# US 12,764,401 B1 · Temperature controlled camera lens mechanism for enhanced perception of sensor suites > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,764,401 B1 - Document ID: US12764401B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 19/233,063 - Filed: 2025-06-10 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2025-06-10 - Assignees: TORC Robotics, Inc. - Applicants: Torc Robotics, Inc. - Inventors: Saurabh Satish Bagalkar; Akshay Pai Raikar; William Gray Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12764401B1 ## CPC - H04N 23/52: Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements - G02B 27/0006: {with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An autonomy computing system is configured to receive a first temperature measurement at a first time t1 and a second temperature measurement at a second time t2 measured proximate a lens surface for a camera sensor using a first temperature sensor; receive a third temperature measurement at the first time t1 and a fourth temperature measurement at the second time t2 measured using a second temperature sensor for ambient air of a vehicle; compute a first change of temperature between the second temperature measurement and the first temperature measurement, and a second change of temperature between the fourth temperature measurement and the third temperature measurement; and in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by a predetermined threshold value, activate a heating element in proximity of the camera sensor to reduce presence of a liquid particle at the lens surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An autonomy computing system comprising: at least one memory configured to store machine executable instructions; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to execute the machine executable instructions to configure the at least one processor to: receive a first temperature measurement at a first time t1 and a second temperature measurement at a second time t2, wherein the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement are measured proximate a lens surface for a camera sensor using a first temperature sensor, wherein the second time t2 is later than the first time t1; receive a third temperature measurement at the first time t1 and a fourth temperature measurement at the second time t2, wherein the third temperature measurement and the fourth temperature measurement are measured using a second temperature sensor for ambient air of a vehicle on which the camera sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor are mounted; compute a first change of temperature between the second temperature measurement and the first temperature measurement; compute a second change of temperature between the fourth temperature measurement and the third temperature measurement; and in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by a predetermined threshold value, activate a heating element in proximity of the camera sensor to increase temperature and thereby reducing presence of a liquid particle at the lens surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The autonomy computing system of claim 1, wherein in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value, the camera sensor is changed to the inactive or offline status for a predetermined time duration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The autonomy computing system of claim 1, wherein, upon determining the presence of the liquid particle, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the machine executable instructions to configure the at least one processor to discard new image data generated by the camera sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The autonomy computing system of claim 3, wherein the new image data is discarded for a predetermined time duration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The autonomy computing system of claim 1, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned internally at the lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The autonomy computing system of claim 1, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned externally at the lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The autonomy computing system of claim 1, wherein in response to determining that the first change of temperature is not greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value after activating the heating element, deactivate the heating element in proximity of the camera sensor. ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method for detecting presence of a liquid particle at a camera lens surface, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a first temperature measurement at a first time t1 and a second temperature measurement at a second time t2, wherein the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement are measured proximate the camera lens surface for a camera sensor using a first temperature sensor, wherein the second time t2 is later than the first time t1; receiving a third temperature measurement at the first time t1 and a fourth temperature measurement at the second time t2, wherein the third temperature measurement and the fourth temperature measurement are measured using a second temperature sensor for ambient air of a vehicle on which the camera sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor are mounted; computing a first change of temperature between the second temperature measurement and the first temperature measurement; computing a second change of temperature between the fourth temperature measurement and the third temperature measurement; and in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by a predetermined threshold value, activating a heating element in proximity of the camera sensor to increase temperature and thereby reducing presence of a liquid particle at the lens surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value, changing the camera sensor to the inactive or offline status for a predetermined time duration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising discarding new image data generated by the camera sensor upon determining the presence of the liquid particle at the camera lens surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the new image data is discarded for a predetermined time duration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned internally at the camera lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned externally at the camera lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising in response to determining that the first change of temperature is not greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value after activating the heating element, deactivating the heating element in proximity of the camera sensor. ### Claim 15 An autonomous vehicle comprising: a plurality of camera sensors; at least one memory configured to store machine executable instructions; and at least one processor communicatively coupled with the at least one memory and configured to execute the machine-executable instructions for detecting presence of a liquid particle at a camera lens surface of a camera sensor of the plurality of camera sensors by performing operations comprising: receiving a first temperature measurement at a first time t1 and a second temperature measurement at a second time t2, wherein the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement are measured proximate the camera lens surface of the camera sensor using a first temperature sensor, wherein the second time t2 is later than the first time t1; receiving a third temperature measurement at the first time t1 and a fourth temperature measurement at the second time t2, wherein the third temperature measurement and the fourth temperature measurement are measured using a second temperature sensor for ambient air of a vehicle on which the camera sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor are mounted; computing a first change of temperature between the second temperature measurement and the first temperature measurement; computing a second change of temperature between the fourth temperature measurement and the third temperature measurement; and in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by a predetermined threshold value, activating a heating element in proximity of the camera sensor to increase temperature and thereby reducing presence of a liquid particle at the lens surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprising in response to determining that the first change of temperature is greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value, changing the camera sensor to the inactive or offline status for a predetermined time duration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the operations further discarding new image data generated by the camera sensor for a predetermined time duration upon determining the presence of the liquid particle at the camera lens surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned internally at the camera lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned externally at the camera lens surface of the camera sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprising in response to determining that the first change of temperature is not greater than the second change of temperature by the predetermined threshold value after activating the heating element, deactivating the heating element in proximity of the camera sensor.