Systems and methods for configuration and management of heater elements associated with sensor components are provided. A control component associated with the heater element obtains a plurality of inputs associated with the operation of the vehicle, such as location, operational status of components. The control component can utilize a body of information sources independent of any specific temperature or condition sensors on the sensor component to specify operational parameters of the heater element, such as a lookup table. The specified operational parameters can be selected with consideration of mitigation or discouraging the build-up of frozen precipitation on portions of the vehicle approximate to the sensor components. Additionally, the specified operational parameters can further be selected or specified with consideration of mitigation or discouraging of prolonged operation of the heater element resulting in such damages.

An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a sensor portion that is configured to at least emit or receive a first type of radiation. A cover near the sensor portion is transparent to the first type of radiation to allow the first type of radiation to pass through the cover. A radiation source emits a second, different type of radiation. A plurality of reflecting surfaces are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation to at least partially reflect the second type of radiation into the cover to increase a temperature of at least a portion of the cover.

In a radar apparatus, a processing unit calculates a wavenumber of incoming waves reflected from a target object for each of detected target objects. The processing unit calculates, as a wavenumber evaluation value, a proportion of target objects of which the calculated wavenumber is plural among the all of the detected target objects. The processing unit calculates, as a false azimuth evaluation value, a proportion of target objects including a second incoming wave of which an azimuth difference relative to an azimuth of a first incoming wave of which power of the incoming wave is maximum power is a specific azimuth difference occurring due to periodic signal errors being superimposed on the virtual array, among the target objects of which the calculated wavenumber is plural. The processing unit determines contamination of the radome based on the wavenumber evaluation value and the false azimuth evaluation value.

A sensor abnormality determining apparatus is configured to determine an abnormality in a sensor apparatus, which is used to recognize a surrounding environment of a vehicle and which includes a heater for heating a cover. The sensor abnormality determining apparatus is provided with: a detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater; an estimator configured to estimate a temperature of the heater on the basis of a speed of the vehicle and an outside air temperature; and a determinator configured to determine an abnormality in the sensor apparatus on the basis of the detected temperature and the estimated temperature.

An illustrative example embodiment of a detector device includes a sensor portion that is configured to at least emit or receive a first type of radiation. A cover near the sensor portion is transparent to the first type of radiation to allow the first type of radiation to pass through the cover. A radiation source emits a second, different type of radiation. A plurality of reflecting surfaces are transparent to the first type of radiation and at least partially opaque to the second type of radiation to at least partially reflect the second type of radiation into the cover to increase a temperature of at least a portion of the cover.

A radome for on-board radar devices 1 is provided with heater wires 3 wired in parallel so as to be separated from each other in a plane direction of an electromagnetic-wave-transmitting base member. A line pitch d of the heater wires 3 arranged in parallel in an electromagnetic-wave transmission region R of the base member is set to 0.2 to 2.5 times a wavelength of electromagnetic waves of the radar of an on-board radar device. A surface occupancy rate of the heater wires 3 arranged in parallel in the electromagnetic-wave transmission region R of the base member is set to be greater than 10% to 35%. The present invention provides a radome for on-board radar devices with which it is possible to obtain an electromagnetic-wave transmission property required of a radome, and to melt snow satisfactorily with a high heater performance.

The invention relates to a method for producing a radome, a flexible printed circuit board having a metallic structure being used. Said flexible printed circuit board is embossed and is back-molded with a thermoplastic material and electric contact elements are connected to the flexible printed circuit board. A connector skirt is placed on the contact elements prior to back-molding.

The present disclosure relates to a radar arrangement for a vehicle comprising a design element, such as an emblem or a vehicle light, and a radar device comprising a plurality of radar device units, wherein the radar device and the design element are integrated with each other such that they form one common integral unit. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle comprising the radar arrangement. The disclosure further relates to a method of manufacturing a radar arrangement.

The invention relates to a method for producing a heatable radome, a flexible printed circuit board having a metallic structure being used. Said flexible printed circuit board is embossed and is back-molded with a thermoplastic material.

A motor vehicle component composed of a synthetic material and which includes a sensor mounted on at least one region thereof. Conductive elements are mounted within the at least one region, and composed of a material that may be stimulated by induction. A coil is provided for inductive heating of the conductive elements.