Dual mode illumination module for vehicle

1. A vehicular illumination module, said vehicular illumination module configured for mounting at an exterior side portion of a vehicle, said vehicular illumination module comprising:

a housing;

said housing accommodating a printed circuit board;

a first light emitting diode (LED) disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit visible white light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said first LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device;

a second LED disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit near-infrared light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said second LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to operation of a camera disposed at or near the exterior side portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and at least sideward of the vehicle;

wherein said first LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, and when the vehicle is not in motion, and when said vehicular illumination module is electrically powered responsive to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device, emits visible white light to provide visible ground illumination at the ground at least partially along the exterior side portion of the vehicle;

wherein said first LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, is not electrically powered when the vehicle is in motion;

wherein said second LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, and when electrically powered responsive to operation of the camera, emits near-infrared light to provide non-visible illumination in the field of view of the camera; and

wherein said first LED is not electrically powered when said second LED is electrically powered.

2. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein said second LED is operable to emit near-infrared light to enhance image data capture by the camera during low ambient light conditions.

3. The vehicular illumination module of claim 2 , wherein said second LED is actuated responsive at least in part to an ambient light sensor of the vehicle.

4. The vehicular illumination module of claim 2 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data while the vehicle is in motion.

5. The vehicular illumination module of claim 4 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data during a parking maneuver of the vehicle.

6. The vehicular illumination module of claim 4 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data for a driving assist system of the vehicle.

7. The vehicular illumination module of claim 4 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data for a surround view display system of the vehicle.

8. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein the exterior side portion of the vehicle comprises an exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle.

9. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein the exterior side portion of the vehicle comprises an exterior side door handle of the vehicle.

10. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein said second LED is episodically powered responsive to operation of the camera so that said second LED is powered when the camera captures image data and is not powered when the camera is not capturing image data.

11. The vehicular illumination module of claim 10 , wherein the camera captures image data at a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second, and wherein said second LED is episodically powered at a pulse rate of at least 30 frames per second, with the pulses of said second LED being synchronized with the frame captures of the camera.

12. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein said first LED is electrically powered responsive to an output of a controller that receives a wireless signal indicative of actuation of the key fob or detection of the passive entry device.

13. The vehicular illumination module of claim 12 , wherein said controller is disposed at said printed circuit board.

14. The vehicular illumination module of claim 1 , wherein said second LED is electrically powered responsive to an output of a controller that receives a signal indicative of operation of the camera.

15. The vehicular illumination module of claim 14 , wherein said controller is disposed at said printed circuit board.

16. The vehicular illumination module of claim 15 , wherein said first LED is electrically powered responsive to another output of the controller, which receives a wireless signal indicative of actuation of the key fob or detection of the passive entry device.

17. A vehicular illumination module, said vehicular illumination module configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said vehicular illumination module comprising:

a housing;

said housing accommodating a printed circuit board;

a first light emitting diode (LED) disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit visible white light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said first LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device;

a second LED disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit near-infrared light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said second LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to operation of a camera disposed at or near the exterior portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle;

wherein said first LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and when electrically powered responsive to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device, emits visible white light to provide visible ground illumination at the ground near the exterior portion of the vehicle;

wherein said second LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and when electrically powered responsive to operation of the camera, emits near-infrared light to provide non-visible illumination in the field of view of the camera;

wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said second LED is actuated responsive at least in part to an ambient light sensor of the vehicle, and wherein said second LED is operable to emit near-infrared light to enhance image data capture by the camera when the ambient light sensor senses light below a threshold level;

wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data while the vehicle is in motion;

wherein said first LED is not electrically powered when the vehicle is in motion; and

wherein said first LED is not electrically powered when said second LED is electrically powered.

18. The vehicular illumination module of claim 17 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the camera captures image data during a parking maneuver of the vehicle, (ii) the camera captures image data for a driving assist system of the vehicle, and (iii) the camera captures image data for a surround view display system of the vehicle.

19. The vehicular illumination module of claim 17 , wherein the exterior portion of the vehicle comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) an exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle, (ii) an exterior side door handle of the vehicle and (iii) an exterior rear portion of the vehicle.

20. A vehicular illumination module, said vehicular illumination module configured for mounting at an exterior side portion of a vehicle, said vehicular illumination module comprising:

a housing;

said housing accommodating a printed circuit board;

a first light emitting diode (LED) disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit visible white light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said first LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device;

a second LED disposed at said printed circuit board and operable to emit near-infrared light when electrically powered, wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said second LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to operation of a camera disposed at or near the exterior side portion of the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and at least sideward of the vehicle;

wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said second LED is actuated responsive at least in part to an ambient light sensor of the vehicle, and wherein said second LED is electrically powered responsive to the ambient light sensor sensing that ambient light is below a threshold level;

wherein said first LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, and when the vehicle is not in motion, and when said vehicular illumination module is electrically powered responsive to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device, emits visible white light to provide visible ground illumination at the ground at least partially along the exterior side portion of the vehicle;

wherein said second LED, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, and when electrically powered responsive to operation of the camera, emits near-infrared light to provide non-visible illumination in the sideward field of view of the camera;

wherein, with said vehicular illumination module mounted at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, said first LED is not electrically powered when the vehicle is in motion; and

wherein said first LED is not electrically powered when said second LED is electrically powered.

21. The vehicular illumination module of claim 20 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, the camera captures image data while the vehicle is in motion.

22. The vehicular illumination module of claim 20 , wherein, with said second LED electrically powered, at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the camera captures image data during a parking maneuver of the vehicle, (ii) the camera captures image data for a driving assist system of the vehicle, and (iii) the camera captures image data for a surround view display system of the vehicle.

23. The vehicular illumination module of claim 20 , wherein the exterior side portion of the vehicle comprises an exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle.

24. The vehicular illumination module of claim 20 , wherein the exterior side portion of the vehicle comprises an exterior side door handle of the vehicle.