Vehicle interior monitoring device

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle interior monitoring device, a vehicle interior monitoring system, a display with a vehicle interior monitoring device, and a vehicle having such a vehicle interior monitoring device. The vehicle interior monitoring device (1) has a body (2) that is transparent to the visible wavelength range and has a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of edges. Adjacent surfaces of the body (2) are at an angle to one another. The vehicle interior monitoring device (1) further has a camera (3) that operates in the visible wavelength range. The camera (3) has a lens (4) and an image sensor, wherein the lens (4) is designed to project images onto the image sensor.The body (2) which is transparent for the visible wavelength range is arranged on the lens (4) and the body (2) and the lens (4) are designed and arranged relative to one another in such a way that light incident on the lens (4) passes through a plurality of the surfaces of the transparent body which are set at an angle to one another.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle interior monitoring device, a vehicle interior monitoring system, a display with a vehicle interior monitoring device and a vehicle having such a vehicle interior monitoring device.

[0002] Vehicle interior surveillance devices that utilize an RGB camera and are installed inside a vehicle are known from the prior art. For example, it is known to install a camera lens that projects color images onto an image sensor behind a clear, transparent pane. This, however, makes the camera, or in particular the camera lens, visible to vehicle occupants and clearly recognizable as such.

[0003] Problems with visibly installed cameras, especially camera lenses, are accompanied by a lack of acceptance by vehicle occupants or drivers, as they may feel like they are being observed.

[0004] Solutions already exist where infrared cameras are installed behind surfaces whose material is only transparent to the infrared wavelength range, but not to wavelengths in the visible range. Such infrared cameras and their components, such as a camera lens, can therefore be easily concealed and masked behind such surfaces, out of sight of vehicle occupants.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a vehicle interior monitoring device which operates in the visible wavelength range and in which at least a part of the same is hidden or concealed in such a way that at least this part is not directly visible to vehicle occupants and is recognizable as a camera.

[0006] This object is achieved by a vehicle interior monitoring device, a vehicle interior monitoring system, and a vehicle according to the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle interior monitoring device comprises a body that is transparent to the visible wavelength range and has a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of edges. In this body, adjacent surfaces of the body are arranged at an angle to one another. In other words, adjacent surfaces of the body are arranged at an angle to one another. As a result, the surfaces and edges can be positioned relative to one another in such a way that light striking the body is refracted in multiple ways and an interior of the body is concealed or masked. Furthermore, the vehicle interior monitoring device comprises a camera that operates in the visible wavelength range. The camera has a lens and an image sensor. The lens is designed to project images onto the image sensor.Both the lens and the image sensor are designed for the visible wavelength range and are operated in this range. The images projected onto the sensor can be forwarded by the sensor as information, in particular as pixelated image information, for example to a computing unit such as a processor for further processing of the information. Furthermore, the body transparent to the visible wavelength range is arranged on the lens, so that the body is located between the lens and a vehicle occupant. The transparent body and lens are designed and arranged in such a way that light incident on the lens passes through a plurality of surfaces of the transparent body that are angled to one another.Incident light is thus refracted differently at the surfaces that are at an angle to each other and provides information about incident light coming from different directions in a single image.

[0008] Due to the multitude of surfaces positioned at an angle to one another, the lens, and preferably the entire camera, is hidden or concealed behind the transparent body in such a way that at least the lens is not directly visible to vehicle occupants and is recognizable as part of a camera. This conceals the camera lens or the camera in such a way that a vehicle occupant no longer perceives the camera, or at least parts of the camera such as the lens, as such. Nevertheless, the camera has an unrestricted view of the interior and the occupants through the body. This makes it very easy to conceal a camera operating in the visible wavelength range in the interior of a vehicle.

[0009] For example, the camera can be installed behind the transparent body on the dashboard on a display, such as a central display, or on a display or instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. It can be part of the instrument panel or installed in another suitable location in the vehicle, e.g., as an application on a display glass.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent body has the shape of a crystal or a diamond. One advantage of a body designed in this way is that the body is an eye-catcher in the vehicle that is a pleasure to look at. Such a body can be deliberately placed in the vehicle and designed as a design element, have a special appearance and thus enhance the interior of the vehicle. The body can be a real part (crystal, diamond) or a body with a corresponding shape made of a different material. The body can, for example, be a body cut from glass in the shape of a diamond and be part of the instrument panel of a vehicle or be used in another useful place in the vehicle, e.g. as an application on a display glass.However, the lens and, advantageously, the entire camera remains hidden behind the body due to the design of the body.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the transparent body has a cavity in which at least the lens is arranged. Such a configuration makes it even easier to conceal the lens behind or within the transparent body. Furthermore, this configuration allows the lens to protrude slightly from the plane on which the transparent body is arranged, allowing the lens to cover a larger angular range.

[0012] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the body and lens are designed and arranged in relation to one another in such a way that at least one of the plurality of surfaces is oriented towards at least one occupant. The plurality of surfaces can be designed in such a way that the refraction of the incident light by the surfaces is utilized in order to be able to monitor different areas of the vehicle interior. For example, this makes it possible in particular to monitor several vehicle occupants at the same time. For example, it is possible to design the surfaces of the body at such an angle that, for example, a camera installed on a central display can observe both the driver and the front passenger. For example, the body can be designed in a facet-like manner with a plurality of facet-like arranged surfaces. The facet-like surfaces can be designed in such a way that the lens orthe entire camera behind the transparent body no longer perceives it as such.

[0013] According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle interior monitoring system comprising a previously described vehicle interior monitoring device and a processor configured to receive information from the image sensor and to process said information. Because the transparent body and lens of the vehicle interior monitoring device are configured and arranged in relation to one another such that the lens is aligned with a plurality of surfaces of the body that are at an angle to one another, light incident on the transparent body is refracted differently at the angled surfaces. As a result, information coming from incident light from different directions is recorded in a single image received by the sensor. The processor can advantageously be configured such that, for example,be programmed or contain a program to process this information from incoming light from different directions in such a way that from information even from a single image provided by the sensor, several pieces of information from different spatial angles can be provided in a targeted manner, for example in order to monitor a driver and a passenger at the same time or additionally different locations in the vehicle interior.

[0014] In one embodiment, the processor can be designed and configured such that it breaks down and processes a single received image information into individual images such that at least a first individual image contains information about the driver and at least a second individual image contains information about a second vehicle occupant or the vehicle interior.

[0015] According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a display with a vehicle interior monitoring device as described above. The vehicle interior monitoring device described above allows vehicle displays to be further enhanced in their appearance. A camera concealed in the display in this way enables greater acceptance with the aforementioned enhancement of the appearance of such a display.

[0016] According to yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle having a previously described vehicle interior monitoring device, a previously described vehicle interior monitoring system, or a previously described display having a vehicle interior monitoring device.

[0017] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0018] They show: Fig. 1 a side view of a first embodiment of a vehicle interior monitoring device, Fig. 2 a perspective view of a body of the embodiment in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a perspective view of an interior of a front area of ​​a vehicle with a vehicle interior monitoring device installed on a central display according to Fig. 1 which is designed as part of a vehicle interior monitoring system, and Fig. 4 Front views of different realizations of a body for a vehicle interior monitoring device.

[0019] To better understand the principles of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. The same reference numerals are used in the figures for the same or equivalent elements and are not necessarily described again for each figure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiments and that the described features can also be combined or modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0020] In Fig. 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of a vehicle interior monitoring device 1. The vehicle interior monitoring device 1 has a body 2 which is transparent to the visible wavelength range and which, in a perspective view, Fig. 2. As can be seen, the body has a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of edges, with adjacent surfaces of the body 2 being arranged at an angle to each other at their common edge, i.e., non-parallel. The body 2 is cut from glass and looks like a diamond, which can be harmoniously integrated into the interior design of a vehicle. Further exemplary design and cutting options for a transparent body are shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0021] Furthermore, the vehicle interior monitoring device 1 in Fig. 1 has a camera 3 with a lens 4 and an image sensor (not shown). The camera 3 operates in the visible wavelength range. In other words, the image sensor is sensitive in the visible wavelength range, and the lens 4 is designed to project images in the visible wavelength range onto the image sensor. The body 2, which is transparent to the visible wavelength range, has a cavity in which the lens 4 is arranged. The body 2, which is transparent to the visible wavelength range, is thus arranged on the lens 4 such that the lens 4 is arranged on a side of the body 2 facing away from a vehicle occupant.

[0022] Body 2 and lens 4 are also designed and arranged relative to one another such that light incident on lens 4 passes through a plurality of the body's surfaces that are angled relative to one another. Furthermore, body 2 and lens 4 are designed and arranged relative to one another such that at least one of the plurality of surfaces is oriented toward at least one vehicle occupant.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an interior of a front area of ​​a vehicle 100 with a vehicle interior monitoring device 1 installed on a display 10, here a central display, which in Fig. 1. The Fig.The vehicle interior monitoring device 1 shown in Figure 3 is part of a vehicle interior monitoring system (not shown in detail). The vehicle interior monitoring system comprises the vehicle interior monitoring device 1 and additionally a processor (not shown). The processor is designed to receive information from the image sensor and to process it. In particular, the processor is designed and configured to break down and process a single received piece of image information into individual images such that at least a first individual image contains information about the driver and at least a second individual image contains information about a second vehicle occupant or the vehicle interior.

[0024] For example, the image sensor captures an image of the vehicle interior without the driver, which the processor stores as a reference image. If a driver is present inside the vehicle, the reference image is subtracted from the image information currently supplied by the image sensor. The processor then evaluates the difference information, which essentially contains image information originating from the driver. Similarly, another reference image of the vehicle interior with the driver is saved, which is then used when another vehicle occupant has joined the vehicle. The same procedure can be followed if there are further changes in the occupancy of the vehicle interior. Through this or other suitable evaluation or post-processing of the image information in the processor, a specially designed image sensor and / or a specially designed lens can be dispensed with. Cost-effective standard components can be used instead.

Claims

[1] Vehicle interior monitoring device (1) comprising: - a body (2) which is transparent to the visible wavelength range and which has a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of edges, wherein adjacent surfaces of the body (2) are at an angle to one another, and - a camera (3) operating in the visible wavelength range, comprising a lens (4) and an image sensor, wherein the lens (4) is designed to project images onto the image sensor, - wherein the body (2) transparent to the visible wavelength range is arranged on the lens (4), and - wherein the transparent body (2) and the lens (4) are designed and arranged relative to one another in such a way that light incident on the lens (4) passes through a plurality of surfaces of the transparent body (2) which are set at an angle to one another. [2] Vehicle interior monitoring device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transparent body (2) has the shape of a crystal or a diamond. [3] Vehicle interior monitoring device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body (2) has a cavity in which at least the lens (4) is arranged. [4] Vehicle interior monitoring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (2) and the lens (4) are designed and arranged relative to one another in such a way that at least one of the plurality of surfaces is oriented in the direction of at least one vehicle occupant. [5] Vehicle interior monitoring system comprising: - a vehicle interior monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims and - a processor configured to receive and process information from the image sensor. [6] Vehicle interior monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein the processor is designed and configured to decompose and process a single received image information into individual images such that at least a first individual image comprises information about the driver and at least a second individual image comprises information about a second vehicle occupant or the vehicle interior. [7] Display (10) with a vehicle interior monitoring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4. [8] Vehicle (100) with a vehicle interior monitoring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, a vehicle interior monitoring system according to one of claims 5 or 6, or a display (10) according to claim 7.

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