Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a rear camera housing portion, a front camera housing portion, and a lens barrel at the front camera housing portion. A lens assembly includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical path for focusing images at an imager. The optical elements include barrel-mounted optical elements disposed in the lens barrel and an outermost optical element disposed at a removable cover element. The cover element is removably attached at an outer end of the lens barrel such that, when attached, the outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to the barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by the plurality of optical elements of images at the imager.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. The camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle.

Abstract: An imaging system for a vehicle includes a rear backup camera and a video display screen for displaying video images derived from image data captured by the rear backup camera. The imaging system generates a backup overlay and an alignment overlay that are electronically superimposed on the displayed video images to assist a driver of the vehicle when executing a backup maneuver. The backup overlay includes a pair of side overlays superimposed on the displayed video images and the alignment overlay is superimposed on the displayed video images between the side overlays. The video display screen displays the video images and the backup overlay is generated responsive to the vehicle being shifted into reverse gear. The alignment overlay is generated responsive to a user input.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. The camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a front camera housing portion having an imager PCB disposed therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with the front camera housing. The imager PCB is disposed at the front camera housing portion with the imager optically aligned with an optical axis of the optical elements of the lens barrel. A thermal element (i) is disposed between the imager PCB and the front camera housing portion and has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) element of 13 ppm/° C. or less and/or (ii) has its temperature controlled via a thermoelectric device of the camera module. With the camera module disposed at the vehicle, circuitry of the camera module is in electrical connection with a wire harness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel having a lens accommodated therein, a front camera housing portion that accommodates an imager printed circuit board therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with a rear portion of said front camera housing so as to encase the imager printed circuit board in the camera module. The imager printed circuit board is disposed at the lens barrel and bonded thereat with the imager optically aligned with an optical axis of the optical elements. The front camera housing portion may include mounting structure for mounting at a vehicle. The camera module has a center of mass, and distance from the optical axis of the lens to the mounting structure may be the same as distance from the center of mass to the mounting structure.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing and a rear housing, and a circuit board having an imaging element disposed at a first side and a first electrical connector disposed at a second side. The rear housing includes a second electrical connector that, with the rear housing mated with the front housing, electrically connects with the first electrical connector. The second electrical connector includes electrically conductive terminals that extend through the rear housing and that each have an inner end portion and an outer end portion that is physically and electrically contiguous with the inner end portion. The inner end portions of the electrically conductive terminals of the second electrical connector extend from an inner surface of the rear housing and the outer end portions of the electrically conductive terminals of the second electrical connector extend into a socket connection portion of the rear housing.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a printed circuit board and dispensing an adhesive in an uncured state at the printed circuit board. A front camera housing is mated with the circuit board, and the lens optics are aligned with respect to the imaging array at the circuit board by utilizing a multi-axis positioning device operable to translate the circuit board or lens assembly relative to the other along one or more orthogonal translational axes and manipulate the circuit board or lens assembly relative to the other about one or more orthogonal rotational axes. After aligning the lens optics with respect to the imaging array, the adhesive is cured to a first cure level and the joined lens assembly and the front camera housing are moved to a further curing station, where the adhesive is further cured to a second cure level.

Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least forward of the vehicle. During a forward maneuver of the vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle which ought not be impacted during the forward maneuver of the vehicle towing the trailer based at least in part on image processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to detection of the object, the vehicular control system determines a forward driving path for the vehicle towing the trailer that avoids the detected object so that the trailer does not run over or contact the detected object. The vehicular control system determines the forward driving path at least in part responsive to (i) processing of captured image data and (ii) trailer data pertaining to physical characteristics of the trailer.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a rear camera housing portion, a front camera housing portion, and a lens barrel at the front camera housing portion. A lens assembly includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical path for focusing images at an imager. The optical elements include barrel-mounted optical elements disposed in the lens barrel and an outermost optical element disposed at a removable cover element. The imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of the lens assembly. The cover element is removably attached at the lens barrel such that, when attached, the outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to the barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing of images at the imager. The cover element seals against the lens barrel when the cover element is attached and seated at the lens barrel.

Abstract: A process for providing a vehicular camera and mounting the vehicular camera at a vehicle includes providing a vehicular camera having a camera-locking structure configured for engagement with a vehicle panel-locking structure at a vehicle panel of the vehicle at which the vehicular camera is to be mounted. The vehicular camera is mounted at the vehicle panel by inserting a portion of the vehicular camera through an aperture of the vehicle panel and inserting the camera-locking structure through corresponding portions of the aperture of the vehicle panel, and rotating the camera-locking structure to a locked position, whereby the camera-locking structure is engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure. With the camera-locking structure engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure, locking surfaces of the camera-locking structure engage respective locking surfaces of the vehicle panel-locking structure to limit axial movement of the vehicular camera relative to the vehicle panel.

Abstract: A vehicular backup assistance system includes a rear backup camera for a rear portion of any vehicle family member of a particular family of vehicles that includes a plurality of vehicle configurations, with each vehicle family member of the particular family of vehicles having a vehicle configuration that is different than the vehicle configuration of any other vehicle family member of the particular family of vehicles. A processor and a display are at a vehicle family member having the particular vehicle configuration of the particular family of vehicles. During a reversing maneuver, and based on the wheelbase of the particular vehicle configuration of the particular family of vehicles and based at least in part on a current steering angle of the vehicle family member, the processor generates a predicted vehicle trajectory that is displayed at the display as a dynamic overlay overlaying the images captured by the rear backup camera.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle. The further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a front housing portion and a rear housing portion and attaching a circuit board at the front housing portion. A one-piece coaxial connecting element is provided at the rear housing portion. With the coaxial connecting element provided at the rear housing portion, a first coaxial cable connector extends outward from the outer side of the rear housing portion and a second coaxial cable connector extends inward from the inner side of the rear housing portion. As the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion, the second coaxial cable connector engages the third coaxial cable connector at the circuit board to electrically connect the coaxial connecting element with circuitry at the circuit board. The first coaxial cable connector is configured to connect to a coaxial cable of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens holder having a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a circuit board, and an imager disposed at a first side of a circuit board substrate. The circuit board substrate has a CTE that is different from the CTE of the lens holder. The circuit board substrate is attached at support posts extending from the support structure, with the support posts configured to flex in a radial direction toward or away from the longitudinal axis of the lens barrel.

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 camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel having a lens, a front camera housing portion configured to receive an imager PCB therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with a rear portion of the front camera housing. The imager PCB is disposed at the lens barrel with the imager optically aligned with the lens. A thermal element is disposed between the front camera housing portion and the imager PCB. The thermal element (i) has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) element of 10 ppm/° C. or less or (ii) has its temperature controlled via a thermoelectric device of said camera module. Circuitry of the camera module is electrically connected to the imager PCB and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a metallic front housing member, a metallic rear housing member, a lens assembly and a circuit board. The front housing member has a lens receiving portion and a circuit board attachment portion. An imager is disposed on a first side of the circuit board and a connector is disposed on a second side of the circuit board. With the circuit board attached at the front housing member and with the lens assembly disposed at a lens receiving portion of the front housing member, images are focused at an imaging plane of the imager by adjusting the lens assembly relative to the imager. With the images focused at the imaging plane of the imager, the lens assembly is retained relative to the front housing member via an ultra-violet (UV) curable adhesive. The front housing member and the rear housing member are attached.

Abstract: A camera assembly for a vision system of a vehicle includes a front housing portion having a lens, a circuit board having an imager and circuitry having an electrical connecting element, and a rear housing portion having a rear attachment portion and a mounting portion configured to attach at a vehicle. When the front housing portion is joined with the rear housing portion, the electrical connecting element of the circuit board is aligned with an aperture of the attachment plate and a connecting end of an electrical connector protrudes through the aperture to electrically connect with the electrical connecting element of the circuit board. A structural element of the electrical connector is attached at the attachment plate of the bracket to seal the aperture and to maintain electrical connection of the connecting end of the electrical connector with the electrical connecting element of the circuit board.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing front and rear housings and providing at least one first electrical connector at a circuit board of the front housing and providing at least one second electrical connector at the rear housing. One of the first and second electrical connectors includes a male connector and the other of the first and second electrical connectors includes a female connector. The rear housing is mated with the front housing to encase an imaging element and the circuit board. When mating the rear housing with the front housing, the male connector is inserted into the female connector to electrically conductively connect the first and second electrical connectors. When inserting the male connector into the respective female connector, the female connector flexes to accommodate misalignment of the male and female connectors.