Patent ID: 7855353
Filing Date: 2010-12-21
Classification: B60R,B60S

Abstract:
1. A camera arrangement comprising: a camera separated from a window which divides an outside region from an inside region, wherein the camera is in the inside region such that a space is between the camera and the window and the camera is pointed at the window along an optical axis of the camera with the window being inclined relative to the optical axis such that light incident to the window from the outside region is refracted only once at the interface between the window and the outside region in a direction at least generally parallel with the optical axis and directed within the window towards the camera, wherein different non-overlapping first and second portions of the camera lie alongside one another in an imaging plane of the camera; a light source separated from the window, wherein the light source is in the inside region such that a space is between the light source and the window and the light source is pointed towards the window; and a light-guiding element composed of a solid, optically transparent material having a refraction index substantially similar to the refraction index of the window, wherein the light-guiding element is in the inside region and fills the spaces between the camera and the window and between the light source and the window with an end portion of the light-guiding element being adjacent to the camera and with the first and second portions of the camera being normal to the end portion of the light-guiding element, wherein the light-guiding element couples the refracted incident light out of the window through the end portion of the light-guiding element towards the first portion of the camera such that the refracted incident light passes through the light-guiding element and through the end portion of the light-guiding element to the first portion of the camera, wherein the light-guiding element couples light from the light source into the window which is reflected at the interface between the window and the outside region and couples the reflected light out of the window, without the reflected light either being reflected again at the interface between the window and the outside region or being reflected at the interface between the window and the inside region, through the end portion of the light-guiding element towards the second portion of the camera such that the reflected light passes through the light-guiding element and through the end portion of the light-guiding element to the second portion of the camera; wherein the first portion of the camera records an image indicative of the refractive incident light through the light-guiding element and through the end portion of the light-guiding element and the second portion of the camera records an intensity of the reflected light through the light-guiding element and through the end portion of the light-guiding element.