LIDAR device with heated cover useful for automated vehicles
AssigneeAptiv Technologies AG
InventorsKok Wee Yeo, Yew Kwang Low, Binghua Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a sensor portion that is configured to at least emit or receive a first type of radiation. A cover near the sensor portion is transparent to the first type of radiation to allow the first type of radiation to pass through the cover. A radiation source emits a second, different type of radiation. A plurality of reflecting surfaces are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation to at least partially reflect the second type of radiation into the cover to increase a temperature of at least a portion of the cover.
Claims20
A detector device, comprising:
- a sensor portion that is configured to at least emit or receive a first type of radiation;
- a cover near the sensor portion, the cover is transparent to the first type of radiation to allow the first type of radiation to pass through the cover;
- a radiation source that emits a second type of radiation into the cover, the second type of radiation is different than the first type of radiation;
- and
- a plurality of reflecting surfaces that are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation to at least partially reflect the second type of radiation in the cover to increase a temperature of at least a portion of the cover.
A method of adjusting a temperature of a detector device cover that is transparent to a first type of radiation, the method comprising:
- emitting a second type of radiation, wherein the second type of radiation is different from the first type of radiation;
- and
- reflecting at least some of the second type of radiation from a plurality of reflecting surfaces that are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation in at least a portion of the cover to thereby increase a temperature of at least the portion of the cover.
A vehicle headlamp assembly, comprising:
- at least one light source;
- a sensor portion that is configured to at least emit or receive a first type of radiation;
- a cover near the sensor portion, the cover is transparent to the first type of radiation to allow the first type of radiation to pass through the cover;
- a separator that separates a second type of radiation from light emitted by the light source, the second type of radiation is different than the first type of radiation;
- and
- a plurality of reflecting surfaces that are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation, the plurality of reflecting surfaces being situated to at least partially reflect the second type of radiation in the cover to increase a temperature of at least a portion of the cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.