Abstract: A vehicular occupant monitoring system includes a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror of a vehicle. The camera includes an imaging array sensor and a lens. The lens is disposed at the imaging array sensor with a center axis of the lens vertically offset from a center region of the imaging array sensor. A center region of the lens is disposed at and images at a lower region of the imaging array sensor when the camera is disposed at the interior rearview mirror and an upper peripheral region of the lens images at the center region and a lower region of the imaging array sensor when the camera is disposed at the interior rearview mirror. The vehicular occupant monitoring system, responsive to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines presence of an occupant of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed at a mirror head of an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle and viewing within an interior cabin of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens and an image sensor. The camera is operable to capture color image data. Electronic circuitry of an electronic control unit (ECU) includes an image processor for processing color image data captured by the camera. With a driver of the vehicle sitting in a driver seat of the vehicle, light reflected off the eyes of the driver impinges at the lens of the camera. The vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of color image data captured by the camera, determines a deficiency in captured color image data arising from light impinging at the lens.

Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a lens barrel accommodating at least an outer lens element and an inner lens element. An imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) includes an imager disposed at a side. The lens barrel is disposed at the housing such that the imager is aligned with the inner lens element and the outer lens element, with the inner lens element disposed closer to the imager than the outer lens element. A vacuum exists in a space between the outer lens element and the inner lens element to thermally insulate an outer surface of the outer lens element from an inner surface of the inner lens element. Light passing through the outer lens element, the vacuum, and the inner lens element is imaged by the imager.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed within and viewing within an interior cabin of a vehicle. The camera includes a lens and an image sensor. The camera is operable to capture image data. Electronic circuitry of an electronic control unit (ECU) includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. With a driver of the vehicle sitting in a driver seat of the vehicle, light is reflected off a portion of the driver to impinge at the lens of the camera. The vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines a deficiency in captured image data arising from light impinging at the lens. The determined deficiency in captured image data arises from an occlusion at the lens of the camera.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board. A lens barrel accommodates a lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements spaced apart along the lens barrel by respective lens spacers. Each lens spacer is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 5 ppm/° C. or less. The circuit board is positioned at a lens holder, and the lens barrel is positioned at a lens holder so as to optically align the lens and the imager. The lens barrel is formed of a material having a CTE that matches within ten percent of the CTE of the material that forms the lens holder, with the CTEs of the lens barrel and lens holder materials being greater than the CTE of the material of the lens spacers.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens accommodated by a lens barrel. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a heating element and electrically conductive elements that extend along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. The electrically conductive elements are disposed along respective channels established along the inner surface of the lens holder. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with the heating element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens barrel for accommodating a lens. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a pair of electrically conductive elements that are routed along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with a heating element at and in contact with the inner surface of the outermost lens element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element to evaporate moisture or condensation thereat. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed within and viewing within an interior cabin of a vehicle. The camera includes a lens and an image sensor. The camera is operable to capture image data. Electronic circuitry of an electronic control unit (ECU) includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. With a driver of the vehicle sitting in a driver seat of the vehicle, light is reflected off a portion of the driver to impinge at the lens of the camera. The vehicular driver monitoring system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines a deficiency in captured image data arising from light impinging at the lens. The determined deficiency in captured image data arises from an occlusion at the lens of the camera.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head adjustably attached at a mounting base. The mirror head includes a prismatic mirror reflective element having a wedge-shaped, reflector-coated glass substrate having a front side and a rear side separated by a thickness of the glass substrate, with the thickness of the glass substrate varying between a lower edge region of the glass substrate and an upper edge region of the glass substrate. A driver monitoring camera is accommodated by the mirror head and views through the prismatic mirror reflective element. A refraction-compensating element is disposed between a lens of the driver monitoring camera and the rear side of the glass substrate of the prismatic mirror reflective element. The refraction-compensating element is a wedge-shaped element that offsets refraction of light that passes through the wedge-shaped, reflector coated glass substrate of the prismatic mirror reflective element.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera module configured to be disposed at a vehicle. An image processor processes multiple frames of image data captured by the imager of the camera module. With the camera module disposed at the vehicle, the heating device is activated to heat a lens of the camera module responsive to determination of lens occlusion at the lens. Responsive at least in part to determination of lens occlusion at the lens, and via processing of frames of captured image data while the heating device is activated, the vehicular vision system determines a change in degree of lens occlusion occurring between capture of a previous frame of captured image data and capture of a current frame of captured image data. The heating device is deactivated responsive to determination that the change in degree of lens occlusion is less than a threshold amount.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed within a vehicle and having a field of view interior of the vehicle, and an adjustable mirror disposed within the vehicle. The adjustable mirror includes a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereat. The camera views the adjustable mirror and captures image data based on light reflected by the mirror reflector of the adjustable mirror toward the camera. With a driver of the vehicle sitting in a driver seat of the vehicle, light reflected off a portion of the driver is reflected by the mirror reflector of the adjustable mirror toward the camera. An electronic control unit (ECU), responsive to processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera, adjusts the adjustable mirror to reflect the portion of the driver toward a region of the lens of the camera.

Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a lens barrel accommodating at least an outer lens element and an inner lens element. An imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) includes an imager disposed at a side. The lens barrel is disposed at the housing such that the imager is aligned with the inner lens element and the outer lens element, with the inner lens element disposed closer to the imager than the outer lens element. A vacuum exists in a space between the outer lens element and the inner lens element to thermally insulate an outer surface of the outer lens element from an inner surface of the inner lens element. Light passing through the outer lens element, the vacuum, and the inner lens element is imaged by the imager.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a housing and a lens barrel including a lens. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process frames of image data captured by the camera. A heating device is disposed at or near the lens and is activated to initially heat the lens responsive to determination, via processing by the image processor of a frame of captured image data, of a threshold degree of lens occlusion at the lens. The heating device is (i) deactivated responsive to determination that the determined lens occlusion is not water or moisture, or (ii) further powered to increase the heating function responsive to determination that the determined occlusion is water or moisture.

Abstract: A vehicular camera system includes a vehicular camera including a camera housing and an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB). The camera housing includes a first portion and a second portion joined with the first portion. The first portion includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens that includes a plurality of lens optics. The imager PCB includes an imager and is attached at the first portion of the camera housing with the imager aligned with the lens. With the imager aligned with the lens, the lens focuses an image at the imager. After the imager PCB is attached at the first portion of the camera housing with the imager aligned with the lens, at least one lens optic of the lens is laser processed to adjust the focus of the lens at the imager.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board. A lens barrel accommodates a lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements spaced apart along the lens barrel by respective lens spacers. Each lens spacer is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 5 ppm/° C. or less. The circuit board is positioned at a lens holder, and the lens barrel is positioned at a lens holder so as to optically align the lens and the imager. The lens barrel is formed of a material having a CTE that matches within ten percent of the CTE of the material that forms the lens holder, with the CTEs of the lens barrel and lens holder materials being greater than the CTE of the material of the lens spacers.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board. A lens barrel includes a lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements spaced apart along the lens barrel by respective lens spacers, each lens spacer formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 10 ppm/° C. or less. The circuit board is positioned at the lens holder, and the lens barrel is positioned at a lens holder so as to optically align the lens and the imager. The lens barrel is formed of a material having a CTE that matches within ten percent of the CTE of the material that forms the lens holder, with the CTEs of the lens barrel and lens holder materials being greater than the CTE of the material of the lens spacers.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed within a vehicle and having a field of view interior of the vehicle, and an adjustable mirror disposed within the vehicle. The adjustable mirror includes a mirror reflector that reflects light incident thereat. The camera views the adjustable mirror and captures image data based on light reflected by the mirror reflector of the adjustable mirror toward the camera. With a driver of the vehicle sitting in a driver seat of the vehicle, light reflected off a portion of the driver is reflected by the mirror reflector of the adjustable mirror toward the camera. An electronic control unit (ECU), responsive to processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera, adjusts the adjustable mirror to reflect the portion of the driver toward a region of the lens of the camera.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a housing and a lens barrel including a lens. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process frames of image data captured by the camera. A heating device is disposed at or near the lens and is activated to initially heat the lens responsive to determination, via processing by the image processor of a frame of captured image data, of a threshold degree of lens occlusion at the lens. The heating device is (i) deactivated responsive to determination that the determined lens occlusion is not water or moisture, or (ii) further powered to increase the heating function responsive to determination that the determined occlusion is water or moisture.

Abstract: A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens barrel for accommodating a lens. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a pair of electrically conductive elements that are routed along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with a heating element at and in contact with the inner surface of the outermost lens element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element to evaporate moisture or condensation thereat. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board. A lens barrel includes a lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements spaced apart along the lens barrel by respective lens spacers, each lens spacer formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 10 ppm/° C. or less. The circuit board is positioned at the lens holder, and the lens barrel is positioned at a lens holder so as to optically align the lens and the imager. The lens barrel is formed of a material having a CTE that matches within ten percent of the CTE of the material that forms the lens holder, with the CTEs of the lens barrel and lens holder materials being greater than the CTE of the material of the lens spacers.