Magna Electronics Inc.

Clarence Patrick McElroy

Timothy M Phillips

Steven V Byrne

Matthew C Sesti

Richard Rieden

Theodore J Church

Jyothi P Gali

Yuesheng Lu

Axel Nix

Nikhil Gupta

Richard C Bozich

Daniel W Hodgman

A vehicular trailer guidance system includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a rear backup camera and a trailer camera disposed at a rear portion of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. A display screen is disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle. With the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the display screen is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by the trailer camera. At least in part via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the trailer camera, an instruction that aids maneuvering the vehicle in reverse with the trailer hitched thereto during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle and trailer is generated. During the reversing maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, the display screen displays an alert when angling of the trailer relative to the vehicle approaches a jackknife condition.

Vehicular trailer guidance system

A vehicular trailer assist system includes a plurality of vehicle cameras disposed at a vehicle, a trailer camera disposed at a rear portion of a trailer and viewing at least rearward of the trailer, and an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor operable to process image data captured by the cameras. A display screen displays images of a region rearward of the trailer and includes a touch screen. Responsive to a touch input that is representative of a target location, the ECU, via processing of image data captured by the cameras, determines a path of travel for the vehicle and trailer to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer toward the target location. The ECU, responsive to an input indicative of an updated target location, updates the path of travel for the vehicle and trailer to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer toward the updated target location.

Vehicle and trailer maneuver assist system

A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a first portion and a second portion joined together to form a cavity within the camera housing. A first electrical connector is disposed at a circuit board and is in electrically-conductive connection with an imager. The first electrical connector includes a plurality of pin-receiving sockets. A second electrical connector includes a plurality of pins, each including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. When the second portion of the camera housing is being joined with the first portion of the camera housing, respective first ends of pins insert into and electrically-conductively connect with respective pin-receiving sockets at the second side of the circuit board. The first electrical connector and the second electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the second electrical connector relative to the first electrical connector when the first and second portions are being joined.

Vehicular camera with electrical connectors that allow for misalignment

A vehicular vision system includes an underbody camera disposed at an underside of a body of a vehicle and viewing a ground surface under the body of the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle. The underbody camera captures image data as the vehicle is moving, An illumination source, when operated to emit light, emits near infrared light illuminating the ground surface under the body of the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) is disposed at the vehicle and includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the underbody camera. The underbody camera views at least forward towards a front portion of the underside of the body of the vehicle. The vehicular vision system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the underbody camera, determines presence of an object forward of the underbody camera and having height greater than a threshold height.

Vehicular vision system with underbody camera

A vehicular trailer guidance system includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a plurality of vehicle cameras and at least one trailer camera including a rear trailer camera disposed at a rear portion of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. A display screen is disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The display screen displays video images derived from captured image data, with the displayed video images including bird's-eye view images of a region at least partially surrounding the vehicle and trailer including an area rearward of the trailer hitched to the vehicle. During a reversing maneuver, and via processing of captured image data, an instruction for maneuvering the vehicle and trailer in reverse toward a target location is generated by the ECU. The generated instruction includes at least an instruction pertaining to steering of the vehicle during the reversing maneuver.

A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed at a vehicle and including an image processor that processes image data captured by at least one camera of the vehicle. An under-trailer camera is disposed at an underside of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. The under-trailer camera has a field of view under the trailer that includes a ground surface under the trailer that is traveled over by the trailer. The under-trailer camera captures image data as the vehicle and trailer are moving. The ECU, responsive to processing of image data captured by the under-trailer camera, detects an object under the trailer and determines that the detected object under the trailer is greater than a threshold size. The ECU, responsive to determination that the detected object under the trailer is greater than the threshold size, generates an output.

Vehicular vision system with undercarriage cameras

An imaging system for a vehicle includes a tail lamp assembly that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the vehicle. A light source control may operate at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level. A camera is operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part within the field of illumination. A camera control may operate the camera to capture image data during at least part of the first illumination period.

Vehicular imaging system with controlled illumination device and camera

A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion mated together to form a cavity within the housing. A circuit board is attached at the front housing portion and has at least one front electrical connector in electrical connection with an imager. The rear housing portion has at least one rear electrical connector. With the rear housing portion mated with the front housing portion, the rear electrical connector electrically connects with the front electrical connector. The rear housing portion has a connector portion that is configured to electrically connect the rear electrical connector to a vehicle wire harness. The front electrical connector and the rear electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the electrical connectors in a direction parallel to the rear side of the circuit board when the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion.

A trailer assist system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle, a trailer sensor disposed at a rear portion of a trailer and having a field of sensing at least rearward of the trailer, and a control having a processor operable to process data captured by the sensors. A display screen displays an area rearward of the trailer. Responsive to a user input selecting a target area present in the displayed image, the control, via processing of data captured by the sensors, is operable to determine a path of travel for the vehicle and trailer to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer toward a target location represented by the selected displayed target area. The control, responsive to determination of the path of travel, controls at least steering of the vehicle to maneuver the vehicle and trailer along the determined path of travel.

A vehicular vision system includes an underbody camera disposed at an underside of a body of a vehicle such that a ground surface under the body of the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle is at least partially viewed by the underbody camera. A control includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the underbody camera. The underbody camera views at least forward or at least rearward, and the control, via processing of image data captured by the underbody camera, determines presence of an object forward or rearward of the underbody camera and having height greater than a threshold height. The control, responsive to determination of presence of the object under the body of the vehicle that has height greater than the threshold height, generates an output to inform a driver of the vehicle of presence of the determined object under the body of the vehicle.

Vehicle vision system with undercarriage cameras

A trailer maneuvering guidance system for a vehicle includes vehicle-based cameras disposed at a vehicle and a trailer camera disposed at a rear portion of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. A control includes a processor that processes image data captured by the cameras. A display screen is disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The display screen displays images derived from captured image data, with the displayed images including bird's-eye view images of a region at least partially surrounding the vehicle and trailer including an area rearward of the trailer. Responsive to a user input selecting a target path in the displayed images, the control, via processing of captured image data, generates instructions for the driver of the vehicle to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer along the selected target path and toward a target location.

Vehicle and trailer backup guidance system

A process for providing a vehicular camera and mounting the vehicular camera at a vehicle includes providing a vehicular camera having a camera-locking structure configured for engagement with a vehicle panel-locking structure at a vehicle panel of the vehicle at which the vehicular camera is to be mounted. The vehicular camera is mounted at the vehicle panel by inserting a portion of the vehicular camera through an aperture of the vehicle panel and inserting the camera-locking structure through corresponding portions of the aperture of the vehicle panel, and rotating the camera-locking structure to a locked position, whereby the camera-locking structure is engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure. With the camera-locking structure engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure, locking surfaces of the camera-locking structure engage respective locking surfaces of the vehicle panel-locking structure to limit axial movement of the vehicular camera relative to the vehicle panel.

Vehicular camera with locking attachment at vehicle panel

An imaging system of a vehicle includes a tail lamp assembly that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the vehicle. A light source control may operate at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level. A camera is operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination. A camera control may operate the camera to capture image data during at least part of the first illumination period.

A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one underbody camera disposed at an underside of a vehicle and having a field of view encompassing a ground surface under the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle. The underbody camera captures image data as the vehicle is moving. A control includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the underbody camera. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the underbody camera, detects an object under the vehicle that is greater than a threshold height. The control, responsive to detection of the object, generates an output to inform a driver of the vehicle of the detected object under the vehicle.

A process for providing a vehicular camera includes providing a front camera housing portion and a rear camera housing portion. The front camera housing portion accommodates a lens, an imager and a circuit board, with the circuit board having at least one front housing electrical connector. The rear camera housing portion includes at least one rear housing electrical connector. The front and rear camera housing portion are positioned so that the front housing electrical connector aligns with the rear housing electrical connector. The front and rear camera housing portions are joined together to define a camera housing interior. When the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, the front housing electrical connector mechanically and electrically connects within the camera interior with the rear housing electrical connector.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

Clarence Patrick McElroy