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US 11,457,204 B1Granted
Localized window contaminant detection
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorsBenjamin Frevert, Shashank Sharma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to contaminant detection systems and related optical systems and methods. An example contaminant detection system includes an optical coupler configured to couple light into and/or out of an optical element. The contaminant detection system also includes a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler. The contaminant detection system additionally includes a plurality of detector devices configured to detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler. The plurality of detector devices is also configured to provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element.
Claims19
A contaminant detection system comprising:
- an optical coupler configured to couple light into and/or out of an optical element;
- a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflection;
- and
- a plurality of detector devices configured to:
- detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler;
- and
- provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
- a lensed portion configured to be optically coupled to at least one of:
- a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices;
- a reflective surface configured to reflect light;
- and
- a coupling surface configured to be physically and optically coupled to the optical element.
9 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an optical element;
- a camera configured to capture an image of a field of view by way of the optical element;
- an optical coupler configured to couple light into and/or out of the optical element;
- a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflection;
- and
- a plurality of detector devices configured to:
- detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler;
- and
- provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
- a lensed portion configured to be optically coupled to at least one of:
- a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices;
- a reflective surface configured to reflect light;
- and
- a coupling surface configured to be physically and optically coupled to the optical element.
11 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- an optical element;
- a sensor optically coupled to the optical element, wherein the sensor is configured to obtain information indicative of a field of view by way of the optical element;
- an optical coupler configured to couple light into and/or out of the optical element;
- a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflection;
- and
- a plurality of detector devices configured to:
- detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler;
- and
- provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
- a lensed portion configured to be optically coupled to at least one of:
- a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices;
- a reflective surface configured to reflect light;
- and
- a coupling surface configured to be optically coupled to the optical element.
11 more elements
A method comprising:
- causing a plurality of light-emitter devices to emit emission light toward a first optical coupler, wherein the first optical coupler is optically coupled to an optical element;
- detecting, by a plurality of detector devices, detector signals that correspond to at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and a second optical coupler, wherein the first optical coupler, the second optical coupler, and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflection, wherein the first optical coupler and the second optical coupler comprise:
- a lensed portion configured to be optically coupled to at least one of:
- a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices;
- a reflective surface configured to reflect light;
- and
- a coupling surface configured to be physically and optically coupled to the optical element;
- and
- determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the optical element.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.