US Patent 7796081 Combined imaging and distance monitoring for vehicular applications

Vehicular arrangement for obtaining information about objects exterior to the vehicle includes at least one combined imaging and distance measuring system arranged along an edge or a side of the vehicle, each combined system including an infrared illuminator for directing infrared illumination outward from the vehicle, an imager sensitive to infrared illumination and visible light, the imager being arranged to form images of an environment around the vehicle and thereby enable identification of objects in the images, a radar or laser radar system arranged to simultaneously determine a distance between the vehicle and objects identified in images obtained by the imager with the identification of the objects in the images. A reactive system is arranged on the vehicle to consider both the identification of the objects and their distance from the vehicle and react accordingly.