A LIDAR system. The LIDAR system includes a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit. A beam path is formed between the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit of the LIDAR system, in order to optically scan surroundings of the LIDAR system during the operation of the LIDAR system. The LIDAR system is configured to recognize a contamination of the beam path, based on LIDAR measured data, which have been obtained during the optical scanning of the surroundings. A method for recognizing a contamination of a beam path of a LIDAR system is described, including recognizing the contamination by the LIDAR system based on LIDAR measured data, which have been obtained during an optical scanning of surroundings of the LIDAR system.

A cleaning unit for cleaning a sensor window pane of an optical sensing device, in particular for optical distance measurement, more in particular a LiDAR sensor device, of a motor vehicle. The cleaning unit comprises a wiper. Further, the cleaning unit comprises a drive unit which is arranged for wiping the wiper over the sensor window pane. Advantageously, the cleaning unit can be arranged for wiping a first portion of the wiper, such as a first wiper tip, over the sensor window pane from a first position towards a second position to wipe at least a first portion of the sensor window pane located between said first and second positions. The cleaning unit can then also be arranged for moving the wiper back from said second position substantially towards said first position without said first portion of the wiper wiping over said first portion of the sensor window pane.

An optical measurement apparatus for determining object information of objects in at least one monitoring region is disclosed. The apparatus has a reception device for receiving light signals coming from at least one object. The reception device comprises at least one electro-optical receiver (34) for converting light signals into electrical signals. At least one light diffraction element (52) is arranged in a receiver light path of the at least one reception device upstream of the at least one receiver (34). The receiver (34) has a plurality of reception regions (40) that are arranged one behind another viewed in the direction of at least one receiver axis (42) and that is evaluated separately with respect to the respectively received light intensity. At least one boundary periphery (54) of at least one light diffraction element (52) at least regionally does not extend perpendicularly to the at least one receiver axis (42) viewed in the projection onto the receiver (34).

The present invention relates to a cleaning device (1) for a detection system (2) in a vehicle, comprising an air circuit (4) and a liquid circuit (7) configured to spray air and liquid on the detection system (2), the cleaning device (1) comprising a first chamber (6) and a second chamber (9). The first chamber (6) is configured to be filled by one of air and liquid, whereas the second chamber (9) is configured to be filled by the other one of said air and liquid. The total volume of the first and second chambers (6, 9) is fixed, and the cleaning device (1) is configured to vary the volume of one of the first and second chambers (6, 9) so as to change the pressure in the other one of the first and second chambers (6, 9).

Realization of a sensing device that does not suspend the sensing function. A sensing device having a sensor for sensing the external environment through a window frame portion provided at a predetermined position of a main body of a vehicle or the like, and a plurality of protective members for protecting the sensor are provided. At least one of the protective members is arranged at the window frame portion, and the sensor is arranged inside the protective member at the window frame portion to be protected, and the protective member at the window frame portion, is evacuated from the window frame portion when it becomes dirty or periodically, and instead, another protective member is moved to be arranged at the window frame portion and the evacuated protective member is washed by the washing device so that it can be used again.

Techniques for determining a degraded state associated with a sensor are discussed herein. For example, a sensor associated with vehicle may captured data of an environment. A portion of the data may represent a portion of the vehicle. Data associated with a region of interest can be determined based on a calibration associated with the sensor. For example, in the context of image data, image coordinates may be used to determine a region of interest, while in the context of lidar data, a beam and/or azimuth can be used to determine a region of interest. A data metric can be determined for data in the region of interest, and an action can be determined based on the data metric. For example, the action can include cleaning a sensor, scheduling maintenance, reducing a confidence associated with the data, or slowing or stopping the vehicle.

A system to localize debris on an optical surface of a vehicle includes a first array along a first side of a perimeter of the optical surface and including a light source to emit light into a thickness of the optical surface. A second array is along a second side of the perimeter, opposite the first side, and includes a light detector to detect light scatter in the thickness and provide a corresponding output. A third array is along a third side of the perimeter and includes a light source to emit light. A fourth array is along a fourth side of the perimeter, opposite the third side, and includes a light detector to detect light scatter and provide a corresponding output. A controller identifies a presence of the debris, determines a position of the debris based on the output from the light detectors, and remediates the debris.

A vehicle-mounted structure includes: an exterior member mounted on a vehicle; an electromagnetic wave transmission cover including a cover portion attached to the exterior member and exposed to an outside of the vehicle, and a housing integrated with the cover portion and arranged on a back surface side of the cover portion; and an electromagnetic wave device located on the back surface side of the cover portion and accommodated in the housing. The cover portion has a mounting region for mounting a functional member, a first joining region to be joined to the housing, and a second joining region to be joined to the exterior member. The first joining region and the second joining region are provided on an outer peripheral side of the mounting region avoiding the mounting region.

A sensor assembly includes a housing defining a chamber. A sensor is disposed in the chamber and has a lens. An air nozzle is aimed to direct air across the lens. A blower is disposed in the chamber and in fluid communication with the air nozzle. A velocity stack is mounted to the blower and includes an air foil and an outer wall spaced from the air foil and extending entirely around the air foil. The air foil and the outer wall define a channel therebetween. The blower is in fluid communication with the chamber through the channel.

A sensor unit to be mounted on a vehicle, the sensor unit includes: a LiDAR; a housing configured to accommodate the LiDAR; and a cleaner attached to the housing and including a first nozzle configured to jet air at a first surface to be cleaned corresponding to the LiDAR and a second nozzle configured to jet a cleaning liquid at the first surface to be cleaned. The first nozzle is disposed above the second nozzle, a jetting direction of the air from the first nozzle is a direction that is parallel to a horizontal direction or a direction that is more downward-trending than the horizontal direction, and a jetting direction of the cleaning liquid from the second nozzle is a direction that is more upward-trending than the horizontal direction.