Integrated Automotive System, Pop Up Nozzle Assembly and Remote Control Method for Cleaning a Wide Angle Image Sensors Exterior Surface
First Claim
1. A remotely controllable system and extendable nozzle assembly for cleaning a vehicle'"'"'s external wide-angle image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface and washing off accumulated image distorting debris, comprising:
- a display mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and connected to the vehicle'"'"'s data communication network to receive image signals for display to the driver;
an external image sensor configured to generate an external image sensor signal for said display and having an external objective lens surface which aimed toward the vehicle'"'"'s exterior and having a selected field of view, said image sensor being substantially exposed to the ambient environment and accumulated image distorting debris when the vehicle is in use;
an image sensor lens washing system configured with a laterally offset extendable washing nozzle to selectively extend into a washing position and then spray washing fluid onto said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed across said field of view along an aiming angle which is aimed at a selected aiming angle that within the range bounded by 1° and
20°
in relation to said external objective lens surface, and said spray being actuated in response to a momentary wash control signal; and
a washing system actuation switch mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and configured to selectively and momentarily generate the wash control signal when actuation of the lens washing system is desired by the driver, while viewing the display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pop-up external lens washing system has an extendable aiming fixture configured to aim a lens cleaning spray at an external lens which is exposed to the elements and apt to become soiled with debris. The extendable nozzle assembly is configured to be aimed toward the external lens by the extended aiming fixture during the washing operation only and has at least one laterally offset washing nozzle projecting from the aiming fixture to a spray washing fluid toward the external lens surface, spraying at a shallow, glancing spray aiming angle to impinge upon and wash the lens external surface.
89 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A remotely controllable system and extendable nozzle assembly for cleaning a vehicle'"'"'s external wide-angle image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface and washing off accumulated image distorting debris, comprising:
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a display mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and connected to the vehicle'"'"'s data communication network to receive image signals for display to the driver; an external image sensor configured to generate an external image sensor signal for said display and having an external objective lens surface which aimed toward the vehicle'"'"'s exterior and having a selected field of view, said image sensor being substantially exposed to the ambient environment and accumulated image distorting debris when the vehicle is in use; an image sensor lens washing system configured with a laterally offset extendable washing nozzle to selectively extend into a washing position and then spray washing fluid onto said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed across said field of view along an aiming angle which is aimed at a selected aiming angle that within the range bounded by 1° and
20°
in relation to said external objective lens surface, and said spray being actuated in response to a momentary wash control signal; anda washing system actuation switch mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and configured to selectively and momentarily generate the wash control signal when actuation of the lens washing system is desired by the driver, while viewing the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for remotely controlling the cleaning an externally mounted wide-angle image sensor'"'"'s lens to remove debris from an external objective lens surface, comprising the method steps of:
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(a) mounting a display within a user occupied space such as a vehicle'"'"'s interior and connecting an image signal communication network or controller to said display to receive image signals for display to the driver;
wherein the external image sensor is configured to generate an external image sensor signal for transmission to said display, said image sensor having an external objective lens surface which is substantially exposed to the ambient environment;(b) configuring an external image sensor lens washing system having at least one extendable laterally offset distal nozzle aimed to selectively spray washing fluid onto said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing aiming angle, said spray being aimed by said distal nozzle along a spray axis at said aiming angle to impact and wash the objective lens assembly'"'"'s external surface when extended, (c) providing a washing system actuation switch mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and configured to selectively and momentarily generate the wash control signal; (d) viewing the display while the wide-angle image sensor'"'"'s signal is displayed, and when the externally viewed image reveals accumulated image distorting debris covering the external objective lens surface, (e) actuating the extendable lens washing system and spraying the external objective lens surface with washing fluid impinging upon said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed along a spray axis nearly parallel to the objective lens assembly'"'"'s external surface, to wash the accumulated image distorting debris laterally away from the lens surface. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An external extendable wide-angle image sensor washing system, comprising:
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an extendable aiming fixture having a distal end and a proximal end and being configured to aim a spray at an external lens exposed toward said distal end while extended; said external lens having an external lens surface with a lens perimeter and a lens central axis projecting from said lens surface, wherein a lens has a wide angle field of view which comprises a distally projecting solid angle of more than 120 degrees including said lens central axis and originating within said lens perimeter; a first extendable nozzle assembly configured to be supported and aimed toward said external lens when extended; said first extendable nozzle assembly including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a first laterally offset washing nozzle projecting from said aiming fixture'"'"'s distal side; said first nozzle assembly being configured and aimed to spray washing fluid toward said external lens surface and across said field of view when extended, spraying at a first selected spray aiming angle in relation to the lens external surface; said first spray aiming angle being within the range bounded by 1° and
20°
in relation to the lens external surface; andwherein said first nozzle assembly is aimed to spray along a first selected spray azimuth angle in relation to a fixed datum on said lens perimeter when extended. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification