CLEANING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A TRANSPARENT FRONT ELEMENT OF AN OPTICAL SENSOR FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus (9) for cleaning a transparent front element (11) of an optical sensor (4) for a motor vehicle (1), including the transparent front element (11) and including a light source (13) for externally illuminating the front element (11) with light beams (14), including a detector device (18) for receiving the light beams passed through the front element (11), and including an evaluation device (19), which is formed for evaluating the light beams received by the detector device (18) for determining a degree of contamination of the front element (11), wherein a control signal (22) for a cleaning device (10) of the cleaning apparatus (9) is generable depending on the evaluation such that the front element (11) is cleanable by means of the cleaning device (10). Further, the invention relates to an assembly (32) and to a method.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a transparent front element of an optical sensor for a motor vehicle, comprising: the transparent front element; a light source for externally illuminating the front element with light beams; a detector device for receiving the light beams passed through the front element; and an evaluation device, which is formed for evaluating the light beams received by the detector device for determining as degree of contamination of the front element, wherein a control signal for a cleaning device of the cleaning apparatus is generable depending on the evaluation such that the front element is cleanable by means of the cleaning device.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the cleaning device is mounted displaceably relative with respect to the front element is mounted on a telescopic arm, and/or the light source and the cleaning apparatus are disposed in a common housing.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus is formed for generating ultrasonic waves, wherein the front element is cleanable by the ultrasonic waves.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a liquid cleaning medium, which is stored in a cleaning reservoir, and the liquid cleaning medium can be sprayed onto the front element via a cleaning nozzle of the cleaning device such that the front element is cleanable by the cleaning medium.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an air pressure nozzle, by which an air jet is generable, which can be jetted to the front element, whereby the front element is cleanable.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein depending on at least one received wavelength of the light beams, the degree of contamination is determinable and/or a contamination material and/or a contamination intensity are determinable as the degree of contamination by the evaluation device, and the control signal is generable at least depending on the contamination material and/or the contamination intensity.

7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least two light emitting diodes, wherein light beams with a first wavelength can be emitted by a first light emitting diode and light beams with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength can be emitted by at least one second light emitting diode.

8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least information of an environment of the front element can be taken into account in the evaluation of the received light beams.

9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus is formed for receiving information relating to reception of light beams by an image sensor of the optical sensor, wherein the evaluation device is formed to take into account this information in the evaluation for determining the degree of contamination of the front element.

10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication device for bidirectional communication of information with at least one information device disposed externally to the cleaning apparatus, wherein information received from the information device can be taken into account in the evaluation by the evaluation device.

11. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation device generates a plurality of different control signals for the cleaning device.

12. An assembly comprising: a camera; and a cleaning apparatus according to claim 1.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein at least information of an image sensor of the camera is receivable by the cleaning apparatus, wherein the received information of the image sensor is taken into account in the evaluation by the evaluation device for determining the degree of contamination.

14. A method for cleaning a transparent front element of an optical sensor for a motor vehicle, the method comprising: externally illuminating the transparent front element with light beams of a light source; and receiving light beams passed through the front element by a detector device; and determining a degree of contamination by evaluation of the light beams received by the detector device by an evaluation device; and generating a control signal for a cleaning device of the cleaning apparatus depending on the evaluation such that the front element is cleaned by the cleaning device.

Description

[0033] Now, the invention explained in more detail based on preferred embodiments as well as with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] There show:

[0035] FIG. 1 a schematic top view to an embodiment of a motor vehicle with an assembly;

[0036] FIG. 2 a schematic view of an embodiment of the assembly;

[0037] FIG. 3 a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the assembly; and

[0038] FIG. 4 a schematic view of an embodiment of a cleaning device.

[0039] In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention in a top view. In the present case, the motor vehicle 1 is formed as a passenger car. The motor vehicle 1 comprises a camera system 2. The camera system 2 in turn comprises an image processing device 3, which can for example be constituted by an electronic controller of the motor vehicle 1. Moreover, the camera system 2 comprises at least one camera 4. In the present embodiment, the camera system 2 for example comprises four cameras 4, which are disposed distributed at the motor vehicle 1. However, only two cameras 4 or three cameras 4 or else more than four cameras 4 can for example also be provided. Presently, one of the cameras 4 is disposed in a rear area 5, one of the cameras 4 is disposed in a front area 7 of the motor vehicle 1 and the remaining two cameras 4 are disposed in a respective lateral area 6, in particular in an area of the wing mirrors. Presently, the number and arrangement of the cameras 4 of the camera system 2 are to be purely exemplarily understood.

[0041] An object OB in an environment 8 of the motor vehicle 1 can be captured by the cameras 4. Preferably, the four cameras 4 are formed identical in construction. In particular, a sequence of images can be provided by the cameras 4, which describe the environment 8. These images can be transmitted from the cameras 4 to the image processing device 3. Thus, the camera system 2 serves for assisting the driver of the motor vehicle 1 in driving the motor vehicle 1. The camera system 2 can for example be a so-called electronic rearview mirror (then it preferably comprises two cameras 4 in the lateral areas 6) or an ACC system (Adaptive Cruise Control system) or a parking assistance system or other system. It can also be formed in the motor vehicle interior for capturing a person, in particular a vehicle driver.

[0042] The motor vehicle 1 comprises a cleaning apparatus 9. Alternatively, the motor vehicle 1 can comprise an assembly 32, which comprises at least one camera 4 as an optical sensor and at least one cleaning apparatus 9.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 9. In the following embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 9 comprises a cleaning device 10 and a transparent front element 11. The cleaning device 10 and the transparent front element 11 are disposed at a trim part 12 of the motor vehicle 1 in the present embodiment. Presently, the transparent front element 11 is for example a lens of the camera 4.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the cleaning device 10 comprises a light source 13, which emits light beams 14 for externally illuminating the front element 11. In particular, the light source 13 and the cleaning device 10 are formed in a common housing 15.

[0045] In particular, it can be provided that a lens of the light source 13 and light emitting diodes 16, 17 (FIG. 4) of the light source 13 are formed as multi-array LEDS in order to be able to perform downsizing of the cleaning device 10. It can be provided that the light emitting diodes 16, 17 are wired or have been produced by means of a flexible circuit board, a standard circuit board or by means of another injection molding method.

[0046] A detector device 18 of the cleaning apparatus 9 is formed for receiving the light beams 14 passing through the front element 11. It can be provided that the detector device 18 is formed as an image sensor of the camera 4. The detector device 18 in turn is coupled to an evaluation device 19, which in particular can perform a determination of the degree of contamination of the front element 11.

[0047] In particular, it is allowed that the detector device 18, which can for example be formed as an image sensor of the camera 4, performs both the image processing for the camera 4 and the detection for the cleaning apparatus 9. For example, light beams 14 in the ultraviolet range, in the range visible to the human eye, infrared range or in an even higher wavelength range can be detected by means of the detector device 18.

[0048] Based on the passed light beams, in particular based on the wavelength of the light beams, the degree of contamination can in particular be determinable by means of the evaluation device 19. In particular, a contamination material and/or a contamination intensity are determinable as the degree of contamination and a control signal 20 for a control device 21 can be generable depending on the degree of contamination such that a control signal 22 for the cleaning device 10 is reliably generable.

[0049] In the evaluation of the received light beams 14, at least information 23 of an environment of the front element 11 can in particular be taken into account. This information 23 can in particular for example be environmental light beams such that they can be taken into account in the analysis.

[0050] Further, the cleaning apparatus 9 can comprise a communication device 24, which is formed for bidirectional communication 25, 26 of information with at least one information device 27 disposed externally to the cleaning apparatus 9, wherein information 25 received from the information device 27 can be taken into account in the evaluation by the evaluation device 19.

[0051] The information device 27 in turn can for example be formed as a part of a vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle information device, respectively. Thus, data can for example be exchanged in Cloud-based manner such that the cleaning apparatus 9 can obtain received information 25 from this Cloud. Further, the information device 27 can be formed as a part of a further motor vehicle and the evaluation device 19 can for example send the processed information about the environment, in particular about the degree of contamination, to the information device 27 such that for example further motor vehicles, which in particular do not comprise a cleaning apparatus 9 according to the invention, obtain the information such that a corresponding cleaning can also be performed on the further motor vehicle without corresponding detection.

[0052] The cleaning apparatus 9, in particular the cleaning device 10, is in particular formed for generating ultrasonic waves, wherein the front element 11 is cleanable by means of the ultrasonic waves. Further, the cleaning device 10 can comprise a liquid cleaning medium, which is stored in a cleaning reservoir 28, and the liquid cleaning medium can be sprayed onto the front element 11 via a cleaning nozzle 29 of the cleaning device 10 such that the front element 11 is cleanable. The cleaning reservoir 28 can for example be a cleaning reservoir of the cleaning apparatus 9 or a cleaning reservoir of a wiping system of the motor vehicle 1.

[0053] Further, it can be provided that the cleaning apparatus 9 comprises an air pressure nozzle 30, by means of which an air jet is generable, which can be jetted to the front element 11, whereby the front element 11 is cleanable.

[0054] Further, it can be provided that at least the cleaning device 10, in the present case the cleaning device 10 and the light source 13, is mounted displaceably relative at least with respect to the front element 11 on a telescopic arm 31.

[0055] Further, it can be provided that a plurality of control signals 22, in particular of different control signals 22, is generable for the cleaning device 10 by means of the control device 21 such that the front element 11 is cleanable by means of the different possibilities, for example by means of an air jet and/or by means of the cleaning medium and/or by means of ultrasonic waves. In particular, a cleaning cycle can also be performed such that the cycle can be successively performed for example by means of the different cleaning possibilities such that advantageous cleaning of the front element 11 can be performed.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 9. The cleaning apparatus 9 comprises the telescopic arm 31, which in particular comprises the light source 13 and the cleaning device 10. In the present embodiment, the image sensor of the camera 4 is in particular formed as the detecting device 18. Thereto, the image sensor can in particular be set in a cleaning detection state. The telescopic arm 31 can in particular extend with the light source 13 and illuminate the front element 11 with the light beams 14. The light beams 14 are transmitted through the front element 11 corresponding to the degree of contamination on the front element 11 and received by the image sensor. The image sensor can in particular compare the received light beams by means of reference light beams and thereby perform a contamination analysis of the degree of contamination. In particular, background illumination of the environment 8 can be taken into account in the evaluation. Depending on the evaluation, a corresponding cleaning mode can be determined. For example, an amount of the liquid medium, an air mixture, an activation time or a cycle number can be set or determined depending on the evaluation.

[0057] After cleaning, the front element 11 can again be checked for contamination and if a contamination should for example be again detected, thus, a cleaning cycle can again be performed.

[0058] It is possible that the further motor vehicles get provided the information of the evaluation device 19 such that the further motor vehicles can also use the information for cleaning. It is also possible that the information can be correspondingly stored in a storage medium of the cleaning apparatus 9 and the proper cleaning operation can also be stored depending on the degree of contamination. It is also possible that the stored information can for example be passed to a car wash since it is to be assumed that the motor vehicle 1 has a similar degree of contamination as the front element 11. Thereby, this information can be reliably passed to the car wash and the motor vehicle 1 can be reliably freed from the contamination.

[0059] For example, the cleaning apparatus 9 can also be employed for a windscreen or further optical sensors. It is also possible that a detector device 18 is co-arranged at the cleaning device 10 such that in case of a severe contamination of the front element 11, the contamination can be detected by the further detector device 18.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a cleaning device 10. In the following embodiment, the cleaning device 10 comprises the cleaning nozzle 29 and the air pressure nozzle 30. Further, the cleaning device 10 comprises two light emitting diodes 16, 17, which are formed as a multi-array LED in the present example. In particular, a first light emitting diode 16 emits light beams 14 with a first wavelength and a second light emitting diode 17 emits light beams 14 with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. In particular, it is thereby allowed that the degree of contamination is determined depending on the at least two different wavelengths. Thereby, the degree of contamination can be reliably determinable in particular with respect to the contamination material and/or the contamination intensity. In particular since different contamination materials have different influences with respect to the transmitted light beams in a spectral analysis, thus, the degree of contamination can be reliably determined, whereby a corresponding cleaning signal can be generated in improved manner, whereby the front element 11 can in turn be cleaned in improved manner. Thereby, improved operation of an optical sensor such as for example the camera 4 can in particular be realized.