US 8,977,008 B2Granted

Driver assistance system for vehicle

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsJoseph Camilleri, Joel S. Gibson, Kenneth Schofield

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Abstract

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imager disposed in the vehicle and viewing forward of the vehicle through the vehicle windshield. The imager has a field of view exterior the vehicle and is operable to capture image data. The imager includes (i) a lens, (ii) a spectral filter and (iii) a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements. The system includes a control that may be operable to process captured image data for at least a first application and a second application, with the first application including lane departure warning and the second application selected from the group consisting of (i) headlamp control, (ii) vehicle detection and (iii) rain sensing. The control may be operable to adjust a parameter or setting of the imager.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system and viewing one of (i) forward of the equipped vehicle through a windshield of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle;
said imager having a field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and operable to capture color video images;
said imager comprising (i) a lens, (ii) a spectral filter and (iii) a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;
a control comprising an image processor;
wherein said control is operable to process captured video images for at least a first application and a second application, and wherein said first application is selected from the group consisting of (i) headlamp control, (ii) vehicle detection, (iii) rain sensing, (iv) lane departure warning, (v) ambient light sensing, (vi) collision avoidance, (vii) driving separation indication, (viii) backup assist and (ix) object detection;
wherein said second application is another application selected from the group consisting of (i) headlamp control, (ii) vehicle detection, (iii) rain sensing, (iv) lane departure warning, (v) ambient light sensing, (vi) collision avoidance, (vii) driving separation indication, (viii) backup assist and (ix) object detection;
wherein said control is operable to adjust a parameter of said imager;
a display disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein said control is operable to provide color management for display of captured color video images by said display;
wherein said imager communicates an image signal to said display via a communication link, and wherein a display microcontroller affects the image signal in response to at least one user input, and wherein said control monitors the image signal on said communication link and adjusts a function of said imager in response to a detection of the affected image signal, and wherein said display microcontroller affects the image signal by disabling a video termination at said display.

8 more elements

A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system and one of (i) viewing forward of the equipped vehicle through a windshield of the equipped vehicle and (ii) viewing rearward of the equipped vehicle;
said imager having a field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and operable to capture color video images;
said imager comprising (i) a lens, (ii) a spectral filter and (iii) a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;
a control comprising an image processor;
wherein said control is operable to at least two of (i) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for headlamp detection, (ii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for ambient light detection, (iii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for vehicle detection, (iv) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for rain detection, (v) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for lane detection, (vi) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for collision avoidance, (vii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for driving separation indication, (viii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for backup assist and (ix) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for object detection;
wherein said control is operable to adjust at least one of (a) a setting of said imager, (b) a sensitivity of said imager and (c) a focus of said imager;
a display disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein said control is operable to provide color management for display of
captured color video images by said display;
wherein said imager communicates an image signal to said display via a communication link, and wherein a display microcontroller affects the image signal in response to at least one user input, and wherein said control monitors the image signal on said communication link and adjusts a function of said imager in response to a detection of the affected image signal, and wherein said display microcontroller affects the image signal by disabling a video termination at said display.

8 more elements

A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system and one of (i) viewing forward of the equipped vehicle through a windshield of the equipped vehicle and (ii) viewing rearward of the equipped vehicle;
said imager having a field of view exterior the equipped vehicle and operable to capture color video images;
said imager comprising (i) a lens, (ii) a spectral filter and (iii) a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;
a control comprising an image processor;
wherein said control is operable to at least two of (i) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for headlamp detection, (ii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for ambient light detection, (iii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for vehicle detection and (iv) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for rain detection, (v) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for lane detection, (vi) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for collision avoidance, (vii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for driving separation indication, (viii) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for backup assist and (ix) process captured video images in a manner that is suitable for object detection;
wherein said control is operable to adjust a setting of said imager;
a display disposed in the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein said control is operable to provide color management for display of
captured color video images by said display;
wherein said imager communicates an image signal to said display via a communication link, and wherein a display microcontroller affects the image signal in response to at least one user input, and wherein said control monitors the image signal on said communication link and adjusts a function of said imager in response to a detection of the affected image signal, and wherein said display microcontroller affects the image signal by disabling a video termination at said display.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/936,701Filed 8 Jul 2013 · continuation
Priority: 30 Sep 2004
Published: US 2013/0293715 A17 Nov 2013
Granted: 10 Mar 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification29 codes

H04N 7/183
Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast: for receiving images from a single remote source
B60R 1/28
For viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle: with an adjustable field of view
G06V 20/56
Context or environment of the image: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
G06V 20/58
Exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle: recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians;…

Family

Application60/614,644Us provisional application · filed 30 Sep 2004
Application60/628,709Us provisional application · filed 17 Nov 2004
Application11/239,980Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Sep 2005
Application13/017,353Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Jan 2011
US 7,881,496 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Feb 2011
Application13/481,100Parent of this continuation · filed 25 May 2012
US 8,189,871 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 29 May 2012
US 2013/0293715 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Nov 2013
US 8,483,439 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2006/0125919 A1Published application
US 2011/0122249 A1Published application
US 2012/0236150 A1Published application
US 8,977,008 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.