Infrared Windshield Insert Geometry for Wider Thermal Camera View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle glazing systems, particularly windshields, face challenges in enhancing object detection performance for vehicles traveling at moderate speeds, as existing thermal camera systems have limited vertical fields of view due to the design of the glazing and insert materials used.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a laminated or curved windshield with a transparent infrared insert made of materials like zinc sulfide or germanium, featuring non-parallel faces that refract infrared radiation, increasing the vertical field of view of thermal cameras without altering the horizontal field of view, and allowing for a more compact and cost-effective thermal camera integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a thermal camera is integrated into the vehicle glazing system, then object detection capability is improved, but the vertical field of view is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the insert by introducing non-parallel faces with a vertex angle. This parameter modification causes infrared rays to refract at different angles depending on their incident position, thereby expanding the vertical field of view of the thermal camera while maintaining object detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is designed with asymmetric non-parallel faces instead of symmetric parallel faces. This asymmetry creates differential refraction angles for rays entering at different positions, allowing the thermal camera to capture a wider vertical field of view without compromising detection precision
2Adaptability or versatility
If a larger insert is used to increase the vertical field of view, then the field of view expands, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the geometric parameters (non-parallel faces with vertex angle), the patent achieves field of view expansion without increasing insert size. The angular parameter modification creates a more efficient optical path that provides wider coverage from a compact insert structure
3Adaptability or versatility
If a larger insert is used to increase the vertical field of view, then the field of view expands, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes (non-parallel face geometry) to achieve field of view expansion without increasing material consumption or manufacturing complexity. This approach maintains ease of manufacture while providing enhanced vertical field of view capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly enhances the vertical field of view for thermal cameras, enabling better object detection and improved safety features in vehicles by utilizing a thinner, more efficient insert design that maintains infrared transparency and visibility across the relevant wavelength range.
Implementation Method 1
The inner and outer faces (non-parallel, preferably flat) of the insert form a non-zero vertex angle A, the insert having a variable thickness e decreasing towards the upper edge of the glazing... allows the rays to be deflected downwards, the value of which depends on the angle of incidence of the rays on the insert
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device comprising a vehicle glazing element (100) that includes, in a peripheral region, a through-hole comprising an insert (2) having non-parallel faces, and a thermal imaging camera.