JP7532942B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an imaging device.

In recent years, drive recorders that capture and record images of the vehicle's surroundings have become widespread. Drive recorders are attached to the vehicle's windshield, for example. Also known is a configuration that includes an interior camera in addition to an exterior camera, and allows the imaging direction of each camera to be adjusted separately (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-229048 A

If the imaging direction of multiple cameras can be adjusted separately, the imaging direction must be adjusted for each camera, which is time-consuming.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that simplifies the adjustment of the imaging direction of an imaging device equipped with multiple cameras.

An imaging device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a substrate, a first camera fixed to a first surface of the substrate, a second camera fixed to a second surface of the substrate different from the first surface and having a wider angle of view than the first camera, and an attitude adjustment unit that changes the attitude of the substrate.

In addition, any combination of the above components or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, etc. are also valid aspects of the present invention.

The present invention simplifies the adjustment of the imaging direction of an imaging device equipped with multiple cameras.

1 is an external perspective view showing an imaging device according to an embodiment; 1 is an external perspective view showing an imaging device according to an embodiment; 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a posture adjustment unit. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a substrate to which a first camera and a second camera are fixed. FIG. 4 is a side view diagrammatically illustrating imaging axes of a first camera and a second camera. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a typical usage mode of an imaging device.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The specific numerical values and the like shown in the embodiment are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the drawings, elements that are not directly related to the present invention are omitted.

Figures 1 and 2 are external perspective views showing an imaging device 10 according to an embodiment. Figure 1 shows the state in which a support 18 is attached, and Figure 2 shows the state in which the support 18 is removed. The imaging device 10 can be mounted on a vehicle and used as a drive recorder, for example. The imaging device 10 is attached to a mounting member such as the windshield of the vehicle via the support 18.

The imaging device 10 comprises a first camera 12, a second camera 14, a housing 16, and a support 18. The first camera 12 is provided on one side of the imaging device 10. Meanwhile, the second camera 14 is disposed on the opposite side of the first camera 12. The second camera 14 is disposed such that the optical axis of the second camera 14 is shifted in a predetermined direction relative to the optical axis of the first camera 12.

In the drawings, the imaging direction of the first camera 12 is the +z direction. In addition, among the directions perpendicular to the z direction, the direction from the first camera 12 to the second camera 14 is the +x direction, and the direction perpendicular to the x direction is the y direction.

The first camera 12 is an exterior camera for capturing images of the surroundings (e.g., the front) of the vehicle. The first camera 12 captures images of the front of the vehicle, for example, through the front window. The first camera 12 may capture images of the sides of the vehicle through a side window, or may capture images of the rear of the vehicle through a back window. The first camera 12 is configured, for example, so that the angle of view in the horizontal direction (x direction) is relatively large and the angle of view in the vertical direction (y direction) is relatively small. The horizontal angle of view of the first camera 12 is approximately 100 degrees to 150 degrees, for example, approximately 108 degrees to 132 degrees. On the other hand, the vertical angle of view of the first camera 12 is approximately 40 degrees to 90 degrees, for example, approximately 50 degrees to 80 degrees.

The second camera 14 is an in-vehicle camera configured to capture the opposite side to the first camera 12. The second camera 14 may capture the interior of the vehicle from the side of the vehicle, or from the rear of the vehicle. The second camera 14 is configured to have a larger angle of view in at least the vertical direction than the first camera 12, for example, configured to have larger angles of view in both the horizontal and vertical directions than the first camera 12. The second camera 14 is equipped with an ultra-wide-angle lens, for example, a circular fisheye lens or a diagonal fisheye lens. The horizontal and vertical angles of view of the second camera 14 are approximately 120 degrees to 185 degrees, for example, approximately 150 degrees to 180 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first camera 12 is disposed on the left side when the imaging device 10 is viewed from the front, and the second camera 14 is disposed on the right side when the imaging device 10 is viewed from the front. Note that the left-right arrangement of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 may be reversed, and the first camera 12 may be disposed on the right side and the second camera 14 on the left side when the imaging device 10 is viewed from the front.

The housing 16 houses a board 40 (described later in Figures 3 to 5) on which the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are fixed. The housing 16 houses various electronic components (not shown), such as a processor such as a CPU or GPU that processes images captured by the first camera 12 and the second camera 14, volatile or non-volatile memory that temporarily records images, various sensors such as an acceleration sensor and a position information sensor (e.g., GNSS; Global Navigation Satellite System), communication components for communicating with external devices, and a power supply circuit. These electronic components may be mounted on the same board 40 as the first camera 12 and the second camera 14, or may be mounted on a different board.

The housing 16 may be configured to include a first camera housing 20, a second camera housing 22, and a connecting housing 24. Each of the first camera housing 20, the second camera housing 22, and the connecting housing 24 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical or barrel shape, and configured so that their respective central axes are in the x-direction. The first camera housing 20, the second camera housing 22, and the connecting housing 24 may be configured so that their respective central axes are concentric. The first camera housing 20, the second camera housing 22, and the connecting housing 24 are fixed so that their positions and orientations relative to each other do not change.

The first camera housing 20 houses the first camera 12. The first camera housing 20 is provided with a connector 32 for a wiring cable 34 that connects the imaging device 10 to the outside. The connector 32 is provided on the opposite side of the first camera 12. Note that the connector 32 may be provided on the second camera housing 22 instead of the first camera housing 20. Also, if the imaging device 10 does not require an external connection, the connector 32 may not be provided.

The second camera housing 22 houses the second camera 14. The second camera housing 22 is provided on the opposite side of the support 18 from the first camera housing 20. The second camera housing 22 is provided away from the first camera housing 20 in the x direction.

The connecting housing 24 is provided between the first camera housing 20 and the second camera housing 22, and connects the first camera housing 20 and the second camera housing 22. The connecting housing 24 is configured to have a smaller outer diameter than, for example, the first camera housing 20 and the second camera housing 22. The support 18 is attached to the connecting housing 24. From the viewpoint of optimizing the weight distribution applied to the support 18, it is preferable that the connecting housing 24 is disposed midway between the first camera housing 20 and the second camera housing 22.

The support 18 (see FIG. 1) is fixed to a mounting member such as a windshield to which the imaging device 10 is to be attached. The support 18 supports the housing 16 and allows the attitude of the housing 16 to be adjusted. The support 18 includes an attitude adjustment section 26 and an attachment section 28.

The attitude adjustment unit 26 is, for example, a cylindrical member provided along the outer periphery of the connection housing 24. The attitude adjustment unit 26 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the connection housing 24. The attitude adjustment unit 26 makes the housing 16 rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the x direction. By rotating the housing 16, the attitude adjustment unit 26 changes the imaging direction of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 around the rotation axis extending in the x direction.

The mounting section 28 is a flat member that is attached to the top of the attitude adjustment section 26. An adhesive member 30 is attached to the mounting section 28 to attach the imaging device 10 to a support member such as a windshield. The adhesive member 30 is, for example, double-sided tape.

3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the attitude adjustment unit 26, showing a partial cross section when the support 18 and the connection housing 24 are cut in the yz plane. The attitude adjustment unit 26 is rotatable around the rotation axis X relative to the connection housing 24 as shown by the arrow R. The attitude adjustment unit 26 is attached to the connection housing 24 via a screw 36 and a washer 38 attached to the connection housing 24. The screw 36 restricts the radial displacement of the attitude adjustment unit 26 relative to the connection housing 24 (direction perpendicular to the rotation axis X). After adjusting the attitude of the connection housing 24 and the attitude adjustment unit 26 in the circumferential direction (arrow R), the screw 36 restricts the circumferential rotation of the connection housing 24 and the attitude adjustment unit 26 to fix the attitude. The connection housing 24 and the attitude adjustment unit 26 may be configured to be rotatable 360 degrees relative to each other. The rotation range of the attitude adjustment unit 26 relative to the connection housing 24 may be limited to an angle range of, for example, about 70 degrees, in accordance with the range of inclination angles of the windshield of the vehicle to which it is attached.

The mounting portion 28 is configured so that its length is shorter on the front (+z direction) side and longer on the rear (-z direction) side with respect to the center of the housing 16 (e.g., rotation axis X). In other words, the mounting portion 28 is positioned so that its center in the front-to-rear direction is located rearward of the center of the housing 16.

The substrate 40 is disposed at the center inside the housing 16, and is disposed so that the thickness direction of the substrate 40 is the z direction. The substrate 40 is fixed so that the position and orientation of the substrate 40 relative to the housing 16 remain unchanged. When the housing 16 is rotated relative to the attitude adjustment unit 26, the substrate 40 also rotates together with the housing 16. Therefore, the attitude adjustment unit 26 can adjust the attitude (orientation) of the substrate 40 in the direction of the arrow R by rotating the substrate 40 around the rotation axis X.

The substrate 40 is, for example, a hard printed circuit board. The substrate 40 has a first surface 40a and a second surface 40b. The second surface 40b is, for example, the surface opposite to the first surface 40a. The first surface 40a faces forward (+z direction). A first camera 12 (not shown in FIG. 3) is attached to the first surface 40a. In this embodiment, the first camera 12 is fixed to the first surface 40a, but this is not limited thereto, and the first camera 12 may be attached to the first surface side, for example, via a spacer or the like. The second surface 40b faces backward (-z direction). A second camera 14 (not shown in FIG. 3) is attached to the second surface 40b. In this embodiment, the second camera 14 is fixed to the second surface 40b, but this is not limited thereto, and the second camera 14 may be attached to the second surface side, for example, via a spacer or the like.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the substrate 40 to which the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are fixed. The substrate 40 includes a first camera mounting portion 42, a second camera mounting portion 44, and an intermediate connection portion 46.

The first camera mounting section 42 is a portion that is housed inside the first camera housing 20. The first camera 12 is mounted on the first surface 40a of the first camera mounting section 42. A heat dissipation section (not shown) such as a heat sink may be provided on the second surface 40b of the first camera mounting section 42 to dissipate heat from the first camera 12.

The second camera mounting section 44 is a portion that is housed inside the second camera housing 22. The second camera 14 is mounted on the second surface 40b of the second camera mounting section 44. A heat dissipation section (not shown) such as a heat sink may be provided on the first surface 40a of the second camera mounting section 44 to dissipate heat from the second camera 14.

The intermediate connection part 46 is a part that is housed inside the connection housing 24. The intermediate connection part 46 is provided between the first camera mounting part 42 and the second camera mounting part 44, and connects between the first camera mounting part 42 and the second camera mounting part 44. The intermediate connection part 46 is configured so that its width in the y direction is smaller than that of the first camera mounting part 42 and the second camera mounting part 44.

The first camera 12 includes a first sensor unit 50 and a first lens unit 52. The first sensor unit 50 has an imaging element such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor. The first sensor unit 50 is attached to the first surface 40a of the first camera mounting portion 42. The first sensor unit 50 may be directly attached to the first surface 40a of the first camera mounting portion 42, or may be fixed to the substrate 40 via a mount plate or the like provided between the first sensor unit 50 and the first surface 40a. The first lens unit 52 has a plurality of lenses for forming an image on the first sensor unit 50. The first lens unit 52 is attached to the first sensor unit 50.

The second camera 14 includes a second sensor unit 54 and a second lens unit 56. The second sensor unit 54 has an imaging element such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor. The second sensor unit 54 is attached to the second surface 40b of the second camera mounting portion 44. The second sensor unit 54 may be attached directly to the second surface 40b of the second camera mounting portion 44, or may be fixed to the substrate 40 via a mount plate or the like provided between the second sensor unit 54 and the second surface 40b.

The imaging element of the second sensor unit 54 may be the same as or different from the imaging element of the first sensor unit 50. For example, the imaging elements of the first sensor unit 50 and the second sensor unit 54 may have the same or different horizontal and vertical sizes, and may have the same or different numbers of pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions.

The second lens unit 56 has multiple lenses for forming an image on the second sensor unit 54. The second lens unit 56 has a different lens configuration from the first lens unit 52, and is configured so that the angle of view in at least the vertical direction (y direction) is larger than that of the first lens unit 52. The second lens unit 56 is configured, for example, to be an ultra-wide-angle lens with a large angle of view in the horizontal and vertical directions. The second lens unit 56 is attached to the second sensor unit 54.

The first sensor unit 50 is arranged to be shifted a predetermined distance in the x direction relative to the second sensor unit 54, and arranged so that their positions in the y direction match. By shifting the first sensor unit 50 relative to the second sensor unit 54, a heat dissipation unit such as the above-mentioned heat sink for increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the first sensor unit 50 can be arranged on the back surface of the first sensor unit 50. The same applies to the second sensor unit 54. In particular, when high-definition image elements are used as the first sensor unit 50 and the second sensor unit 54, it is beneficial to increase the heat dissipation efficiency because the amount of heat generated during operation is large. In addition, by matching the positions of the first sensor unit 50 and the second sensor unit 54 in the y direction, the size of the imaging device 10 in the y direction can be reduced. By reducing the size of the imaging device 10 in the y direction, it is possible to make it less likely to obstruct the field of vision of the vehicle driver when the imaging device 10 is attached to the windshield of the vehicle and used.

Figure 5 is a side view showing the imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14. The imaging axis A1 of the first camera 12 extends in the +z direction. The imaging axis A2 of the second camera 14 extends in the -z direction. The imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are parallel to each other and are aligned in the y direction. Note that the imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are offset in the x direction and are not coaxial.

The imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are based on the substrate 40. Therefore, when the attitude of the substrate 40 changes, the imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 also change. When the substrate 40 rotates around the rotation axis X, the imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 change in the vertical direction (y direction) as shown by the arrow R. Therefore, according to the imaging device 10 of this embodiment, the imaging axes A1, A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 can be adjusted simultaneously by rotating the housing 16 relative to the support 18 to change the attitude of the substrate 40.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing how the imaging device 10 is used, showing the imaging device 10 mounted near the ceiling of the windshield 62 of a vehicle 60. The posture of the imaging device 10 is adjusted so that the imaging axis A1 of the first camera 12 is in the direction of travel (forward) of the vehicle. At this time, the imaging axis A2 of the second camera 14 is directed toward the rear of the vehicle, i.e., toward the interior of the vehicle. As described above, the vertical angle of view φ2 of the second camera 14 is larger than the vertical angle of view φ1 of the first camera 12.

When the imaging device 10 is installed near the ceiling in the vehicle cabin, the angle range φ21 on the ceiling side (upper side) of the vertical angle of view φ2 of the second camera 14 images the ceiling in the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 60. Therefore, the upper angle of view φ21 of the second camera 14 does not include the occupants in the vehicle cabin or the sides and rear of the vehicle. However, since the vertical angle of view φ2 of the second camera 14 is large, the occupants in the vehicle cabin and the entire sides and rear of the vehicle can be imaged only with the lower angle of view φ22 of the second camera 14. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the occupants in the vehicle cabin and the entire sides and rear of the vehicle can be included within the range of the angle of view φ2 of the second camera 14 without individually adjusting the imaging axis A2 of the second camera 14. As a result, it is possible to save the trouble of adjusting the imaging axis A2 of the second camera 14 separately from adjusting the imaging axis A1 of the first camera 12, and both the front and rear of the imaging device 10 can be properly imaged. The first camera 12 needs to adjust its posture with high precision in order to capture appropriate images of accidents and incidents, but the second camera does not necessarily need to adjust its posture with high precision because it is intended to capture images of the expressions of passengers inside the vehicle and the situation behind the vehicle. According to this embodiment, the labor required to install the imaging device 10 can be reduced in such cases.

The present invention has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and appropriate combinations or substitutions of the configurations shown in each display example are also included in the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the imaging axes A1 and A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 are parallel to each other. In another embodiment, the imaging axes A1 and A2 of the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 may be non-parallel to each other. For example, the imaging axis A1 of the first camera 12 may be in the +z direction, while the imaging axis A2 of the second camera 14 may be inclined either up or down with respect to the -z direction. For example, the first camera 12 and the second camera 14 may be fixed at a predetermined angle so that the first camera 12 captures the horizontal direction ahead in the vehicle travel direction, and the second camera 14 captures the interior of the vehicle slightly below. For example, in the case of FIG. 6, the angle of view φ21 in the range for capturing the image of the ceiling of the vehicle compartment is often unnecessary, so that φ21 is preferably small. In this case, a wedge-shaped mount plate for adjusting the mounting angle may be inserted between the second camera 14 and the substrate 40. In addition, the area of the image captured by the second camera 14 that corresponds to the angle of view φ21 for capturing an image of the cabin ceiling may be deleted by image processing, and the area that corresponds to the angle of view φ22 for capturing an image of the interior of the cabin may be cut out by image processing. These image processing operations may be performed by an image processing device (not shown) included in the imaging device 10.

In the above embodiment, the imaging device 10 is attached to the windshield 62 at the front of the vehicle 60. The imaging device 10 may be attached to the back window of the vehicle 60 and function as a rear drive recorder. In this case, the first camera 12 may capture images of the rear of the vehicle 60, and the second camera 14 may capture images of the interior of the vehicle and the sides and front of the vehicle 60.

In the above-described embodiment, a drive recorder mounted on a vehicle is given as an example of the imaging device 10. The imaging device 10 may be attached to something other than a vehicle. For example, it may be attached to any moving object such as a ship, an airplane, or a bicycle. It may also be attached to a human or an animal, or used as a wearable camera such as a sports camera or a biologging camera. The imaging device 10 may be attached to a structure such as a building, and used as a fixed camera or security camera.

In the above embodiment, the attitude adjustment unit 26 is configured as a cylindrical member that is provided along the outer periphery of the connecting housing 24 and is configured to be rotatable relative to the connecting housing 24. The configuration of the attitude adjustment unit 26 is not limited to this, and any mechanism that can adjust the attitude of the housing 16 can be used. The attitude adjustment unit of the imaging device 10 may be configured, for example, by a disk-shaped gear and a claw. The attitude adjustment unit of the imaging device 10 may also be a mechanism that adjusts the attitude by changing the fixed angle of the hinge.

10: imaging device, 12: first camera, 14: second camera, 16: housing, 18: support, 20: first camera housing, 22: second camera housing, 26: attitude adjustment unit, 40: substrate, 40a: first surface, 40b: second surface.

Claims (2)

A substrate;
a first camera including a first image sensor mounted on a first surface of the substrate and a first lens unit fixed to the first image sensor ;
a second camera including a second image sensor mounted on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and a second lens unit fixed to the second image sensor, the second camera having a wider angle of view than the first camera;
a posture adjustment unit that changes a posture of the substrate to thereby simultaneously adjust an imaging axis of the first camera and an imaging axis of the second camera ,
the second camera is disposed such that an imaging axis of the second camera is shifted in a direction along the first surface of the substrate with respect to an imaging axis of the first camera;
An imaging device, characterized in that an imaging axis of the second camera is parallel to an imaging axis of the first camera and faces in an opposite direction to the imaging axis of the first camera . The imaging device described in claim 1, characterized in that when the attitude is adjusted so that the first camera captures the direction of travel of the vehicle, the second camera is oriented to capture images of occupants in the vehicle cabin, and the angle of view of the second camera is vertically wider than the angle of view of the first camera so that the occupants are included in the capture range.

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