EP2062083A1

EP2062083A1 - Image acquisition system for applications in motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP2062083A1
Application number: EP07787490A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ulrich Seger; Uwe Apel; Christian Hoellt
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2006-08-30
Filing date: 2007-07-13
Publication date: 2009-05-27
Also published as: CN101512409B; CN101512409A; DE102006040657A1; WO2008025610A1; US8917323B2; DE102006040657B4; US20100026805A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an image acquisition system (110) for use in motor vehicles and to an optical system (310) for use in the automotive sector. The image acquisition system (110) comprises at least one image sensor element (210) having a plurality of image sensors (212) disposed in an image plane (214) and at least one micro-lens arrangement (112) having a plurality of micro-lenses (114). Between the micro-lens arrangement (112) and the at least one image sensor element (210) optionally at least one shadow mask (118) having a plurality of apertures (120) is provided. Each image sensor (212), micro-lens (114) and opening (120) define a recording direction (122) of the image sensor (212). The totality of the recording directions (122) is defined by a main field of vision (124), which forms an angle α of less than 80° with the image plane (214).

Description

description

title

Image capture system for vehicle applications

State of the art

Camera systems for observing and / or recording the interior and / or exterior are already being used today in modern motor vehicles. Thus, for example, indoor camera systems are used to observe vehicle occupants in order, for example, to be able to control safety systems in accordance with occupancy of the seats and / or a current posture of the vehicle occupants. External camera systems are used, for example, as reversing aids, or also, for example, for detecting an advance area in front of the motor vehicle.

Such camera systems, in particular camera systems for detecting the advance range of the motor vehicle, are expediently mounted behind a vehicle window, for example a windshield, in order in particular to protect the sensitive sensors of the camera systems from the extreme environmental effects to which a motor vehicle is exposed. Another effect is that the field of view of the camera systems can be kept free in the rain by the or wiper of the motor vehicle.

In modern motor vehicles, however, windscreens have a comparatively flat angle of attack of approximately 60 degrees to the vertical at the upper edge. There a

However, lens of the camera system for detecting the advance area in front of the motor vehicle must be aligned horizontally, resulting between the lower edge of the

Lens and the windshield a relatively large distance, whereas at the upper edge of the lens, the lens is often almost flush against the windshield. This downward increasing distance or the gap must be covered by one or more stray light curtains to suppress extraneous light from the interior of the vehicle, which could otherwise pass through reflection in the windshield in the optical path of the camera system.

However, the size of these diffusers is subject to various disadvantages. One

Disadvantage exists, for example, that such camera systems with scattered light panels have a total of a large volume of construction, but only a small space of this installed volume is actually used. In addition, the large-area stray light panels are also undesirable from a design point of view. Another disadvantage is that the area of the disc

(See-through window), which is to be kept clear for the camera system, because of the comparatively high distance of the camera optics from the pane, it must be made relatively large, in particular if the camera is designed for a large horizontal detection area.

An essential aspect of the present invention is thus to provide a flat-building imaging system for use in vehicles, especially in motor vehicles. Such flat-building image acquisition systems are already known from other fields of technology. For example, DE 199 17 890 A1 describes a flat-type image acquisition system with a lens matrix arrangement which contains a large number of microlenses arranged side by side. Furthermore, a flat photodetector arrangement is provided. The image capture system is constructed analogously to a compound eye known from the insect world. The photodetector arrangement has a multiplicity of photosensitive pixels, with each pixel usually being provided only with its own lens or even an objective made up of a plurality of lenses. Due to the spatial position of the main points of the lens matrix arrangement and the position of the photosensitive elements of the photodetector each pixel is given its own viewing direction. It is proposed in DE 199 17 890 in particular to provide wristwatches or pocket watches, mobile communication terminals, portable computers, glasses or garments with such flat-building image capture systems.

Similar systems as in DE 199 17 890 A 1 are also described in J. Duparre et al .: "Thin Compound Eye Camera", Applied Optics 44 (15), 2005, pages 2949 et seq. And J. Duparre et al .: " Microoptical telescope compound eye ", Optics Express 13 (3), 2005, pages 889 ff, described. In particular, the first described document further describes that a lock mask can be used, which is selectively positioned with respect to the pixels and the microlenses to specify a viewing direction for the pixels. In addition, it is also proposed to provide opaque walls between the individual channels in order to avoid unwanted crosstalk

To prevent directions (ghosting). Photolithographic techniques for producing the microlenses are proposed. WO 99/26419 also describes a flat-type optoelectronic camera. The camera is based, similar to DE 199 17 890 Al on the use of a matrix of microlenses. Furthermore, a detector is again provided, which consists of individual detectors in the form of sensor pixels.

Disclosure of the invention

A basic idea of the present invention is to use the prior art image acquisition systems in vehicles, especially in motor vehicles. Such compound eye-like imaging systems allow at least partial avoidance of the volume problem described above, as they can be made extremely flat. In particular, the used

Microlens arrays can have a very small size compared to miniature lenses.

As before, however, there is the problem that the known from the prior art image capture systems when using behind inclined windows, in particular behind the windshields described, would have a downwardly increasing distance to the windshield to observe the advance range of the motor vehicle. Another core idea of the invention is therefore to modify the image acquisition systems in such a way that they are optimized for use in motor vehicles. In the above-described image acquisition systems, in particular the image acquisition system described in DE 199 17 890 A1, the opening and thus the acquisition angle of the image acquisition system is determined by the viewing direction of the outermost pixels. Typically, the flat-type cameras are designed symmetrically, ie the pixel located in the middle has a viewing direction that is normal to the plane of the image sensor - A -

stands. This property of the image acquisition systems known from the prior art is accordingly modified according to the invention.

Therefore, an image acquisition system is proposed which has at least one image sensor element with a plurality of image sensors arranged in an image plane and at least one microlens arrangement with a plurality of microlenses.

Optionally, at least one shadow mask with a plurality of openings is arranged between the microlens arrangement and at least one image sensor element.

This may be, for example, a separate component. Alternatively or additionally, the shadow mask can also be integrated with microsystem technology, for example by directly laying on a microelectronic component (for example a

Sensor chip o.a. For example, conductor track structures in a layer plane of the image sensor element can act as a shadow mask for incident light.

In each case, an image sensor and a micro lens (and, optionally, in each case an opening of the shadow mask) define a recording direction of the pixel. The totality of

Shooting directions defines a main direction of vision. For example, this main viewing direction can be defined as the viewing direction of a pixel lying in the center of the image sensor element, or, alternatively or additionally, the main viewing direction can also be defined as "mean value" (for example vector addition, angle averaging). In this case, the main viewing direction of the image acquisition system is set such that the image plane of the image sensor element and the main viewing direction an angle α of less than 80 °, in particular an angle between 15 ° and 40 °, and more preferably between 20 ° and 35 °.

According to the invention, the main viewing direction is adjusted such that the

Imaging system parallel to a standard windshield with an angle between 55 ° and 62 ° can be arranged. The downward distance (gap) can be avoided by this arrangement, while still ensuring a viewing direction approximately horizontally forward. Alternatively, the viewing direction, for example, slightly downward compared to the horizontal be inclined, for example by up to 5 °, in particular to detect a floor area in front of the motor vehicle. Thus, telephoto-type imaging systems are more suitable for alignment with a horizontal main direction of view, whereas short focal length imaging systems are typically used with a slight downward tilt of the main direction of vision, for example the said 5 ° inclination. Other orientations are of course possible.

An image acquisition system designed in this way can thus be mounted flush with the windshield, for example, or with a uniformly thick air gap. It is therefore further proposed an optical system for use in the automotive sector, which has a vehicle with a vehicle window, in particular a windshield, and an inventive imaging system. The image acquisition system is mounted in the vehicle such that the image plane is arranged substantially parallel to the windshield, in particular to an area of the windshield adjacent to the image capture area.

Of course, "essentially" may also be understood as meaning slight deviations from a 0 ° angle, for example deviations of up to 5 °.

Instead of an air gap between the image capture system and the vehicle window, this gap between image capture system and

Automotive glass also with an optical material, d. H. a transparent material for the relevant spectral range, are filled. For example, it is possible to use an optical cement for mounting the image acquisition system on the vehicle window. As a result of this omission of the air gap, disadvantageous influences, such as, for example, fogging or soiling, would also be reliably prevented from the surface of the image acquisition system or the relevant area of the vehicle window.

The proposed imaging system and the proposed optical system thus have significant advantages over conventional imaging systems and optical systems in the automotive field. In addition to the reduced installation space already described, in particular an improvement in the imaging properties is also recorded. This improvement is due, in particular, to the fact that light beams now cover an almost identical path in all areas of the image acquisition system between entry into the vehicle window and impact on the image sensors. Due to the reduced installation space, the visual field limitation, which results for the driver or front passenger when using the image acquisition system or the optical system as a predictive camera, is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the see-through window in the vehicle window is approximately the same size as the vehicle

Image sensor itself, d. H. the covered by the image capture system (and thus "blocked") area of the vehicle window is optimally utilized. Also design aspects of the exterior of the vehicle are significantly improved.

For construction and for the production of the image acquisition system according to the invention, reference may be made to the above cited prior art. In this case, it is advantageous according to the invention if the microlenses are arranged in at least one lens plane, wherein the at least one lens plane and the image plane can preferably be arranged substantially parallel. This parallelism can, in particular, focus the incident light of all the microlenses onto the associated ones

Ensuring image sensors. Again, a slight deviation from the parallelism, for example, a deviation to not more than 5 °, possible. The thickness of the image acquisition system, in particular the distance between a lens plane arranged furthest on the object side and the at least one image sensor element, is advantageously less than 20 mm, particularly advantageously not more than 10 mm.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the image acquisition system has a, in particular adapted to the respective field of application, opening angle. Accordingly, for example, at least one pixel on the edge of the at least one image sensor can have a recording direction which deviates from the main direction of vision by at least 10 °. Advantageously, a horizontal opening angle is used, which is wider than the vertical opening angle of the image acquisition system. For example, the maximum deviation of a pickup direction in a horizontal direction of the at least one image sensor (half horizontal opening angle) may be between 5 ° and 50 °, preferably between 10 ° and 40 °, and in a vertical direction of the at least one image sensor (half vertical angle of aperture). between 2 ° and 40 °, preferably between 5 ° (Tile-like structure) and 20 ° lie. AIs image sensor elements, for example, conventional CCD chips or other image sensor elements can be used according to the prior art. These can for example be used so that each of the image sensors (pixels) of the image sensor element associated with one or more microlenses (full utilization) or, less preferably, only a certain number of

Image sensors are used, whereas remaining image sensors of the image sensor element remain unused.

Furthermore, a scattered light suppression can be provided, wherein the scattered light suppression is arranged to prevent passing through a microlens light passing to a not associated with the microlens opening of the at least one pinhole and / or to a non-microlens associated image sensor. This can for example be realized in that each microlens has a column of an optical material, in particular a straight or oblique cylinder, in particular a circular cylinder or polygonal cylinder, wherein at least one peripheral surface of each column has a light-suppressing property. For the light-suppressing embodiment, reference may be made, for example, to the above cited publication by J. Duparre et al. in Applied Optics.

Description of the drawings:

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a part of a prior art

Image acquisition system with a microlens array and a pinhole;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an image acquisition system according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 shows an optical system according to the invention.

Embodiment: FIG. 1 shows a part of a prior art image acquisition system 110, the structure and manufacture of which are described, for example, in the above-cited publication by J. Duparre et al. in Applied Optics. The image acquisition system 110 includes a microlens array 112 having a plurality of microlenses 114 arranged in a matrix. Each lenslet 114 is associated with a pillar 116 of optical material, which in this case is a vertical pillar.

Furthermore, a shadow mask 118 is provided, which is arranged directly adjacent to the pillars 116 in this embodiment. The shadow mask 118 has a plurality of openings 120, wherein in each case an opening 120 of a lens 114 is assigned. In each case a micro lens 114 and an opening 120 thus define a recording direction 122 of a pixel. The recording direction 122 of the central pixel or central opening 120 in this example defines the

The main viewing direction 124 of the image acquisition system 110. In this prior art imaging system 110, this main viewing direction 124 is perpendicular to the shadow mask 118 and to an image sensor element (not shown in FIG. 1).

Due to the finite diameter d of the openings 120 (which, depending on the shape of the opening 120, the term "diameter" is not to be understood literally), each consisting of a micro lens 114 and an opening 120 arrangement has an acceptance angle, which in FIG 1 is designated Aφ. Adjacent arrangements of one opening 120 and one microlens 114 each have a

Angular deviation ΔΦ on. Adjacent openings 120 have a pitch p _p (pitch). The microlenses 114 in turn have a diameter D and a focal length f, wherein the arrangement in FIG. 1 is configured such that the shadow mask 118 is arranged at a distance f from the focal plane of the microlenses 114.

In contrast, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a flat construction

Imaging system 110 shown according to the invention, which is optimized for mounting on a windshield of a motor vehicle. The image acquisition system again has a microlens array 112 with a plurality of microlenses 114 with a focal length f and a shadow mask 118 having a plurality of openings 120. Furthermore, FIG. 2 also shows an image sensor element 210 arranged directly behind the shadow mask 118 and having a plurality of image sensors 212. The image sensors 212 are arranged flat in an image plane 214 defined by the image sensor element 210.

In the arrangement according to FIG. 2, in each case a respective microlens 114 is assigned an opening 120 in the shadow mask 118 as well as an image sensor 212 of the image sensor element 210. Again, these three elements define a capture direction 122 for that group. For the designations Aφ, ΔΦ, d and p _p , reference is made to FIG.

Again, the image acquisition system 110 according to the arrangement in FIG. 2 has a main viewing direction 124. In contrast to the prior art embodiment according to FIG. 1, however, this main viewing direction 124 deviates from 90 ° in its angular position relative to the image plane 214. The main view direction

124 rather forms an angle a with the image plane 214, which angle is approximately 30 ° in this case. This deviation is realized according to the invention in that the pillars 116 in the embodiment according to FIG. 2 do not represent vertical pillars, but oblique cylindrical pillars which ensure that the microlenses 114 are respectively displaced from the associated openings 120 of the shadow mask 118. Nevertheless, the microlenses 114 are arranged in a plane which is parallel to the image plane 214.

In order to prevent crosstalk of microlenses 114 to openings 120 not associated with these microlenses 114, the pillars 116 in the embodiment are shown in FIG

Figure 2 equipped with a scattered light suppression 216. This scattered light suppression 216 can be effected, for example, by an opaque embodiment of the peripheral surfaces of the pillars 116, as described, for example, in the publication by J. Duparre et al. in Applied Optics.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of an optical system 310 for use in the automobile. The optical system has an image acquisition system 110, for example, according to the embodiment in Figure 2, and a windshield 312. The optical system 310 is parallel to the windshield 312 and is arranged by means of an optical kit 314 at the Windshield 312 attached. The main direction of view 124 is inclined by an angle ß relative to the horizontal 316 downwards. In this case, the image acquisition system 110 has a vertical opening angle (denoted by γ in FIG. 3), which is approximately 15 °.

Furthermore, the optical system 310 may include additional components, which are not shown in FIG. For example, an electronic evaluation device may be provided, for example one or more microcomputers, in particular with an image recognition software. An indirect or direct coupling with other components of the motor vehicle, such as an on-board computer or a central vehicle control, are possible.

Claims

claims

An image capture system (110) for use in vehicles, comprising at least one image sensor element (210) having a plurality of image sensors (212) disposed in an image plane (214) and at least one microlens array (112) having a plurality of microlenses (114) one image sensor each (212) and one

Micro lens (114) define a recording direction (122) of the image sensor (212), wherein the total of the receiving directions (122) defines a main viewing direction (124), characterized in that the main viewing direction (124) and the image plane (214) an angle α of less than 80 °.

2. imaging system (110) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that between the microlens array (112) and the at least one image sensor element (210) at least one shadow mask (118) having a plurality of openings (120) is arranged,

3. imaging system (110) according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the angle α between 15 ° and 40 °, and more preferably between 20 ° and 35 °.

4. image acquisition system (110) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microlenses (114) are arranged in at least one lens plane, wherein the at least one lens plane and the image plane (214) are arranged substantially parallel.

5. image acquisition system (110) according to one of the two preceding

Claims, characterized in that the thickness of the image acquisition system (HO), in particular the distance between a lens surface arranged on the object side and the at least one image sensor element (210), less than 20 mm, in particular not more than 10 mm.

6. imaging system (110) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one image sensor (212) at the edge of the at least one image sensor element (210) has a receiving direction (122), which differs from the main viewing direction (124) by at least 10 ° ,

7. image acquisition system (110) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the maximum deviation in a horizontal direction of the at least one image sensor (212) between 5 ° and 50 °, preferably between 10 ° and 40 °, and in a vertical direction of at least one image sensor (212) between 2 ° and 40 °, preferably between 5 ° and 20 °.

8. imaging system (110) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a scattered light suppression (216), wherein the scattered light suppression (216) is arranged to prevent by a micro lens (114) passing light to a not the micro lens ( 114) Image sensor

(212) arrives.

9. imaging system (110) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each microlens (114) comprises a column (116) of an optical material, in particular a straight or oblique cylinder, in particular one

Kreiszy cylinder or polygonal cylinder, wherein at least one peripheral surface of each column (116) has a light-suppressing property.

10. An optical system (310) for use in the automotive sector, comprising a pane of a motor vehicle, in particular a windshield (312), and a

An imaging system (110) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the image capture system (110) is mounted in the vehicle, in particular mounted to the disc, such that the image plane (214) is substantially parallel to the disc, in particular to an imaging system (110 ) adjacent portion of the disc is arranged.

11. Optical system (310) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the main viewing direction (124) of the image acquisition system (110) by an angle of at most 20 °, in particular of at most 5 °, deviates from the horizontal (316).

12. Optical system (310) according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that a gap between the image acquisition system (110) and the disc with an optical material, in particular an optical cement (314), is filled.