Self-cleaning lens shield

An apparatus for shielding the field of view of an optical device from obstruction by unwanted contaminants, the apparatus comprising:

• a transparent shield positioned to protect the optical device from contaminants;
• a wiper positioned to be in contact with said shield but said wiper positioned not to obstruct the field of view;
• a rotation mechanism for causing rotation of said shield, wherein said rotation mechanism has no axle fixed to said shield;
• whereby contaminants that may be deposited upon said shield may be wiped from said shield by said wiper and whereby said wiper does not obstruct the field of view.

An apparatus for shielding the field of view of an optical device from obstruction by unwanted contaminants, the apparatus comprising:

• a transparent shield positioned to Protect the optical device from contaminants;
• a wiper positioned to be in contact with said shield but said wiper positioned not to obstruct the field of view;
• a rotation mechanism for causing rotation of said shield;
• a system for automatic detection of contaminants on said shield whereby the contaminants on said shield may be automatically detected;
• wherein said system for automatic detection of contaminants further comprises a library of reference images of said shield;
• whereby contaminants that may be deposited upon said shield may be wiped from said shield by said wiper and whereby said wiper does not obstruct the field of view.

A method for shielding the field of view of an optical device from obstruction by unwanted contaminants, the method comprising:

• a step of positioning a transparent shield to Protect the optical device from contaminants;
• a step of positioning a wiper to be in contact with said shield but positioning said wiper to not obstruct the field of view;
• a step of providing a rotation mechanism for causing rotation of said shield;
• a step of using said rotation mechanism to cause rotation of said shield;
• a step of providing an automatic monitoring system for automatically monitoring for the presence of the contaminant on said shield, and
• a step of using said automatic monitoring system for automatically monitoring for the presence of the contaminant on said shield;
• wherein said step of automatically monitoring further comprises:
• a step of obtaining at least one reference image of said shield, a reference image being one that is obtained when said shield is known to be free of contaminants;
• a step of obtaining at least one test image of said shield, a test image being one that is obtained to determine if a contaminant is present on said shield;
• a step of comparing said test image with at least one said reference image to determine if there is a significant difference between said test image and said reference image;
• whereby contaminants that may be deposited upon said shield may be rotated away from the field of view, whereby contaminants that may be deposited upon said shield may be wiped from said shield by said wiper, and whereby said wiper does not obstruct the field of view.

The method of step 10 wherein:

• said step of obtaining at least one reference image of said shield comprises a step of obtaining a plurality of reference images where ambient lighting conditions are associated with each reference image;
• wherein said step of obtaining at least one test image comprises a step of determining ambient lighting conditions associated with said test image;
• and further comprising the step of:
• selecting a reference image for comparison with said test image where such selection is performed by matching ambient lighting conditions associated with said test image with ambient lighting conditions associated with said reference image.

A method for shielding the field of view of an optical device from obstruction by unwanted contaminants, the method comprising:

• a set of positioning a wiper to be in contact with said shield but positioning said wiper to not obstruct the field of view;
• a step of providing a rotation mechanism for causing rotation mechanism for causing rotation of said shield;
• a step of using said rotation mechanism to cause rotation of said shield;
• a step of making a video screen based human interface link between a video screen and said rotation mechanism;
• a step of using said interface link to control said rotation mechanism;
• whereby contaminants that may be deposited upon said shield may be wiped from said shield by said wiper, and whereby said wiper does not obstruct the field of view.