Patent ID: 6802617
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: B60N,B60Q,B60R,B60S,G01J,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
A vehicle image capture system, comprising:a photosensor array; said photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in columns and rows, the number of columns in said array being greater than the number of rows in said array, the number of rows being a least 40 rows; said photosensor array having a field of view encompassing at least one of an area interior of the vehicle and an area exterior of the vehicle; an illumination source, said illumination source comprising a near infrared illumination source having a peak spectral output greater than about 750 nm; said illumination source illuminating an illuminated target area, said illuminated target area at least partially within the field of view of said photosensor array; a control responsive to an output of said photosensor array for detecting an imaged object; and wherein at least one photosensor element of said photosensor array has an exposure period that is variable in response to a detected light level, said exposure period increasing for decreasing detected light levels.