US 12,534,048 B1 · Efficient thermal regulation and/or cleaning of vehicle sensors

Abstract

This application relates to techniques for improving sensor cleaning techniques. The techniques described herein utilize heat generated by multiple heat generating components of a vehicle, which is normally wasted. The techniques collect the waste heat to heat fluid stored in a reservoir. The heated fluid is further dispensed to heat and/or clean sensors. In some examples, a vehicle implementing the techniques includes a computing system to control an operation of the vehicle; a sensor to sense an environment of the vehicle; and a sensor cleaning system to clean the sensor with a fluid. In implementations, the sensor cleaning system includes a heat exchanger to apply heat generated by a heat generating component to heat fluid in a reservoir to generate heated fluid, and a dispenser fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to dispense the heated fluid toward the sensor to heat or clean the sensor.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of cleaning a sensor of a system, the method comprising:

storing a fluid in a reservoir;
capturing heat from a heat generating component of the system, wherein the heat generating component performs a function other than the heat generating and includes a computing system that is configured to process data captured by the sensor and to control an operation of a vehicle;
transferring the heat captured from the heat generating component to a heat exchanger to apply the heat captured from the heat generating component to heat the fluid in the reservoir and to divert the fluid to a radiator portion of the system to cool the fluid;
dispensing the fluid onto a surface of the sensor to at least one of clean or heat the sensor;
and
detecting an obstruction of the sensor;
determining a type of the obstruction is rain;
and
determining, based at least in part on the type of the obstruction of the sensor being rain, a mitigating action to dispense the fluid toward the sensor.

6 more elements

A system comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an environment of the system;
a heat generating component, wherein the heat generating component performs a function other than the heat generating;
a sensor cleaning system configured to clean the sensor with a fluid, the sensor cleaning system comprising:
an integral unit including at least a reservoir to store the fluid to be used to clean the sensor, a heat exchanger, and a radiator portion, wherein the heat exchanger is formed integrally with the reservoir and configured to regulate a temperature of the fluid by:
applying heat generated by the heat generating component to heat the fluid in the reservoir to generate heated fluid, and
diverting the fluid to the radiator portion to cool the fluid;
and
a dispenser fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to dispense the heated fluid toward the sensor to clean the sensor, and
one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the system to perform operations comprising:
detecting an obstruction of the sensor,
determining a type of the obstruction includes dirt, and
determining, based at least in part on the type of the obstruction of the sensor including dirt, a mitigating action to perform, the mitigating action comprising at least one of:
a first mitigating action comprising vibrating the sensor, or
a second mitigating action comprising refraining from dispensing the heated fluid toward the sensor.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Efficient thermal regulation and/or cleaning of vehicle sensors

Life of this patent

Efficient thermal regulation and/or cleaning of vehicle sensors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20