Method for controlling wipers based on camera exposure time

• US 10,640,091 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pony.ai, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pony.ai, Inc.
• Inventors: Hu, Zhongnan, Chen, Zuoteng, Deng, Nengxiu, Jin, Cheng, Chen, Kai, Zhang, Yubo, Yu, Xiang, Lou, Tiancheng, Peng, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Glass, Erick D
• Application Number:
  US16/177,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 318444
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/08 electrically driven conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/28 characterised by a plurality of wipers B60S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/566 including wiping devices B60S1/563, B60S1/583 take precedence

Abstract

A computer implemented method for operating a wiper system of a sensor enclosure. The wiper system can be configured to receive a camera operating information from one or more cameras. The one or more cameras can be determined to be in an exposure mode based on the camera operating information. A first speed of one or more wipers can be adjusted such that the one or more wipers are not in field of views of the one or more cameras while the one or more cameras are in the exposure mode.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for operating a wiper rotatably disposed on a sensor enclosure that encloses one or more cameras, the method comprising:

receiving camera information comprising a field of view for each of the one or more cameras and indicating whether each of the one or more cameras is actively capturing image data;

receiving, for the wiper, rotation speed and corresponding location information on the sensor enclosure; and

adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper based on the received camera information such that the wiper is present between the fields of views of cameras that are actively capturing the image data.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises:

decreasing the rotation speed for the wiper while the wiper moves between the fields of views.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises:

stopping the wiper between the fields of views.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper

increasing the rotation speed for the wiper while the wiper moves within the field of view.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising controlling positions of additional wipers relative to the wiper such that the wiper and the two additional wipers offset to +/−

120 degrees from one another.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises adjusting the rotation speeds to control the wiper to:

move within the fields of views of the one or more cameras that are processing the image data and not actively capturing the image data, without moving within the fields of views of the one or more cameras that are actively capturing the image data.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting a time period during which the one or more cameras are actively capturing the image data to be longer than a time period during which the one or more cameras are processing the image data.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed of the wiper comprises dynamically adjusting the rotation speed based on a duration that the one or more cameras are actively capturing the image data and a duration that the one or more cameras are not actively capturing the image data.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises synchronizing a time consumed for the wiper to move from an outer boundary of the field of view of a first camera to an outer boundary of the field of view of a second camera with an exposure time of the camera during which the camera is actively capturing the image data.

10. A sensor enclosure comprising:

one or more cameras;

a cover; and

a base encased by the cover, the base including a wiper and one or more processors,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform;

receiving camera information comprising a field of view for each of the one or more cameras and indicating whether each of the one or more cameras is actively capturing image data;

receiving rotation speed and corresponding location information of the wiper;

and

adjusting the rotation speed of the wiper based on the camera information such that the wiper is present between the fields of views of the one or more cameras that are actively capturing the image data.

11. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises:

decreasing the rotation speed for the wiper while the wiper moves between the fields of views.

12. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises:

stopping the wiper between the fields of views.

13. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises:

increasing the rotation speed for the wiper while the wiper moves within the field of view.

14. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the base further comprises additional wipers, the wiper and the two additional wipers being offset to +/−

120 degrees from one another.

15. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises adjusting the rotation speeds to control the wiper to:

move within the fields of views of the one or more cameras that are processing the image data and not actively capturing the image data, without moving within the fields of views of the one or more cameras that are actively capturing the image data.

16. The sensor enclosure of claim 15, wherein a time period during which the one or more cameras are actively capturing the image data is longer than a time period during which the one or more cameras are processing the image data.

17. The sensor enclosure of claim 15, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed of the wiper comprises dynamically adjusting the rotation speed based on a duration that the one or more cameras are actively capturing the image data and a duration that the one or more cameras are not actively capturing the image data.

18. The sensor enclosure of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the rotation speed for the wiper comprises synchronizing a time consumed for the wiper to move from an outer boundary of the field of view of a first camera to an outer boundary of the field of view of a second camera with an exposure time of the camera during which the camera is actively capturing the image data.