Window heater system

• US 10,588,178 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, John, Ralph, Heather Anne, Mickelson, Matthew David, Arnold, Brad Nathaniel, Smith, Matthew Christopher, Peters, Daniel Joseph, Bailey, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuqua, Shawntina T
• Application Number:
  US14/751,012
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0294 Planar elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/14 the material being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/141 Conductive ceramics, e.g. metal oxides, metal carbides, barium titanate, ferrites, zirconia, vitrous compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/145 Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/146 Conductive polymers, e.g. polyethylene, thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields

Abstract

During operation, a facility may utilize many sensors, such as cameras, to generate sensor data. Some of these sensors may be housed within protective enclosures. The enclosures may be inside specially controlled environments, such as refrigerators, freezers, and so forth. During operation of the facility, moisture may accumulate on these enclosures, impairing the ability of the camera to acquire an image through the window. Described are devices to selectively heat a viewable area of the window such that moisture accumulation is reduced with minimal power use.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an enclosure having an interior and an exterior;

a window having a viewable area, wherein the window acts as a barrier between the interior and the exterior;

a camera within the enclosure, the camera proximate to the viewable area and positioned to receive light in a field of view that passes through the viewable area of the window, the window comprising;

a substrate having an interior side and an exterior side, wherein the substrate is transmissive to at least a portion of incident light having a wavelength detectable by the camera;

arranged on the interior side of the substrate;

a first transparent heater element formed from indium tin oxide having a first area and centered within the viewable area;

a second transparent heater element formed from indium tin oxide having a second area greater than the first area and arranged to a first side of the first transparent heater element within at least a portion of the viewable area;

a third transparent heater element formed from indium tin oxide having a third area greater than the first area and arranged to a second side of the first transparent heater element within at least a portion of the viewable area; and

a heater controller electrically connected to the first transparent heater element, the second transparent heater element, and the third transparent heater element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a first end of the second transparent heater element has a first width, the second transparent heater element has a second width greater than the first width at a point between the first end and a second end, and a first portion of the second transparent heater element having the first width delivers less heat energy during operation than a second portion of the second transparent heater element having the second width;

and

wherein a first end of the third transparent heater element has a third width, the third transparent heater element has a fourth width greater than the third width at a point between the first end and a second end, and a third portion of the third transparent heater element having the third width delivers less heat energy during operation than a fourth portion of the third transparent heater element having the fourth width.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor to generate temperature data;

and

wherein the heater controller delivers electrical power to the first, second, and third transparent heater elements responsive to the temperature data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hydrophilic anti-fog coating on the exterior side of the substrate, wherein the exterior side is exposed to a lower temperature than the interior side of the substrate.

5. A system comprising:

an enclosure; and

a window having a first viewable area, the window comprising;

a substrate having an interior side;

a first heater element on the interior side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the first viewable area, the first heater element having a first power dissipation rating;

a second heater element on the interior side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the first viewable area, the second heater element having a second power dissipation rating, wherein the second power dissipation rating is greater than the first power dissipation rating; and

a third heater element on the interior side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the first viewable area, the third heater element having a third power dissipation rating, wherein the third power dissipation rating is greater than the first power dissipation rating.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first heater element is centered within the first viewable area, the second heater element is to a first side of the first heater element, and the third heater element is to a second side of the first heater element.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the first heater element has a first surface area;

the second heater element has a second surface area greater than the first surface area; and

the third heater element has a third surface area greater than the first surface area.

8. The system of claim 5, the first, second, and third heater elements formed of optically transparent material deposited on the substrate, wherein the optically transparent material is one or more of a transparent conducting oxide, a transparent conducting polymer, or a carbon nanotube.

9. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a heater controller electrically connected to the first heater element, the second heater element, and the third heater element, the heater controller to selectively deliver a first amount of electrical energy to the first heater element, deliver a second amount of electrical energy to the second heater element, and deliver a third amount of electrical energy to the third heater element.

10. The system of claim 5, one or more of the first, second, or third heater elements comprising:

one or more wires within at least a portion of the first viewable area on the substrate, wherein the one or more wires have a diameter of less than 30 microns.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a camera having a field of view, wherein the field of view is directed through at least a portion of the first viewable area; and

wherein the one or more wires are within 20 millimeters of one or more of an input aperture of the camera.

12. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a first window heater power contact area;

a second window heater power contact area;

a first electrically conductive element connecting a first terminal of each of the first, second, and third heater elements and the first window heater power contact area;

a second electrically conductive element connecting a second terminal of each of the first, second, and third heater elements and the second window heater power contact area; and

a flexible printed circuit comprising;

a first electrical conductor bonded to the first window heater power contact area with an anisotropic conductive film; and

a second electrical conductor bonded to the second window heater power contact area with an anisotropic conductive film.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein one or more of the first electrically conductive element or the second electrically conductive element comprise electrodeposited copper and have an electrical resistance per cross sectional area that is less than that of the first, second, and third heater elements.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises one or more of a glass or polymer that is an electrical insulator and is transmissive to one or more wavelengths that a camera can detect.

15. The system of claim 5, further comprising an anti-fog coating on an exterior side of the window.

16. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a temperature sensor to generate temperature data indicative of a temperature of the window; and

a heater controller to provide electrical power to one or more of the first, second, and third heater elements to maintain the first viewable area of the window at or below a dewpoint of an exterior environment.

17. A system comprising:

a window having an interior surface and an exterior surface and a viewable area, the window comprising;

a substrate;

a first heater element on an interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the first heater element having a first electrical resistance;

a second heater element on the interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the second heater element having a second electrical resistance and placed on a first side of the first heater element, and wherein the second heater element has a first width at a first portion distal from a center of the viewable area and a second width at a second portion proximal to the center of the viewable area, further wherein the second width is greater than the first width; and

a third heater element on the interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the third heater element having a third electrical resistance and placed on a second side of the first heater element, and wherein the third heater element has a third width at a third portion distal from the center of the viewable area and a fourth width at a fourth portion proximal to the center of the viewable area, further wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises one or more of a glass or polymer that is an electrical insulator and is transmissive to one or more wavelengths that a camera can detect and further wherein the first heater element, the second heater element, and the third heater element are transmissive to the one or more wavelengths.

19. A system comprising:

a camera having a field of view; and

a window having an interior surface and an exterior surface and a viewable area, the window comprising;

a substrate;

a first heater element on an interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the first heater element having a first electrical resistance and centered on a centerline and a midline of the viewable area;

a second heater element on the interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the second heater element having a second electrical resistance and placed on a first side of the first heater element and centered on the midline of the viewable area, and wherein the second heater element has a first width at a first portion distal from the center of the viewable area and a second width at a second portion proximal to the center of the viewable area, further wherein the second width is greater than the first width;

a third heater element on the interior surface side of the substrate and within at least a portion of the viewable area, the third heater element having a third electrical resistance and placed on a second side of the first heater element and centered on the midline of the viewable area, and wherein the third heater element has a third width at a third portion distal from the center of the viewable area and a fourth width at a fourth portion proximal to the center of the viewable area, further wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width; and

wherein;

the first electrical resistance is less than the second electrical resistance; and

the first electrical resistance is less than the third electrical resistance.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein one or more of the first, second, or third heater elements comprising:

a wire, and

an electrically conductive material that is transparent to optical wavelengths.

21. The system of claim 19, the first, second, and third heater elements formed from optically transparent material on the substrate, wherein the optically transparent material is one or more of a transparent conducting oxide, a transparent conducting polymer, or a carbon nanotube.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a heater controller electrically connected to the first heater element, the second heater element, and the third heater element, the heater controller to selectively deliver a first amount of electrical energy to the first heater element, deliver a second amount of electrical energy to the second heater element, and deliver a third amount of electrical energy to the third heater element, wherein the first amount of electrical energy is less than one or more of the second amount of electrical energy or the third amount of electrical energy.