Water temperature sensor
AssigneeTORC Robotics, Inc.
InventorsGarrett Madsen, Joseph R. Fox-Rabinovitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application discloses systems and methods for detecting a frost condition using a water temperatures sensor on an autonomous vehicle. The water temperature sensor includes a wind tunnel tube forming a hollow path for an airflow. The system further includes a fluid valve coupled to a fluid reservoir to dispense a fluid into the airflow of the hollow path. The water temperature further includes wet-bulb temperature sensor affixed to a vent coupled to a distal end of the wind tunnel tube. The wet-bulb temperature sensor configured to capture sensor data indicating a frost condition.
Claims20
A water temperature sensor for an autonomous vehicle, the water temperature sensor comprising:
- a wind tunnel tube forming a hollow path for an airflow;
- a fluid valve coupled to a fluid reservoir, the fluid valve fluidly coupled with a proximal end of the wind tunnel tube to dispense a fluid into the airflow of the hollow path;
- a vent coupled to a distal end of the wind tunnel tube;
- and
- a wet-bulb temperature sensor affixed to the vent.
An autonomous vehicle comprising:
- a water temperature sensor, the water temperature sensor comprising:
- a wind tunnel tube forming a hollow path for an airflow,
- a fluid valve coupled to a fluid reservoir, the fluid valve fluidly coupled with a proximal end of the wind tunnel tube to dispense a fluid into the airflow of the hollow path,
- a vent coupled to a distal end of the wind tunnel tube, and
- a wet-bulb temperature sensor affixed to the vent;
- a dry-bulb temperature sensor;
- and
- an autonomy computing system comprising a processor connected to a memory storing computer executable instructions, the processor, upon executing the computer executable instructions, configured to:
- receive sensor data from the dry-bulb temperature sensor on the autonomous vehicle,
- detect the sensor data is below a temperature threshold,
- control the fluid valve on the water temperature sensor to dispense a fluid into the airflow of the hollow path,
- receive additional sensor data from the water temperature sensor,
- detect a frost condition from the additional sensor data, and
- initiate transmission of an indication of the frost condition to the autonomy computing system.
A computer-implemented method for detecting a frost condition on an autonomous vehicle, the method implemented by an autonomy computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the autonomy computing system including a processor and a memory storing executable instructions, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving sensor data from a dry-bulb temperature sensor, the sensor data representing a temperature value;
- detecting the temperature value is below a temperature threshold;
- controlling a fluid valve coupled to a fluid reservoir, the fluid valve fluidly coupled with a proximal end of a wind tunnel tube of a water temperature sensor to dispense a fluid into the wind tunnel tube upon detection of the temperature value below the temperature threshold;
- receiving additional sensor data from a wet-blub temperature sensor;
- detecting a frost condition from the additional sensor data from the wet-bulb temperature sensor;
- and
- initiating transmission of an indication of the frost condition to the autonomy computing system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.