US 12,109,951 B2
Vehicular camera system
Garret F. Achenbach, Rochester Hills, MI (US); Brian J. Winden, Rochester, MI (US); and Christopher L. Van Dan Elzen, Rochester, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/337,484.
Application 18/337,484 is a division of application No. 16/948,654, filed on Sep. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,718,228.
Application 16/948,654 is a continuation of application No. 15/457,056, filed on Mar. 13, 2017, granted, now 10,787,125.
Application 15/457,056 is a continuation of application No. 14/233,507, granted, now 9,596,387, previously published as PCT/US2012/048993, filed on Jul. 31, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/583,431, filed on Jan. 5, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/514,191, filed on Aug. 2, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0331152 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 5/235 (2006.01); B60R 1/04 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01); B60R 11/04 (2006.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); B60K 35/22 (2024.01); B60K 35/28 (2024.01); B60K 35/60 (2024.01); B60R 11/00 (2006.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01)
CPC B60R 11/04 (2013.01) [B60R 1/04 (2013.01); B60R 1/12 (2013.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); B60K 35/22 (2024.01); B60K 35/28 (2024.01); B60K 35/60 (2024.01); B60K 2360/173 (2024.01); B60K 2360/21 (2024.01); B60K 2360/777 (2024.01); B60R 2001/1215 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); B60R 2011/0026 (2013.01); B60R 2300/102 (2013.01); B60R 2300/105 (2013.01); B60R 2300/303 (2013.01); B60R 2300/607 (2013.01); B60R 2300/8026 (2013.01); B60R 2300/804 (2013.01); B60R 2300/806 (2013.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); Y10T 29/49169 (2015.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular camera system, said vehicular camera system comprising:
a camera module comprising an imager assembly, a main circuit board and a camera housing;
wherein said imager assembly comprises (i) an imager disposed on an imager circuit board and (ii) a lens holder comprising a lens assembly;
wherein said lens assembly comprises a lens barrel accommodating a lens;
wherein said imager assembly comprises a flexible ribbon cable, said flexible ribbon cable terminating at a terminator portion;
wherein said terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable comprises a first electrical connector;
wherein said main circuit board comprises a multilayered printed circuit board (multilayered PCB) having a first planar side and a second planar side opposite the first planar side and separated from the first planar side by a thickness dimension of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board;
wherein first circuitry is disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board, and wherein second circuitry is disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board;
wherein said first circuitry disposed at the first planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board comprises a vehicle connector;
wherein an image processor is disposed at the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board;
wherein said image processor is operable for processing image data captured by the imager;
wherein the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board at its second planar side comprises a second electrical connector, and wherein said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board is configured for connecting with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable;
wherein, with said imager assembly operated to capture image data and with said first electrical connector at the terminator portion of said flexible ribbon cable connected with said second electrical connector at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board, image data captured by the imager of said imager assembly is provided via said flexible ribbon cable at least to said second circuitry disposed at the second planar side of the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board;
wherein said camera housing comprises an upper cover and a lower cover, and wherein said upper cover and said lower cover are joined together;
wherein said camera housing comprises a forward portion and a rearward portion;
wherein said main circuit board is accommodated within said forward and rearward portions;
wherein the imager is disposed at said rearward portion and is not disposed at said forward portion of said camera housing;
wherein said camera housing of said camera module has a breadth and a length, and wherein the multilayered PCB of said main circuit board extends across the breadth of said camera housing and along the length of said camera housing;
wherein the imager circuit board is disposed at said rearward portion of said camera housing and is tilted at an acute angle with respect to said main circuit board;
wherein said forward portion of said camera housing has a maximum height dimension, and wherein said rearward portion of said camera housing has a maximum height dimension;
wherein the maximum height dimension of said rearward portion of said camera housing is greater than the maximum height dimension of said forward portion of said camera housing;
wherein the imager of said imager assembly comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor having a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in an array of rows and columns of photosensor elements; and
wherein said lens holder is attached at said upper cover of said camera housing by at least one fastener.