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US 8,711,223 B2Granted
Vehicle-mounted camera stabilized passively by vibration isolators
AssigneeFLIR Systems, Inc.
InventorBruce Ellison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System, including method and apparatus, for imaging with a vehicle-mounted camera having an optical axis that is restricted from angular displacement, in response to vibration, by passive stabilization via a set of vibration isolators.
Claims20
A method of imaging for a vehicle, the method comprising:
- mounting an imaging apparatus to a body of a vehicle, the imaging apparatus including a frame, a payload assembly including a camera, and a plurality of vibration isolators each secured to the payload assembly and the frame such that the frame supports the payload assembly via the vibration isolators, the vibration isolators defining a center of elasticity that is substantially coincident with the center of mass of the payload assembly;
- and
- creating a video signal that is representative of optical radiation detected from an external scene with the camera during travel of the vehicle,
- wherein an optical axis defined by the camera is not adjustable with respect to the body of the vehicle during travel of the vehicle and is restricted from angular displacement, in response to vibration of the vehicle, by passive stabilization via the vibration isolators,
- wherein each of the plurality of vibration isolators defines a compression axis, and wherein the compression axes defined by the plurality of vibration isolators are all disposed in a same plane.
2 more elements
A video system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a payload assembly including a camera;
- a frame adapted to be mounted fixedly to a body of a vehicle;
- and
- a plurality of vibration isolators each secured to the payload assembly and the frame such that the frame supports the payload assembly via the vibration isolators, the vibration isolators defining a center of elasticity that is substantially coincident with the center of mass of the payload assembly,
- wherein an optical axis defined by the camera is restricted from angular displacement with respect to the frame, in response to vibration of the frame, by passive stabilization via the vibration isolators,
- wherein each of the plurality of vibration isolators defines a compression axis, and wherein the compression axes defined by the plurality of vibration isolators are all disposed in a same plane.
3 more elements
A vehicle system with onboard imaging, comprising:
- a vehicle including a vehicle body and a display;
- a payload assembly including a camera that is operatively connected to the display and adapted to create a video signal that is representative of optical radiation detected from an external scene with the camera during travel of the vehicle;
- a frame mounted fixedly to the vehicle body;
- and
- a plurality of vibration isolators each secured to the payload assembly and the frame such that the frame supports the payload assembly via the vibration isolators, the vibration isolators defining a center of elasticity that is substantially coincident with the center of mass of the payload assembly,
- wherein an optical axis defined by the camera is not adjustable with respect to the vehicle body during travel of the vehicle and is restricted from angular displacement, in response to vibration of the vehicle, by passive stabilization via the vibration isolators,
- wherein each of the plurality of vibration isolators defines a compression axis, and wherein the compression axes defined by the plurality of vibration isolators are all disposed in a same plane.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.