B60S1/0848

HEATER CONTROL DEVICE

A heater control device includes a camera sensor configured to capture an image of an outside of a vehicle through an image capturing transparent region of a window glass, and a camera heater configured to heat the image capturing transparent region. The heater control device is configured to: apply, to a correlation which is set in advance between an outside temperature, a vehicle speed, and energization electric power, and a temperature of the image capturing transparent region corresponding to the outside temperature, the vehicle speed, and the energization electric power, the outside temperature at a current time, the vehicle speed at the current time, and a target temperature equal to or higher than a dew-point temperature, to thereby determine defogging electric power so that the temperature of the image capturing transparent region is prevented from falling below the dew-point temperature.

Cleaning apparatus, cleaning method, and imaging apparatus
11065653 · 2021-07-20 · ·

A determining unit 31 determines an image region of a foreign material in an imaged image generated by an imaging unit 22 by using an imaging optical system 21. A setting unit 32 sets a pressure, injection time, an injection direction of air injected to the foreign material, an injection pattern obtained by combining them and the like based on a determination result. A foreign material removal processing unit 33 adjusts air injection by an air injection adjusting unit 331 based on the setting by the setting unit 32 and injects from an air injecting unit 332 to the imaging optical system 21 to remove the foreign material adhering to the imaging optical system 21. The air is injected according to an adhesion condition of the foreign material, so that the foreign material adhering to the imaging optical system may be optimally removed.

IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE FOR VEHICLE, VEHICLE LAMP AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

The present invention is provided with: an outer housing configured from a housing having an opening, and a translucent cover closing the opening; a substrate disposed inside of the outer hosing; a camera module, which has an image pickup element, and is disposed on the substrate; and a light emitting element, which is provided as a light source, and is disposed on the substrate. Consequently, since the camera module and the light emitting element are disposed on the substrate that is disposed inside of the outer housing, the number of configuration components is small, thereby achieving reduction of the number of components, and size reduction.

SYSTEM FOR CLEANING AN OPTICAL SENSOR, ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SUCH A SYSTEM, AND ASSOCIATED MOTOR VEHICLE
20210221336 · 2021-07-22 · ·

The present invention relates to a system (1) for cleaning an optical sensor (3), notably of a motor vehicle, comprising: —an element (5) for spraying a cleaning liquid, —a tank (7) of cleaning liquid fluidically connected to the element (5) for spraying cleaning liquid, —a pump (9) configured to pump the cleaning liquid from the tank (7) to the element (5) for spraying the cleaning liquid, the system (1) also comprising a containment wall (11) for the cleaning liquid, which is movable between a retracted position in which the containment wall is configured to be positioned outside the field of view of the optical sensor (3) and a cleaning position in which the containment wall (11) is configured to be positioned in front of the optical sensor (3) so as to define a collection vessel (13) for the cleaning liquid, and in that it comprises an evacuation pipe (15) for the cleaning liquid that is connected both to the collection vessel (13) in the cleaning position and to the tank (7) of cleaning liquid.

SYSTEM FOR CLEANING AN OPTICAL SENSOR, ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SYSTEM OF SAID TYPE, AND ASSOCIATED MOTOR VEHICLE

The invention relates to a system (1) for cleaning an optical sensor (3), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one projection member (5) for protecting a cleaning fluid, characterized in that the system (1) includes a confinement wall (11) that supports the at least one projection member (5) and can move from a retracted position in which the confinement wall is designed to be outside the field of view of the optical sensor (3) and a cleaning position in which the confinement wall (11) is designed to be located across from the optical sensor (3) and in which the at least one projection member (5) is positioned in such a way as to project the cleaning fluid against the optical sensor (3).

APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR RECORDING AND RENDERING MULTIMEDIA
20210241736 · 2021-08-05 ·

An apparatus may be designed to enable a user to receive, record, display, edit, arrange, re-arrange, play, loop, extend, export and import audio and video data. The audio and video data to be organized as, for example, but not limited to, a song comprised of song parts. The song parts may be comprised of tracks, and each track may be comprised of one or more layers. The various methods and systems disclosed herein incorporate such data segmentation to enable the user to intuitively and hands-free record, arrange, and perform songs comprised of both sequential and parallel tracks. In this way, the looper may enable a musician to record and loop tracks for a song, arrange the tracks into song parts, and during the same session, transition the playback from one song part to another, all the while recording a track on top of the transitioning song parts.

Sensor arrangement comprising a cover element and method for producing the cover element
20210239795 · 2021-08-05 ·

A sensor arrangement of a motor vehicle, the sensor arrangement having a sensor element emitting electromagnetic radiation in a measuring direction to determine a measurement signal, and a cover element disposed in front of the sensor element in the measuring direction and being an injection-molded plastic part permeable to the electro-magnetic radiation and having an outer side facing a vehicle environment and an inner side facing the sensor element, and a heating means comprising conductor tracks. The conductor tracks can be applied to a film formed to the inner side of the cover element during production of the cover element by injection-molding, the film with the conductor tracks thus forming an insert of the injection-molded cover element, the conductor tracks being located on the side of the film facing away from the sensor element.

Device for converting rotational motion into reciprocating angular motion and wiper system including the same
11091123 · 2021-08-17 · ·

A device for converting a rotational motion into a reciprocating angular motion and a wiper system including the same include a fixed body fixed to a certain object; a rotating body rotatably connected to the fixed body and rotating around a fixed axis; and a torsion spring coupled to the fixed axis and having an end portion and an opposite end portion, the end portion being held by the fixed body and the opposite end portion being held by the rotating body.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF VEHICLE SENSOR DEVICES
20210237531 · 2021-08-05 ·

Methods and systems for thermal management of sensors of a vehicle. The system includes a sensor that is attached to a vehicle, a temperature monitor configured to collect temperature data corresponding to the sensor, a processor, and a sensor cleaning subsystem. The sensor cleaning subsystem includes a cleaning fluid reservoir and a port that is positioned to direct cleaning fluid from the reservoir to the sensor. The processor is configured to: receive temperature data corresponding to the sensor from the temperature monitor, determine that a current temperature of the sensor is greater than a first threshold temperature, and cause the sensor cleaning subsystem to initiate a cleaning cycle and direct the cleaning fluid to the sensor to cool down the sensor in response to determining that the current temperature of the sensor is greater than the first threshold temperature.

ROTATING GLASS SENSOR CLEANING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF OPERATION
20210245714 · 2021-08-12 ·

Described herein are sensor assembly cleaning systems and apparatuses that are adapted to rotate a transparent surface of a sensor assembly independently of a housing of the sensor assembly in order to disperse water, moisture, debris, or the like from the surface. The transparent surface may be a glass window that provides a camera of the sensor assembly with a field-of-view of an external environment. Sensor data captured from various on-board vehicle sensors such as moisture data, image data, vehicle velocity data, or the like can be evaluated against various criteria to determine when and for how long to rotate the transparent surface. Sensor data can be evaluated over a period of time to identify patterns or trends relating to one or more vehicle parameters. An activation schedule for initiating and ceasing rotation of the transparent surface can be determined based on such patterns/trends.