RU121092U1 - CAR NIGHT VISION SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A night vision system mounted on a car and including an infrared camera, a liquid crystal monitor with the ability to rotate the screen to the required angle for better image perception, a system for dimming the luminescence of standard halogen high beam lamps of a car, a transparent screen made of optical film, characterized in that for Infrared illumination uses standard halogen headlights of the car. ! 2. The night vision system according to claim 1, characterized in that the image is projected into the area of constant visual control of the driver of the vehicle.

Description

The proposal relates to auxiliary systems for active safety of the car, in particular, to active car systems for night vision and can be used to complete vehicles.

Two types of night vision systems are known:

Passive night vision systems do not have their own infrared source. A thermal camera (thermal imager) captures the thermal radiation of objects at a distance of up to 300 m. This is the Night Vision Assistant from Audi; BMW Night Vision; Night Vision by General Motors; Honda Intelligent Night Vision System.

The disadvantage of passive night vision systems that adversely affects traffic safety is the low resolution of the image, the inability to contrastly distinguish objects whose temperature does not differ from the ambient temperature and the high cost. Another drawback of passive night vision systems is that the thermal imager cannot be placed behind the windshield, making it difficult to fully use the system on a dirty, damp road.

Active systems use an additional infrared light source mounted on the car. They are characterized by high image resolution and a range of about 150-250 m. Known active night vision systems are Night View Assist from Mercedes-Benz and Night View from Toyota.

The closest analogue to the claimed utility model in terms of features is the Night View Assist from Mercedes-Benz

Structurally, the Night View Assist system combines infrared spotlights in the headlights, a video camera behind the windshield, a control unit and an information display in the cockpit / 4, p. 47 /.

The main disadvantage of this system is the lack of traffic safety when using it: in existing systems, information is displayed on the liquid crystal display on the instrument panel or on the screen of the navigation system and to view the information received on the display, the driver has to lose visual contact with the real road / 2, p. 60 /.

The second significant drawback is the reduced reliability and limited application of the system due to the complex design of the headlights with integrated infrared illumination / 1, p. 160 /. This drawback does not allow installing a night vision system on brands and types of cars that were not originally equipped with such systems.

The inventive utility model, solving the problems of improving traffic safety, reliability, simplification and cheapening of the system, contains the following significant features distinguishing from the closest analogue: the use of standard halogen headlights of the car for infrared illumination and the location of the screen to display information in the area of constant visual control of the driver.

Unlike the prototype, the claimed utility model allows the use of standard halogen headlights of the head light of any car as infrared illumination without changing the design, which not only increases the reliability of the system due to its simplification, but also makes it possible to easily install this model on any types of vehicles with significant cost reduction.

Also, unlike the prototype, the claimed utility model at the expense of improves the safety of movement when using the system.

The essence of the claimed utility model is illustrated by drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a diagram of a night vision system, and Fig. 2 shows a diagram of a monitor flip mechanism.

The device includes an infrared analog video camera 1, a liquid crystal monitor 2, mounted with a control unit in the housing 3 on the mechanism 4, which provides the ability to rotate the monitor to the desired angle for better image perception, a unit for adjusting the brightness of incandescent lamps 5 high-beam headlights, a transparent screen 7 from an optical film based on lavsan.

The device works as follows: On the windshield 9 of the car under the salon rear-view mirror 10, a transparent screen 7 of an optical film is glued. The film, having a greater optical density than the windshield, prevents bifurcation and frustration of the projection in reflections from different layers of the windshield. Before driving in the dark, the driver turns on the system in night vision mode. At the same time, along with the dipped headlights in the headlights 6 of the high beam of the car, infrared illumination is turned on. This is achieved by the fact that the standard halogen high-beam lamps are supplied with power through the brightness control unit for incandescent lamps 5. The brightness of the halogen high-beam lamps is reduced to a level when the filament of the lamp is lit, but the headlights do not blind drivers of oncoming vehicles. In this mode of operation, the emission spectrum of the main beam lamp is strongly shifted to the near infrared region, not visible to the naked human eye, but well detected by the infrared camera. At the same time, in all other modes, the high-beam headlights work normally. Camera 1 is located on the instrument panel on the passenger side in the area of operation of the wipers. It registers visible and near-infrared radiation reflected from objects and transmits a signal to the liquid crystal monitor 2. At night, using a specially designed flip system 4, monitor 2 is set to the projection position under screen 7. As a result, a projection image is transmitted on the screen and transmitted from the camera. This image, located on the periphery of the driver’s gaze, does not interfere with the direct perception of the road and the traffic situation, while remaining in zone 8 of the constant visual control of the car driver, thereby increasing traffic safety when using the system.

As a result of the application of the proposed technical solution, a significant increase in the reliability of the system due to its simplification, increased traffic safety and comfort when using the night vision system, cheaper system as a whole and the ability to easily install this system on any vehicle will be provided.

The proposed technical solution also allows the use of non-standard halogen high beam headlights with built-in infrared filters with a transmission threshold of 800 nm as additional illumination. / 3, p. 272 /.

In the daytime, the system provides an alternative point of view of the traffic situation along the other side of the car, which also increases traffic safety.

INFORMATION SOURCES:

1. How many light bulbs in the headlight / The magazine “Behind the wheel”, 03/2011, p.160

2. K. Mileshkin. Night Watch / At the wheel magazine, 01/2012, p. 60

3. That would not blush in the eyes / The magazine “At the wheel”, 04/2006, p.272

4. Night vision system. How it works / Buy Auto Magazine, 13/2011, p. 47

Claims (2)

1. A night-vision system mounted on a car and including an infrared camera, a liquid crystal monitor with the ability to rotate the screen to the desired angle for better image perception, a system for reducing the brightness of the standard halogen high-beam lamps of a car, a transparent screen made of optical film, characterized in that for Infrared lights use the standard halogen headlights of the car. 2. The night vision system according to claim 1, characterized in that the image through the projection is displayed in the area of constant visual control of the car driver.