A camera mount assembly for holding a camera or other perception sensor that may be fixed with respect to a ground plane and used for incremental angle measurement of the camera or other perception sensor in three axes, such that the precise spatial relationships of imaged objects with respect to the orientation/position of the camera or other perception sensor may be determined. A base structure of the camera mount assembly may be affixed to a fixed or moveable support structure and multiple leveling devices and/or laser devices are provided to establish a reliable reference relative to the ground plane. Thus, the exact orientation of the camera or other perception sensor in space may be determined frame to frame, such that the precise orientation of imaged objects with respect to the orientation/position of the camera or other perception sensor relative to the ground plane may be determined over time.

A night vision apparatus having a camera assembly with a camera housing that has a charge-coupled device image sensor, an infrared illuminator assembly, and a first base assembly. Further having a switch assembly and a display assembly. The camera housing has a top face, a bottom face, a front face, a lens, and an adaptor. The lens has a focal length of approximately 25 mm or 50 mm. The infrared illuminator assembly has a housing, an infrared illuminator lens, an infrared illuminator, and a supporting structure. The infrared illuminator is an approximately 2.5 watt illuminator that produces an approximately 10° main beam pattern. The infrared illuminator assembly is attached to the camera housing. The first base assembly has a suction cup secures the camera assembly onto a surface. The switch assembly is electrically connected to a battery assembly. The display receives and shows images captured by the camera assembly.

The invention relates to a rear view mirror system (1) for motor vehicles (10) comprising a rear view mirror device (2) with a rear view mirror base (21) to be attached to a vehicle (10) and a rear view mirror head (22) attached to the rear view mirror base (21) comprising a mirror element (23) arranged in the rear view mirror head (22) and being transparent or transluminant from inside of the rear view mirror head (22), wherein an actuator (3) enables to adjust an orientation of the mirror element (23) by rotating and/or tilting the mirror element (23) and/or the rear view mirror head (22), wherein a camera (4) is arranged inside the rear view mirror head (22) behind the mirror element (23) for recording a camera view (CV) with a first viewing angle of the surroundings of the vehicle (10) at least through the mirror element (23), wherein a control unit (5) processes the camera view (CV) received from the camera (4) to provide a monitor view (MV) with a second viewing angle being smaller than the first viewing angle being displayed on a monitor (6) to provide the monitor view (MV) to a driver (20) of the vehicle (10), and wherein the control unit (5) is adapted to extract the monitor view (MV) from the camera view (CV) as part of the camera view (CV), with the monitor view (MV) being kept constant regardless on the camera orientation, and/or the control unit (5) is adapted to re-calibrate the camera (4) with respect to the orientation of the mirror element (23) relative to the camera (4) in case of the rear view mirror device (2) enables movements of the mirror element (23) relative to the camera (4), or the control unit (5) is adapted to re-calibrate the camera (4) with respect to the orientation of the mirror element (23) relative to the rear view mirror base (21) in case the rear view mirror device (2) enables movement of the mirror element (23) and the camera (4) together with the rear view mirror head (22). It also relates to a motor vehicle with such a rear view system as well as a method operating such a rear view mirror system.

A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior field of view. The camera includes a wide angle lens providing the field of view and the camera captures an image data set representative of the field of view of the camera. During a driving maneuver of the vehicle, an image processor processes a sub-set of the image data set to determine presence of an object in a sub-portion of the field of view of the camera. The sub-set of the image data set that is processed at the image processor is representative of the sub-portion of the field of view of the camera that is less than the field of view of the camera. The sub-set of the image data set that is processed at the image processor is based on steering direction of the vehicle during the driving maneuver of the vehicle.

A vehicle can include one or more movably mounted cameras that are able to move to adjust a viewing angle of the camera(s) relative to a body of the vehicle. The camera(s) may be movable by virtue of being coupled to a movable side mirror, such that movement of the side mirror changes a field of view of the camera coupled to the side mirror. For example, the side mirror can be rotated about a rotational axis between a first position in which a field of view of the camera is directed in a first direction (e.g. toward a ground proximate the vehicle), and a second position in which the field of view of the camera is directed in a second direction, different than the first direction (e.g., outward from the vehicle or toward a door of the vehicle).

A side camera for a vehicle comprises: a main body disposed at a left-hand and/or a right-hand side of the vehicle; a blind-spot view camera of which at least a portion is accommodated in the main body and being configured to photograph a view in lateral and rearward directions; a surround view camera (SVC) of which at least a portion is accommodated in the main body and being configured to photograph a view in a lateral direction; and a blind-spot view monitor disposed inside the vehicle to transmit an image captured by the blind-spot view camera. When the blind-spot view camera fails, an image transformation process is performed based on an image captured by the SVC and transmitted to the blind-spot view monitor. When the blind-spot view monitor fails, an image captured by the blind-spot view camera is transmitted to another display device in the vehicle.

The invention relates to a device for protecting an optical sensor for a motor vehicle, said optical sensor comprising an optic, a casing mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation (A1) and having a housing configured to receive the optical sensor, an optical element rigidly attached to the casing and configured to be arranged in the field of vision of the optical sensor, and an actuator coupled to the casing in order to rotate the casing and the optical element, the actuator comprising a rotor and a stator configured such that actuator is a motor with an internal rotor.

A rearward camera of a vehicle electronic mirror system images a rearward view of a vehicle, and a lateral rearward camera unit images each of right and left lateral rearward views of the vehicle. A control device compresses at least one of a rearward view picture after imaging by the rearward camera and right and left lateral rearward view pictures after imaging by the lateral rearward camera unit, at least in a vehicle-width direction, and performs display on an inner mirror display. The control device changes the compression ratio of the picture in the control device, depending on at least one of a state and peripheral situation of the vehicle. Accordingly, when a vehicle rearward side including lateral rearward sides contains a site requiring an easy distance-sense grasp, it is possible to easily grasp distance sense by decreasing the compression ratio of the picture corresponding to the site.

An articulated arm assembly for motor vehicles includes first and second arm portions, an electric cable, and a cable carrying structure. The first arm portion is adapted to attach to the motor vehicle. The second arm portion rotates with respect to the first arm portion around an axis of rotation. The electric cable at least partially runs along the first and second arm portions. The cable carrying structure includes at least one first carrying portion associated with the first arm portion and at least one second carrying portion associated with the second arm portion. The first and second carrying portions are adapted such that the electric cable permanently intersects the axis of rotation at an intersection area.

A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a wide angle lens providing a field of view of the camera and the camera captures an image data set representative of the field of view of the camera. An image processor may process image data captured by the camera and may process a sub-set of the image data set representative of a sub-portion of the field of view of said camera that is less than the field of view of the camera. A display may display images derived from the sub-set of the image data set representative of the sub-portion of the field of view of the camera. The sub-set of the image data set for processing or display is determined based on steering of the vehicle.