1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of attaching a vehicle-mounted camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been used a vehicle-mounted camera that performs image processing of an image captured by a camera attached to a vehicle to extract information regarding a traffic lane, a preceding vehicle, an oncoming vehicle, a person, or a traffic sign from the image. The vehicle-mounted camera is applied to a vehicle-mounted system that supports safe traveling of the vehicle.
In recent years, a variety of sensors such as a rain sensor, an illuminance sensor, and a millimeter wave sensor or a laser radar sensor have been mounted on vehicles. Therefore, an attachment space for the vehicle-mounted camera is required to be reduced. Further, the vehicle-mounted camera needs to be prevented from hindering driving of a driver, for example, blocking the visual field of the driver or giving an oppressive or claustrophobic feeling to the driver. The vehicle-mounted camera is therefore attached along the front window of the vehicle.
When the vehicle-mounted camera is attached to the vehicle, angle adjustment (optical axis adjustment) needs to be performed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-89745). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-89745 describes an optical-axis adjusting system including driving means for driving a posture of the vehicle-mounted camera according to operation from the outside and retaining means for retaining the driving means in a predetermined position.
However, since the vehicle-mounted camera described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-89745 includes angle adjusting mechanisms such as the driving means and the retaining means, the number of components increases and the structure of the vehicle-mounted camera is complicated. As a result, an increase in costs of the vehicle-mounted camera is caused. Moreover, the vehicle-mounted camera is increased in size.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds