Vehicular driving assistance system

Abstract

A vehicular driver assistance system includes an imager disposed at a vehicle and viewing exterior the vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes captured image data for at least a first application and a second application and that is operable to adjust the imager to first and second settings and to process captured image data via first and second processing techniques. The control adjusts the imager to the first or second setting to capture image data for the first or second application, respectively, and the image processor processes image data captured by the imager at the first or second setting via the respective first or second processing technique for the respective first or second application. The first application includes vehicle detection or lane departure warning or object detection and the second application includes headlamp control.

1 . A vehicular driving assistance system, said vehicular driving assistance system comprising:
 an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular driving assistance system;   wherein said imager is disposed at a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said imager is operable to capture image data;   wherein said imager comprises a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;   a control comprising an image processor;   wherein said control processes captured image data for at least a first application and a second application;   wherein said control is operable to adjust said imager to at least a first setting and a second setting;   wherein said control is operable to process captured image data via a first processing technique and a second processing technique;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the first setting to capture image data for the first application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the second setting to capture image data for the second application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application; and   wherein the first application comprises vehicle detection, and wherein the second application comprises headlamp control.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the first application from a first set of captured image data in a first image processing to generate a first output in response to the first image processing, and wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the second application from a second set of captured image data in a second image processing to generate a second output in response to the second image processing. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein, responsive to processing by said control of captured image data, said control determines an ambient light level exterior the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said imager and at least a part of said control are disposed in an accessory module of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said imager is incorporated as part of an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein image data captured by said imager is output via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS). 
     
     
         7 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , comprising a lens and a spectral filter at said imager. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein image data captured for the first application is at a frame rate that differs from the frame rate used to capture image data for the second application. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to provide enhanced imaging of an object viewed by said imager. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to provide enhanced processing of at least a portion of an image captured by said imager that corresponds to a region exterior the equipped vehicle at which an object is viewed by said imager. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust said imager to the first setting and the second setting for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 11 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust processing of captured image data via the first processing technique and the second processing technique for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application. 
     
     
         13 . A vehicular driving assistance system, said vehicular driving assistance system comprising:
 an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular driving assistance system;   wherein said imager is disposed at a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said imager is operable to capture image data;   wherein said imager comprises a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;   a control comprising an image processor;   wherein said control processes captured image data for at least a first application and a second application;   wherein said control is operable to adjust said imager to at least a first setting and a second setting;   wherein said control is operable to process captured image data via a first processing technique and a second processing technique;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the first setting to capture image data for the first application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the second setting to capture image data for the second application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application; and   wherein the first application comprises lane departure warning, and wherein the second application comprises headlamp control.   
     
     
         14 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the first application from a first set of captured image data in a first image processing to generate a first output in response to the first image processing, and wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the second application from a second set of captured image data in a second image processing to generate a second output in response to the second image processing. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein, responsive to processing by said control of captured image data, said control determines an ambient light level exterior the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein image data captured by said imager is output via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS). 
     
     
         17 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein image data captured for the first application is at a frame rate that differs from the frame rate used to capture image data for the second application. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust said imager to the first setting and the second setting for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 18 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust processing of captured image data via the first processing technique and the second processing technique for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application. 
     
     
         20 . A vehicular driving assistance system, said vehicular driving assistance system comprising:
 an imager disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular driving assistance system;   wherein said imager is disposed at a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said imager is operable to capture image data;   wherein said imager comprises a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements;   a control comprising an image processor;   wherein said control processes captured image data for at least a first application and a second application;   wherein said control is operable to adjust said imager to at least a first setting and a second setting;   wherein said control is operable to process captured image data via a first processing technique and a second processing technique;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the first setting to capture image data for the first application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application;   wherein said control adjusts said imager to the second setting to capture image data for the second application, and wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said imager at the first setting via the first processing technique for the first application; and   wherein the first application comprises object detection, and wherein the second application comprises headlamp control.   
     
     
         21 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 20 , wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the first application from a first set of captured image data in a first image processing to generate a first output in response to the first image processing, and wherein said control is operable to process captured image data for the second application from a second set of captured image data in a second image processing to generate a second output in response to the second image processing. 
     
     
         22 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 20 , wherein, responsive to processing by said control of captured image data, said control determines an ambient light level exterior the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 20 , wherein image data captured by said imager is output via low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS). 
     
     
         24 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 20 , wherein image data captured for the first application is at a frame rate that differs from the frame rate used to capture image data for the second application. 
     
     
         25 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 20 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust said imager to the first setting and the second setting for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicular driving assistance system of  claim 25 , wherein said control is operable to episodically adjust processing of captured image data via the first processing technique and the second processing technique for extracting information from the captured image data for the first application and the second application.