Automated fluid dispensing systems for cleaning vision-based surfaces

An automated fluid dispensing apparatus for a vision-based surface, having a hardware controller, first, second, and third valves, a pressure manifold, first, second, and third fluid-air sources, a distribution control, a distribution manifold, and a unitary nozzle, and adapted to:

• provide fluid communication, by way of the distribution control, between the unitary nozzle and the first, second, and third fluid-air sources respectively having first, second, and third fluid-air types in a parallel arrangement between the pressure manifold and the distribution manifold;
• automatically determine, by the controller in communication with a plurality of sensors, a contaminant type disposed on a target vision area of the vision-based surface;
• automatically select, by the controller, a mixture type and an operation type according to the contaminant type disposed on the target vision area of the vision-based surface;
• selectively activate, by the controller in communication with the first, second and third valves, release of the first, second, and third fluid-air types according to the selected mixture type;
• mix, by the unitary nozzle in fluid communication with the distribution control, the first, second, and third fluid-air types of the respective first, second, and third fluid-air sources according to the selected mixture type;
• and
• automatically clean, by the controller in communication with the unitary nozzle, the vision-based surface by distributing the selected mixture type of the first, second and third fluid-air types via the unitary nozzle to the target vision area using the selected operation type.

An automated fluid dispensing system for a vision-based surface, comprising a controller, a plurality of sensors, first, second, and third valves, first, second, and third fluid-air sources, a distribution control, and a unitary nozzle, and adapted to:

• provide fluid communication between the unitary nozzle and the first, second, and third fluid-air sources respectively having first, second, and third fluid-air types;
• automatically determine, by the controller in communication with the plurality of sensors, an environmental condition, a vision condition, and a target vision area of the vision-based surface;
• receive an external vehicle signal of a vehicle having the vision condition in a common geographical location;
• automatically select, by the controller, a mixture type and an operation type according to the determined environmental condition, vision condition, and target vision area;
• selectively activate, by the controller in communication with the first, second and third valves, release of the first, second, and third fluid-air types according to the selected mixture type;
• mix, by the unitary nozzle in fluid communication with the distribution control, the first, second, and third fluid-air types of the respective first, second, and third fluid-air sources according to the selected mixture type;
• automatically clean, by the controller in communication with the unitary nozzle, the vision-based surface by distributing the selected mixture type of the first, second and third fluid-air types via the unitary nozzle to the target vision area using the selected operation type;
• determine an effectiveness of the selected operation type to clean the vision-based surface based upon a cleanliness threshold;
• and
• adapt the selected operation type based upon the effectiveness of the selected operation type to achieve the cleanliness threshold to clean the vision-based surface.