Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a front housing member, a rear housing member, an imager, and a circuit board. With the circuit board accommodated within a cavity formed by the mated front and rear housing members, the imager is closer to a first side of the circuit board than to a second side of the circuit board. The rear housing member includes an electrical plug connector that is configured to plug into an electrical socket connector at the second side of the circuit board when the front and rear housing members are being mated together during assembly of the vehicular camera module. With the vehicular camera module mounted at a vehicle, electrical power is provided from the vehicle to the electrical circuitry of the circuit board via the connection made by the electrical plug connector of the rear housing member plugged into the electrical socket connector of the circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular display system includes a rearward viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and a controller that includes a processor for processing image data captured by the rearward viewing camera. A display device is disposed in the vehicle for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. Image data captured by the rearward viewing camera is processed at the controller, which generates an output representative of an image having three image panes including a central image pane derived from a central subset of captured image data and two side image panes derived from respective side subsets of captured image data. Each of the side image panes are shaped and arranged with respect to the central image pane to have non-parallel upper edges and non-parallel lower edges. The display device, responsive to the output generated by the processing system, displays the image for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having front and rear camera housing portions. An imager is disposed at a printed circuit board. A lens assembly is disposed at the front camera housing portion and accommodates at least one lens. The front camera housing portion is formed of a material having a first Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE). At least two attachment elements are disposed at the front camera housing portion and are formed of a material having a second CTE that is less than the first CTE of the front camera housing portion and that is less than 10 ppm/° C. The printed circuit board is mounted at the attachment elements via fasteners threadedly engaging respective ones of the at least two attachment elements. The front camera housing portion and the attachment elements cooperate to decrease temperature-induced movement of the printed circuit board relative to the at least one lens.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens assembly and a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The circuit board has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). An imager is disposed at the first side of the circuit board and optically aligned with the lens assembly. A bend-countering element is disposed at the second side of the circuit board. The bend-countering element has a second CTE that is greater than the first CTE of the circuit board. The bend-countering element counters temperature-induced bending of the circuit board. With the camera disposed at the vehicle, temperature-induced bending of the bend-countering element is in an opposite direction from temperature-induced bending of the circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes a PCB having an imager disposed thereat, a lens barrel accommodating a lens, and a lens barrel support structure that protrudes from the PCB and at least partially circumscribes the imager. The lens barrel has an outer surface that extends between the ends of the lens barrel. The outer surface of the lens barrel is adhesively bonded to an inner surface of the lens barrel support structure via adhesive. The outer surface of the lens barrel radially opposes the inner surface of the lens barrel support structure where the adhesive is disposed. With the adhesive in its uncured state and contacting the opposed surfaces, the imager is optically aligned with the lens accommodated at the lens barrel. With the imager optically aligned with the lens, the adhesive is cured to adhesively attach the lens barrel at the lens barrel support structure.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a camera housing, an imager printed circuit board and a processor printed circuit board. An imager is disposed at a first side of the imager printed circuit board. A heat transfer element is accommodated in the camera housing and is in thermal conductive contact with an active cooling element and with a second side of the imager printed circuit board or the processor printed circuit board. Circuitry of the camera module is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the vehicular camera module is disposed at the vehicle. With the electrical connecting elements electrically connected to the wire harness of the vehicle, heat generated by operation of the vehicular camera module is drawn from the imager printed circuit board to the camera housing via the heat transfer element.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a front housing, a printed circuit board housed by the front housing, an imager at the printed circuit board, a rear housing joined with the front housing, and a coaxial connecting element. With the rear housing joined with the front housing, an inward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element extends inward of the rear housing towards the front housing and electrically connects with circuitry at the printed circuit board. With the rear housing joined with the front housing, a plurality of spring tabs make electrical connection between the circuitry at the printed circuit board and the rear housing. An outward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element is configured for coaxial electrical connection to a vehicle connector.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system, an electronic control unit (ECU) with an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. The camera includes an imaging array sensor and a lens and the camera is adjustable by at least one of (i) adjusting a position of the imaging array sensor relative to the lens and (ii) adjusting a position of the lens relative to the imaging array sensor. The system, responsive to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera, monitors a body portion of a driver of the vehicle and adjusts the camera to adjust the position of where the monitored body portion of the driver is imaged at the imaging array sensor.

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 exterior camera includes a housing having a first portion and a second portion. An imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the imager PCB, with an imager disposed at the first side of the imager PCB. A lens barrel accommodates a lens and has an inner end. The first housing portion includes a passageway for receiving the lens barrel. The lens barrel is received through the passageway of the first housing portion. The inner end of the lens barrel is adhesively bonded to the first side of the imager PCB via an adhesive. The adhesive circumscribes the imager at the first side of the imager PCB to enclose an area between the imager PCB and the lens. The imager is disposed within the enclosed area.

Abstract: A camera for a vehicular vision system includes a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The circuit board has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). An imager is disposed at the first side of the circuit board, and a lens assembly is optically aligned with the imager. A bend-countering element is disposed at the first side or the second side of the circuit board. The bend-countering element has a second CTE that is different from the first CTE of the circuit board. The bend-countering element counters temperature-induced bending of the circuit board. With the camera disposed at the vehicle, temperature-induced bending of the bend-countering element is in an opposite direction from temperature-induced bending of the circuit board.

Abstract: A camera sub-assembly for a vehicular camera includes a lens barrel having a cylinder accommodating a plurality of lens optics, and an annular flange extending radially outward from the cylinder. The cylinder is received in a receiving structure of a lens holder so that an annular attaching surface of the lens barrel is juxtaposed with an annular attaching surface of the receiving structure with a cured adhesive disposed between and contacting both of the annular attaching surfaces. The cured adhesive includes an adhesive material. With the lens optics aligned with respect to an imaging array of a printed circuit board attached at the lens holder, the adhesive material is cured to a partially-cured state via exposure of the adhesive material to ultraviolet light. With the joined lens barrel and lens holder construction at a further curing station, the adhesive material is further cured from the partially-cured state to a more-cured state.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a first portion and a second portion joined to the first portion. The first portion of the camera housing accommodates a lens and has an attaching portion having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A circuit board includes circuitry disposed at a circuit board substrate that has a second CTE that is different from the first CTE. The circuitry includes an imager. The circuit board substrate is attached at the attaching portion of the first portion of the camera housing. When the vehicular camera is operated at an operating temperature greater than 50 degrees C., the attaching portion expands a greater degree than the circuit board substrate. When the vehicular camera is operated at an operating temperature below ?20 degrees C.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a first portion and a second portion joined together to form a cavity within the camera housing. A first electrical connector is disposed at a circuit board and is in electrically-conductive connection with an imager. The first electrical connector includes a plurality of pin-receiving sockets. A second electrical connector includes a plurality of pins, each including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. When the second portion of the camera housing is being joined with the first portion of the camera housing, respective first ends of pins insert into and electrically-conductively connect with respective pin-receiving sockets at the second side of the circuit board. The first electrical connector and the second electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the second electrical connector relative to the first electrical connector when the first and second portions are being joined.

Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a rear backup camera viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. With a trailer hitched to the vehicle, and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data during a backing-up maneuver, the image processor determines a distance between an axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle and determines a trailer angle of the trailer hitched to the vehicle. During the backing-up maneuver of the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive to (i) a steering angle of the vehicle, (ii) the determined trailer angle of the trailer and (iii) the determined distance between the axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle. The vehicular control system displays information to assist the driver in backing up the trailer hitched to 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.

Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a camera housing, a circuit board having an imager and a first electrical connector. A rear portion of the camera housing includes an attachment portion having an aperture, and includes a first electrically conductive element at the aperture. A second electrical connector is attached at the rear portion of the camera housing. The second electrical connector includes (i) a connector portion for connecting to a vehicle wire harness, (ii) a connecting end for connecting to the first electrical connector, and (iii) a second electrically conductive element for electrically connecting to the first electrically conductive element. As the second electrical connector is attached at the rear portion of the camera housing, the first electrically conductive element engages the second electrically conductive element to establish and maintain electrically conductive connection between the first and second electrically conductive elements.

Abstract: A vehicular trailer angle detection system includes a rear camera, a left-side camera, a right-side camera and a control having an image processor. With a trailer hitched at a vehicle, and while the vehicle is driven in a forward direction and towing the trailer, image data is captured by at least one of the cameras. The vehicular trailer angle detection system determines an expected location of the portion of the trailer based on provided vehicle-trailer parameters as the vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. The vehicular trailer angle detection system determines an actual location of the portion of the trailer via processing of captured image data as the vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. Responsive to an offset between the determined actual location of the portion of the trailer and the determined expected location, the vehicular trailer angle detection system accommodates the offset.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an illumination source that emits non-visible light that illuminates at least a portion of a driver of the vehicle, a reflector disposed at the vehicle and within a line of sight of the illuminated portion of the driver, a camera disposed in the vehicle and having a field of view that encompasses the reflector, and a control having an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera. The reflector reflects at least some non-visible light and allows visible light to pass through. The camera captures image data representative of the non-visible light emitted by the illumination source that reflects off the illuminated portion of the driver of the vehicle and reflects off the reflector so as to be directed toward the camera. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, monitors the illuminated portion of the driver.

Abstract: A vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at a vehicle. The camera includes a circuit board and a lens holder having a lens barrel accommodating a lens. The circuit board has circuitry disposed at a circuit board substrate. The circuitry includes an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board substrate. The circuit board substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is different from the CTE of the lens holder. The circuit board substrate is attached at the structure of the lens holder via a fastener that passes through an oversized hole in the circuit board substrate, with a cross dimension of the oversized hole being greater than a corresponding cross dimension of the fastener. The vehicular camera, via movement of the fastener within the oversized hole, allows for temperature-induced expansion or contraction of the lens holder relative to the circuit board substrate.