DRIVER MONITORING SYSTEM IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A driver monitoring system for a motor vehicle, including at least one camera device, which has at least one camera unit situated on a support element and at least one infrared emitter. It is provided that the support element includes at least one device for locking the infrared emitter in place on the support element.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A driver monitoring system for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one camera device which has at least one camera unit situated on a support element and at least one infrared emitter; wherein the support element includes at least one device for locking the infrared emitter in place on the support element.

12. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein the device is designed for detachable locking of the infrared emitter.

13. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein the support element includes at least two devices for detachable locking of one infrared emitter each.

14. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein each device is a plug receptacle.

15. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein each device includes a detent to lock the infrared emitter or emitters in place.

16. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein the camera device is one of integratable and integrated into an instrument cluster of the motor vehicle.

17. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein the support element is a conductor board.

18. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, further comprising an element with which the camera device is clippable, into a conductor board of the instrument cluster.

19. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 18, wherein the conductor board of the instrument cluster includes at least one recess for accommodating the camera device.

20. The driver monitoring system as recited in claim 11, wherein the infrared emitter includes at least one infrared light-emitting diode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a driver monitoring system in a motor vehicle.

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the driver monitoring system.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the driver monitoring system.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of the driver monitoring system.

[0020] FIG. 5 shows another exemplary embodiment of the driver monitoring system.

[0021] FIG. 6 shows another exemplary embodiment of the driver monitoring system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a driver monitoring system 1 for a motor vehicle 2 only suggested here. Motor vehicle 2 includes a steering wheel 3 on the dashboard on the driver's side and behind that an instrument cluster 4 integrated into the dashboard. Instrument cluster 4 is used to display instantaneous condition values of the motor vehicle such as for example, of the instantaneous velocity, of the rotational speed of a drive unit or other information. The displays in this case are situated, in particular, on a conductor board 6 of instrument cluster 4. Driver monitoring system 1 in the present case is integrated into the dashboard and, in particular, into instrument cluster 4. Also provided in instrument cluster 4 are two camera devices 5, which are located at the side marginal areas of instrument cluster 4.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of one of camera devices 5 of driver monitoring system 1. FIG. 2 in this case shows a sectional representation through instrument cluster 4, which includes aforementioned conductor board 6. Conductor board 6 includes a recess 7, into which camera device 5 is inserted.

[0024] Camera device 5 includes a support element 8, on which a camera unit 9 including a camera chip 9′ and optics 9″ such as, for example, an optic lens and an infrared emitter 10, are situated. Support element 8 is designed as a conductor board, which electrically contacts the infrared emitter and camera unit 9. A ribbon cable 11, which leads to conductor board 6 of instrument cluster 4 and, as a result, electrically connects camera device 5 with instrument cluster 4, also exits the conductor board or support element 8. Support element 8 in this case rests against a rear side of housing wall 12 of instrument cluster where it is clipped, glued or screwed in place. On the side opposite housing wall 12, instrument cluster 4 and, therefore, also camera device 5 is covered by a glass cover 13, which has, in particular, an anti-reflection coating. The anti-reflection coating is preferably discontinued in the area of infrared emitter 10 and of camera unit 9.

[0025] Optics 9″ of camera unit 9 of camera device 5 extend through recess 7 to glass cover 13. A light well 14 of the infrared emitter also extends up to glass cover 13.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a top view of camera device 5. Camera unit 9 and two of the infrared emitters 10 are situated on support element 8. Infrared emitters 10 in this case are provided next to one another and spaced apart from camera unit 9. For each of infrared emitters 10, support element 8 includes a device 15 for locking the emitters on support element 8. Devices 15 in this case are designed as plug receptacles 16, into which the respective infrared emitter 10 is pluggable for its locking. For this purpose, plug receptacles 16 preferably include detent lugs 17, as they are indicated in FIG. 2 in order to provide a detachable locking for each infrared emitter 10. It may be optionally provided that a device for the detachable locking of camera unit 9 is also provided for camera unit 9 on support element 8. By designing devices 15 as plug receptacles 16, the electrical contacting of infrared emitters 10 is automatically established during installation.

[0027] By designing devices 15 for the detachable locking of infrared emitters 10, it is possible to modularly design or vary the number of infrared emitters used. In particular, it is possible thereby to provide fewer than the maximum number of possible infrared emitters 10 on camera device 5. A corresponding number of infrared emitters 10 may be situated on support element 8 as a function of the number of devices 15 or plug receptacles 15. Infrared emitter 10 preferably includes one or multiple infrared light-emitting diodes, which are controllable particularly preferably independently of one another.

[0028] Detents 18, which are provided on conductor board 6 of instrument cluster 4 and are used for the detachable locking of the respective camera device 5, are preferably assigned to each camera device 5 as shown in FIG. 2. The detents are depicted in simplified form in FIG. 2. For the design of driver monitoring system 1 according to FIG. 1, two recesses 7 in conductor board 6 of instrument cluster 4 are accordingly needed at the appropriate points. Additional infrared emitters 19, as indicated in FIG. 1, may also be integrated into the dashboard of motor vehicle 2 outside of instrument cluster 4. Infrared emitters 10, 19 and camera units 9 of camera devices 5 are always aligned to the position of the driver or to the driver's head. The infrared emitters emit infrared light, which reflects off the driver and is detected by camera units 9. This makes it possible to monitor the driver even under dark surrounding conditions, without disturbing the driver. As a result, it is possible with driver monitoring system 1 to carry out, for example, a face recognition, tracking of the head, watching of the eyes for determining fatigue or the like.

[0029] The installation of driver monitoring system 1 is particularly simple as a result of the design of each camera device 5 as a camera module integratable into instrument cluster 4, as described above. Moreover, the variability of driver monitoring system 1 is enhanced by devices 15, so that the camera module in different specific embodiments is insertable into instrument cluster 4 or into a corresponding instrument cluster, the number of infrared emitters 10, for example, being changed as a function of the respective application, for example, as a function of the respective motor vehicle type. It is equally conceivable to use the camera module or each camera device 5 at another location, for example, for surroundings sensors. It is conceivable, in particular, to also utilize camera device 5 without infrared emitter 10 for surroundings sensors. This results, therefore in a universally applicable camera device 5, in particular, for automotive engineering.

[0030] FIGS. 4 and 5 show by way of example different arrangements of driver monitoring system 1, two camera devices 5 being provided in the lower area of an instrument cluster 4 according to FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment, in which only one camera device 5 is integrated into instrument cluster 4, whereas a second camera device 5 is inserted into the dashboard spaced apart from instrument cluster 4. Hence, different configurations of driver monitoring system 1 are possible. Designing camera device 5 in the form of a variable module allows it to be used in many cases and to be adapted due to its variability.

[0031] FIG. 6 shows an alternative specific embodiment of driver monitoring system 1, in which support element 8 of camera device 5 is used only for accommodating camera 9, but not for accommodating infrared emitter 10. In this case, therefore, infrared emitter 14 may be situated detached from camera 9. It is provided, in particular, according to the present specific embodiment, that infrared emitter 14 is situated directly on conductor board 6 of instrument cluster 4. Camera 9 is electrically connected to instrument cluster 4 via the connection of ribbon cable 11, infrared emitter 10 being connected directly via conductor board 6, for example, to a microprocessor or the like situated on conductor board 6, which evaluates the data detected by camera 9 with the aid of infrared emitter 10. In this case, therefore, camera device 5 is made up of two module components, which are introducible independently of one another into instrument cluster 4 or the dashboard of motor vehicle 2. In this case, previously described detent 18 is assigned to at least support element 8 and camera unit 9. Infrared emitter 10 in this case is preferably soldered directly to conductor board 6 or detachably locked there by a corresponding plug receptacle, as was previously described. Multiple infrared emitters 10 may, of course, be fastened to conductor board 6 in this way. If conductor board 10 includes a corresponding number of prepared plug receptacles 16, then the positioning and number of desired infrared emitters 10 is also variable.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiments described above, it is also possible, of course, to dispense with the additional optics, such as light well 14, assigned to each infrared emitter 10, or to provide correspondingly different optics. Ribbon cable 11 is preferably connected on the one hand to support element 8 via plug elements and, as a result, to the components located thereon, and to conductor board 6 on the other hand.