Same

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention concerns a rotary knob assembly for vehicle, in particular, a rotary knob assembly in which a camera module is embedded therein, and a vehicle comprising the same.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Use of in-vehicle camera (often called vehicle interior camera) system has been introduced to passenger vehicles for various purposes, in particular, to monitor and gather information concerning driver condition, or even to recognize gesture of drivers. Driver monitoring may provide gaze target recognition, face recognition or drowsiness classification. Gesture recognition may provide for a natural interaction and joy of use. Standard swipe gestures or custom specific gestures can be implemented .

There are, however, some restrictions as to the placement position of in-vehicle cameras included in vehicle to monitor driver's status due to technical and/or design complexity. Another challenge resides on how to integrate in-vehicle cameras in visually acceptable and attractive manner in vehicle interior and harmonize it with other interior components in their appearance .

US 2014/0240478 A1 (published in August 28, 2014) discloses a vehicle having a chassis and a steering column operably supported by the chassis and equipped with a particular driver monitoring camera system disposed on or within a steering column. However, placement of camera on steering column may still block the visibility of instrument cluster and may cause technical and/or design complexity.

In addition, it is desired in the art that in-vehicle camera is integrated to vehicle interior in a manner that the in-vehicle camera is not visible to driver and accompanying passengers in the vehicle.

Hence, a novel or improved way of integrating in-vehicle camera system into a vehicle, which can address one or more technical problems mentioned above, is desired in the art. Also, there is a need to provide an in-vehicle camera system which satisfies vehicle users particularly from its visual appearance perspective .

The above-described background art is merely a technical information that the inventor has had or acquired during a conception of the present invention and shall not be necessarily construed as a prior art known in the art prior to a filing of the present invention.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle camera system for a vehicle to address one or more of the problems discussed above and/or an in-vehicle camera system which provides visual satisfaction to vehicle users.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle camera system which is integrated to vehicle interior in a relatively simple manner. Another object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle camera system which is not visible to driver or passengers in vehicle. Further object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle camera system which enables a wide coverage of image capturing. The present invention has been devised to achieve one or more of the above-mentioned objects.

One aspect of the present invention concerns a rotary knob assembly for vehicle. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rotary knob assembly for vehicle may comprise a rotary knob part and a printed circuit board (PCB) part. In the present invention, the rotary knob part may have a hollow cylindrical shape having a first terminal end side of the cylinder which is oriented towards a user, and a second terminal end side of the cylinder to which the PCB part is attached. In the present invention, the PCB part may comprise at least a PCB substrate and a camera module fixed on the PCB substrate and the camera module comprises an optical lens. In the present invention, the optical lens may be oriented to view images through the first terminal end side of the cylinder. In the present invention, the rotary knob part comprises an infrared-grade plastic cover which is capped to the first terminal end side of the cylinder to cover at least a part of opening of the first terminal end side. In the present invention, the rotary knob part may comprise a rotary knob structure, and a rotary knob body capped to the rotary knob structure in a manner that the rotary knob body covers at least a part of outer periphery of the rotary knob structure. In the present invention, at least one of the rotary knob structure and the rotary knob body may comprise at least one detent to define rotational positions of the rotary knob part. In the present invention, the rotary knob part further may comprise a rotary knob grip capped to the rotary knob body in a manner that the rotary knob grip covers at least a part of outer periphery of the rotary knob body. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may further comprise at least one lighting means. In the present invention, the lighting means may be positioned on the surface of PCB substrate, facing the user. In the present invention, the camera module may further comprise an image sensor in addition to the optical lens.

Another aspect of the present invention concerns a vehicle which comprises the rotary knob assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Hence, the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise the rotary knob assembly according to the present invention. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may be embedded in front fascia of the vehicle. In the present invention, at least one lighting means may be positioned in vicinity of the rotary knob assembly. In the present invention, the lighting means may be infrared LED.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rotary knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the rotary knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a front-side interior of vehicle, wherein the rotary knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is embedded in front center fascia of the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the rotary knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description, the thickness of lines or the size of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for the clarity and convenience of the description. In addition, the following terms are defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, and the definitions thereof may vary depending on the intention or practice of users or operators. Thus, definitions of the terms should be made based on the contents throughout this specification. Further, the description provided herewith with reference to the drawings is by example, and hence, it shall not be construed as any limitation of the present invention.

In the present invention, the term "vehicle" is intended to be understood to denote, in particular, any motor vehicles in general, such as enclosed motor vehicles including cars and buses, semi-enclosed motor vehicles including trucks, vans, and boats, and open-air motor vehicles including motorcycles.

In the present invention, the term "user" in relation to a vehicle is intended to be understood to denote, in particular, any operator of the vehicle, e.g. a driver or rider, as well as any passengers in the vehicle.

In the present invention, the term "rotary knob" (or often called control knob) is intended to be understood to denote, in particular, any rotary control means which is designed to be grasped and rotatably-turned by an operator, in a certain rotational position. In the present invention, the degree of rotation or the rotational position may serve as an input which invokes a certain function. In particular, with respect to a vehicle, "rotary knob" may be used to control a wide variety of vehicle functions. Typical examples include heat control, volume control, radio frequency control, multimedia control, and navigation control, but the present invention is not limited thereto. On the other hand, however, the rotary knob may not be intended to invoke any function at all.

In the present invention, the term "infrared-grade" is intended to be understood to denote, in particular, a property of a material which is transmissive of infrared rays.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate a perspective view and an exploded view of the rotary knob assembly (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may comprise a rotary knob part and a printed circuit board (PCB) part. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may consist of a rotary knob part and a PCB part .

In the present invention, the rotary knob part may have a hollow cylindrical shape having a first terminal end side of the cylinder which is oriented towards a user (right end part of the rotary knob part in FIG. 1), and a second terminal end side of the cylinder to which the PCB part is attached (left end part of the rotary knob part in FIG. 1) .

The rotary knob part may comprise a rotary knob structure (110) and a rotary knob body (120) which is capped from the user-facing side of the rotary knob structure (110) in a manner that the rotary knob body (120) covers at least a part of outer periphery area of the rotary knob structure (110) . The rotary knob body (120) may be installed to the rotary knob structure (110) so to realize a rotation of the rotary knob body (120) against the rotary knob structure (110) . Hence, either one of the rotary knob body (120) and the rotary knob structure (110) may comprise at least one or plural detents to define rotational positions of the rotary knob part. The detents may be formed by any irregularity formed on the surface or surfaces in the area where the rotary knob body (120) and the rotary knob structure (110) contact each other . For instance, the detents may be formed by a concave structure formed on the surface of the rotary knob body (120) to be contacted to the rotary knob structure (110) and a corresponding convex structure formed on the surface of the rotary knob structure (110) to be contacted to the rotary knob body (120) , or vice versa. In the present invention, one or more of the rotational positions of the rotary knob part may be linked to one or more functions and/or modes of camera. Examples of the function include zooming-in and zooming-out of the camera focus towards a target, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the present invention, the rotary knob part may further comprise, in addition to the rotary knob structure (110) and the rotary knob body (120) , a rotary knob grip (130) . The rotary knob grip (130) may be capped from the user-facing side of the rotary knob body (120) in a manner that the rotary knob grip (130) covers at least a part of outer periphery area of the rotary knob body (120) . The rotary knob grip (130) may provide better touch feeling for users when they grasp and rotate the rotary knob assembly (100) .

In the present invention, the rotary knob part may further comprise, in addition to the rotary knob structure (110), the rotary knob body (120), and optionally, the rotary knob grip (130), an infrared-grade plastic cover (140) . The infrared-grade plastic cover (140) may be capped from the user-facing side of the rotary knob body (120) and/or the rotary knob grip (130), if any, in a manner that the infrared-grade plastic cover (140) covers at least a part of opening of the first terminal end side of the cylinder. In the present invention, the infrared-grade plastic cover (140) may not be transmissive of visible light. In this manner, lights transmitted via an operation of the camera module, in particular, an infrared-type camera module (will be explained below) may not be seen by users of vehicle, hence providing effect of "hiding" a camera module from the users. A method of manufacturing and assembling the rotary knob part is not particularly limited and generally known in the art. For instance, a connection between the rotary knob structure (110) and the rotary knob body (120) , between the rotary knob body (120) and the rotary knob grip (130), and between the infrared-grade plastic cover (140) and the rotary knob body (120) and/or the rotary knob grip (130), may be attained by clipping the two components via any locking means known in the art.

Material of each element of the rotary knob part is not particularly limited as far as each attains its intended function and purpose, yet from the view point of commercial availability in market and cost, each element may be made of plastics.

In the present invention, the PCB part may comprise at least a PCB substrate (210) and a camera module (220) .

The PCB substrate (210) may be a thin, sheet-structure having a first surface facing the rotary knob part (i.e. user side) and a second surface in the opposite. Various elements may be fixed on the PCB substrate (210) . Examples of the elements to be fixed on the PCB substrate (210) include connectors, electronic devices, such as semiconductor chips, sensors and modules, antennas, fixing means, switching means, and lamps, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the camera module (220) may comprise an optical lens. Although a shape of the optical lens is not particularly limited, the optical lens may have a cylindrical shape. In the present invention, the camera module (220) may further comprise an image sensor. In the present invention, the term "image sensor" is intended to be understood to denote, in particular, any electronic instrument which can capture rays and convert the photons to signals, in particular to electric signals, for processing them further to image of a target (user) . The image sensor may process the image data collected by the camera lens and may be utilized further as intended by a system designer of the vehicle. In the present invention, at least the camera module (220) may be fixed on the PCB substrate (210), in particular on the first surface of the PCB substrate (210) (i.e. facing user side) , so that the optical lens can be oriented to view users (through the rotary knob part) .

An attachment of the PCB part to the rotary knob part, in particular, to a second end side of the rotary knob part, may be realized by any means which enables a secure connection between the two parts. Examples of the connection means include a physical joining means, such as screw, glue, soldering, press-fit, snap-fit, and clipping, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The PCB part may cover at least a part of the opening at left end side of the rotary knob part, or may cover a opening thereof completely. In the present invention, a connection of the rotary knob part and the PCB part may be done in a manner to accommodate at least a part of a camera module (220) fixed on a PCB substrate (210) (which will be described in more detail below) in hollowed inside of the rotary knob part.

The rotary knob assembly according to the present invention may be particularly useful for vehicle application, in particular, to realize an in-vehicle camera system which monitors users. Hence, the present invention also concerns use of the rotary knob assembly for vehicle application and a vehicle comprising the rotary knob assembly.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front-side interior of vehicle comprising the rotary knob assembly (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The rotary knob assembly may be placed in any point where a rotary knob can be positioned within vehicle as far as the camera module in the rotary knob assembly is able to capture users of vehicle. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may be embedded in front fascia of vehicle. In the present invention, the rotary knob assembly may be positioned in center fascia of vehicle. Hence, the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention may at least comprise front fascia of vehicle, in particular, center facia of vehicle. In the present invention, the position of the rotary knob assembly may be selected so to maximize range of angle towards user body and cabin of vehicle.

In the present invention, a vehicle comprising the rotary knob assembly according to the present invention may further comprise at least one or more lighting means. Together with the lighting means, the camera module in the rotary knob assembly may constitute a camera system. For instance, the camera module may be configured to detect rays emitted by the lighting means towards object and/or to receive rays reflected by object, to calculate and understand user condition and/or status. In the present invention, a suitable lighting means may be chosen depending on the type of the camera module and lens selected. For instance, a lighting means which emits infrared rays may be used together with infrared camera. In the present invention, the lighting means may be placed in vicinity of the rotary knob assembly. For instance, the lighting means may be positioned within 5 cm range from the rotary knob assembly position, preferably within 3 cm range. In the present invention, the lighting means may be an infrared LED. Alternatively, referring to FIG. 4, the lighting means (310) may be placed within the rotary knob assembly, in particular, on the surface of PCB substrate, facing the user.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the following claims .

100: Rotary knob assembly

110: Rotary knob structure

120: Rotary knob body

130: Rotary knob grip

140: Infrared cap

210: PCB part

220: Camera module with optical lens

310: Infrared LED