Automotive interior sensing system

Abstract

To provide a motor vehicle cabin sensing system.SOLUTION: The disclosure relates to a motor vehicle cabin sensing system. The system comprises an image sensor, an illumination source, and an illumination lens array. The image sensor is operable to capture one or more images, and has a field of view of a motor vehicle cabin. Preferably, the image sensor is operable to capture images in a near-infrared wavelength. The illumination source is operable to transmit light rays towards the motor vehicle cabin. The illumination lens array is operable to diffuse the light rays emitted from the illumination source to one or more photoreceptor cells of a retina, so that the radiant intensity of a red glow effect detected by the retina is reduced by a factor of 10 to 100 from or reduced to 0% to 50% of the radiant intensity of the illumination source.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly to interior sensing systems for motor vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] The implementation of Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) to ensure driver safety is becoming widespread in the automotive industry. The most common function of a DMS is to monitor the driver's condition and determine whether the driver is tired, drunk, or otherwise fit to operate a vehicle, thereby ensuring the safety of the driver and other road users.

[0003] Designing an effective DMS is often challenging because more and more information is required to identify the driver's facial features. One way to address this problem is to capture an image of the driver at infrared wavelengths to capture the driver's image and perform facial recognition image processing. Typical operating IR wavelengths are invisible to the human eye.

[0004] Nevertheless, under certain conditions, for example, when the brightness of the ambient light is low, such as the interior environment of a vehicle cabin, the light emitted within the IR wavelength can be detected by the human eye, and the light is perceived as red light, also known as the red glow effect. The red glow of this light can distract a driver operating a vehicle, thus making them uncomfortable and potentially compromising the driver's safety.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to provide an automotive sensing system that overcomes or at least ameliorates the above-mentioned problems. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the disclosure. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The aim of the present disclosure is to remedy the problem of the red glow effect being perceived by the human eye for safety reasons by providing the subject matter of the independent claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The purpose of this disclosure is to an image sensor operable to capture one or more images, the image sensor having a field of view of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle; an illumination source operable to transmit a beam of light toward a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle; an illumination lens array operable to diffuse light emitted from the illumination source toward the interior of the vehicle; In an automobile interior sensing system including the illumination lens array further includes two or more single lens elements, each of the two or more single lens elements operable to diffuse light rays emitted from the illumination source onto one or more photoreceptor cells of the retina; each of the two or more single lens elements is operable to detect a radiation intensity representative of a red glow; Radiant intensity is 0% to 50% of the light emitted by the illumination source. The above-mentioned problem is solved by an automobile interior sensing system.

[0008] Advantages of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure provide an interior sensing system for a motor vehicle that solves the problem of distracting driver perception of the red glow effect. The problem of the red glow effect is solved by reducing the radiant intensity of the red glow as perceived by one or more photoreceptor cells in the human eye by a factor of 10 to 100. Preferably, the radiant intensity is reduced to between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source in response to diffusing the light beam using an illumination lens array. More preferably, the radiant intensity is reduced to between 0.1% and 30% of the light emitted from the illumination source, and even more preferably, to between 1% and 10% of the light emitted from the illumination source.

[0009] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the illumination lens array is positioned in front of the illumination source is preferred.

[0010] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that they provide optical means for diffusing light rays emitted from an illumination source such that the light rays transmitted toward the passenger compartment of the automobile are incident light rays that are received by one or more photoreceptor cells in the retina of the human eye.

[0011] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the illumination lens array comprises two or more single lens elements integrated into a single lens sheet is preferred.

[0012] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that the illumination lens array allows for flexibility in design, allowing the size of each single lens element to be varied depending on the requirements of the system. Preferably, the total number of lens elements depends on the size of the entire lens array. Nevertheless, there is no restriction on the number of lenses. However, a larger number of lens elements will result in improved or higher performance in terms of reducing the red glow effect as perceived by the retina.

[0013] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the illumination lens array is a microlens array is preferred.

[0014] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that it provides an alternative solution by using a microlens array instead of a single sheet illumination lens array. Advantageously, using a microlens array as the illumination lens array can distribute light rays evenly among the different lens arrays, thereby achieving a significant reduction in the radiation intensity perceived by one or more photoreceptor cells.

[0015] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the illumination lens array is a Fresnel lens is preferred.

[0016] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that using a Fresnel lens array instead of an illumination lens array provides an alternative solution by reducing the thickness of the lens array, resulting in a much more compact system.

[0017] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, Preferred are systems in which each of the two or more single lens elements further comprises a prism, a diverging lens, or a combination thereof.

[0018] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that the lens elements provided on a single sheet of the lens array diffuse light rays from an illumination source in an automotive interior sensing system, diffusing the light rays emanating from the illumination source such that only 0%-50% of the radiant intensity is detected and transmitted through one or more lens elements. Preferably, the lens array may use prisms, diverging lenses, or a combination of both prisms and diverging lenses to achieve the desired technical result.

[0019] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the illumination source includes a near infrared (NIR) illumination source is preferred.

[0020] The above-described aspects of the present disclosure are directed to defining the types of illumination sources used in automotive interior sensing systems to achieve infrared operating wavelengths.

[0021] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A preferred system is one in which the illumination source is a NIR light emitting diode (LED).

[0022] The above-described aspects of the present disclosure are intended to define alternative types of illumination sources for use in automotive interior sensing systems to achieve infrared wavelengths.

[0023] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A preferred system is one in which the illumination source is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).

[0024] The above-described aspects of the present disclosure are intended to define alternative types of illumination sources for use in automotive interior sensing systems to achieve infrared wavelengths.

[0025] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, Preferably the system further comprises a reflective panel.

[0026] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that it increases light efficiency by reducing light leakage. This technical feature is beneficial for light sources with wider viewing angles and addresses the problem of light flux leakage from the sides of the illumination lens array due to the wide viewing angle. An example of a reflective panel can be a flat plate with a reflective surface or a flat reflective mirror.

[0027] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, the reflective panel further includes a first end and a second end; a first end of the reflective panel is displaced adjacent to the illumination source; The second end of the reflective panel is displaced adjacent to the illumination lens array. The system is preferred.

[0028] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that it provides a reflective panel arrangement that addresses the problem of light flux leakage from the sides of the illumination lens array due to wide viewing angles.

[0029] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, A system in which the image sensor is capable of operating in the near infrared (NIR) wavelengths is preferred.

[0030] The above aspects of the present disclosure are intended to define the types of image sensors suitable for implementation in the automotive interior sensing systems disclosed herein. Preferably, the basic image sensor is expected to operate at NIR wavelengths for driver monitoring systems or interior monitoring systems without departing from the main inventive concept of the present disclosure.

[0031] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, Preferred is a system in which the illumination lens array has dimensions of preferably 0.1 cm to 10 cm (1 mm to 100 mm), more preferably 5 cm to 9 cm (50 mm to 90 mm), and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.2 cm (1 mm to 2 mm).

[0032] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that they provide preferred dimensions for an illumination lens array suitable for a driver monitoring or interior monitoring system. More preferably, the maximum size should not exceed 5 cm to 10 cm to ensure that such an automobile interior sensing system can accommodate eye gaze tracking purposes. However, the main concept for configuring the dimensions of the illumination lens array is to match the illumination field of a remote illumination source, i.e., from the system's imaging module, with the position of the human eye. Therefore, depending on the distance between the driver and the illumination source, the minimum size of the illumination lens array can be increased, e.g., 2 mm in diameter to match the size of the light source, but the size can vary from larger to smaller without departing from the main inventive concept.

[0033] In the system described above or in the system described above as preferred, the radiation intensity detected by each of the two or more single lens elements is preferably between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source; More preferably, it is 0.1% to 30% of the light emitted from the illumination source. Even more preferably, it is 1% to 10% of the light emitted from the illumination source. The system is preferred.

[0034] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure is that an interior sensing system for a vehicle is provided that eliminates the distracting red glow effect problem before it is noticed by the driver. Preferably, the radiation intensity is reduced to between 0% and 50% of the radiation emitted from the illumination source in response to diffusing the radiation using the illumination lens array. More preferably, the radiation intensity is reduced to between 0.1% and 30% of the radiation emitted from the illumination source, and even more preferably, the radiation intensity is reduced to between 1% and 10% of the radiation emitted from the illumination source.

[0035] The object of the present disclosure is solved by a method for mitigating the red glow effect caused by an illumination source emitting light rays from an interior sensing system of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: capturing an image of a vehicle interior field of view with an image sensor; emitting a beam of light toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with an illumination source; diffusing light emitted from the illumination source toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with an illumination lens array, the illumination lens array including two or more single lens elements; Including, in response to light rays emitted from an illumination source being diffused by two or more single lens elements; detecting, by each of the two or more single lens elements, a radiation intensity representative of a red glow; The radiant intensity is 0%~50% of the light emitted from the illumination source. It is characterized by:

[0036] An advantage of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure provides a method for solving the problem of a red glow effect perceived by a driver due to illumination from an interior sensing system of a motor vehicle. The problem of the red glow effect is solved by reducing the radiant intensity of the red glow perceived by one or more photoreceptor cells of the human eye by a factor of 10 to 100. Preferably, the radiant intensity is reduced to 0% to 50% of the light beam emitted by the illumination source in response to diffusing the light beam using an illumination lens array. More preferably, the radiant intensity is reduced to 0.1% to 30% of the light beam emitted by the illumination source, and even more preferably, the radiant intensity is reduced to 1% to 10% of the light beam emitted by the illumination source.

[0037] Other objects and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a system block diagram according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates an optical arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 illustrates an optical arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an optical arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates an optical arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In the various embodiments described with respect to the above figures, like reference numerals refer to like components among multiple perspective views and / or configurations.

[0040] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the application and uses of the present disclosure. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the present disclosure or the following detailed description. The intent of the present disclosure is to present an automobile interior sensing system and method operable to reduce the radiant intensity of the red glow effect received by the retina to between 0% and 50% of the radiant intensity of the illumination source used in the system of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a system block diagram 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes an image module 102 in electrical communication with a host controller 120. The image module 102 further includes an image sensor 104, a driver circuit 108, and an illumination source 108. The image sensor 104 is operable to capture an image. The image sensor 104 has a field of view (FOV) toward the vehicle interior. The illumination source 108 emits light rays toward the vehicle interior so that the image can be captured. The system 100 further includes an illumination lens array 112 operable to diffuse light rays from the illumination source 108 toward the vehicle interior. Specifically, the illumination lens array 112 is operable to diffuse light rays emitted from the illumination source 108 toward one or more photoreceptor cells in a user's retina, such that the radiation intensity of the red glow effect perceived by the retina is between 0% and 50% of the radiation intensity of the radiation source 108. Optionally, system 100 may include an image sensor lens 110 and a cover 114 for the entire system 100 that allows system 100 to be hidden from the view of a user seated inside the automobile cabin. A major advantage of the above-described configuration is that the radiation intensity of the red glow sensed by the retina of the human eye is reduced to between 0% and 50% of the radiation intensity of the illumination source 108 used in automobile cabin sensing system 100 by using illumination lens array 112.

[0042] For the sake of clarity and brevity, host controller 120 includes a processing unit 116 having stored thereon an instruction set for performing the functions of system 100, and may optionally include an analyzer module 118 for processing images captured by image sensor 104. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-described features of host controller 120 are supplemental features that enhance the overall system 100, and the absence of host controller 120 does not affect the main inventive concept of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates an optical arrangement 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Shown in FIG. 2 are a retina 202 with one or more photoreceptor cells 204, 204′ and a lens 206, the combination of which represents the human eye. An object plane 216 is in front of the retina 202. An illumination source 212 is similar to the illumination source 108 shown in the system 100 of FIG. 1 and is shown here directing light rays toward the retina 202. An illumination lens array 210 is positioned in front of the illumination source 212 and is operable to diffuse the light rays emitted from the illumination source 212 toward the passenger compartment of the automobile. More preferably, illumination lens array 210 is a microlens array operable to diffuse light rays emitted from illumination source 212 toward one or more photoreceptors 204, 204′ of retina 202, such that the radiant intensity of the red glow perceived by retina 202 or each of one or more photoreceptors 204, 204′ is between 0% and 50% of the radiant intensity of the illumination source 212. The light rays emitted from illumination source 212 are high-density incident light rays 214. When high-density incident light rays 214 pass through illumination lens array 210, high-density incident light rays 214 are dispersed and are therefore considered diffused, less dense light rays 208. Due to this dispersion and / or diffusion of the light rays emitted from illumination source 212, the radiant intensity of the red glow of the diffused, less dense light rays 208 received by one or more photoreceptors 204, 204′ is between 0% and 50% of the radiant intensity of the illumination source 212. 2, the illumination lens array 210 includes a plurality of lens elements, each of which is formed as a hexagon, but is not limited to such. Other suitable shapes, such as a circle or a square, may also be used as part of the illumination lens array design.

[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates an optical arrangement 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. An illumination source 304 is shown emitting light rays, specifically incident light rays 306, toward one element of an illumination lens array 302. In this exemplary embodiment, the illumination lens array 302 is a single lens element design, which may include a combination of a prism and a diverging lens. Preferably, the illumination lens array 302 has dimensions comparable to or smaller than the illumination source 304 to better reduce the red glow received by the photoreceptors. The total number of lens elements depends on the size of a single element and the overall size of the lens array. There is no restriction on the preferred number of lens elements. Nevertheless, a larger number provides better performance in terms of reducing the red glow effect.

[0045] 4 illustrates an optical arrangement 400 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, the optical element 400 is a Fresnel lens-based illumination lens array 402. As shown in FIG. 4, each lens has a hexagonal shape, but is not limited to this. An advantage of using a Fresnel lens-based illumination lens array 402 is that the thickness of the illumination lens array in the system 100 is significantly reduced.

[0046] 5 illustrates an optical arrangement 500 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. An illumination lens array 502 is placed in front of an illumination source 504, and a reflective panel 506 is placed therebetween, with a first edge of the reflective panel displaced closer to the illumination source and a second edge of the reflective panel displaced closer to the illumination lens array.

[0047] An advantage of this configuration is that it achieves light efficiency by reducing light leakage between the illumination lens array 502 and the illumination source 504. More advantageously, this configuration helps address the problem of light flux leakage from the sides of the illumination lens array due to a wide viewing angle. A suitable reflective panel can be a flat plate with a reflective surface or a flat reflective mirror.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiments discussed herein, the overall size of the illumination lens array ranges for in-vehicle sensing systems, such as driver monitoring applications or cabin monitoring applications, with size limits of, for example, no more than 5-10 cm in diameter. The aforementioned dimensions are preferred to support eye gaze tracking. In addition to the above considerations, the dimensions of the illumination lens array are based on matching the illumination field of the remote illumination source. The minimum size is larger than the illumination source, typically about 2 m in diameter, although other larger or smaller sizes are possible. Thus, the dimensions of the illumination lens array are preferably 0.1 cm to 10 cm (1 mm to 100 mm), more preferably 5 cm to 9 cm (50 mm to 90 mm), and even more preferably 0.1 cm to 0.2 cm (1 mm to 2 mm).

[0049] In all of the above-described embodiments, suitable types of illumination sources may include any form of light source suitable for operating in the infrared wavelength range, such as a near-infrared (NIR) illumination source, a NIR light-emitting diode (LED), or a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).

[0050] Furthermore, in all of the above-described embodiments, the radiation intensity detected by each of the two or more single lens elements is preferably between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source. More preferably, the radiation intensity can reach as low as substantially zero percent, for example between 0.1% and 30% of the light emitted from the illumination source, and even more preferably between 1% and 10% of the light emitted from the illumination source.

[0051] Thus, it can be seen that there is provided an interior vehicle sensing system having a feature that reduces the radiant intensity of the red glow effect received by the retina to between 0% and 50% of the radiant intensity of the illumination source. While exemplary embodiments have been presented in the above detailed description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that numerous variations exist.

[0052] It should further be understood that the exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, operation, or configuration of the present disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description provides those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements and methods of operation described in the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The present application relates to the invention described in the claims, but also includes the following as other aspects. 1. an image sensor (104) operable to capture one or more images, the image sensor (104) having a field of view of the interior of the motor vehicle; an illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) operable to transmit a beam of light toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle; an illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) operable to diffuse the light rays (208, 214, 306) emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle; In a vehicle interior sensing system (100), the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) further includes two or more single lens elements, each operable to diffuse the light rays (208, 214, 306) emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) onto one or more photoreceptor cells (204, 204') of the retina (202); each of the two or more single lens elements is operable to detect a radiation intensity representative of a red glow; The radiation intensity is 0% to 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504). An automobile interior sensing system (100) characterized by: 2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is positioned in front of the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504). 3. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) comprises two or more single lens elements integrated into a single lens sheet. 4. 4. The system of claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is a microlens array. 5. 4. The system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is a Fresnel lens (402). 6. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the two or more single lens elements further comprises a prism, a diverging lens, or a combination thereof. 7. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) comprises a near-infrared (NIR) illumination source. 8. 8. The system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) is a NIR light emitting diode (LED). 9. 8. The system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). 10. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reflective panel (506). 11. The reflective panel (506) further includes a first end and a second end; The first end of the reflective panel (506) is displaced to be adjacent to an illumination source; the second end of the reflective panel (506) is displaced until it is adjacent to the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502); 11. The system according to claim 1 or 10. 12. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the image sensor (104) is operable in near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. 13. A system according to any one of 1 to 12 above, wherein the dimensions of the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) are preferably 0.1 cm to 10 cm (1 mm to 100 mm), more preferably 5 cm to 9 cm (50 mm to 90 mm), and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.2 cm (1 mm to 2 mm). 14. A system described in any one of 1 to 13 above, wherein the radiation intensity detected by each of the two or more single lens elements is preferably 0% to 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source, more preferably 0.1% to 30% of the light emitted from the illumination source, and even more preferably 1% to 10% of the light emitted from the illumination source. 15. A method for reducing red glow effects caused by an illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) emitting light rays from an interior sensing system of a motor vehicle, comprising: capturing an image of a field of view of a vehicle interior with an image sensor (104); emitting a light beam toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504); diffusing the light beams emitted from the illumination source toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with an illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502), the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) including two or more single lens elements; Including, in response to the light beam emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) being diffused by the two or more single lens elements; detecting a radiation intensity representative of a red glow by each of the two or more single lens elements; The method, characterized by the step of: the radiation intensity is between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504). [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 100 System block diagram of an automobile interior sensing system 102 Image Module 104 Image Sensor 106 Driver (circuit) 108 Illumination source 110 Image sensor lens 112 Lighting lens array 114 Surveillance System Cover 116 Processing Unit 118 Analyzer Module 120 Host Controller 200 Exemplary Embodiment (Microlens Array) 202 Retina 204, 204' Photoreceptor cells of the eye 206 Crystalline Lens 208 rays (diffused and less dense) 210 Lighting lens array 212 Illumination source 214 rays (high density incident rays) 216 Object plane 300 Exemplary Embodiment (Single Lens Element) 302 Lighting Lens Array 304 Illumination source 306 Light rays (incident rays) 400 Exemplary Embodiment (Microlens Array) 402 Fresnel Lens 500 Exemplary Embodiment (Reflective Panel Arrangement) 502 Lighting Lens Array 504 illumination source 506 Reflective Panel

Claims

1. an image sensor (104) operable to capture one or more images, the image sensor (104) having a field of view of the interior of the motor vehicle; an illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) operable to transmit a beam of light toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle; an illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) operable to diffuse the light rays (208, 214, 306) emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle; In a vehicle interior sensing system (100), the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) further includes two or more single lens elements, each of the two or more single lens elements operable to diffuse the light rays (208, 214, 306) emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle; each of the two or more single lens elements is operable to detect a radiation intensity representative of a red glow; the radiation intensity is between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504); the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) has a dimension of 0.1 cm to 10 cm (1 mm to 100 mm), or 5 cm to 9 cm (50 mm to 90 mm), or 0.1 to 0.2 cm (1 mm to 2 mm); An interior sensing system (100) for an automobile.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is positioned in front of the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504).

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) comprises two or more single lens elements integrated into a single lens sheet.

4. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is a microlens array.

5. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) is a Fresnel lens (402).

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the two or more single lens elements further comprises a prism, a diverging lens, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) comprises a near-infrared (NIR) illumination source.

8. The system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) is a NIR light emitting diode (LED).

9. The system of claim 1 or 7, wherein the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective panel (506).

11. The reflective panel (506) further includes a first end and a second end; The first end of the reflective panel (506) is displaced to be adjacent to an illumination source; the second end of the reflective panel (506) is displaced until it is adjacent to the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502); The system of claim 10.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor (104) is operable in near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths.

13. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiation intensity detected by each of the two or more single lens elements is between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source, or between 0.1% and 30% of the light emitted from the illumination source, or between 1% and 10% of the light emitted from the illumination source.

14. 1. A method for mitigating red glow effects caused by an illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) emitting light rays from an interior sensing system of a motor vehicle, comprising: capturing an image of a vehicle interior field of view with an image sensor (104); emitting a light beam toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504); diffusing the light beams emitted from the illumination source toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle with an illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502), the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) including two or more single lens elements; Including, in response to the light beam emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504) being diffused by the two or more single lens elements; detecting a radiation intensity representative of a red glow by each of the two or more single lens elements; the radiation intensity is between 0% and 50% of the light emitted from the illumination source (108, 212, 304, 504); and wherein the illumination lens array (112, 210, 302, 502) has a dimension of 0.1 cm to 10 cm (1 mm to 100 mm), or 5 cm to 9 cm (50 mm to 90 mm), or 0.1 to 0.2 cm (1 mm to 2 mm).

Images