Occupant imaging device

Abstract

The present disclosure has an objective to provide an occupant imaging device capable of preventing reflection of an occupant to a transmission part. The occupant imaging device according to the present disclosure comprises: an imaging unit that images an occupant inside a vehicle; an emission unit that emits light toward the occupant; and a housing that houses the imaging unit and the emission unit and has a transmission part provided on a surface opposing the face of the occupant. A vertical line to the surface opposing the face of the occupant in the transmission part has a predetermined angle with respect to a straight line connecting the face of the occupant and the transmission part.

Description

Occupant imaging device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an occupant imaging device that captures an image of an occupant inside a vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, an occupant image capturing device disposed on a steering column includes an image capturing unit, an illumination unit, and a transmission unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The transmission unit is provided in a position facing the occupant and is often mirror-finished so that the image capturing unit can accurately capture an image of the occupant.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-69680

[0004] In the passenger imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the passenger's face is reflected in the mirror-finished transparent portion, which may cause some passengers to be bothered by their own reflection in the transparent portion, which may interfere with driving.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and has an object to provide an occupant imaging device that can prevent the occupant from being reflected in the transmission portion.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the occupant imaging device according to the present disclosure includes an imaging unit that images an occupant inside a vehicle, an illumination unit that illuminates the occupant with light, and a housing that houses the imaging unit and the illumination unit and has a transparent unit provided on a surface facing the occupant's face, and a line perpendicular to the surface of the transparent unit facing the occupant's face has a predetermined angle with respect to a straight line connecting the occupant's face and the transparent unit.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the occupant from being reflected in the transmission portion.

[0008] The objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an occupant imaging device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the layout of an occupant imaging device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the layout of an occupant imaging device according to a conventional example. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the layout of an occupant imaging device according to embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an occupant imaging device according to embodiment 3. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an occupant imaging device according to embodiment 3.

[0010] <First Embodiment> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an occupant image capturing device 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the layout of the occupant image capturing device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0011] The occupant image capturing device 1 includes an image capturing unit 2, an irradiating unit 3, a housing 4, and a transmitting unit 5. In the following description, the occupant is assumed to be a driver 7.

[0012] The imaging unit 2 is an infrared camera that captures an image of the driver 7 inside the vehicle. The illumination unit 3 is an infrared light-emitting diode (LED) that illuminates the driver 7 with light (near-infrared light) to maintain brightness for the image.

[0013] The housing 4 houses the imaging unit 2 and the illumination unit 3, and is installed in a location facing the face of the driver 7 across the steering wheel 8. In the example of Fig. 2, the housing 4 is installed on an instrument panel 6 provided inside the vehicle. The housing 4 is not limited to being installed on the instrument panel 6, and may be installed in front of the driver 7, for example, on a steering column or a meter panel.

[0014] The housing 4 also has a transmission section 5 provided on a surface facing the face of the driver 7. The transmission section 5 is mirror-finished to make the image clearer, and transmits near-infrared light emitted from the irradiation section 3 and near-infrared light reflected from the driver 7. A perpendicular line 9 to the surface of the transmission section 5 facing the face of the driver 7 has a predetermined angle θ1 with respect to a straight line 10 connecting the face of the driver 7 and the transmission section 5. In other words, the surface of the transmission section 5 facing the face of the driver 7 is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the straight line 10.

[0015] The angle θ1 is an angle at which all of the light emitted by the irradiation unit 3 is transmitted through the transmission unit 5 (without internal reflection). In the example of FIG. 2, the transmission unit 5 is tilted downward, but it may be tilted upward, rightward, or leftward. By tilting the transmission unit 5 in this way, it is possible to prevent the driver 7 from being reflected in the transmission unit 5.

[0016] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a conventional occupant imaging device. As shown in Fig. 3, a perpendicular line 9 to the surface of the transmission portion 5 facing the face of the driver 7 coincides with a straight line 10 connecting the face of the driver 7 and the transmission portion 5. In other words, the surface of the transmission portion 5 facing the face of the driver 7 coincides with a plane perpendicular to the straight line 10. Therefore, the face of the driver 7 is reflected in the mirror-finished transmission portion 5, which may bother the driver 7 and interfere with driving.

[0017] As described above, according to the first embodiment, by tilting the transmission portion 5 as described above, it is possible to prevent the driver 7 from being reflected in the transmission portion 5. As a result, the driver 7 does not have to worry about being reflected.

[0018] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an occupant image capture device according to embodiment 2. The occupant image capture device according to embodiment 2 is characterized in that the surface of the transmission section 5 that faces the face of the driver 7 is a curved surface. Other configurations are the same as those of the occupant image capture device 1 according to embodiment 1, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0019] 4, the surface of the transmission portion 5 facing the face of the driver 7 is a curved surface having a predetermined curvature with respect to a plane perpendicular to a straight line 10 connecting the face of the driver 7 and the transmission portion 5. A normal line 11 passing through the center of the curved surface of the transmission portion 5 has a predetermined angle θ2 with respect to the straight line 10 connecting the face of the driver 7 and the transmission portion 5.

[0020] 4 shows the case where the curved surface of the transmitting portion 5 is concave, but the curved surface of the transmitting portion 5 may also be convex. Furthermore, the direction in which the curved surface of the transmitting portion 5 is curved may be the vehicle width direction, a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, or both the vehicle width direction and the perpendicular direction, as shown in FIG.

[0021] From the above, according to this embodiment 2, by making the surface of the transmission section 5 facing the face of the driver 7 a curved surface as described above, it is possible to prevent the driver 7 from being reflected in the transmission section 5.

[0022] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an occupant image capture device according to embodiment 3. The occupant image capture device according to embodiment 3 is characterized in that, of the surface of the transmission section 5 facing the driver's face, an area 12 facing the image capture section 2 is mirror-finished, and the other areas are matte-finished. The other configuration is the same as that of the occupant image capture device 1 according to embodiment 1 or the occupant image capture device according to embodiment 2, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0023] 6, of the surface of the transmission section 5 facing the driver's face, an area 12 facing the image capturing section 2 is mirror-finished. In other words, the area 12 can be said to be an area through which the optical axis of the image capturing section 2 passes, or an area through which light incident on the image capturing section 2 passes. In addition, areas other than the area 12 are matte-finished with a texture or the like.

[0024] 6 shows the case where the shape of the region 12 is circular, but this is not limiting. The shape of the region 12 may be, for example, rectangular as shown in FIG. 7, or may be any other shape.

[0025] From the above, according to embodiment 3, by giving only area 12 a mirror finish to make the image clearer and giving the other areas a matte finish, it is possible to prevent the driver from being reflected in the transparent portion 5.

[0026] Within the scope of the present disclosure, the embodiments can be freely combined, modified, or omitted as appropriate.

[0027] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, the above description is illustrative in all respects and is not restrictive. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be envisioned.

[0028] 1 occupant imaging device, 2 imaging section, 3 irradiation section, 4 housing, 5 transmission section, 6 instrument panel, 7 driver, 8 steering wheel, 9 vertical line, 10 straight line, 11 normal line, 12 area

Claims

1. An imaging unit that images a driver inside the vehicle; An irradiation unit that irradiates the driver with light; A housing that houses the imaging unit and the irradiation unit and has a transmissive portion provided on a surface facing the driver's face; Comprising: A perpendicular line to the surface of the transmissive portion facing the driver's face has a predetermined angle with respect to a straight line connecting the driver's face and the transmissive portion; The housing is an occupant imaging device installed on a steering column provided inside the vehicle, on an instrument panel, or on a meter panel.

2. The occupant imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is an angle at which all of the light emitted by the irradiation unit passes through the transmissive portion.

3. An imaging unit that images a driver inside the vehicle; An irradiation unit that irradiates the driver with light; A housing that houses the imaging unit and the irradiation unit and has a transmissive portion provided on a surface facing the driver's face; Comprising: The surface of the transmissive portion facing the driver's face is a curved surface having a predetermined curvature with respect to a plane perpendicular to a straight line connecting the driver's face and the transmissive portion; The housing is an occupant imaging device installed on a steering column provided inside the vehicle, on an instrument panel, or on a meter panel.

4. The occupant imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the direction in which the curved surface curves is at least one of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle and a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction of the vehicle.

5. An imaging unit that images a driver inside the vehicle; An irradiation unit that irradiates the driver with light; A housing that houses the imaging unit and the irradiation unit and has a transmissive portion provided on a surface facing the driver's face; Comprising: Among the surfaces of the transmissive portion facing the driver's face, the region facing the imaging unit is mirror-finished, and the other regions are matte-finished. An occupant imaging device.

6. The occupant imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the mirror-finished region is circular or rectangular.

7. The occupant imaging device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the housing is installed on a steering column provided inside the vehicle, on an instrument panel, or on a meter panel.