Occupant imaging device

1 . An occupant imaging device that captures images of occupants inside a vehicle in which a display device having a display area is provided in front of and between a driver's seat and a passenger seat, the occupant imaging device comprising:

an illumination unit that illuminates an area around the face of an occupant seated in a seat, wherein the light emitted from the illumination unit is near-infrared light; and

an imaging unit that captures images of the area around the face of the occupant seated in the seat, wherein

the display device includes an outer frame extending on at least left and right sides of the display area,

the illumination unit and the imaging unit are arranged in a vertical direction in a region of the outer frame of the display device excluding a passenger seat side portion,

the occupant imaging device further comprises an indicator, the indicator, the illumination unit and the imaging unit being arranged in the vertical direction in the outer frame, and

the imaging unit captures images of an area around the face of an occupant including at least a driver seated in the driver's seat,

wherein:

the indicator indicates whether a driver status monitoring system is enabled or disabled;

the indicator is configured to light up when the illumination unit is emitting light and the driver status monitoring system is enabled; and

light emission intensity of a light emitting element of the illumination unit is lower than light emission intensity of a light emitting element of the indicator while the light emitting element of the illumination unit and the light emitting element of the indicator light up simultaneously,

wherein the light emission intensity of the illumination unit being lower than the light emitting element of the indicator, which are arranged in the vertical direction in the region of the outer frame of the display device excluding the passenger seat side portion,

(i) causes the occupants to perceive the light emitted from the indicator more strongly than the light emitted from the illumination unit, and

(ii) reduces stress on the occupants that is caused from the near-infrared light emitted from the illumination unit.

2 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the illumination unit and the imaging unit are arranged in the vertical direction in a region of the outer frame of the display device excluding a passenger seat side portion, the region being a driver's seat side portion.

3 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

optical axes of the illumination unit and the imaging unit are directed toward the face of a driver seated in the driver's seat.

4 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein

the outer frame has an inclined surface which is inclined relative to a display surface of the display area, and

optical axes of the illumination unit and the imaging unit are in a direction normal to the inclined surface.

5 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a first aperture through which light of the illumination unit passes and a second aperture through which light of the indicator passes are separately provided in the outer frame.

6 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a first aperture through which light of the illumination unit passes and a second aperture through which light of the indicator passes are provided in common in the outer frame.

7 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the indicator indicates whether a driver status monitoring system is enabled or disabled.

8 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the imaging unit that captures images of an area around a headrest of a seat where the occupant to be imaged is seated.

9 . An occupant imaging device that captures images of occupants inside a vehicle in which a display device having a plurality of display areas arranged side by side in a horizontal direction is provided in front of and between a driver's seat and a passenger seat, the occupant imaging device comprising:

an illumination unit that illuminates an area around the face of an occupant seated in a seat, wherein the light emitted from the illumination unit is near-infrared light; and

an imaging unit that captures images of the area around the face of the occupant seated in the seat, wherein

the display device includes an outer frame extending on at least left and right sides of the display area,

the illumination unit and the imaging unit are arranged in a vertical direction in a region of the outer frame of the display device excluding a passenger seat side portion or in a connecting section between the plurality of display areas, and

the occupant imaging device further comprises an indicator, the indicator, the illumination unit and the imaging unit being arranged in the vertical direction in the outer frame, and

the imaging unit captures images of an area around the face of an occupant including at least a driver seated in the driver's seat,

wherein:

the indicator indicates whether a driver status monitoring system is enabled or disabled;

the indicator is configured to light up when the illumination unit is emitting light and the driver status monitoring system is enabled; and

light emission intensity of a light emitting element of the illumination unit is lower than light emission intensity of a light emitting element of the indicator while the light emitting element of the illumination unit and the light emitting element of the indicator light up simultaneously,

wherein the light emission intensity of the illumination unit being lower than the light emitting element of the indicator, which are arranged in the vertical direction in the region of the outer frame of the display device excluding the passenger seat side portion,

(i) causes the occupants to perceive the light emitted from the indicator more strongly than the light emitted from the illumination unit, and

(ii) reduces stress on the occupants that is caused from the near-infrared light emitted from the illumination unit.

10 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein

the illumination unit and the imaging unit are arranged in the vertical direction in a region of the outer frame of the display device excluding a passenger seat side portion, the region being a driver's seat side portion.

11 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein

optical axes of the illumination unit and the imaging unit are directed toward the face of a driver seated in the driver's seat.

12 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein

the display device has an inclined surface which is inclined relative to a display surface of the display area, and

optical axes of the illumination unit and the imaging unit are in a direction normal to the inclined surface.

13 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein

a first aperture through which light of the illumination unit passes and a second aperture through which light of the indicator passes are separately provided in the outer frame.

14 . The occupant imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein

a first aperture through which light of the illumination unit passes and a second aperture through which light of the indicator passes are provided in common in the outer frame.