Patent ID: 7965336

Claim:
An imaging system for a vehicle, said imaging system comprising: a camera module configured for mounting at a vehicle, said camera module comprising a plastic housing and an imaging sensor having a lens and a pixelated imaging array, said plastic housing including a connector portion and a camera portion, wherein said connector portion and said camera portion are laser welded together to form a substantially hermetic seal; wherein said camera module comprises a self-contained camera module with said imaging sensor and associated components substantially sealed to limit or substantially preclude water intrusion into said plastic housing, and wherein said camera module is configured to be positioned at the vehicle as a unit; wherein said connector portion of said camera module comprises an electrical connector suitable for electrically conductive connection to a vehicle electrical connector when said camera module is positioned at the vehicle; wherein said imaging sensor is disposed at a first substrate and wherein said electrical connector is disposed at a second substrate, and wherein said electrical connector is electrically conductively connected to circuitry of said imaging sensor at said first substrate via a flexible connector; wherein said first substrate is attached at said camera portion and said second substrate is attached at said connector portion such that said first and second substrates are disposed within said plastic housing with said imaging sensor having field of view through a portion of said camera portion; wherein said electrical connector extends from said second substrate connector portion so as to be accessible at an end of said connector portion for connecting to the vehicle electrical connector when said camera module is positioned at the vehicle; and a control operable to process video images captured by said imaging sensor.