A sensor device for use in vehicles is provided, having at least one sensor unit, which is configured to cover a detection area outside the sensor device, and at least one cover, which is arranged in front of the sensor unit or is formed as part of the sensor unit, and at least one heating element, which is arranged and configured to heat at least subregions of the cover, and also a control or regulating unit, which is configured to control or regulate the heating element in order to heat the cover. The sensor device is characterized by at least one wall thickness sensor that is formed, and arranged at a predefined distance from and/or in direct contact with and/or inside the cover, in such a way that it is able to determine the wall thickness of the cover, wherein it transmits the determined wall thickness to the control or regulating unit, which actuates the heating element in order to heat the cover if a predefined wall thickness is exceeded.

The technology relates to a system for cleating a sensor cover. The system may comprise a wiper comprising a wiper support, a wiper blade, and a sensor cover. The wiper blade may be configured to clear the sensor cover of debris, and the sensor cover may be configured to house one or more sensors. A wiper motor may rotate the wiper and a sensor motor may rotate the sensor cover. The system wiper blade may comprise a first edge attached to the wiper support and a second edge which may be configured to be in contact with the sensor cover. The wiper blade may extend in a corkscrew shape around the wiper support. The wiper motor may be configured to rotate the wiper in a first direction and the sensor motor may be configured to rotate the sensor cover in a second direction opposite the first direction.

The invention relates to a sensor system for distance measuring for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor with a sensor housing and at least one membrane with a membrane diameter that is capable of being electrically stimulated into vibrations and a control unit for controlling the at least one membrane as well as for detecting vibrations of the at least one membrane, wherein the control unit is configured to stimulate in a measuring mode the at least one membrane into vibrations with a measuring frequency and a measuring amplitude. The control unit is configured to stimulate the at least one membrane in a cleaning mode into such vibrations that the sensor housing is set into vibrations with a housing amplitude that amounts to at least 1% of the membrane diameter. Further, the invention relates to a motor vehicle and a method for cleaning an ultrasonic sensor.

The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in which by at least one ultrasonic sensor, operated in the active operation mode, of an ultrasonic sensor device of the motor vehicle ultrasonic waves are emitted into an environmental region of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle as hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine (and an electric drive machine and in the active operation mode of the ultrasonic sensor arranged on a rear part of the motor vehicle the motor vehicle at least temporarily is operated by means of the electric drive machine. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.

A sensor device includes at least one sensor unit, which is configured to detect a detection area; at least one through element, wherein the at least one sensor unit is configured to detect the detection area through the at least one through element; at least one temperature sensor on or in at least one through element, the at least one temperature sensor being configured to detect a temperature of the at least one through element; at least one heating unit, which is configured to heat the at least one through element; and a controller, which is connected to the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one heating unit and which is configured to control the at least one heating unit based on the temperature detected by the at least one temperature sensor.

Systems and methods for ice removal system for an ultrasonic sensor. One example system includes the ultrasonic sensor including a transducer and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to output, at the transducer, a chirp signal. The electronic processor is configured to determine, based on the chirp signal, whether a mechanical impedance is present at the transducer. The electronic processor is configured to, in response to determining that the mechanical impedance is present, output, at the transducer, a frequency sweep signal. The electronic processor is configured to receive, at the transducer, a reflected frequency sweep signal. The electronic processor is configured to determine, based on the reflected frequency sweep signal, a resonant frequency. The electronic processor is configured to output, at the transducer, an output signal according to the resonant frequency.

The invention relates to a method for determining a functional status of an ultrasonic sensor (5a) of an ultrasonic sensor device (5) for a motor vehicle (1), which is designed to emit an ultrasonic signal (8) into an environment (4) of the motor vehicle (1) and/or to receive an echo signal (9) of the ultrasonic signal (8), wherein an electrical test signal (P) is generated, which is applied to the ultrasonic sensor (5a), wherein at least one electrical characteristic parameter (K) of the ultrasonic sensor (5a) affected by the electrical test signal (P) is evaluated and as a function thereof a transfer function (13) of the ultrasonic sensor (5a) is determined, which is compared with a reference transfer function (11) and the functional state of the ultrasonic sensor (5a) is determined depending on the comparison.

A device may include a membrane. A device may include a piezo element configured to emit an ultrasonic signal via the membrane, wherein the membrane is configured to emit infrared energy when it receives an energy input.

Ultrasonic sensors, sensor controllers, and sensor control methods are provided with self-cleaning functionality. An illustrative method includes: driving a piezoelectric transducer to generate a short acoustic burst for obstacle detection or distance measurement; obtaining a receive signal to monitor for reflections of the short acoustic burst; and operating to clean the sensor by driving the piezoelectric transducer to generate a long acoustic burst at a resonant frequency of the piezoelectric transducer. The method may be implemented by a sensor controller having a transmitter configured to drive the piezoelectric transducer, a receiver coupled to the piezoelectric transducer and a microphone to detect a reflection of the acoustic burst within a measurement interval associated with the acoustic burst; and a microcontroller configured to control a length of the acoustic burst. The sensor controller may be incorporated into a sensor that also includes a piezoelectric transducer and optionally includes one or more microphones.

The invention is based on a wiper device comprising a wiper arm (20a; 20b; 20c), and comprising at least one wiper blade (18a, 18a, 18a) which is coupled to the wiper arm (20a; 20b; 20c) and comprises at least one wiper lip (22a, 22a, 22a) for wiping a surface (16a; 16b; 16c) of a protective element (14a; 14b; 14c) of a sensor device (12a), in particular of a lidar device, and comprising a wiper arm guide unit (24a) which is provided for moving the wiper arm (20a; 20b; 20c) in an at least substantially translatory manner along a guide track (50a).

It is proposed that the wiper device comprises a rotary joint (26a), by means of which the wiper blade (18a, 18a, 18a) is pivotably mounted on the wiper arm (20a; 20b; 20c).