Patents Assigned to Magna Electronics
  • Patent number: 11827153
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a mirror head adjustably attached at a mounting structure configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle. The minor head accommodates a camera and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected in series with each other. A switch is operable in an open state, where current provided by a current driver passes through each individual LED of the plurality of LEDs, and a closed state, where current provided by the current driver passes through a first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs and bypasses a second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs. The switch operates in the open state when the camera captures image data for a first vehicular function, such as occupant monitoring, and operates in the closed state when the camera captures image data for a second vehicular function, such as driver monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Miller, Yuesheng Lu
  • Patent number: 11820423
    Abstract: A vehicular trailering assist system includes at least one camera disposed at a trailer hitched to a hitch of a vehicle, and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU determines, during a first stage of a calibration maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, image coordinates of at least one ground feature point. The ECU, responsive to determining image coordinates of the at least one ground feature point, estimates orientation parameters of the camera based at least on the determined image coordinates and intrinsic camera parameters. As the vehicle and trailer travel further along the ground surface during a second stage of the calibration maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, and based on the estimated orientation parameters of the at least one camera, the vehicular trailering assist system determines misalignment of the at least one camera at the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Galina Okouneva, James Turk, Anam M. Yunus, Alexander Velichko
  • Patent number: 11823395
    Abstract: A vehicular driving assist system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driving assist system and viewing forward of the vehicle, the camera capturing image data. An electronic control unit (ECU) includes electronic circuitry and associated software. The electronic circuitry of the ECU includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. The ECU, responsive to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines presence of a leading vehicle traveling in front of the equipped vehicle and in the same traffic lane as the equipped vehicle. The ECU, responsive to determining presence of the leading vehicle, determines presence of a pothole in front of the vehicle and in the same traffic lane as the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Bishnu Raveendran
  • Patent number: 11820395
    Abstract: A vehicular driver assistance system includes a propulsion selection sensor operable to provide an output representative of a current direction of propulsion of a vehicle. The system, responsive to the output, determines an entry propulsion direction used by the vehicle to enter a parking space. The system stores the determined entry propulsion direction used by the vehicle to enter the parking space. The system, responsive to the vehicle preparing to exit the parking space, determines an exit propulsion direction of the vehicle. The system compares the stored determined entry propulsion direction used by the vehicle to enter the parking space and the exit propulsion direction of the vehicle. The system, responsive to determining that the stored determined entry propulsion direction used by the vehicle to enter the parking space is the same as the exit propulsion direction of the vehicle, provides an alert to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Brijendra Kumar Bharti
  • Patent number: 11816905
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system that includes electronic circuitry and associated software, a driver monitoring camera disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly and having a field of view of a driver region in a cabin of the vehicle, and an occupant monitoring camera disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly and having a field of view of an occupant region in the cabin of the vehicle. The electronic circuitry of the ECU includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the driver monitoring camera and the occupant monitoring camera. The ECU, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the driver monitoring camera, determines attentiveness of a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Nagender Reddy Kasarla, Sujith Gurram, Suresh Boddi
  • Patent number: 11814045
    Abstract: A vehicular control system determines a planned path of travel for a vehicle along a traffic lane in which the vehicle is traveling on a road. The system determines a respective target speed for waypoints along the planned path that represents a speed the vehicle should travel when passing through the respective waypoint. The system determines a speed profile for the vehicle to travel at as the vehicle travels along the planned path, with at least two different speeds being based on a difference in target speeds of at least two consecutive respective waypoints of the plurality of waypoints. The system determines an acceleration profile for the vehicle to follow as it changes from one speed to another speed of the speed profile. The system controls the vehicle to maneuver the vehicle along the planned path in accordance with the determined speed and acceleration profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Wienecke, Wenxue Gao, Achim Gieseke
  • Patent number: 11808876
    Abstract: A vehicular radar sensing system includes a radar sensor disposed at a vehicle so as to sense exterior of the vehicle, and a control. The radar sensor includes a plurality of transmitters that transmit radio signals, and a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals. The transmitters transmit first radio signals at a first frequency and second radio signals at a second frequency, with the second frequency different from the first frequency. First radio signals received are transmitted first radio signals from the plurality of transmitters that are reflected from an object exterior the vehicle. The control, via processing of the received first radio signals, determines presence of an object exterior of the vehicle. The transmitters transmit second radio signals at the second frequency for receiving at a remote communication device. Second radio signals received at the transmitter are second radio signals transmitted by the remote communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Wilhelm Johann Wolfgang Wöhlte
  • Patent number: 11801795
    Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing, a lens assembly having a lens, an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB), and a heating device. The imager PCB is disposed at the camera housing and the lens is aligned with an imager disposed at the imager PCB. The heating device is disposed at at least a portion of the lens assembly and includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contacts at an end thereof, with the electrical contacts disposed at an inner surface of the camera housing. The heating device is electrically connected to circuitry of the vehicular camera via electrical connectors that electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Sauer, Rene Dreiocker, Steven V. Byrne, Jonathan D. Conger
  • Patent number: 11794680
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes an underbody camera disposed at an underside of a body of a vehicle and viewing a ground surface under the body of the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle. The underbody camera captures image data as the vehicle is moving, An illumination source, when operated to emit light, emits near infrared light illuminating the ground surface under the body of the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) is disposed at the vehicle and includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the underbody camera. The underbody camera views at least forward towards a front portion of the underside of the body of the vehicle. The vehicular vision system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the underbody camera, determines presence of an object forward of the underbody camera and having height greater than a threshold height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore J. Church, Clarence P. McElroy, Timothy M. Phillips
  • Patent number: 11800222
    Abstract: A vehicular camera system includes a camera module disposed at a vehicle that captures image data. The camera module includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having an imager disposed thereat that includes an imaging array having at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns. The camera module includes a lens aligned with the imager. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) with electronic circuitry and associated software. With the camera module disposed at the vehicle, and responsive to images imaged at the imager not being focused, the vehicular camera system adjusts position of the imager relative to the PCB to bring images imaged at the imager into focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Evan T. Hulscher
  • Patent number: 11799403
    Abstract: An electric motor for a vehicle includes a stator, a rotor and a plurality of independent bridge drivers. Each bridge driver supplies a portion of current to the electric motor. There may be a phase shift between each independent bridge driver. Optionally, each bridge driver delivers current at a slew rate that is different from each other independent bridge driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Neuhaus
  • Patent number: 11787338
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a vehicular camera disposed at a vehicle and operable to capture frames of image data. The vehicular vision system is operable to detect, via processing by an image processor of multiple frames of captured image data, when multiple objects are viewed by the vehicular camera. During a driving maneuver, and when multiple objects are detected, the vehicular vision system determines which detected object of the multiple detected objects is closest to the vehicle, and determines movement of at least the determined closest object relative to the vehicle. During the driving maneuver, and based at least in part on the determined relative movement of the determined closest object, the vehicular vision system determines whether the determined relative movement is indicative of the determined closest object being in or moving toward a position where collision may occur between the determined closest object and the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Horst D. Diessner
  • Patent number: 11787342
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing at least a head region of a driver of the vehicle. Image data captured by the camera is provided to an electronic control unit (ECU) and is processed at the ECU for determining attentiveness of the driver. The vehicular driver monitoring system, responsive to selection by the driver of a video-conference function, initiates a video conference telecommunication whereby video image data derived from the provided captured image data is wirelessly communicated to an external receiver that is located remote from the vehicle for viewing by another person communicating with the driver of the vehicle via the external receiver. Communication data generated at the external receiver is wirelessly communicated to the vehicular driver monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Solar
  • Patent number: 11787339
    Abstract: A trailer assist system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and at least rearward of the vehicle, the field of view encompassing at least a portion of a trailer coupler of a trailer stationary a distance from the vehicle. The camera captures image data that is representative of at least the trailer coupler of the trailer. An ECU includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. The ECU, responsive to image processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, determines a location of the trailer coupler using a detector model, which is based on an ensemble regression tree algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Shweta Suresh Daga, Jigneshkumar Natvarlal Vasoya
  • Patent number: 11792496
    Abstract: A vehicular camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. A circuit board includes a circuit board substrate having electronic circuitry disposed thereat. A thermal interface elastomer material is at an inner surface of the front housing portion. The front housing portion, with the thermal interface elastomer material thereat, is disposed at the circuit board. With the lens assembly optically aligned with the imager, the circuit board is attached at the front housing portion. The rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion to encase the circuit board. The thermal interface elastomer material interfaces with electronic components of the circuit board when the circuit board is attached at the front housing portion. A connector element in electrical contact with circuitry of the circuit board is configured to connect to a vehicle wire harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey A White
  • Patent number: 11769335
    Abstract: A vehicular rear backup system includes a rear backup camera and an electronic control unit (ECU). The camera connects with the ECU via a cable. Image data captured by the camera is converted at a serializer of the camera to serialized image data. The serialized image data is carried to the ECU via the cable and is de-serialized at a de-serializer of the ECU to form de-serialized image data. Responsive at least in part to processing at the ECU of de-serialized image data, the vehicular rear backup system is operable to detect an object present rearward of the vehicle during a rear backup maneuver. Video images derived at least in part from an output generated at the ECU via processing at the ECU of de-serialized image data are displayed at a video display device of the vehicle during the rear backup maneuver of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Nix, Joern Ihlenburg, Nazar F. Bally, Duane W. Gebauer
  • Patent number: 11754705
    Abstract: A vehicular radar sensing system includes a radar sensor disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of sensing exterior of the vehicle. The radar sensor includes a plurality of transmitters that transmit radio signals and a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals. The received radio signals are transmitted radio signals that are reflected from from a radar reflective sign that is present along a road being traveled by the vehicle and in the field of sensing of the radar sensor. The radar reflective sign has radar reflective information. A control, via processing of outputs of the receivers by a processor, determines the radar reflective information. A display may display the determined radar reflective information for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. The control may control at least one guidance function of the vehicle responsive at least in part to the determined radar reflective information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Traian Miu
  • Patent number: 11756230
    Abstract: A vehicular trailer hitching assist system includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle and viewing a trailer hitch disposed at the vehicle. Responsive to processing at an electronic control unit (ECU) of frames of image data captured by the camera, a feature of the trailer hitch is detected. The system, at least in part via processing at the ECU of at least one frame of image data captured by the camera, determines a ground location at the ground below the detected feature of the trailer hitch, and determines a location of the trailer hitch at the vehicle. The vehicle is maneuvered toward a trailer for hitching the trailer to the trailer hitch of the vehicle based at least in part on (i) the determined location of the trailer hitch and (ii) the height of the detected feature of the trailer hitch above the ground location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Nikhil Gupta, Galina Okouneva, Hilda Faraji, Jyothi P. Gali
  • Patent number: 11753002
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle so as to have a combined field of sensing forward, rearward and sideward of the vehicle. Data captured by the sensors as the vehicle moves along a road is processed at a control for detecting objects present exterior the vehicle. The control designates a plurality of locations within the fields of sensing. As the vehicle moves along the road, the control increases a value for each designated location when an object is detected at that designated location, and decreases the value for each designated location when an object is not detected at that designated location, and generates an object map based on values for the designated locations. The greater the value for a particular designated location, the greater the probability an object is present at that particular designated location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Mahdi Marsousi, Harold E. Joseph, Nikhil Gupta, Alexander Velichko
  • Patent number: 11745659
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, the system determines a camera-derived path of travel of the vehicle along a road. Responsive at least in part to a geographic location of the vehicle, the system determines a geographic-derived path of travel of the vehicle along the road. Control of the vehicle along the road is based on diminished reliance on the determined geographic-derived path of travel when a geographic location reliability level of the determined geographic-derived path of travel is below a threshold geographic location reliability level. Control of the vehicle along the road is based on diminished reliance on the determined camera-derived path of travel of the vehicle when a camera reliability level of the determined camera-derived path of travel is below a threshold camera reliability level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Chundrlik, Jr., Marc Wimmershoff