Automotive camera unit

Various aspects of the subject technology relate to an automotive camera unit. The automotive camera unit comprises a housing comprising an aperture, a lens positioned to receive an optical image through the aperture of the housing, and an image sensor board mounted within the housing, the image sensor board comprising an image sensor configured to convert the optical image into sensor data. The automotive camera unit further includes an image signal processor (ISP) board mounted within the housing and above the image sensor board, the image signal processor board comprising an image signal processor configured to covert the sensor data into image data for use by an automotive system.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally pertains to sensor units and, more specifically, to camera units used in automotive vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles of various types operate in a wide variety of environmental conditions. These vehicles increasingly include and rely on various sensors to aid in vehicular operation and navigation. These sensors may also be used to provide users with various features or services. These sensors include, but are not limited to, cameras, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors, or radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensors.

The various sensors systems included in today's vehicles may include sophisticated and sensitive electronic equipment that operates best in a narrow range of operational limits (e.g., high or low temperatures, moisture, etc.). Unfortunately, vehicles in which the sensor systems are implemented may operate in conditions that cause the sensor systems to exceed their operational limits. For example, automotive image sensors used in automotive cameras typically have a wider range of operational temperature limits than typical image sensors (e.g., up to 115° C.). However, even then, there are situations where those limits are exceeded in conventional automotive cameras.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples of the present technology are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the present technology. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing one or more aspects. Further, it is to be understood that functionality that is described as being carried out by certain system components may be performed by more or fewer components than shown.

Sensor systems installed on vehicles (e.g., automotive vehicles) may have one or more operational limits that specify conditions for optimal sensor performance, tested or guaranteed operation within a specified tolerance, or other operational limits. The operational limits may include, for example, a range of acceptable temperatures. The sensor systems often include an enclosed housing with components that draw power and generate heat. The enclosed housing may trap the heat generated by the components as well as heat provided by the external environment in which the vehicle and/or sensor systems operate. Accordingly, the high ends of ranges of acceptable temperatures specified by the operational limits are often exceeded. This results in suboptimal performance of the sensor systems, inoperable sensor systems, and/or even the possibility of damage to the sensor systems.

For example, automotive cameras may include image sensors that have a high end of acceptable temperatures (e.g., up to 115° C.). Although different image sensors may be designed with different acceptable temperature ranges, each image sensor will have some temperature above which performance is not guaranteed, performance degrades, or damage may occur. For example, above the high end of the acceptable temperature range, an image sensor may be rendered non-functional or performance of the image sensor may degrade beyond an acceptable level. In extreme cases, damage may even occur to the image sensor. Independent of the specified operational limits, there is also a desire to reduce the temperature surrounding image sensors because higher temperatures may cause higher noise (e.g., Gaussian noise) levels in image data, which results in degraded image quality.

Aspects of the subject technology solve these and other technical problems by providing a sensor unit that reduces the temperatures experienced by the sensor. Some aspects of the subject technology are directed to reducing the temperature of the image sensor by reducing the amount of heat trapped in the vicinity of the image sensor. Furthermore, the amount of heat experienced by the image sensor may be reduced by isolating the image sensor from heat generated by other components. For example, some aspects relate to a camera unit that includes a housing, an image sensor board that includes an image sensor, and an image signal processor (ISP) board. The image signal processor board may be mounted within the housing above the image sensor board such that less heat generated by the image signal processor board is experienced by the image sensor on the image sensor board.

Various embodiments of the subject technology are discussed with respect to an automotive camera unit for illustrative purposes. Other embodiments may relate to other types of camera units, image sensors, and other sensors that are sensitive to heat. These embodiments may be used in various fields and for various purposes. One area in which may be of particular interest is in the field of autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles typically rely heavily on a number of sensors (including cameras) and satisfactory operation of these sensors is of critical importance. These sensors may be mounted in areas on the autonomous vehicle that constrain the ability for heat to dissipate. For example, there may be a lack of space available for cooling mechanisms or the sensors may be mounted to the roof of the vehicle which experiences particularly hot temperatures. Furthermore, autonomous vehicles may often travel through hot locations and environments that further increase temperatures experienced by the sensors.

FIG. 1illustrates an autonomous vehicle and remote computing system architecture, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The autonomous vehicle102can navigate about roadways with or without a human driver based upon sensor signals output by sensor systems180of the autonomous vehicle102. The autonomous vehicle102includes a plurality of sensor systems180(a first sensor system104through an Nth sensor system106). The sensor systems180are of different types and are arranged about the autonomous vehicle102. For example, the first sensor system104may be a camera sensor system and the Nth sensor system106may be a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor system. Other exemplary sensor systems include radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor systems, Electromagnetic Detection and Ranging (EmDAR) sensor systems, Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) sensor systems, Sound Detection and Ranging (SODAR) sensor systems, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver systems such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver systems, accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMU), infrared sensor systems, laser rangefinder systems, ultrasonic sensor systems, infrasonic sensor systems, microphones, or a combination thereof. While four sensors180are illustrated coupled to the autonomous vehicle102, it should be understood that more or fewer sensors may be coupled to the autonomous vehicle102.

Note that while the sensors180of the vehicle102ofFIG. 1are illustrated as uniform and as mounted or otherwise coupled to the roof of the vehicle102, different types of sensors180may be used, and different sensors180may be positioned along, or coupled to, different portions of the vehicle102. For example, one or more sensors may be coupled to the left and right side/wing/door/fender mirrors of the vehicle102, respectively, while one or more central sensors may be coupled to or hidden behind a front bumper of the vehicle102. Some sensors180may be located along or coupled to the interior of the vehicle, for example behind the windshield or to the interior rear-view mirror. The vehicle102may have sensors located along the roof, doors, walls, windows, bumpers, anywhere along the top and/or bottom and/or front and/or left side and/or right side and/or rear of the vehicle, or any combination thereof.

The autonomous vehicle102further includes several mechanical systems that are used to effectuate appropriate motion of the autonomous vehicle102. For instance, the mechanical systems can include but are not limited to, a vehicle propulsion system130, a braking system132, and a steering system134. The vehicle propulsion system130may include an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, or both. The braking system132can include an engine brake, brake pads, actuators, and/or any other suitable componentry that is configured to assist in decelerating the autonomous vehicle102. In some cases, the braking system132may charge a battery of the vehicle through regenerative braking. The steering system134includes suitable componentry that is configured to control the direction of movement of the autonomous vehicle102during navigation.

The autonomous vehicle102further includes a safety system136that can include various lights and signal indicators, parking brake, airbags, etc. The autonomous vehicle102further includes a cabin system138that can include cabin temperature control systems, in-cabin entertainment systems, etc.

The autonomous vehicle102additionally comprises an internal computing system110that is in communication with the sensor systems180and the systems130,132,134,136, and138. The internal computing system includes at least one processor and at least one memory having computer-executable instructions that are executed by the processor. The computer-executable instructions can make up one or more services responsible for controlling the autonomous vehicle102, communicating with remote computing system150, receiving inputs from passengers or human co-pilots, logging metrics regarding data collected by sensor systems180and human co-pilots, etc.

The internal computing system110can include a control service112that is configured to control operation of the vehicle propulsion system130, the braking system208, the steering system134, the safety system136, and the cabin system138. The control service112receives sensor signals from the sensor systems180as well communicates with other services of the internal computing system110to effectuate operation of the autonomous vehicle102. In some embodiments, control service112may carry out operations in concert one or more other systems of autonomous vehicle102.

The internal computing system110can also include a constraint service114to facilitate safe propulsion of the autonomous vehicle102. The constraint service116includes instructions for activating a constraint based on a rule-based restriction upon operation of the autonomous vehicle102. For example, the constraint may be a restriction upon navigation that is activated in accordance with protocols configured to avoid occupying the same space as other objects, abide by traffic laws, circumvent avoidance areas, etc. In some embodiments, the constraint service can be part of the control service112.

The internal computing system110can also include a communication service116. The communication service can include both software and hardware elements for transmitting and receiving signals from/to the remote computing system150. The communication service116is configured to transmit information wirelessly over a network, for example, through an antenna array that provides personal cellular (long-term evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.) communication.

In some embodiments, one or more services of the internal computing system110are configured to send and receive communications to remote computing system150for such reasons as reporting data for training and evaluating machine learning algorithms, requesting assistance from remoting computing system or a human operator via remote computing system150, software service updates, ridesharing pickup and drop off instructions etc.

The internal computing system110can also include a latency service118. The latency service118can utilize timestamps on communications to and from the remote computing system150to determine if a communication has been received from the remote computing system150in time to be useful. For example, when a service of the internal computing system110requests feedback from remote computing system150on a time-sensitive process, the latency service118can determine if a response was timely received from remote computing system150as information can quickly become too stale to be actionable. When the latency service118determines that a response has not been received within a threshold, the latency service118can enable other systems of autonomous vehicle102or a passenger to make necessary decisions or to provide the needed feedback.

The internal computing system110can also include a user interface service120that can communicate with cabin system138in order to provide information or receive information to a human co-pilot or human passenger. In some embodiments, a human co-pilot or human passenger may be required to evaluate and override a constraint from constraint service114, or the human co-pilot or human passenger may wish to provide an instruction to the autonomous vehicle102regarding destinations, requested routes, or other requested operations. The internal computing system110can, in some cases, include at least one computing system, or may include at least a subset of the components discussed with respect to computing systems.

As described above, the remote computing system150is configured to send/receive a signal from the autonomous vehicle140regarding reporting data for training and evaluating machine learning algorithms, requesting assistance from remote computing system150or a human operator via the remote computing system150, software service updates, rideshare pickup and drop off instructions, etc.

The remote computing system150includes an analysis service152that is configured to receive data from autonomous vehicle102and analyze the data to train or evaluate machine learning algorithms for operating the autonomous vehicle102. The analysis service152can also perform analysis pertaining to data associated with one or more errors or constraints reported by autonomous vehicle102.

The remote computing system150can also include a user interface service154configured to present metrics, video, pictures, sounds reported from the autonomous vehicle102to an operator of remote computing system150. User interface service154can further receive input instructions from an operator that can be sent to the autonomous vehicle102.

The remote computing system150can also include an instruction service156for sending instructions regarding the operation of the autonomous vehicle102. For example, in response to an output of the analysis service152or user interface service154, instructions service156can prepare instructions to one or more services of the autonomous vehicle102or a co-pilot or passenger of the autonomous vehicle102.

The remote computing system150can also include a rideshare service158configured to interact with ridesharing applications170operating on (potential) passenger computing devices. The rideshare service158can receive requests to be picked up or dropped off from passenger ridesharing app170and can dispatch autonomous vehicle102for the trip. The rideshare service158can also act as an intermediary between the ridesharing app170and the autonomous vehicle wherein a passenger might provide instructions to the autonomous vehicle to102go around an obstacle, change routes, honk the horn, etc.

The rideshare service158as depicted inFIG. 1illustrates a vehicle102as a triangle en route from a start point of a trip to an end point of a trip, both of which are illustrated as circular endpoints of a thick line representing a route traveled by the vehicle. The route may be the path of the vehicle from picking up the passenger to dropping off the passenger (or another passenger in the vehicle), or it may be the path of the vehicle from its current location to picking up another passenger. The remote computing system150can, in some cases, include at least one computing system or may include at least a subset of the components discussed with respect to computing systems.

As noted above, various components of the autonomous vehicle102and the remote computing system150rely on data from the various sensor systems180. Various aspects of the subject technology improve the performance and reliability of these sensor systems by reducing temperatures experienced by the sensors and/or reducing the amount of heat trapped in the vicinity of the sensors. These benefits may be achieved using substantially the same amount of space (e.g., without the need for larger sensor unit/housing). In some embodiments, a smaller housing may be used, thus conserving space. Various embodiments of the subject technology are discussed with respect to a camera unit for illustrative purposes. Other embodiments may relate to any other type of sensor that is sensitive to heat.

FIG. 2is a diagram illustrating an example camera unit. The camera unit includes a housing205, a lens210, an image sensor board220that includes a mounted image sensor225, an image signal processor board230, and a connector240. The lens210is configured to allow light to enter the housing205and may focus the light onto the image sensor225mounted to the image sensor board220. The image sensor225is a sensor configured to detect the light through the lens215that forms an optical image and converts the optical image into sensor data. The image signal processor board may have various electronic components mounted to it including an image signal processor, image processing engine, or other image processing unit. The electronic components on the image signal processor board may be configured to process the sensor data and covert the sensor data into image data for use, for example, by the autonomous vehicle102ofFIG. 1, the remote computing system150ofFIG. 1, or other system. The processing may include, for example, Bayer transformations, demosaicing, noise reduction, image sharpening, or any other image processing functions. After processing, the connector240may provide a means for transferring the image data to another system such as the internal computing system110of the autonomous vehicle102ofFIG. 1.

The image sensor board220and the image signal processor board230are positioned next to one another in parallel. The image sensor board220and the image signal processor board230may each generate heat. The heat from the image signal processor board230may affect the image sensor board220. Furthermore, the heat that radiates from the image sensor board220and the image signal processor board230may accumulate between the image sensor board220and the image signal processor board230without adequate means for heat dissipation. As a result, the temperature of the image sensor board220may climb to levels that exceed operation limits or cause the performance of the image sensor board220to degrade.

Aspects of the subject technology mitigate the amount of heat the image sensor board experiences from the image signal processor board and thereby reduces the temperatures experienced by the image sensor board. As a result, operational limits of the image sensor are less likely to be exceeded, the performance of the image sensor is less likely to degrade, and resulting images will experience less noise and better image quality.

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating an example camera unit, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The camera unit may include a housing305that includes an aperture. One or more portions of the housing305may be made of a heat dissipating material such as a metal or metal alloy. In some embodiment copper, aluminum, and/or stainless steel may be used. A lens or lens unit310may be positioned within the housing305to receive light (e.g., an optical image) through the aperture of the housing305.

An image sensor board320is mounted within the housing305and includes a mounted image sensor325. The image sensor325is configured to convert the optical image received through the lens310into sensor data. Both the lens310and the image sensor board320are positioned vertically in the housing305and in parallel. The image sensor325may be aligned with the lens310in order to receive an optical image through the lens310. An image signal processor board330is also mounted within the housing330above the image sensor board320. The image signal processor board330includes electronics, such as an image signal processor configured to covert the sensor data into image data for use by an automotive system. In some embodiments, the image sensor board320and the image signal processor board330may be printed circuit boards (PCBs). The camera unit also includes a connector340that provides an interface between the camera unit and an external system such as the internal computing system110of the autonomous vehicle102ofFIG. 1.

By placing the image signal processor board330above the image sensor board320, heat generated by the image signal processor board330is less likely to affect the image sensor board320. Furthermore, the heat generated by the image signal processor board330is likely to dissipate upwards as hot air rises and away from the image sensor board320. As shown inFIG. 3, the image signal processor board330positioned horizontally in the housing305. The image signal processor board330may be positioned perpendicularly with respect to the image sensor board320. However, the orientation of the image signal processor board330and the image sensor board320need not be perpendicular or in a 90 degree orientation. In other embodiments, a plane of formed by the image signal processor board330and a plane of the image sensor board320may intersect at a point, forming an angle between 45 and 135 degrees.

According to some embodiments, the image sensor board320and/or the image signal processor board330are mounted to an interior of the housing305. However, in other embodiments, a chassis may be mounted to the interior of the housing305and the image sensor board320and/or the image signal processor board330are mounted to the chassis. Also, as shown inFIG. 3, one end350of the image signal processor board330may abut an end355of the image sensor board320. However, in other embodiments, other configurations may be used.

For example,FIG. 4is a diagram illustrating an example camera unit, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The camera unit includes a housing405, a lens410, an image sensor board420with an image sensor425, and an image signal processor (ISP) board430mounted within the housing405and above the image sensor board. The camera unit also includes a connector440that provides an interface between the camera unit and an external system such as the internal computing system110of the autonomous vehicle102ofFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 4, an end455of the image sensor board420abuts an intermediate section450of the image signal processing board430. Although the image signal processor board430is shown positioned perpendicularly with respect to the image sensor board420, other orientations are possible.

FIG. 5is a diagram illustrating an example camera unit, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The camera unit includes a housing505, a lens510, an image sensor board520with an image sensor525, and an image signal processor (ISP) board530mounted within the housing505and above the image sensor board. The camera unit also includes a connector540that provides an interface between the camera unit and an external system such as the internal computing system110of the autonomous vehicle102ofFIG. 1.

The housing505inFIG. 5includes a first section560configured to fit the image sensor board520and a second section565configured to fit the image signal processor board530. The first vertical section560surrounds the image sensor board520, covers the length of the image sensor board520, and provides an increased surface area for heat from the image sensor board520to dissipate. Similarly, second horizontal section565surrounds the image signal processor board530, covers the length of the image signal processor board530, and provides an increased surface area for heat from the image signal processor board530to dissipate. Such a configuration allows for improved heat dissipation as less heat from the image sensor board520and/or the image signal processor board530is enclosed within the housing and there is more surface area for heat to dissipate.

FIG. 6shows an example of computing system600, which can be for example any computing device making up internal computing system110, remote computing system150, camera unit, sensor unit, or any component thereof in which the components of the system are in communication with each other using connection605. Connection605can be a physical connection via a bus, or a direct connection into processor610, such as in a chipset architecture. Connection605can also be a virtual connection, networked connection, or logical connection.

Example system600includes at least one processing unit (CPU or processor)610and connection605that couples various system components including system memory615, such as read-only memory (ROM)620and random access memory (RAM)625to processor610. Computing system600can include a cache of high-speed memory612connected directly with, in close proximity to, or integrated as part of processor610.

Processor610can include any general purpose processor and a hardware service or software service, such as services632,634, and636stored in storage device630, configured to control processor610as well as a special-purpose processor where software instructions are incorporated into the actual processor design. Processor610may essentially be a completely self-contained computing system, containing multiple cores or processors, a bus, memory controller, cache, etc. A multi-core processor may be symmetric or asymmetric.

To enable user interaction, computing system600includes an input device645, which can represent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone for speech, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input, keyboard, mouse, motion input, speech, etc. Computing system600can also include output device635, which can be one or more of a number of output mechanisms known to those of skill in the art. In some instances, multimodal systems can enable a user to provide multiple types of input/output to communicate with computing system600. Computing system600can include communications interface640, which can generally govern and manage the user input and system output. The communication interface may perform or facilitate receipt and/or transmission wired or wireless communications via wired and/or wireless transceivers, including those making use of an audio jack/plug, a microphone jack/plug, a universal serial bus (USB) port/plug, an Apple® Lightning® port/plug, an Ethernet port/plug, a fiber optic port/plug, a proprietary wired port/plug, a BLUETOOTH® wireless signal transfer, a BLUETOOTH® low energy (BLE) wireless signal transfer, an IBEACON® wireless signal transfer, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) wireless signal transfer, near-field communications (NFC) wireless signal transfer, dedicated short range communication (DSRC) wireless signal transfer, 802.11 Wi-Fi wireless signal transfer, wireless local area network (WLAN) signal transfer, Visible Light Communication (VLC), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Infrared (IR) communication wireless signal transfer, Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) signal transfer, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) signal transfer, 3G/4G/5G/LTE cellular data network wireless signal transfer, ad-hoc network signal transfer, radio wave signal transfer, microwave signal transfer, infrared signal transfer, visible light signal transfer, ultraviolet light signal transfer, wireless signal transfer along the electromagnetic spectrum, or some combination thereof. The communications interface640may also include one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers or transceivers that are used to determine a location of the computing system600based on receipt of one or more signals from one or more satellites associated with one or more GNSS systems. GNSS systems include, but are not limited to, the US-based Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russia-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the China-based BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), and the Europe-based Galileo GNSS. There is no restriction on operating on any particular hardware arrangement, and therefore the basic features here may easily be substituted for improved hardware or firmware arrangements as they are developed.

The storage device630can include software services, servers, services, etc., that when the code that defines such software is executed by the processor610, it causes the system to perform a function. In some embodiments, a hardware service that performs a particular function can include the software component stored in a computer-readable medium in connection with the necessary hardware components, such as processor610, connection605, output device635, etc., to carry out the function.