JP7267980B2 - vehicle camera - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle camera that is mounted on a vehicle and captures an image of the environment outside the vehicle.

In modern vehicles such as automobiles, this system determines the possibility of a collision with an object in front of it, and if the possibility of a collision is high, automatically activates the brakes to avoid or reduce the damage caused by the collision. The system has been put into practical use.

Vehicles that use this system are equipped with a sensing camera that recognizes objects that exist outside the vehicle. For example, a sensing camera for recognizing an object in front of a vehicle is arranged so that the lens faces the center upper part of the windshield of the vehicle from inside the vehicle, and images the front of the vehicle through the windshield.

If there is a gap between the windshield and the lens, light from below the sensing camera may be reflected by the windshield and enter the lens. When the light reflected by the windshield enters the lens, the image of the light is reflected in the image captured by the sensing camera. In order to prevent this reflection, for example, a reflection prevention hood is provided to extend from below the sensing camera toward the windshield. As a result, the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the reflection prevention hood, and the reflected light is prevented from entering the lens of the sensing camera.

JP 2017-81261 A

In recent years, the standards for advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS) and scenarios for the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) have become more difficult, requiring sensing cameras with wider imaging ranges (detection areas). It is said that

However, when the reflection prevention hood is provided and the imaging range of the sensing camera is widened, the size of the reflection prevention hood is increased accordingly. If the glare-preventing hood protrudes on both sides in the vehicle width direction due to the enlargement of the glare-preventing hood, the protruding portions may obstruct the passenger's view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle camera capable of widening the imaging range and preventing the reflection prevention hood from interfering with the visual field of the occupant.

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle camera according to the present invention is arranged to face a light transmitting member provided in a vehicle in a predetermined direction, and captures an image of the environment outside the vehicle through the light transmitting member; a reflection prevention hood that extends from below the means toward the light transmission member and prevents an image due to light reflected by the light transmission member from being reflected in the imaging range of the imaging means; As it approaches the transparent member, the width in the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction increases, one end in the orthogonal direction is relatively greatly inclined with respect to the predetermined direction, and the other end in the orthogonal direction is inclined with respect to the predetermined direction. relatively small slope.

According to this configuration, the image capturing means is arranged to face the light transmitting member in a predetermined direction, and the anti-reflection hood is provided extending from below the image capturing means toward the light transmitting member. The reflection prevention hood has a width in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. The width of the hood increases as it approaches the light transmitting member, and one end of the anti-reflection hood in the orthogonal direction is relatively greatly inclined with respect to a predetermined direction, relatively small inclination. As a result, the anti-reflection hood protrudes greatly on one side in the orthogonal direction and little protrudes on the other side in the orthogonal direction.

Even if the maximum imaging range of the imaging means is wide-angle, the imaging range is set to the range where the reflected light from the light transmitting member is blocked by the reflection prevention hood, or the imaging range of the imaging means is the reflection prevention hood. By setting the direction of the optical axis of the imaging means so that it overlaps with the range where the reflected light from the light transmitting member is blocked by can be prevented.

In addition, since the reflection prevention hood protrudes greatly to one side in the orthogonal direction, it is possible to widen the imaging range. On the other hand, the anti-reflection hood has a small protrusion on the other side in the orthogonal direction, so that the anti-reflection hood obstructs the view of the occupant seated on the other side in the orthogonal direction with respect to the vehicle camera. can be avoided.

The imaging means may be provided so that the optical axis is inclined to one side in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. As a result, the imaging range of the imaging means can be overlapped with the range where the reflected light from the light transmitting member is blocked by the anti-reflection hood, and the image of the reflected light from the light transmitting member can be reflected in the imaging range of the imaging means. can be prevented.

The predetermined direction may be the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the light transmitting member may be the windshield of the vehicle. In this case, it is preferable that one side in the orthogonal direction is the passenger seat side and the other side is the driver's seat side. As a result, the amount of projection of the reflection prevention hood toward the driver's seat can be suppressed, so that the driver's field of vision can be secured.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the reflection prevention hood from interfering with the passenger's field of view while widening the imaging range.

1 is a perspective view of a vehicle camera according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the vehicle camera is mounted on a vehicle; FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle camera and camera cover shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle camera and camera cover shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the vehicle camera shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining an imaging range of the camera shown in FIG. 1; 2 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining an imaging range of the camera shown in FIG. 1; FIG. It is a perspective view of the vehicle camera which concerns on a modification, and shows the state in which the vehicle camera was mounted in the vehicle. 7 is a front view of the vehicle camera and camera cover shown in FIG. 6; FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the vehicle camera and camera cover shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 7 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining an imaging range of the camera shown in FIG. 6; 7 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the imaging range of the camera shown in FIG. 6; FIG.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Mechanical Configuration of Vehicle Camera>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle camera 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the vehicle camera 1 is mounted on a vehicle 2. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle camera 1 and the camera cover 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle camera 1 and the camera cover 4. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle camera 1 is installed in a vehicle 2 that employs a driving support system as a sensing camera that recognizes the external world of the vehicle 2, particularly an object existing in front of the vehicle. The driving support system has, for example, a collision avoidance support brake function that automatically activates the brakes in response to the possibility of collision between the vehicle 2 and an object in front of it to avoid a collision or reduce the damage caused by the collision. A Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) function that keeps the vehicle in the lane it is traveling in, an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) function that keeps the vehicle 2 in line with the preceding vehicle, and parks the vehicle 2. It has one or more of a parking assist function to assist steering when parking in place and a blind spot monitor (BSM) function to monitor the driver's blind spots.

The vehicle camera 1 is arranged in front of the rearview mirror 3 of the vehicle 2 so as to face the center upper portion of the windshield (not shown) in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction). The vehicle camera 1 is held by the camera cover 4 with its lower surface, rear surface, and both side surfaces covered with the camera cover 4 , and the camera cover 4 is fixed to the ceiling 5 of the vehicle 2 so as to be attached to the vehicle 2 . It is attached.

The vehicle camera 1 includes a camera body 11 and a reflection prevention hood 12 attached to the camera body 11 .

A camera 13 is provided in the camera body 11 . The cameras 13 are spaced apart in the left-right direction and arranged with the lenses 14 directed toward the windshield (front).

The reflection prevention hood 12 has a substantially plate shape and extends forward and downward from the front surface of the camera body 11 . Specifically, the reflection prevention hood 12 integrally includes a hood body portion 15 , hood side portions 16 and 17 and a contact portion 18 . The hood main body 15 has a plate-like shape, and its rear end edge is arranged below the camera 13 at substantially the same position as the front end of the camera 13 and extends forward and downward from that position. The hood main body 15 is formed wider in the left-right direction toward the front, and the left end thereof is inclined at a larger angle of inclination with respect to the front-rear direction than the right end. The hood side portions 16 and 17 rise upward from the left and right ends of the hood body portion 15, respectively. A front end portion 19 of the left hood side portion 16 is bent inward (center side of the hood body portion 15 in the left-right direction). The contact portion 18 extends outward from the upper end of the front end portion 19 of the hood side portion 16 .

A black ceramic is printed on the periphery of the windshield of the vehicle 2 . The contact portion 18 of the reflection prevention hood 12 contacts the windshield outside the range where the black ceramic is printed, and the rest of the reflection prevention hood 12, that is, the hood main body portion 15 and the hood side portions 16 and 17, away from the windshield. Also, the right hood side portion 17 faces the windshield in the front-rear direction within the black ceramic print range. The black ceramic is not printed on the portion of the windshield that is within the field of view of the camera 13 so as not to interfere with the imaging by the camera 13 .

<Electrical Configuration of Vehicle Camera>
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vehicle camera 1. As shown in FIG.

The camera 13 includes an imaging device (imager, image sensor) 21 that captures an image of the field of view of the lens 14 through the lens 14 . The angle of view (viewing angle) of the lens 14 is, for example, within the range of 80° to 160°.

The vehicle camera 1 also includes an image processing section 22 . Image data captured by the imaging element 21 is input to the image processing unit 22 . The image processing unit 22 has a microcontroller with a built-in CPU and memory, and performs image processing on the image data input from the image pickup device 21 to acquire information used for the functions of the driving support system. do. The information acquired by the image processing is transmitted from the image processing section 22 to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle by communication using CAN (Controller Area Network) communication protocol.

Further, the image processing section 22 substantially includes an imaging range setting section 23 for individually setting the imaging range of the camera 13 as a functional processing section.

<Imaging range>
5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the imaging range of the camera 13. FIG.

The camera 13 is arranged such that its optical axis extends in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 5A. The maximum imaging range (maximum field of view) of the camera 13 is the angle of view of the lens 14, and is hatched downward to the left in FIG. 5A. The imaging range setting unit 23 sets the imaging range of the camera 13 within the maximum imaging range to the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the reflection prevention hood 12, that is, the cross-hatched range in FIG. 5A. set. Accordingly, in the image processing unit 22, the image data obtained by imaging the respective set imaging ranges from the image data input from the imaging device 21 is subjected to image processing.

Also, as shown in FIG. 5B, the orientation of the optical axis of the camera 13 is such that the imaging range (maximum imaging range) of the camera 13 overlaps the range in which the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the reflection prevention hood 12. The camera 13 may be arranged with a tilt to the left. In this case, the imaging range setting section 23 can be omitted from the image processing section 22 .

<Effect>
As described above, the camera 13 is arranged to face the windshield in the front-rear direction, and the reflection prevention hood 12 is provided to extend from below the camera 13 toward the windshield. The reflection prevention hood 12 has a width in the left-right direction, which is the vehicle width direction. The width of the anti-reflection hood 12 increases as it approaches the windshield. slightly sloping. As a result, the reflection prevention hood 12 protrudes greatly to the left side and protrudes less to the right side.

Even if the maximum imaging range of the camera 13 is wide-angle, the reflection prevention hood 12 sets the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the imaging range, or the imaging range of the camera 13 is the reflection prevention hood. By setting the direction of the optical axis of the camera 13 so that it overlaps the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by 12, the image due to the reflected light from the windshield is prevented from being reflected in the imaging range of the camera 13. can.

In addition, since the reflection prevention hood 12 protrudes greatly to the left side, it is possible to widen the imaging range. On the other hand, since the projection of the reflection prevention hood 12 to the right is small, the reflection prevention hood 12 is positioned on the right side of the occupant seated on the right side of the vehicle camera 1, that is, in a right-hand drive vehicle. It is possible to avoid obstructing the driver's view seated in the driver's seat.

Further, the contact portion 18 of the reflection prevention hood 12 contacts the windshield, and the rest of the reflection prevention hood 12, that is, the hood main body portion 15 and the hood side portions 16 and 17 are separated from the windshield. As a result, the wind from the defroster of the vehicle 2 passes between the reflection prevention hood 12 and the windshield and hits the area of the windshield facing the camera 13 (the area where the black ceramic is not printed). It is possible to eliminate frost formation, icing and condensation in the Therefore, the vehicle camera 1 can satisfactorily image the outside world through the windshield.

<Modification>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can also be implemented in other forms.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the vehicle camera 1 may adopt a configuration that is left-right inverted from the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 6 to 8, the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is left-right reversed, so that the front end of the right hood side portion 17 is bent inward, and the upper end of the front end is bent inward. A contact portion 18 extends outwardly from the . The configurations shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are suitable when the vehicle 2 is a left-hand drive vehicle.

9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining the imaging range of the camera 13. FIG.

In the vehicle camera 1 configured as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the camera 13 is arranged such that the optical axis extends in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 9A. The maximum imaging range (maximum field of view) of the camera 13 is the angle of view of the lens 14, and is hatched downward to the left in FIG. 9A. The image pickup range setting unit 23 (see FIG. 4) defines the image pickup range of the camera 13 within the maximum image pickup range as the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the reflection prevention hood 12, that is, the cross hatched area in FIG. 9A. set within the specified range. Accordingly, in the image processing unit 22, the image data obtained by imaging the respective set imaging ranges from the image data input from the imaging device 21 is subjected to image processing.

Also, as shown in FIG. 9B, the orientation of the optical axis of the camera 13 is such that the imaging range (maximum imaging range) of the camera 13 overlaps the range in which the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the reflection prevention hood 12. The camera 13 may be arranged so as to be tilted to the right. In this case, the imaging range setting section 23 can be omitted from the image processing section 22 .

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the right end of the anti-reflection hood 12 is inclined relatively large in the front-rear direction, and the left end is inclined relatively small in the front-rear direction. ing. As a result, the anti-reflection hood 12 protrudes greatly to the right side and protrudes less to the left side.

Even if the maximum imaging range of the camera 13 is wide-angle, the reflection prevention hood 12 sets the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by the imaging range, or the imaging range of the camera 13 is the reflection prevention hood. By setting the direction of the optical axis of the camera 13 so that it overlaps the range where the reflected light from the windshield is blocked by 12, the image due to the reflected light from the windshield is prevented from being reflected in the imaging range of the camera 13. can.

In addition, since the reflection prevention hood 12 protrudes greatly to the right in the orthogonal direction, it is possible to widen the imaging range. On the other hand, since the projection of the reflection prevention hood 12 to the left is small, if the reflection prevention hood 12 is seated on the left side of the vehicle camera 1, that is, if the vehicle is a left-hand drive vehicle, the left side It is possible to avoid obstructing the driver's view seated in the driver's seat.

Although the vehicle camera 1 is arranged facing the windshield, for example, it may be arranged facing the rear glass and used as a rear camera for imaging the rear of the vehicle 2, or facing the side glass. , and may be used as a side camera that captures an image of the side of the vehicle 2 .

In addition, although the vehicle camera 1 is a monocular camera, the vehicle camera 1 includes a stereo camera having two cameras on the left and right, a trinocular camera having three cameras arranged side by side, and four cameras. It can also be applied to a multi-lens camera in which the above cameras are arranged side by side.

In addition, various design changes can be made to the above configuration within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1: Vehicle camera 2: Vehicle 12: Reflection prevention hood 13: Camera (imaging means)

Claims (3)

an imaging means arranged to face a light transmitting member provided in the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and capturing an image of the environment outside the vehicle through the light transmitting member;
a reflection prevention hood that extends from below the imaging means toward the light transmission member and prevents an image due to light reflected by the light transmission member from being reflected in the imaging range of the imaging means;
The anti-reflection hood increases in width in a vehicle width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction as it approaches the light-transmitting member, and one end in the vehicle width direction is relatively greatly inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. and an end on the other side in the vehicle width direction is inclined relatively small with respect to the front- rear direction . 2. The vehicle camera according to claim 1, wherein said imaging means is provided so that an optical axis thereof is inclined to one side in said vehicle width direction with respect to said longitudinal direction. The light transmitting member is a windshield of the vehicle,
The one side is a passenger seat side,
3. The vehicle camera according to claim 1, wherein said other side is a driver's seat side.

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