Patents Assigned to Magna Electronics
  • Patent number: 11700439
    Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens holder accommodating a lens and an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB). The lens holder includes a plurality of posts protruding from an attaching portion of the lens holder. The imager PCB includes an imager disposed at a first side of the imager PCB, and includes a plurality of apertures therethrough. The attaching portion of the lens holder is positioned at the imager PCB such that the posts protrude through the apertures of the imager PCB. The posts are movable within the apertures while the lens is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens relative to the imager. With the lens aligned relative to the imager, the posts are heated to deform within the apertures, whereby the deformed posts harden upon cooling to secure the lens holder relative to the imager PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gavin E. Skrocki, Robert A. Devota, Matthew C. Sesti, Donald W. Mersino
  • Patent number: 11689795
    Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a front housing portion, a first circuit board having an imager, a second circuit board in board-to-board electrical connection with the first circuit board, and a rear housing portion having a connector for electrically connecting to an electrical connection of a wire harness of a vehicle. The rear housing portion when joined with the front housing portion forms a camera housing. The connector of the rear housing portion includes a multi-pin connector having at least three terminals that, with the rear housing portion joined with the front housing portion, electrically connect to respective terminals of the electrical connector at the second circuit board. The connector includes an electrically conductive metallic clamping element that engages a metallic shield element at the electrical connector at the second circuit board to establish a ground path from the connector of the rear housing portion to the second circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Conger
  • Patent number: 11689703
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of cameras and a processor operable to process image data captured by the cameras. The plurality of cameras includes a front camera, a rear camera, a driver-side camera and a passenger-side camera. Images derived from image data captured by at least some of the cameras are displayed on a display screen of the vehicle for viewing by a driver of the vehicle during a driving maneuver of the vehicle. During the driving maneuver of the vehicle, the display screen displays a three dimensional vehicle representation as would be viewed from a viewpoint exterior to the vehicle. A portion of the displayed three dimensional vehicle representation is at least partially transparent. A degree of transparency of the portion of the displayed three dimensional vehicle representation is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Goerg Pflug
  • Patent number: 11689791
    Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes (i) a lens holder formed of a first material, (ii) a lens barrel accommodating a lens and formed of a second material, (iii) an imager printed circuit board having an imager, and (iv) a processor circuit board having an image processor. The imager printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder with the imager aligned with the lens accommodated in the lens barrel. The processor printed circuit board has circuitry that is electrically connected to circuitry of the imager printed circuit board. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the second material forming the lens barrel is lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material forming the lens holder. Circuitry of the vehicular camera module includes connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Steven V. Byrne, Yuesheng Lu, Jonathan D. Conger, Rene Dreiocker
  • Patent number: 11683911
    Abstract: A sensing device for a vehicular sensing system includes a housing having a front housing portion and a metallic rear housing portion. A first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board are disposed in the housing. The second printed circuit board is electrically connected to the first printed circuit board, which has an electrical connector for electrically connecting the sensing device to a vehicle wire harness. The second printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, with the circuitry generating heat when the sensing device is operating. The rear housing portion comprises a thermally conductive element that extends through an aperture of the first printed circuit board and is thermally coupled at the second printed circuit board. The thermally conductive element conducts heat generated by the circuitry of the second printed circuit board to the rear housing portion to dissipate the heat from the sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Wilhelm Johann Wolfgang Wöhlte
  • Patent number: 11678040
    Abstract: A vehicular trailering assist system includes a camera and an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. The vehicular trailering assist system iteratively predicts a plurality of predicted trailer angles based on a corresponding plurality of potential trailer beam lengths ranging between an upper dimension above a baseline trailer beam length and a lower dimension below the baseline trailer beam length and selects a trailer angle from the plurality of predicted trailer angles that least deviates from a current trailer angle determined via processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera. The potential trailer beam length that corresponds to the selected trailer angle that least deviates from the determined current trailer angle is used in determining trailer angles for that trailer during future drives of the vehicle when towing that particular trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jyothi P. Gali, Nikhil Gupta, Galina Okouneva
  • Patent number: 11673605
    Abstract: A vehicular driving assist system includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and an image processor that processes captured image data. With a trailer equipped with at least one trailer camera hitched to the vehicle, a display screen displays video images derived from captured image data. The system determines a reversing path for the vehicle and trailer to follow to assist the driver in backing up the trailer, and generates a graphic overlay at the display screen that indicates the determined reversing path. During the backing up maneuver of the trailer hitched to the vehicle, and responsive to determination of an object rearward of the trailer, the system (i) determines an adjusted reversing path to avoid the object and (ii) adjusts the graphic overlay to indicate the adjusted reversing path of the vehicle and trailer for the driver to follow in backing up the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Achim Gieseke, Ralph Latotzki, Ruediger Boegel
  • Patent number: 11645856
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a driver monitoring camera and an illumination source accommodated within a movable head of an interior rearview mirror of a vehicle. The illumination source is electrically controlled to modulate near-infrared (NIR) light emitted by the illumination source whereby NIR light emitted by the illumination source comprises a characteristic modulation signature. Ambient light that is present within the interior cabin of the vehicle and modulated NIR light emitted by the illumination source that is reflected off at least the head of the driver of the vehicle are incident at the imaging array sensor of the driver monitoring camera. Processing of captured image data at an image processor distinguishes (i) NIR light emitted by the illumination source that has the characteristic modulation signature and that is reflected off the head of the driver from (ii) ambient light present within the interior cabin of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11104279
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle, a light source disposed at the vehicle and operable to emit light, and a control including an image processor. The control, responsive to detection of the object present in the field of view of the camera, determines a region of the field of view of the camera at which a detected object is located. The control determines an illumination level at the detected object and, responsive to the determined illumination level at the detected object being greater than an upper threshold level or less than a lower threshold level, controls the respective individually controllable light segment of the light source for that region of the field of view of the camera at which the detected object is located to adjust intensity of light emitted by that light segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: Magna Electronics Solutions Gmbh, Magna Electronics Europe GmbH & Co. OHG, ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Solar, Stefan Graf, Julian Baker, Matthäus Artmann
  • Patent number: 10773729
    Abstract: A driver assistance system of a vehicle includes a vision sensor and a non-imaging sensor sensing forward of the equipped vehicle. The control, responsive to processing of captured image data and to processing of captured sensor data, provides a driver assistance function. The control, via to processing of captured image data and captured sensor data, detects the presence of vehicles. The control may disable at least part of the driving assistance function at least in part responsive to the control detecting a vehicle via one of (i) processing of image data captured by said vision sensor or (ii) processing of sensor data captured by the non-vision sensor, and failing to detect that detected vehicle via the other of (i) processing of image data captured by said vision sensor or (ii) processing of sensor data captured by the non-vision sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Chundrlik, Jr., Dominik Raudszus
  • Patent number: 10549702
    Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a housing and an imager assembly having an imager, an imager circuit board and a lens holder. The imager is disposed at the imager circuit board. The lens holder includes a lens holding portion and an attaching portion, with the lens holding portion accommodating a lens. The attaching portion of the lens holder includes a plurality of pins that, when the attaching portion is mated with the circuit board, are received at least partially through apertures of the imager circuit board. With the pins received at least partially through the apertures, and with the lens focused and optically aligned with the imager at the imager circuit board, the pins are soldered at the imager circuit board so as to fixedly attach the lens holder at the imager circuit board to form the imager assembly. The imager assembly is attached at the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Devota, Garret Achenbach, David F. Olson, Matthew C. Sesti, John R. Garcia
  • Publication number: 20190248311
    Abstract: A method for assembling a camera for a vision system of a vehicle includes providing a printed circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side. The camera housing element includes an electrical connector having at least one electrically conductive pin. The lens is aligned and focused relative to the imager and the printed circuit board is affixed relative to the lens holder when the lens is aligned and focused relative to the imager. A header connector is positioned and attached at the printed circuit board after the printed circuit board is affixed relative to the lens holder. The camera housing element is mated with the lens holder, including electrically connecting the at least one electrically conductive pin to an electrically conductive socket of the header connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Conger, Steven V. Byrne, Brian D. Brasier
  • Publication number: 20190217775
    Abstract: A sensing system for a vehicle includes a control and a plurality of sensors disposed at the vehicle. The plurality of sensors includes individual sensors connected as a chain of sensors to a vehicle network. Outputs of the sensors are communicated to the control, which, responsive to the outputs of the sensors, determines presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within a field of sensing of at least one of the sensors. Responsive to determination that a given sensor is the last sensor in the chain of sensors, the sensing system provides a termination configuration at that sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin May, Joern Ihlenburg, Boris Shulkin
  • Publication number: 20190118730
    Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a housing and an imager assembly having an imager, an imager circuit board and a lens holder. The imager is disposed at the imager circuit board. The lens holder includes a lens holding portion and an attaching portion, with the lens holding portion accommodating a lens. The attaching portion of the lens holder includes a plurality of pins that, when the attaching portion is mated with the circuit board, are received at least partially through apertures of the imager circuit board. With the pins received at least partially through the apertures, and with the lens focused and optically aligned with the imager at the imager circuit board, the pins are soldered at the imager circuit board so as to fixedly attach the lens holder at the imager circuit board to form the imager assembly. The imager assembly is attached at the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Magna Electronics Inc., a corporation of the State of Delaware
    Inventors: Robert A. Devota, Garret Achenbach, David F. Olson, Matthew C. Sesti, John R. Garcia
  • Publication number: 20190094136
    Abstract: A fog detecting system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view forward of the vehicle, and a non-imaging sensor disposed at the vehicle and having a field of sensing forward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data and the non-imaging sensor captures sensor data. A control includes at least one data processor operable to process image data captured by the camera and sensor data captured by the non-imaging sensor. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera and processing of sensor data captured by the non-imaging sensor, determines presence of fog ahead of the vehicle and in the field of view of the camera and in the field of sensing of the non-imaging sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicants: Magna Electronics Inc., Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Reinhard Juette
  • Publication number: 20190092340
    Abstract: A driver assistance system of a vehicle includes a vision sensor and a non-imaging sensor sensing forward of the equipped vehicle. The control, responsive to processing of captured image data and to processing of captured sensor data, provides a driver assistance function. The control, via to processing of captured image data and captured sensor data, detects the presence of vehicles. The control may disable at least part of the driving assistance function at least in part responsive to the control detecting a vehicle via one of (i) processing of image data captured by said vision sensor or (ii) processing of sensor data captured by the non-vision sensor, and failing to detect that detected vehicle via the other of (i) processing of image data captured by said vision sensor or (ii) processing of sensor data captured by the non-vision sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Chundrlik, JR., Dominik Raudszus
  • Patent number: 9925980
    Abstract: A collision avoidance system of a vehicle includes a sensor configured to be disposed at a vehicle for sensing exterior and forwardly of the vehicle. A processor is operable to process sensor data captured by the sensor to determine the presence of a pedestrian ahead of the vehicle and at or moving towards a path of travel of the vehicle. The processor determines a time to collision based on a determined distance to the pedestrian and determined speed of the pedestrian and speed of the vehicle. The collision avoidance system is operable to generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle at a threshold time before the determined collision with the pedestrian. Responsive to a parameter, the collision avoidance system adjusts the threshold time to generate the alert at an earlier time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Manuel Edo-Ros
  • Patent number: 9916699
    Abstract: A method for determining a corrected yaw rate for a vehicle includes receiving a first yaw rate input from a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle and determining if the vehicle is moving or stationary. If the vehicle is determined to be moving, the method includes determining a steering angle of the vehicle, and determining an offset correction value based at least in part on a determined speed of the vehicle and the determined steering angle. A yaw rate offset is determined based at least in part on the determined offset correction value and the received first yaw rate input. A second yaw rate input is received from the yaw rate sensor of the vehicle, and a corrected yaw rate value is determined based at least in part on the received second yaw rate input and the determined yaw rate offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Chundrlik, Jr., Nathaniel Johnson, Marc Wimmershoff
  • Patent number: 9916660
    Abstract: A vision system of 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 may include a fisheye lens. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. The vision system provides enhanced camera calibration using a monoview noncoplanar three dimensional calibration pattern. The system may include a plurality of cameras configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jagmal Singh, Sebastian Pliefke, Holger Hess
  • Patent number: 9911050
    Abstract: A driver active safety control system for a vehicle includes a plurality of image capture sensors, a video display screen, a central driver active safety control module and at least one non-imaging sensor. The control module at least includes an image processor, a vision core and a fusion core. The image processor processes image data captured by and received from at least a forward viewing image capture sensor for at least one of (i) automatic headlamp control, (ii) lane departure warning and (iii) traffic sign recognition. The vision core is operable to manipulate image data captured by and received at least from rearward and sideward viewing image capture sensors to form video images for displaying on the video display screen. The fusion core is operable to process inputs received to enhance control by the control module of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Axel Nix