Abstract:
A camera for a vehicle vision system includes a front housing portion, a circuit board, and a rear housing portion having a connector portion for connection of a vehicle coaxial cable. The circuit board includes a first solder pad for soldering a core pin connecting element, and a second solder pad that partially circumscribes the first solder pad for soldering a shielding connecting element. The second solder pad only partially circumscribes the first solder pad so as to have a gap between opposing ends of the second solder pad. The gap is configured to allow for escape of gases that evaporate out of the solder during the soldering process. The core pin connecting element electrically connects between a core pin of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of the circuit board and the shielding connecting element electrically connects between shielding of the coaxial cable and circuitry of the circuit board.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/351,321, filed Jun. 17, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a vehicle vision system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicle vision system that utilizes one or more cameras at a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In high speed digital data transmission in automotive applications, such as sensors or displays or infotainment systems, shielded coaxial cable is used for its excellent isolation of the signal and ground path from each other, and from electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues with adjacent electrical components. The device&#39;s PCB typically contains a coaxial header, and the device&#39;s housing would have a mating jack to engage this header. This method of connection to the PCB requires intricate machining, casting, or stamping operations which increase cost and reduce design flexibility. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a vision system or imaging system for a vehicle that utilizes one or more cameras (preferably one or more CMOS cameras) to capture image data representative of images exterior of the vehicle, and provides enhanced electrical connection between a coaxial connector and circuitry of a printed circuit board of the camera. The connection provides a solder pad for connecting to the shielding of the coaxial connector, with the shielding solder pad only partially circumscribing the center solder pad for connecting to the core pin of the coaxial connector. The gap in the shielding solder pad allows for gases that are evaporating out of the solder during the soldering process to escape during the soldering process and thus limits or substantially precludes potential displacement of coaxial header SMD components. 
         [0005]    These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system that incorporates cameras in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a camera of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3A  is a plan view of a known central solder pad and a circumferential solder pad; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3B  is a close up sectional view of a solder joint connection past soldering of a coaxial header, with its shielding node soldered onto a circumferential solder pad that is on a PCB; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4A  is a plan view of a central solder pad and a circumferential solder pad having a gap therein in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4B  is a close up sectional view of a solder joint connection past soldering of a coaxial header ( 43 ), with its shielding node ( 46 ) soldered (solder  47 ) onto a circumferential solder pad ( 40 ) according the invention with a gap ( 40   a ), which prevents solder from filling the gas release hole ( 44 ) on the PCB ( 38 ); 
           [0012]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective bottom view of a coaxial header before soldering; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective bottom view of a coaxial header ( 43 ) before soldering with a solder pad ( 40 ) (on a PCB  38 ) with a gap ( 40   a ) according the invention projected onto it, with the PCB shown transparent for giving view to the location of the solder pads ( 40  and  42 ) in a real relation to the coaxial header&#39;s shield node ( 46 ) and center pin ( 45 ); and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view showing a shielding layer underneath the SMD layers in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display images and to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes an image processor or image processing system that is operable to receive image data from one or more cameras and provide an output to a display device for displaying images representative of the captured image data. Optionally, the vision system may provide a top down or bird&#39;s eye or surround view display and may provide a displayed image that is representative of the subject vehicle, and optionally with the displayed image being customized to at least partially correspond to the actual subject vehicle. 
         [0016]    Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle  10  includes an imaging system or vision system  12  that includes at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera  14   a  (and the system may optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forward facing camera  14   b  at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and a sideward/rearward facing camera  14   c ,  14   d  at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera ( FIG. 2 ). The vision system  12  includes a control or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor  18  that is operable to process image data captured by the cameras and may provide displayed images at a display device  16  for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (although shown in  FIG. 2  as being part of or incorporated in or at an interior rearview mirror assembly  20  of the vehicle, the control and/or the display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle). The data transfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may comprise any suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle. 
         [0017]    The camera or camera module  30  includes an imager at an image plane and a lens holder or lens barrel  26  that holds the lens relative to the imager. During assembly of the camera module, the lens barrel is positioned relative to the imager&#39;s image plane to provide the desired focusing of images at the image plane by the lens. For example, the camera module  30  may include a front housing portion  32  and a rear housing portion  34 , with the lens barrel  26  mounting at the front housing portion and with an electrical connector portion  36  (for connecting to a coaxial connector or coaxial cable of the vehicle or the like) provided at the rear housing portion. The front and/or rear housing portions support and house a circuit element or printed circuit board  38  therein, with the circuit element having the imager (and associated circuitry) disposed thereat. The lens barrel attaches or mounts to the front housing portion such that, when so attached, the lens may focus (or slightly blur) images at the image plane of the imager. For example, the flange of the lens barrel may engage corresponding structure at the front housing portion during the assembly process to locate the lens barrel and lens relative to the imager and image plane. 
         [0018]    When surface mount device (SMD) soldering coaxial connector sockets, such as at a circuit board of a camera or the like, there is typically a center SMD pad for contacting the core pin and a circumferential SMD pad for connecting the coaxial connector&#39;s shielding. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the area of the core soldering pad  52  is typically and conventionally fully enclosed or fully circumscribed by the circumferential soldering pad  50  area of the shielding. These two pads  52  and  50  are on the top layer of the PCB  38 . Thus, since the coaxial header component  43  (see  FIGS. 5A and 5B ) that is meant to be soldered on top of the soldering pad  50  is solid, the SMD area underneath the component is fully enclosed. 
         [0020]    The gases that typically evaporate from the solder  53  during the soldering process can lead to a gas pressure within the enclosed area at the connection which may lift and shift the component and may bubble through the fluid solder in an uncontrolled manner, which can lead to displaced components and insufficient solder distribution, which may in turn diminish the desired contact and EMC performance. 
         [0021]    For coping with the potential displacement of coaxial header SMD components  43 , the present invention provides an enhanced SMD pad design. As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  (shown in two dimensional (2D) form) and in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  (in three dimensional (3D) form), the pad according the present invention has a spared section or gap  40   a  (devoid of solder) within the circumferential shielding SMD pad  40  (that partially circumscribes the core pin SMD pad  42 ). No solder will be present in that region (in extension of the gap  40   a  in the SMD pad  40 ) during soldering. By that, the spared section or gap will serve as gas release hole  44  during the soldering process so as to release or vent gases evaporating from the solder  47  under the coaxial header component. The spared section or gap may be established at any location of the shield header node  46 . 
         [0022]    In order to not lose or degrade the shielding effect, the spared section may be as minimal as required for releasing the gas. In the example of  FIG. 4 , the spared section takes about one twelfth of the circumferential SMD pad or the shielding. The height at the gap may be very small, such as less than around 0.2 mm or such as around 0.15 mm as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0023]    For additionally retaining the shielding properties, another PCB layer below the top layer may have shielding potential, especially in the area underneath the coaxial header.  FIG. 6  shows an example of such a sublayer below the top layer SMD pad in accordance with the invention. The sublayer may have an aperture therethrough for the center pin connection, and may fully circumscribe the aperture. 
         [0024]    Although shown and described as being part of a vehicle camera, it is envisioned that aspects of the SMD pad may be utilized in other applications where a coaxial connector is soldered to a printed circuit board. 
         [0025]    The connection of the present invention may electrically connect a coaxial wiring connector to a printed circuit board of a device, such as a camera of a vehicle vision system. The connection and camera may utilize aspects of the connections and cameras described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,307,640; 9,233,641 and/or 8,866,907 and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2013-0328672; US-2014-0320636; US-2013-0222595; US-2013-0344736; US-2014-0373345; US-2013-0242099; US-2015-0222795; US-2015-0266430; US-2015-0365569; US-2016-0037028; US-2016-0268716 and/or US-2017-0133811, and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 15/467,246, filed Mar. 23, 2017 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2977), Ser. No. 15/478,274, filed Apr. 4, 2017 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2987), and/or Ser. No. 15/487,459, filed Apr. 14, 2017 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P-3000), which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0026]    The camera is configured to electrically connect to a coaxial cable connector. Such coaxial cables fulfill various functions, such as for an Ethernet connection. Transmission of video data over coaxial cabling and utilizing the connectors of the present invention has several advantages, including enhanced protection against hacking or corruption due to cyber-attacks and the like on a vehicle equipped with the vehicle cameras and connection system of the present invention. For example, in a surround vision system comprising at least three vehicle cameras, it is preferred to use Ethernet cabling and the connection system of the present invention for transmission of image data captured by the respective video cameras of a vehicular multi-camera surround vision system to a central ECU where video manipulation and image stitching can be performed to generate a composite bird&#39;s eye or top view or panoramic view image for display to a driver of the equipped vehicle. Ethernet equipped vision systems that benefit from the vehicle cameras and connecting system of the present invention include systems of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,126,525 and/or 9,041,806 and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2015-0042807; US-2014-0340510; US-2014-0218535 and/or US-2012-0218412, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0027]    The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0028]    The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an image processing chip selected from the EyeQ family of image processing chips available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver&#39;s awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle. 
         [0029]    The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imaging sensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (at least a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or the like), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensor elements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensor elements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, such as via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, green and blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via an RCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the image processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable means for processing the images and/or image data. 
         [0030]    For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,694,224; 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0062743, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0031]    Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displaying images captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating the vehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video display device utilizing aspects of the video display systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268; 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2012-0162427 and/or US-2006-0061008, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and a rearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of a top-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround view at the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249 and/or WO 2013/109869, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0032]    Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.