Patents Assigned to CONNAUGHT ELECTRONICS LTD.
  • Patent number: 10618474
    Abstract: A communication assembly may include a first antenna. The communication assembly may further include a housing that houses the first antenna and an electronics enclosure. The housing may include a bottom that may be disposed on a fuselage of a vehicle. The electronics enclosure may include a radio frequency module and a camera module. The electronics enclosure may transmit heat to the fuselage of the vehicle by the bottom of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Patrick Eoghan Denny
  • Patent number: 10622803
    Abstract: A system having a load device coupled to an output of an electronic control unit (ECU) via a coaxial cable, and the ECU is disclosed. The ECU has a power supply configured to provide power for the load device, a power over coaxial cable (PoC) filter coupled to the output, a high side switch (HSS) coupled to the power supply and to the PoC filter via an HSS output line, and a diode disposed in the HSS output line and configured to substantially eliminate current flow from the output towards the HSS, while allowing current to flow from the HSS towards the load device from the HSS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Beniamin Dragoi, Sergio Bantiles
  • Publication number: 20200090360
    Abstract: It is the object of the present invention to demonstrate a simple method for determining a geometric parameter (H, B, L, f, F) of a trailer (3) of a vehicle/trailer combination (7) with a motor vehicle (1) and the trailer (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Starr, George Siogkas
  • Patent number: 10589680
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing at least one information from an environmental region (8) of a motor vehicle (2) to a driver of the motor vehicle (2), wherein at least one first image (B3) captured by a vehicle-side camera system (6) and at least one second image (B4) captured by a vehicle-external camera system (7) situated within the field of view (19a, 19b) of the vehicle-side camera system (6) are received in the method, wherein an image-in-image representation (B5) is generated from the at least one first image (B3) and the at least one second image (B4) for displaying on a vehicle-side display device (13) as the at least one information, wherein a first image region (21) for displaying the at least one first image (B3) and a second image region (22) separate from the first image region (21) for displaying the at least one second image (B4) are determined for the image-in-image representation (B5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Enda Peter Ward, Alan Hanniffy, Mike Togher
  • Publication number: 20200079164
    Abstract: A method operable in a towing vehicle for determining a state of a trailer being towed by said towing vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a front facing and a rear facing image capturing device and the method comprises determining respective distances of the rear facing image capturing device and the front facing image capturing device from a surface on which the vehicle lies. Responsive to one or both of: the distance of the rear image capturing device being outside a first threshold, and the distance of the front image capturing device being outside a second threshold, a value indicative the state of the towed trailer is output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Finan, Mark Moran
  • Patent number: 10574346
    Abstract: A communication assembly is disclosed. The communication assembly includes a radio frequency (RF) module configured to obtain RF data from an antenna of a vehicle, a camera module configured to obtain image data of a scene exterior to the vehicle, and a communication unit, operatively connected to the RF module and the camera module, configured to embed the RF data in a first frequency band of an analog signal, embed the image data in a second frequency band of the analog signal, and transmit, via a single physical medium communication link, the analog signal to a vehicle communication unit of the vehicle. The vehicle communication unit is configured to demodulate the analog signal to retrieve the RF data and the image data for providing, to an electronic control module (ECU) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomas Daujotas
  • Patent number: 10567704
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for motion estimation between two images of an environmental region (9) of a motor vehicle (1) captured by a camera (4) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the following steps are performed: a) determining at least two image areas of a first image as at least two first blocks (B) in the first image, b) for each first block (B), defining a respective search region in a second image for searching the respective search region in the second image for a second block (B) corresponding to the respective first block (B); c) determining a cost surface (18) for each first blocks (B) and its respective search region; d) determining an averaged cost surface (19) for one of the at least two first blocks (B) based on the cost surfaces (18); d) identifying a motion vector (v) for the one of the first blocks (B) describing a motion of a location of the first block (B) in the first image and the corresponding second block (B) in the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Pantelis Ermilios, Bryan Mcnamara, William O'Grady, Myles Friel
  • Publication number: 20200039514
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for controlling a distance of a vehicle (10) to a closest preceding vehicle (60), whereby the vehicle (10) has a trailer (12) connected thereto, comprising the steps of determining a velocity of the vehicle (10), detecting a closest preceding vehicle (60), determining a distance (62) to the closest preceding vehicle (60), and determining a safe distance based on the velocity of the vehicle (10) and the distance (62) to the closest preceding vehicle (60), wherein the method further comprises determining an extra safe distance based on at least one characteristic of the trailer (12), and performing a control of the distance (62) to the closest preceding vehicle (60) to stay above the safe distance plus the extra safe distance. The present invention also refers to a driving assistance system (14) for a vehicle (10), which is adapted to perform the above method. The present invention further refers to a vehicle (10) with an above driving assistance system (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Swaroop Kaggere Shivamurthy
  • Publication number: 20200020123
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a real position (X, Y, Z) of a trailer tow ball (6) of a tow hitch (4) of a motor vehicle (1) by means of an assistance system (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by: capturing the trailer tow ball (6) and determining a characterizing property (11) of the trailer tow ball (6), determining a relative position (x, y) of the characterizing property (11), determining a first real space coordinate (X) and a second real space coordinate (Y), presetting a third real space coordinate (Z) for the third real space coordinate (Z) within a predetermined coordinate interval, generating a comparative position of the trailer tow ball (6) at least depending on the preset third real space coordinate (Z) by means of the electronic computing device (12), determining the real position (X, Y, Z) with the preset third real space coordinate (Z) upon coincidence of the relative position (x, y) with the comparative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Swaroop Kaggere Shivamurthy
  • Publication number: 20200014525
    Abstract: A method for time synchronization between a first electronic computing device of a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle and at least a second electronic computing device of the driver assistance system is disclosed. The method includes: generating, by the first electronic computing device, an interrupt signal and a first timestamp of the first clock; sending the interrupt signal to the second electronic computing device; generating, by the second electronic computing device, a second timestamp of the second clock, depending on the received interrupt signal; determining the time difference based on a difference of the two timestamps; and performing time synchronization depending on the determined time difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Mohammed Nasr, Ganapathi Ramachandra, Mutlu Aydin, Manikandan Erachan
  • Patent number: 10525902
    Abstract: A mirror camera system includes a camera fixed to a top of a convertible roof of a vehicle and positioned to capture image data of a scene rear of the vehicle, and a rearview mirror with an integrated display connected to the camera. The mirror camera system is switchable between a camera mode, which shows the image data captured by the camera on the integrated display, and a standard mirror mode, which shows an environment behind the vehicle on a semitransparent reflective surface of the rearview mirror. The rearview mirror includes an electronic control unit that is configured to analyze the image data output from the camera to determine a luminance value of the scene, and further configured to send a signal to switch the mirror camera system from the camera mode to the standard mirror mode when the luminance value of the scene is within a predetermined threshold range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomas Daujotas
  • Patent number: 10502773
    Abstract: A load device coupled to an output of an ECU via a coaxial cable is disclosed. The ECU provides power to the load device, and has a power over coaxial cable (PoC) filter coupled to the output, a high side switch (HSS) coupled to the power supply and to the PoC filter via an HSS output line, a diode disposed in the HSS output line that eliminates current flow from the output towards the HSS, while allowing current flow from the HSS towards the load device, a diode resistor in parallel with the diode that allows a current to flow past the diode towards the HSS while a short-to-battery scenario is occurring, and a pull down resistor (RPD) disposed between the output line of the HSS and a ground prior to the diode configured to pull the voltage at the HSS output down to zero while an open load scenario is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Beniamin Dragoi, Sergio Bantiles
  • Publication number: 20190370563
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting raised pavement markers in an environment of a vehicle by a camera system. The method includes capturing at least one first image of at least one first part of the environment by at least one first camera of the camera system and analyzing the at least one first image and determining whether at least one first pavement marker is present in the environment in dependency of a result of the analysis of the at least one first image. The method further includes capturing at least one second image of at least one second part of the environment by at least one second camera of the camera system and analyzing the at least one second image and determining whether the at least one first or at least one second pavement marker is present in the environment in dependency of a result of the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ashok Dahal, Matthias Lenk, Michael Starr
  • Patent number: 10442369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a camera (4) for a motor vehicle (1), in which an interface device (14) for connecting the camera (4) with a data bus of the motor vehicle (1) is selected from at least two different interface devices (14) and is arranged on a circuit board (13), the circuit board (13) is arranged in an interior space (12) of a front housing (10), a rear housing (15) is manufactured and connected with the front housing (10), wherein the rear housing (15) has a through-opening (16), through which the interface device (15) is passed partly, wherein in manufacture of the rear housing (15) the through-opening (16) is formed in dependency on the selected interface device (14), wherein an outer contour of the rear housing (15) is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Colin Patrick Hehir, Carol Grimes, Daniel Proctor
  • Patent number: 10447902
    Abstract: The invention relates to a camera (2) for a motor vehicle (1) including a housing (5) configured to shield electromagnetic radiation at least in certain areas, including a circuit board (16) disposed in the housing (5), and including an interface device (11) for connecting the camera (2) to the motor vehicle (1), wherein the interface device (11) is electrically connected to the circuit board (16), wherein the interface device (11) includes a coaxial plug (12) with an inner conductor (13) and an outer conductor (14) and the camera (2) has a connecting device (17) for electrically connecting the outer conductor (14) to the housing (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Carol Grimes, Colin Patrick Hehir
  • Publication number: 20190299938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing deposits on a lens (11) of a camera (9) of a motor vehicle (1), in which a contaminant present on the lens (11) is removed as the deposit, wherein a cleaning liquid (13) is applied to the lens by means of a washing device (12) for removing the contaminant, wherein a temperature of the lens (11) is determined and the application of the cleaning liquid (13) to the lens (11) is performed depending on the determined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Brian Michael Thomas Deegan
  • Patent number: 10414339
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a camera system (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which a first camera (3, 5, 6) captures a first environmental region (14, 16, 17) of the motor vehicle (1), and a second camera (4) captures a second environmental region (15) extending behind the motor vehicle (1), wherein the cameras (3, 4, 5, 6) are electrically connected to a control unit (7) and are controlled by the control unit (7), and the control unit (7) is connected to a communication bus (28) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein upon an interruption of a communication connection (27) between the communication bus (28) and the control unit (7), a rearview image at least partially including the second environmental region (15) is displayed on a display device (18) of the motor vehicle (1) by the control unit (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Martin Oliver Coleman, Arthur Asodisen, Paul Burke
  • Publication number: 20190255998
    Abstract: The operation of combinations of a vehicle and a trailer is to be rendered safer. For this purpose a method for reproducing images from backward cameras of a combination of a vehicle and a trailer is suggested. A first image (RV) from a first backward camera, which is arranged on the vehicle, and a second image (TR) from a second backward camera are simultaneously reproduced on a display unit in the vehicle. For the reproduction a predeterminable window (F) of the display unit is used in order to represent exclusively the second image (TR) from the second camera of the trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Finan, Alan Hanniffy
  • Patent number: 10343606
    Abstract: A camera system for a vehicle that includes a camera unit having a serializer and a control unit having a deserializer connected to the serializer is provided. The deserializer includes a plurality of data contacts for parallel data output. One or more of the data contacts are data contact general purpose inputs/outputs (GPIO) pins that communicates with GPIO pins of a data processing unit of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutlu Aydin, Ganapathi Ramachandra, Mohammed Nasr
  • Publication number: 20190197321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for capturing an object (9) in an environmental region (8) of a motor vehicle (1) based on a sequence of images (10, 11) of the environmental region (8), which are provided by means of a camera (4) of the motor vehicle (1), including the steps of: recognizing a first object feature (24) in a first image (10) of the sequence, wherein the first object feature (24) describes at least a part of the object (9) in the environmental region (8), estimating a position of the object (9) in the environmental region (8) based on a predetermined movement model, which describes a movement of the object (9) in the environmental region (8), determining a prediction feature (26) in a second image (11) following the first image (10) in the sequence based on the first object feature (24) and based on the estimated position, determining a second object feature (25) in the second image (11), associating the second object feature (25) with the prediction feature (26) in the second image (11) if a
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ciaran Hughes, Duong-Van Nguyen, Jonathan Horgan, Jan Thomanek