Contamination prevention of vehicle cameras and sensors

• US 10,421,439 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2019
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hansen, Cheri Lyn, Abdel-Raziq, Haron, Neubecker, Cynthia M., Datta Gupta, Somak, Diedrich, Jonathan, Bennie, Brian, Siddiqui, Adil Nizam, Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Md M
• Application Number:
  US16/256,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20190152447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• Field of Search: 3562392
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/00 Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas B05B3/00, B05B5/00 , B05B11/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/80 characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/481 the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/52 Arrangement of nozzles; Liquid spreading meansnozzles per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/56 specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

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.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a camera along an exterior of the vehicle and including a lens;

a nozzle proximate the camera; and

a processor to;

determine, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching the lens on a trajectory;

identify a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens; and

control the nozzle to spray washer fluid in front of the lens of the camera into the trajectory to intercept and prevent the contaminant from contacting the lens.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, including 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.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processor actuates the shield to the closed position responsive to determining that the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, including a reservoir sensor for monitoring a level of the washer fluid within a reservoir, wherein the processor determines the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid responsive to the reservoir sensor detecting the level of the washer fluid is below a predetermined threshold.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor determines that the contaminant is approaching the lens on the trajectory in response to identifying that the contaminant covers a percentage of the images above a threshold percentage.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor determines that the contaminant is approaching the lens on the trajectory in response to a percentage occupied by the contaminant within subsequent ones of the images increases for a predetermined time threshold.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor sends a message to change a speed of the vehicle responsive to determining that the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is positioned above the camera and is configured to spray the washer fluid in a direction away from the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is positioned below the camera.

10. A method comprising:

capturing images via a camera positioned along an exterior of a vehicle;

determining, by a processor, based upon images captured by the camera, whether a contaminant is approaching a lens on a trajectory;

identifying, by the processor, a contaminant state upon determining the contaminant is approaching the lens; and

controlling, by the processor, a nozzle to spray washer fluid into the trajectory in front of the lens of the camera to intercept and prevent the contaminant from contacting the lens.

11. The method of claim 10, including determining, by the processor, whether the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens.

12. The method of claim 11, including actuating, by the processor, a shield to a closed position responsive to determining that the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens;

wherein the shield actuates between an open position and the 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, and the shield is transparent to enable the camera to capture the images when the shield is in the closed position.

13. The method of claim 11, sending, by the processor, a message to change a speed of the vehicle responsive to determining that the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid to prevent contamination of the lens.

14. The method of claim 11, including:

monitoring, by a reservoir sensor, a level of the washer fluid within a reservoir; and

determining that the nozzle is unable to spray the washer fluid responsive to the reservoir sensor detecting the level of the washer fluid is below a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the contaminant is approaching the lens on the trajectory includes identifying that the contaminant covers a percentage of the images above a threshold percentage.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the contaminant is approaching the lens on the trajectory includes identifying a percentage occupied by the contaminant within subsequent ones of the images increases for a predetermined time threshold.