Magna Electronics Inc.

Magma Electronics Inc.

Magna Electroncs Inc.

Jianguo Wang

Garret F Achenbach

Christopher Louis Van Dan Elzen

Ove J Salomonsson

Brian J Winden

Tom H Toma

Edward Robert Ahlquist, Jr

Steven G Gebauer

Martin J Reckker

A method for testing a vehicular camera includes providing a vehicular camera and an environmentally-controlled chamber that has a window allowing visible light to pass into the interior of the chamber. A light-collimating device is provided exterior the environmentally-controlled chamber, and the vehicular camera is disposed within the interior of the environmentally-controlled chamber. Light emitted by the device passes through a window of the chamber to project a target within the chamber. Image data is captured with the vehicular camera that includes at least a portion of the projected target. Responsive to processing by an image processor of image data captured by the vehicular camera, a characteristic of the vehicular camera is estimated.

Vehicular camera focus test system using light collimator in controlled test chamber

A vehicular camera module includes a main circuit board and an imager circuit board having an imager disposed thereat. A lens barrel accommodating a lens is at least partially disposed in a passageway of a lens holder. The vehicular camera module includes a housing having an upper cover and a lower cover that are joined together. Electronic circuitry disposed at a main printed circuit board of the main circuit board includes an image processor. The electronic circuitry disposed at the main printed circuit board of the main circuit board includes an image processor. With the imager operated to capture image data, captured image data is provided via a flexible ribbon cable to the electronic circuitry disposed at the main printed circuit board of the main circuit board. The imager is disposed within a rear portion of the housing and is not accommodated within a front portion of the housing.

Vehicular camera module

A vehicular camera module includes a housing for mounting at a vehicular windshield, a processor printed circuit board (processor PCB) disposed in the housing, and an imager assembly. The imager assembly includes (i) a lens barrel accommodating a lens, (ii) an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB), and (iii) a flexible electrical ribbon cable that electrically connects the imager PCB to the processor PCB. An imager is disposed at a first side of the imager PCB. The imager PCB includes an imager portion at which the imager is disposed and attaching portions at respective outboard ends. At least one stress relieving portion is established at the imager PCB between the imager portion and each of the attaching portions. With the lens barrel received through an aperture of the housing, the attaching portions of the imager PCB are attached at the housing via respective fasteners.

Vehicular camera assembly process with enhanced attachment of imager assembly at camera housing

A vehicular camera module includes a main circuit board electrically connected with an imager circuit board having an imager disposed thereat. The vehicular camera module includes a housing having an upper cover and a lower cover that are joined together. Electronic circuitry disposed at a main printed circuit board of the main circuit board includes an image processor. The electronic circuitry disposed at the main printed circuit board of the main circuit board includes an electrical connector configured for electrical connection to a connector of a vehicular wire harness. With the imager operated to capture image data, captured image data is provided via a flexible ribbon cable to the electronic circuitry disposed at the main printed circuit board of the main circuit board. The imager is disposed within a rear portion of the housing and is not accommodated within a front portion of the housing.

A vehicular camera module includes a main circuit board electrically connected with an imager circuit board via a flexible ribbon cable. Electronic circuitry disposed at a main PCB of the main circuit board includes an image processor. With the imager operated to capture image data, captured image data is provided via the flexible ribbon cable to the electronic circuitry disposed at the main PCB of the main circuit board. The electronic circuitry disposed at the main PCB of the main circuit board includes an electrical connector configured for electrical connection to a connector of a vehicular wire harness. Electrical components disposed at a first side of the main PCB of the main circuit board, electrical components disposed at a second side of the main PCB of the main circuit board, and the electrical connector are electrically operatively coupled together by conductive traces and vias of the main PCB.

A vehicular camera assembly includes (i) a camera housing that houses a printed circuit board (PCB) having an imager disposed thereat and (ii) a lens barrel that includes a lens accommodating portion that accommodates a lens and a lens barrel flange that circumscribes the lens accommodating portion. The lens barrel flange is adhesively attached at a first attachment surface of a wall structure of the camera housing via adhesive and the PCB is adhesively attached at a second attachment surface of the wall structure of the camera housing via adhesive. The first attachment surface of the camera housing and the second attachment surface of the camera housing are at a common side of the wall structure of the camera housing. With the lens barrel flange and the PCB adhesively attached at the camera housing, the imager is aligned with the lens accommodated by the lens barrel.

Vehicular camera assembly with enhanced lens-imager joint

A vehicular camera for a vision system of a vehicle includes a camera housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a lens barrel supporting a lens. The lens barrel includes a first end and a second end, the second end having a lens barrel flange. The lens barrel flange may be coupled to the camera housing via adhesive, and the PCB may be coupled to the camera housing via adhesive. The lens barrel flange and the PCB are coupled to the camera housing at a common side of the camera housing. With the lens barrel flange coupled to the first portion of the camera housing, and with the PCB coupled to the second portion of the camera housing, the imager is optically aligned with the lens supported at the lens barrel. Optionally, the camera may include a lens holder having a metal portion and a plastic portion.

A vehicular camera module includes a main circuit board electrically connected with an imager circuit board via a flexible ribbon cable, an imager disposed on the imager circuit board, a housing, and a lens barrel accommodating at least one lens. Image data captured by the imager is provided via the flexible ribbon cable to circuitry disposed at a main PCB of the main circuit board. The main circuit board is accommodated within front and rear portions of the housing, while the imager is disposed within the rear portion and is not accommodated within the front portion. The lens barrel, as disposed at the camera module, is tilted at an acute angle upward relative to the plane of the main PCB of the main circuit board. The electronic circuitry disposed at the main PCB includes an electrical socket connector for electrical connection to a plug connector of a vehicular wire harness.

Camera module for vehicular driving assist system

A vehicular camera module includes a housing that houses a lens barrel, a lens holder, a main circuit board, and an imager disposed on an imager circuit board that is electrically connected with the main circuit board. The main circuit board includes a main PCB and the imager circuit board includes an imager PCB. Circuitry disposed at the main PCB includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the imager. The main circuit board is accommodated within front and rear portions of the housing, while the imager is accommodated within the rear portion and is not accommodated within the front portion. The imager views exterior of the housing via an opening of the upper cover at the rear portion of the housing, and the lens barrel extends through the opening. The lens barrel is tilted at an acute angle upward relative to the plane of the main PCB.

Exterior viewing camera module for vehicle vision system

A vehicular camera module includes a housing that houses an imager assembly and a main circuit board. The imager assembly includes an imager on an imager circuit board, a lens barrel, a lens holder and a flexible ribbon cable extending from the imager circuit board. The main circuit board has first circuitry disposed at a first planar side and second circuitry disposed at a second planar side. An electrical connector at the second planar side connects with an electrical connector of the flexible ribbon cable. The main circuit board is accommodated within front and rear portions of the housing, while the imager is accommodated within the rear portion and is not accommodated within the front portion. The imager views to exterior of the housing via an opening of the upper cover at the rear portion of the housing, and the lens barrel extends through the opening.

A vehicular camera module includes a housing that houses an imager assembly and a main circuit board. The imager assembly is attached at an upper cover of the housing, with a flexible ribbon cable extending from an imager circuit board. The main circuit board has first circuitry disposed at a first planar side and second circuitry, including an image processor, disposed at a second planar side. An electrical connector at the second planar side connects with an electrical connector of the flexible ribbon cable. The main circuit board is accommodated within front and rear portions of the housing, while the imager is accommodated within the rear portion and is not accommodated within the front portion. A mounting bracket mounts the camera module at the windshield of the vehicle, with the imager viewing through a portion of the windshield in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

A vehicular vision system includes a camera module having a camera, a flexible ribbon cable and a main PCB. The main PCB has a first planar side and an opposing second planar side. First circuitry is disposed at the first planar side and second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the main PCB. The main PCB at its second planar side includes a second electrical connector, which is configured for mating with a first electrical connector of the flexible ribbon cable. Image data provided via the flexible ribbon cable at least to the second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the main PCB is processed by a digital image processor for at least one driving assist system of the vehicle. At least a portion of a lens barrel of the camera extends through an aperture of a housing portion of the camera module.

Vehicle vision system with exterior viewing camera

A vehicle vision system includes a bracket, a stray light shield and a camera module. The bracket is configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield. The light shield includes a base portion and side walls that extend upward from the base portion so as to establish a pocket. The camera module includes a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, and the camera module is configured to mount at the bracket. The stray light shield, when the camera module is mounted at the bracket attached at the windshield, shields the image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the vehicle. At least the base portion of the stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to reduce incidence of extraneous light at the image sensor array.

Vehicle vision system with light baffling system

A camera assembly for a vehicle vision system includes an imager, a lens and a lens holder. The imager is disposed at a circuit element. The lens holder includes a barrel portion that houses the lens. The lens holder is positioned relative to the imager and includes a flange protruding outward from the barrel portion. The flange of the lens holder includes a generally flat structure having a planar surface that resides in a plane that is normal to an axis of the barrel portion. The lens holder is positioned relative to the imager such that the plane is parallel to the image plane and such that the planar flat surface is a predetermined distance from the image plane, thereby positioning the lens at a desired location relative to the imager.

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Jianguo Wang