IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,035,498
Granted Patent B2
US 10,035,498 · App. 14/692,796 · Granted Jul 31, 2018

Vehicle camera cleaning system

Inventors: Andrew Richardson (Ann Arbor, MI); James Robert McBride (Saline, MI); Gaurav Pandey (Ann Arbor, MI); Shane Elwart (Ypsilanti, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60S1/56B05B7/0815B08B3/02B60R1/00B60S1/46B60S1/48B60S1/54B60S1/60B60S1/66G02B27/0006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,035,498
App. No.
14/692,796
Granted
Jul 31, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle camera cleaning system includes an air source and a computer processing unit configured to communicate with the air source. The air source is configured to apply an air flow to a lens of a camera. The camera includes a successive and repeated operational mode and non-operational mode. The computer processing unit includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions to cause the computer processing unit to transmit a signal to the air source to actuate the air flow based on the camera being in the non-operational mode.

Claims (6)

1. A vehicle camera cleaning system comprising:

an air source for flowing air to a lens of a camera, the camera actuated according to periodic cycles, each defined by an operational mode followed by a non-operational mode, having a predefined duration defining a blink rate; and

a controller programmed to transmit a signal to the air source to actuate the air source in response to the camera being in the non-operational mode and the blink rate.

2. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the air source is configured with an air compressor coupled to a valve so that the signal controls the valve to actuate the air source.

3. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 2 , wherein the air compressor provides heated air based on a temperature sensor value falling below a predefined threshold.

4. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to detect if debris is identified at the lens; and transmit the signal to the air source to actuate the air source for a predefined amount of time exceeding the non-operational mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2015
From: RICHARDSON, ANDREW; MCBRIDE, JAMES ROBERT; PANDEY, GAURAV; ELWART, SHANE
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 035465/0758 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160311405A1 · Oct 27, 2016
Cited By (6)
US 12,202,447 US 12,422,523 US 12,571,687 US 12,673,350 US 12,704,711 US 12,746,794