SENSOR MAINTENANCE

1 . A sensor maintenance system comprising:

a sensor having an exterior;

a heat exchanger to output exhaust air;

a conduit for directing the exhaust air to regions proximate the exterior of the sensor.

2 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises:

a heat sink; and

a fan to direct air across the heat sink.

3 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 2 further comprising a printed circuit board having processing units adjacent the heat sink.

4 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 3 , wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the sensor and receives signals from the sensor.

5 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 3 further comprising a vehicle having a roof, wherein the sensor, the heat exchanger, the conduit, and the printed circuit board are supported by the roof.

6 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 5 , the sensor faces in a forward direction and wherein the conduit directs exhaust air across a face of the sensor.

7 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 5 further comprising:

a second sensor supported by the roof and facing a rearward direction;

a second heat exchanger comprising a second heat sink and a second fan to direct air across the second heat sink;

a second printed circuit board adjacent the second heat sink; and

a second conduit to direct exhaust air from the second heat exchanger across a face of the second sensor.

8 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 2 further comprising a filter, wherein the fan is configured to draw air through the filter prior to directing the air across the heat sink.

9 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 2 , wherein the heat sink overlies the sensor.

10 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera.

11 . The sensor maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is configured to form an air curtain across a face of the sensor.

12 . A sensor maintenance method comprising:

directing cooling air across a heat exchanger that has absorbed heat from a heat emitting component; and

directing exhaust air from the heat exchanger to regions proximate an exterior of a sensor.

13 . The sensor maintenance method of claim 12 , wherein a fan directs the cooling air across a heat sink that has absorbed heat from the heat emitting component.

14 . The sensor maintenance method of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is supported by a roof of a vehicle.

15 . The sensor maintenance method of claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera and wherein the exhaust air is directed so as to form an air curtain across a face of the camera.