JP2007106146A - Vehicle front and surrounding area monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle front and surrounding area monitoring device which enables a camera built in a door mirror to positively capture and photograph both the visible light coming from diagonally downward and the infrared light from ahead of the vehicle by switching both of them. <P>SOLUTION: In a door mirror 4, a transparent window 7 includes a prism 11 which is switchably movable between a first position where the transparent window 7 is blocked and a second position which is spaced away therefrom. Moreover, the prism 11 is designed to direct infrared light A from directly in front of the vehicle toward a camera 8 and cut off visible light B. Therefore, photographing the visible light B can be performed with the camera 8 by setting the prism 11 in the second position spaced away from the transparent window 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front and periphery monitoring device.

  Various monitoring devices are installed in automobiles to assist the driver. For example, as an auxiliary device for a driver when driving at night or the like, infrared rays are irradiated forward from an infrared irradiation unit provided at the front of the vehicle, and infrared rays reflected by a front object (for example, a person) and reflected by the camera are photographed. In some cases, the infrared image is displayed on a monitor so that the driver can monitor the situation in front of the vehicle at night or the like. A camera that receives infrared rays is installed in a room inside the front window panel to prevent water droplets and dirt from adhering (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, a transparent window part that can introduce visible light from the blind spot (for example, near the front wheels) on the lower front side of the vehicle is formed on the door mirror, and the visible light introduced from the window is photographed by the internal camera. Is displayed on a monitor so that the driver can monitor the situation around the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2000-205949 A JP 2003-159994 A

  However, in such a conventional technique, a camera that receives infrared light reflected by an object at night and captures an infrared image in front of the vehicle is installed in a vehicle interior inside the front window panel. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing tendency to provide an infrared cut filter on the front window panel for driver comfort and energy saving. In such a case, the infrared ray is blocked by the front window panel, so the camera Cannot be installed in the passenger compartment.

  When the camera is installed outside the vehicle (for example, the front bumper), a special cover for preventing the attachment of water droplets and dirt is necessary, and the structure on the vehicle body side where the camera is installed must be changed.

  Therefore, focusing on the camera installed on the door mirror, it is conceivable to shoot not only the visible light image but also the infrared image from the front of the vehicle with the built-in camera of the door mirror. However, even in that case, since the camera faces obliquely below the vehicle, it is difficult to reliably receive infrared rays coming straight from the front of the vehicle, and it is difficult to switch between visible light and infrared rays. .

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a conventional technique, and by using a camera built in a door mirror, it is possible to switch between visible light from obliquely below the vehicle and infrared light from the front of the vehicle. A vehicle front and periphery monitoring device capable of receiving and photographing is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a transparent window part capable of introducing visible light from a peripheral part obliquely below the vehicle into the camera is formed in a door mirror housing in which a camera is installed, and infrared rays are directed forward. A first position that includes an infrared irradiation unit that irradiates, directs infrared rays from the front of the vehicle reflected by the object toward the camera, and cuts visible light from the inside, and a transparent window unit; The second position remote from the vehicle is provided so as to be switched and moved so that a visible light image and an infrared image captured by a camera can be displayed on a monitor installed in a vehicle interior.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the optical element is a prism having a visible light reflecting film formed on the surface thereof.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the optical element is in the second position when the direction indicator is ON, and is in the first position when traveling at night and when the direction indicator is OFF.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the transparent window portion of the door mirror is provided with an optical element that can be switched between a first position that closes the transparent window portion and a second position that is remote from the transparent window portion. In addition, the optical element has a characteristic that directs infrared rays from the front of the vehicle toward the camera and cuts visible light. Therefore, when photographing visible light from obliquely below the vehicle, the optical element must be transparent. By setting the second position away from the window, a visible light image can be taken by the camera. When taking an infrared image from the front of the vehicle at night or the like, if the optical element is in the first position blocking the transparent window, visible light is blocked by the optical element and only the infrared light is transmitted. Is directed toward the camera by the optical element, so that infrared rays can be reliably received even by a camera installed at an angle for receiving visible light from obliquely below the vehicle.

  According to invention of Claim 2, since the prism which formed the visible light reflection film on the surface is used as an optical element, it does not take a space and is suitable for the installation in a door mirror.

  According to the third aspect of the invention, since the switching of the optical element is interlocked with the direction indicator, a visible light image obliquely below the vehicle is automatically captured when the vehicle turns while the direction indicator is turned on. In addition, when traveling straight ahead at night or the like when the direction indicator is turned off, an infrared image in front of the vehicle can be automatically captured.

  The present invention provides a vehicle front and periphery monitoring device that can switch between visible light from obliquely below the vehicle and infrared light from the front of the vehicle and reliably receive and shoot with a camera built in the door mirror. The purpose is an infrared irradiator that forms a transparent window part that can introduce visible light from the peripheral part of the vehicle obliquely downward into the door mirror housing in which the camera is installed, and irradiates infrared rays forward. An optical element that directs infrared rays from the front of the vehicle reflected by the object toward the camera and cuts visible light, and a second position that blocks the transparent window from the inside, and a second that is separated from the transparent window. This was realized by enabling the switchable movement between positions and displaying the visible light image and infrared image captured by the camera on a monitor installed in the passenger compartment. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention. A pair of infrared irradiation units 1 that irradiate infrared rays A toward the front of the vehicle at night are provided on the front surface of the automobile. The infrared ray A emitted from the infrared ray irradiation unit 1 is reflected by an object (for example, a person) located in front of the vehicle and returns straight to the vehicle side as the backward infrared ray A.

  In addition, a monitor 3 is provided in the passenger compartment inside the front window panel 2 of the automobile. For the driver's comfort and energy saving, the front window panel 2 is provided with an infrared cut filter so that all infrared rays including the infrared ray A do not enter the vehicle interior.

  Door mirrors 4 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the door of the automobile. The door mirror 4 has a movable mirror 6 on the rear side of the housing 5. A transparent window 7 is formed below the front surface of the housing 5. A camera 8 is installed inside the housing 5 at a position corresponding to the transparent window portion 7. The camera 8 is installed at an obliquely downward angle in order to receive visible light B incident obliquely toward the transparent window 7 from a blind spot (near the front wheels) obliquely downward in front of the vehicle. Therefore, the visible light B introduced from the transparent window 7 can be reliably photographed by the camera 8 and the state of the blind spot (near the front wheels) around the vehicle can be displayed on the monitor 3 as a visible light image.

  An actuator 9 is installed inside the door mirror 4 on the back side of the front surface of the housing 5. The actuator 9 has a shaft 10 that can move up and down, and a prism 11 as an “optical element” is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 10. A visible light reflecting film 12 is formed on the surface of the prism 11 so that visible light B is reflected but other infrared rays A and the like are transmitted in a state of being refracted upward.

  The prism 11 is in a first position where the transparent window 7 is closed from the inside when the shaft 10 is lowered, and is in a second position away from the transparent window 7 when the shaft 10 is raised. The actuator 9 is interlocked with the direction indicator of the automobile, and when the direction indicator is ON, the prism 11 is moved to the second position, and when the direction indicator is OFF, the prism 11 is set to the first position. Move.

  Next, the operation will be described. For example, if the turn indicator is operated to the right to turn it on to turn the vehicle to the right, the actuator 9 of the right door mirror 4 is activated and the prism 11 is in the second position. Then, the visible light B from the blind spot around the right front wheel enters the transparent window 7 from obliquely below, and the visible light image can be taken by the internal camera 8. The photographed visible light image in the vicinity of the right front wheel is displayed on the monitor 3, and the driver can make a right turn operation while confirming the blind spot. When turning left, the visible light image of the camera 8 of the left door mirror 4 is displayed on the monitor 3.

  Next, when traveling at night, the infrared irradiation unit 1 irradiates the infrared ray A straight forward. When the vehicle travels straight with the direction indicator turned OFF, the actuators 9 of the door mirrors 4 on both sides are actuated, and the prism 11 is in the first position.

  The prism 11 at the first position closes the transparent window 7 from the inside, and receives all light incident on the transparent window 7. However, since the visible light reflecting film 12 is formed on the prism 11, the visible light B cannot pass through the prism 11. The infrared rays A reflected from the object in front of the vehicle and coming straight from the front of the vehicle are transmitted through the prism 11, and at that time, are refracted upward by the shape of the prism 11 and directed toward the camera 8 at an oblique angle. Accordingly, even the camera 8 having an angle for the visible light B obliquely below can surely receive the infrared rays A that are incident straight and display the two infrared images side by side on the monitor 3. .

  As described above, according to this embodiment, since the camera 8 of the door mirror 4 is also used for photographing the infrared rays A, there is no problem even if the front window panel 2 is provided with an infrared cut filter. Further, since the movable prism 11 is provided, there is no problem even if the incident angles are different between the visible light B and the infrared light A. Since the prism 11 is small in size, the door mirror 4 can be easily installed in the internal space. Since the prism 11 is interlocked with the direction indicator, the operation of the prism 11 is unnecessary.

  According to the above embodiment, the prisms 11 are provided on both of the door mirrors 4 so that each of them can perform infrared imaging. A lamp that illuminates the lower side of the door mirror 4 may be provided so that a visible light image of the blind spot portion can be obtained even at night.

The top view which shows the motor vehicle which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The side part which shows the motor vehicle of FIG. Sectional drawing of a door mirror which shows the state which has a prism in a 2nd position. Sectional drawing of a door mirror which shows the state which has a prism in a 1st position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Infrared irradiation part 2 Front window panel 3 Monitor 4 Door mirror 5 Housing 6 Mirror 7 Transparent window part 8 Camera 9 Actuator 10 Shaft 11 Prism (optical element)
12 Visible light reflection film A Infrared ray B Visible light

Claims (3)

In the housing of the door mirror in which the camera is installed inside, a transparent window part is formed through which visible light from the peripheral part obliquely below the vehicle can be introduced into the camera,
An infrared irradiation unit that irradiates infrared rays forward,
An optical element that directs infrared rays from the front of the vehicle reflected by the object toward the camera and cuts visible light, a first position that closes the transparent window from the inside, and a second position that is away from the transparent window It can be switched and moved between
A vehicle front and periphery monitoring device characterized in that a visible light image and an infrared image captured by a camera can be displayed on a monitor installed in a vehicle interior. The vehicle front and periphery monitoring device according to claim 1,
The vehicle front and periphery monitoring device, wherein the optical element is a prism having a visible light reflecting film formed on a surface thereof. The vehicle front and periphery monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2,
The vehicle front and periphery monitoring device, wherein the optical element is in the second position when the direction indicator is ON, and is in the first position when traveling at night and when the direction indicator is OFF.

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