminator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state is based on a gain applied to an image captured by the camera. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the rear-view camera is in a low light state is based on an ambient light sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein pulsing the NIR illuminator on and off based on a frame rate of the rear-view camera comprises pulsing the NIR illuminator at half the rate of the rear-view camera, such that half the images captured by the rear-view camera are exposed to NIR light and half the images are not. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein pulsing the NIR illuminator comprises repeatedly turning the illuminator on for a first length of time, and then off for a second length of time, wherein the first length of time corresponds to a length of time for which the camera accumulates signal for each frame. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising determining color data based on the images captured while the NIR illuminator is off.