Method and system for removing dust on surfaces of automobile glass and sensor probe / lens

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of vehicle cleaning, in particular to a surface dust removal method and system for automobile glass and sensor probes / lenses. Aimed at dust accumulated on automobile glass or the surface of a sensing device, a specific detection mode is adopted to position an area where the dust is located, and the detected dust is removed through laser emitted by a group of optical lenses. The dust detection comprises information such as specific position, shape, thickness, quantity (adopting a proper marking mode) and the like. After specific information of dust is determined, the system control unit configures parameters of a specific laser beam, including the emission direction, the emission time and the frequency of a specific pulse laser by means of which the laser can be emitted at the specific pulse frequency in order to prevent the laser from penetrating through the surface of the device to damage internal components of the device. Therefore, dust can be just eliminated, and damage caused by excessive penetration is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle cleaning, and in particular to a method and system for removing dust from the surface of automobile glass and sensor probe / lens. Background Art

[0002] Various dust often accumulates on surfaces such as car windshields and windows, which is difficult to remove through traditional water spray cleaning methods. In addition, with the rise of intelligent and electrified cars, vehicles are equipped with more and more optical, image acquisition sensors for driving assistance or autonomous driving. Dust often accumulates on the lenses or sensor probes of these sensing devices, affecting the quality of signal sensing and data collection, and bringing risks to system decision-making. The current mainstream solution is to equip these sensor lenses with cleaning nozzles, but when to trigger the cleaning function depends on the driver. In addition, for stubborn dust with strong adhesion, simply spraying water to remove dust is ineffective.

[0003] In view of the above problems, the inventors of the present invention finally obtained the present invention after a long period of research and practice. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve at least one aspect of the above technical problems, the present invention provides a method and system for removing surface dust from automobile glass and sensor probe / lens. Based on image processing, capacitance detection and laser dust removal technology, it automatically detects whether there is dust accumulation on the surface of automobile windshield, window or sensor device, and removes stubborn dust on the surface of sensor device by laser irradiation.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] On the one hand, a method for removing dust from the surface of automobile glass is provided, comprising:

[0007] Acquire image data of the automobile glass surface;

[0008] Analyzing and processing the image data to identify dust information on the glass surface;

[0009] Based on the identified dust information, adjusting the parameters of the laser beam;

[0010] The laser beam is emitted according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

[0011] Furthermore, the automobile glass is a front windshield or a side window of the automobile.

[0012] On the other hand, a method for removing dust from the surface of a vehicle sensor probe / lens is provided, comprising:

[0013] Setting a capacitive layer on the sensor probe / lens surface;

[0014] Acquiring capacitance data of the capacitance layer;

[0015] Analyze and process the capacitance data to identify dust information on the surface of the sensor probe / lens;

[0016] Based on the identified dust information, adjusting the parameters of the laser beam;

[0017] The laser beam is emitted according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

[0018] Furthermore, the dust information includes the specific location, size, shape, and thickness of the dust.

[0019] Furthermore, the parameters of the laser beam include emission direction, emission duration, and pulse frequency.

[0020] Furthermore, during the laser beam emission process, dust information is continuously acquired, and the parameters of the laser beam are adjusted in real time according to changes in the dust information.

[0021] Furthermore, it also includes inputting characteristic data of the automobile sensor probe / lens, and adjusting the parameters of the laser beam based on the identified dust information and characteristic data.

[0022] Furthermore, the characteristic data includes the material, shape, and thickness of the sensor probe / lens.

[0023] On the other hand, a surface dust removal system is provided to execute the above-mentioned surface dust removal method. The system includes a laser emitter, an optical component, a control unit and a dust detection unit. The dust detection unit is used to identify dust information, the control unit is used to configure the parameters of the laser beam, and the optical component is used to shape the laser beam and control the emission direction.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] For dust accumulated on the surface of automobile glass or sensor components, a specific detection method is used to locate the area where the dust is located, and a laser emitted by a set of optical lenses is used to remove the detected dust. Dust detection includes information such as specific location, shape, thickness, quantity (using appropriate marking methods), etc. After determining the specific information of the dust, the system control unit will use this to configure the parameters of a specific laser beam, including the emission direction, emission time, and the frequency of a specific pulse laser - considering that in order to avoid the laser penetrating the surface of the device and damaging the internal components of the device, the laser can be emitted at a specific pulse frequency so that it can just eliminate the dust without penetrating too much to cause damage. Of course, the dust is constantly reduced during the elimination process, and the system control unit continuously and dynamically adjusts the relevant parameters of the emitted laser beam based on the data provided by the dust status acquisition component to achieve the best adaptation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing dust removal of a front windshield of a car according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 2 An architectural diagram of a surface dust removal system showing an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 A flow chart showing a method for removing dust from the surface of a sensor probe / lens according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The above and other technical features and advantages of the present invention are described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0031] As used herein, the term "including" and its variations mean open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "based at least in part on". The terms "an example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0032] Embodiment 1:

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of dust removal for a car windshield according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, referring to Figure 1 , a method for removing dust from the surface of automobile glass, comprising the following steps:

[0034] Step 101: Obtain image data of the surface of the automobile glass, which may be the front windshield 100 of the automobile or the side window. A specific detection method for dust may use an optical lens to collect the surface image of the vehicle glass in real time, and the optical lens may be arranged at a specific position inside the vehicle to collect the entire range of the glass.

[0035] Specifically, when the vehicle is driving, the image data of the front windshield 100 can be automatically and periodically collected, and the collection function can also be manually turned on or off by the driver.

[0036] Step 102: Analyze and process the image data to identify dust information on the glass surface.

[0037] After obtaining the image data of the front windshield 100, image processing technology can be used to determine whether there is dust on the front windshield 100 and the dust information based on a pre-trained dust detection model. The dust information includes one or more of the specific location, size, shape, thickness, type, etc. of the dust.

[0038] Step 103: adjusting the parameters of the laser beam based on the identified dust information;

[0039] When the dust information meets certain conditions, such as the dust location, thickness, and size have affected driving safety, or the type of dust is difficult to clean with conventional glass cleaning fluid, the laser beam parameters are configured according to the dust information and the laser cleaning function is started.

[0040] The parameters of the laser beam include emission direction, emission duration, pulse frequency, etc. According to the dust information, lasers with different parameters are configured to clean it, so as to avoid the laser energy being too weak to achieve a satisfactory cleaning effect, and to avoid the laser energy being too strong to affect the people in the car.

[0041] Step 104: emitting a laser beam 300 according to parameter configuration to remove dust 200 in the irradiated area.

[0042] Embodiment 2:

[0043] A method for removing dust from the surface of a vehicle sensor probe / lens is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0044] Step 201: Setting a capacitance layer on the surface of the sensor probe / lens;

[0045] Step 202: Acquire capacitance data of the capacitance layer;

[0046] If it is the surface of the probe / lens of an external sensor device, a specific capacitance layer can be added to the device surface. When there is dust on the device surface, it will cause a change in capacitance, thereby confirming whether there is dust accumulation.

[0047] Step 203: Analyze and process the capacitance data to identify dust information on the sensor probe / lens surface;

[0048] After acquiring the capacitance data, based on the pre-trained dust detection model, the change in capacitance is used to determine whether there is dust on the surface of the probe / lens of the front sensor device, as well as the dust information. The dust information includes one or more of the specific location, size, shape, thickness, type, etc. of the dust.

[0049] Step 204: adjusting the parameters of the laser beam based on the identified dust information;

[0050] When the dust information meets certain conditions, such as the dust position, thickness, and size have affected the quality of signal sensing and data collection, posing risks to system decision-making, the laser beam parameters are configured according to the dust information and the laser cleaning function is started.

[0051] The parameters of the laser beam include emission direction, emission duration, pulse frequency, etc. According to the dust information, lasers with different parameters are configured to clean it, so as to avoid the laser energy being too weak to achieve a satisfactory cleaning effect, and to avoid the laser penetrating the surface of the device and damaging the internal components of the device.

[0052] Step 205: emitting a laser beam according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

[0053] Embodiment 3:

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, a method for removing dust from the surface of a vehicle sensor probe / lens is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0055] Step 301: Setting a capacitance layer on the surface of the sensor probe / lens;

[0056] Step 302: Acquire capacitance data of the capacitance layer;

[0057] If it is the surface of the probe / lens of an external sensor device, a specific capacitance layer can be added to the device surface. When there is dust on the device surface, it will cause a change in capacitance, thereby confirming whether there is dust accumulation.

[0058] Step 303: Analyze and process the capacitance data to identify dust information on the sensor probe / lens surface;

[0059] After acquiring the capacitance data, based on the pre-trained dust detection model, the change in capacitance is used to determine whether there is dust on the surface of the probe / lens of the front sensor device, as well as the dust information. The dust information includes one or more of the specific location, size, shape, thickness, type, etc. of the dust.

[0060] Step 306: Acquire characteristic data of the automobile sensor probe / lens;

[0061] The characteristic data includes one or more of the material, shape, thickness, etc. of the sensor probe / lens.

[0062] In order to avoid the laser penetrating the surface of the device and damaging the internal components of the device, it is necessary to adjust the laser parameters in combination with the characteristic data of the probe / lens, and emit the laser at a specific pulse frequency and duration so that it can just remove dust without penetrating too much to cause damage.

[0063] Step 305: adjusting the parameters of the laser beam based on the identified dust information and characteristic data;

[0064] When the dust information meets certain conditions, such as the dust position, thickness, and size have affected the quality of signal sensing and data collection, posing risks to system decision-making, the laser beam parameters are configured according to the dust information and the laser cleaning function is started.

[0065] The parameters of the laser beam include the emission direction, emission duration, pulse frequency, etc. According to the dust information and the characteristic data of the probe / lens, lasers with different parameters are configured to clean it, so as to avoid the laser energy being too weak to achieve a satisfactory cleaning effect, and to avoid the laser penetrating the surface of the device and damaging the internal components of the device. The dust is continuously reduced during the removal process. During the laser beam emission process, dust information is continuously obtained, and the parameters of the laser beam are adjusted in real time according to the changes in dust information to achieve the best adaptation and avoid laser damage to the internal components of the device.

[0066] Step 306: emitting a laser beam according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

[0067] Embodiment 4:

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown, a surface dust removal system 1 is provided to perform the above-mentioned surface dust removal method. The system includes a laser emitter, an optical component, a control unit and a dust detection unit. The dust detection unit is used to identify dust information, the control unit is used to configure the parameters of the laser beam, and the optical component is used to shape the laser beam and control the emission direction. The dust 200 in the block diagram may be the front windshield of a car, the side window, or the lens of a certain sensor device. The dust detection unit can be based on the above-mentioned graphics processing technology or the principle of capacitive sensing. The control is responsible for configuring the parameters such as the irradiation direction, irradiation time, and pulse frequency of the emitted laser beam, and outputs the results to the laser emitter. The laser emitter generates and emits the laser according to the given parameters. Finally, the optical component completes the focusing of the laser and projects it to a fixed point in a specific direction.

[0069] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are only illustrative and not restrictive. The structures and connection modes of the components in the present invention can be changed, and any equivalent transformations and improvements based on the technical solution of the present invention should not be excluded from the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for removing dust from the surface of automobile glass, characterized in that: include: Acquire image data of the automobile glass surface; Analyzing and processing the image data to identify dust information on the glass surface; Based on the identified dust information, adjusting the parameters of the laser beam; The laser beam is emitted according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

2. A method for removing dust from the surface of automobile glass as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The automobile glass is a front windshield or a side window of the automobile.

3. A method for removing dust from the surface of a car sensor probe / lens, characterized in that: include: Setting a capacitive layer on the sensor probe / lens surface; Acquiring capacitance data of the capacitance layer; Analyze and process the capacitance data to identify dust information on the surface of the sensor probe / lens; Based on the identified dust information, adjusting the parameters of the laser beam; The laser beam is emitted according to the parameters to remove dust in the irradiated area.

4. The surface dust removal method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The dust information includes the specific location, size, shape, and thickness of the dust.

5. The surface dust removal method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The parameters of the laser beam include emission direction, emission duration, and pulse frequency.

6. The surface dust removal method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: During the laser beam emission process, dust information is continuously acquired and the parameters of the laser beam are adjusted in real time according to the changes in the dust information.

7. The surface dust removal method according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes inputting the characteristic data of the vehicle sensor probe / lens and adjusting the parameters of the laser beam based on the identified dust information and characteristic data.

8. The surface dust removal method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The characteristic data includes the material, shape, and thickness of the sensor probe / lens.

9. A surface dust removal system, characterized in that: The surface dust removal method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 is performed, the system comprising a laser emitter, an optical component, a control unit and a dust detection unit, the dust detection unit is used to identify dust information, the control unit is used to configure the parameters of the laser beam, and the optical component is used to shape the laser beam and control the emission direction.

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