Contamination prevention of vehicle cameras and sensors
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle comprising:
- an exterior;
a camera along the exterior and including a lens;
a controller to;
determine, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching the lens; and
identify a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens;
a nozzle to spray washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens responsive to the controller identifying that the contaminant is a liquid; and
a shield that actuates between an open position and a closed position, the shield is housed adjacent to the camera at the open position, the shield covers the lens to prevent the contaminant from contacting the lens at the closed position, the shield is transparent to enable the camera to capture the images when the shield is in the closed position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for contamination prevention of vehicle cameras and sensors. An example vehicle includes an exterior, a camera along the exterior and including a lens, and a controller. The controller is to determine, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching the lens and identify a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens. The example vehicle also includes a nozzle to spray washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens responsive to the controller identifying that the contaminant is a liquid.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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an exterior; a camera along the exterior and including a lens; a controller to; determine, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching the lens; and identify a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens; a nozzle to spray washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens responsive to the controller identifying that the contaminant is a liquid; and a shield that actuates between an open position and a closed position, the shield is housed adjacent to the camera at the open position, the shield covers the lens to prevent the contaminant from contacting the lens at the closed position, the shield is transparent to enable the camera to capture the images when the shield is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle comprising:
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an exterior; a camera along the exterior and including a lens; a controller to; determine, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching the lens; and identify a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens; and a nozzle to spray washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens responsive to the controller identifying that the contaminant is a liquid; a sensor adjacent to the camera, wherein the controller is to determine whether the contaminant is approaching the sensor based upon the images captured by the camera and identify the contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the sensor; a second nozzle that sprays the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the sensor responsive to the controller identifying that the contaminant is a liquid; and a shield that actuates to a closed position responsive to the controller at least one of identifying that the contaminant approaching the sensor includes a solid and determining that the second nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the sensor.
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16. A method comprising:
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capturing images via a camera positioned along an exterior of a vehicle; determining, via a processor, whether a contaminant is approaching a sensor adjacent to the camera based upon the images captured by the camera; and responsive to determining the contaminant is approaching the sensor, at least one of spraying fluid via a nozzle and actuating a shield to a closed position to cover the sensor to prevent contamination of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification