Automatic camera cleaner disabled

Abstract

A vehicle camera washer system includes a controller configured to control a pump and a valve based on a selected operating mode and a detected blockage of a lens. The selected operating mode customizes the operation of the camera washer system to current vehicle operating conditions to conserve washer fluid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle camera wash system, and more particularly to a vehicle operating mode based on camera wash system control. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles increasingly include cameras to provide information about their surroundings. This constant, unimpeded operation of the cameras is required to maintain operation, as well as the operation of some vehicle systems. Consequently, washer systems are often provided to continuously clean vehicle cameras to maintain operability. However, the amount of washer fluid carried in vehicles is limited, and once depleted, the cameras become obscured and ineffective.

[0003] The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, and insofar as aspects of that description may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, is not admitted, either explicitly or implicitly, to be prior art against the present disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A vehicle camera washer system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes, among other possible items, a nozzle for directing washer fluid to clean blockages on a lens of a camera; a washer fluid storage container; a pump for propelling the washer fluid through the nozzle; a control valve for controlling the delivery of the washer fluid to the nozzle; and a controller configured to control the pump and the valve based on a selected operating mode and a detected blockage of the lens.

[0005] In a further embodiment of the foregoing vehicle camera washer system, the selected operating modes include an off-road mode, an automatic mode, a time limit mode, and a speed limit mode.

[0006] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera wash systems, a selector is included, actuatable by a vehicle operator to select one of the selected operating modes.

[0007] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera washer systems, in the off-road mode, the controller does not actuate the valve to clean the lens in response to a detected blockage of the lens.

[0008] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera wash systems, the controller operates according to the off-road mode in response to detecting a vehicle operating condition indicative of operation of the vehicle in an off-road environment.

[0009] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera wash systems, the vehicle operating conditions indicative of vehicle operation in an off-road environment include a suspension system set to an off-road ride height, a four-wheel drive powertrain setting, or detected suspension operation indicative of operation in an off-road environment.

[0010] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera washer systems, the speed limiting mode includes the controller discontinuing actuation of the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over the lens of the camera in response to the vehicle speed being below a threshold.

[0011] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera wash systems, the controller switches to the speed limit mode in response to vehicle operating conditions indicative of off-road operation plus a vehicle speed below a threshold.

[0012] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera washer systems, the time limited mode includes the controller actuating a valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over a lens of the camera after expiration of a predefined time interval.

[0013] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera washing systems, the camera includes a plurality of cameras and a corresponding plurality of nozzles, valves, and pumps, and wherein the selected operating mode further includes selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras for cleaning and a subset of the plurality of cameras for not cleaning.

[0014] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera washing systems, the plurality of cameras includes a front camera, side cameras, and a rear camera, and the selected subset of the plurality of cameras includes only the front camera, and the subset of the plurality of cameras not to be cleaned includes the side cameras and the rear camera.

[0015] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle camera wash systems, the plurality of cameras includes front cameras, side cameras, and rear cameras, and the selected subset of the plurality of cameras includes less than all of the front cameras, side cameras, and rear cameras.

[0016] A method of operating a vehicle camera washer system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes, among other possible matters, selecting an operating mode of the camera washer system by actuating a selector, wherein the operating mode includes one of an off-road mode, an automatic mode, a time limit mode, and a speed limit mode; and actuating a pump and a valve using a controller to discharge washer fluid from a fluid storage container through a nozzle according to the selected operating mode, thereby directing the washer fluid to clean a blockage on a lens of a camera.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the foregoing method of operating a vehicle camera washer system, in the off-road mode, the controller does not actuate the valve to clean the lens in response to a detected blockage of the lens.

[0018] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods of operating a vehicle camera washer system, a vehicle operating condition is detected indicative of vehicle operation in an off-road environment, and the controller operates to actuate the valve according to an off-road mode in response to detecting vehicle operation in the off-road environment.

[0019] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods of operating a vehicle camera washer system, detecting that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment is indicated in response to: a suspension system being set to an off-road ride height, a vehicle powertrain being set to a four-wheel drive setting, or detecting operation of the suspension system in a manner indicative of operation in an off-road environment.

[0020] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods of operating a vehicle camera washer system, when in the time limited mode, the controller actuates the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over the lens of the camera after expiration of a predefined time interval.

[0021] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, in the speed limit mode, the controller ceases actuating the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over a lens of the camera in response to the vehicle speed being below a threshold.

[0022] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods of operating a vehicle camera washer system, the camera includes a plurality of cameras and a corresponding plurality of nozzles and valves, and selecting an operating mode further includes selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras to be cleaned and a subset of the plurality of cameras not to be cleaned.

[0023] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing methods of operating a vehicle camera washer system, the plurality of cameras includes front cameras, side cameras, and rear cameras, and selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras to not clean includes selecting less than all of the front cameras, side cameras, and rear cameras.

[0024] Although the different examples have specific components shown in the figures, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to those specific combinations. It is possible to use some components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another example.

[0025] These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle including an example camera washing system.

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example camera cleaning system embodiment.

[0028] Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating an example mode of operation of an example camera washing system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 Vehicle 10 includes cameras 14, 16, and 18, and a camera washer system 12. Camera washer system 12 is controllable to adapt operation to current vehicle operating conditions, thereby conserving washer fluid. System 12 includes valves 22A-C operable to control the flow of washer fluid to a corresponding one of cameras 14, 16, and 18. At least one pump 24 is provided to generate a flow of washer fluid from a reservoir 26 to each of a plurality of nozzles 20A-C. Nozzles 20A-C are oriented proximate to a corresponding one of cameras 14, 16, and 18. Controller 28 manages the operation of pump 24 and valves 22A-C to control when and which cameras 14, 16, and 18 are cleaned.

[0030] The system 12 is operable in several different modes, which can be identified by operator selection or automatically based on predefined vehicle operation. In one disclosed example, the operating mode of the system 12 is determined by operator input via a selector switch 30. The selector switch 30 can be a knob accessible within the vehicle or a selection made via an operator control panel, such as a touch screen display.

[0031] The example controller 28 refers to a device and system for performing the necessary calculations, operations, and controls for the system devices. The example controller 28 may be purpose-built for the system 12, or it may comprise at least a general vehicle controller selectively activated and configured by a stored program.

[0032] The pump 24 can be one pump as shown or a series of pumps distributed at different locations to pressurize the washer fluid and drive it to the corresponding nozzles 20A-C. The valves 22A-C can have any controllable valve configuration that provides selective delivery of the washer fluid to the corresponding nozzles 20A-C.

[0033] In one disclosed example, the vehicle 10 includes a front camera 14, a side camera 16, and a rear camera 18. Each of the cameras 14, 16, and 18 includes a lens 36 ( Figure 2). Although only one camera is illustrated for each of the front camera 14, the side cameras 16, and the rear camera 18, it is within the contemplation of the present disclosure that more than one camera is provided at each of the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, it is also within the scope and contemplation of the present disclosure that the cameras may be located at other locations on the vehicle along with corresponding nozzles for cleaning.

[0034] Controller 28 receives information from each camera 14, 16, and 18, which is used to determine whether a blockage is present on lens 36. If a blockage is detected on lens 36, controller 28 will command system 12 to operate to spray washer fluid to clean lens 36. In a default mode, upon detecting a blockage, system 12 automatically initiates operation to spray washer fluid and clean lens 36. However, in some vehicle operating modes, automatic operation is undesirable because it provides little benefit and / or may result in depletion of washer fluid. For example, off-road operation of vehicle 10 may result in continuous exposure of all cameras to dust and dirt, such that automatic operation of system 12 will quickly deplete all washer fluid.

[0035] The example system 12 can operate according to a variety of selectable operating modes tailored to the vehicle's operating conditions. In one disclosed example, the system 12 can operate according to an automatic mode, a time-limited mode, and an off-road mode. In each of these modes, the system 12 will operate to clean cameras 14, 16, and 18 according to predefined and selected criteria. In the disclosed example, the system 12 can operate to clean the rear-facing camera 18 regardless of which operating mode is selected in response to the vehicle being placed in reverse gear. Cleaning the rear-facing camera 18 while the vehicle is operating in reverse gear provides the vehicle operator with a clear view of the rear of the vehicle for safe operation.

[0036] refer to Figure 3 , and continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a set of example operating modes and settings for the system 12 are schematically shown and indicated at 40. Example settings include a sport setting 42, a normal setting 44, a comfort setting 46, and an off-road mode 48. The system 12 may also be shut down, as indicated at 50.

[0037] Each of the settings 42, 44, 46 can be selected to an automatic mode, as indicated at 52. In the automatic mode 52, the controller 28 actuates one of the valves 22A-C (corresponding to one of the cameras 14, 16, and 18) in response to detecting a blockage above the corresponding lens 36. In this example, each of the settings 42, 44, and 46 is shown operating in the automatic mode 52.

[0038] Selection of off-road mode 48 enables further options for tailoring the operation of system 12 to vehicle operation. In this example, off-road mode 48 can be operated according to a modified automatic mode 55. Modified automatic mode 55 provides for selection of a specific one and / or group of cameras 14, 16, and 18 to automatically clean in response to detecting a blockage. In some situations, the operation of the front camera 14 may be important, while the side cameras 16 and rear cameras 18 may be less critical. Therefore, the example system 12 enables selection of which cameras 14, 16, and 18 to clean. In this example, only the front camera 14 is automatically cleaned, as indicated at 56. The side cameras 16 and rear cameras 18 are turned off, as indicated at 58.

[0039] The example off-road mode 48 can also be operated according to a time-limited mode 54. In time-limited mode 54, the system 12 operates intermittently to clean selected cameras once within a predefined time. For example, the system 12 can be set to clean the front-facing camera 14 every few minutes if a blockage is detected. Thus, the system 12 will detect whether there is a blockage and prompt to clean the lens 36. The system 12 will then wait for a predefined time and check again for a blockage. If there is a blockage, the lens 36 is cleaned; if not, the system remains active and waits for another predefined period of time. The time-limited cleaning can be applied to all cameras 14, 16, and 18, or to a limited group of cameras (such as the front-facing camera 14 as indicated). In one disclosed example, the predefined time is 2 minutes. In another disclosed example, the predefined time is 5 minutes.

[0040] It should be understood that while only the off-road mode 48 is shown as including selectable operating modes, it is within the scope and contemplation of the present disclosure that the sport setting 42 , normal setting 44 , and comfort setting 46 may be operated according to the modified automatic mode 55 and the time limited mode 54 .

[0041] Additionally, a particular operating mode may be automatically selected based on vehicle operation. In one disclosed example, the system 12 may automatically operate in an off-road mode 48 in response to detecting vehicle operating conditions indicative of vehicle operation in an off-road environment. This operation is schematically illustrated as a speed limit mode 60. In the speed limit mode 60, the system 12 will automatically shut off all valves 22A-C to prevent cleaning of all cameras 14, 16, and 18 in response to an indication that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment.

[0042] The vehicle 10 includes a suspension system 34 and a powertrain 32, both of which are Figure 1, schematically shown in FIG. Off-road operation can be indicated based on the operator setting the powertrain 32 to four-wheel or all-wheel operation in conjunction with a vehicle speed below a threshold. In one disclosed example embodiment, the vehicle speed threshold is less than approximately 20 km / h (12 mph). Furthermore, off-road operation can be indicated based on setting the suspension system 34 to an off-road ride height. The controller 28 identifies the settings of the powertrain 32 and / or suspension system 34 and automatically adjusts operation according to a predefined off-road operating mode 48. In this disclosed example, a speed limit mode 60 is selected.

[0043] It should be understood that other vehicle operating settings may also be used as indicators to prompt operation of the system 12 according to a predefined mode. In this example, the predefined mode is related to off-road operation, however, other vehicle operating conditions may be utilized to prompt specifically customized operation of the camera washer system 12.

[0044] Additionally, the controller 28 may automatically initiate operation of the system 12 based solely on sensed vehicle operation. For example, high wheel acceleration (greater than normal vertical wheel movement), vehicle speed, and / or sensed vehicle angular orientation indicative of on-road operation may be predefined to prompt the camera wash system 12 to automatically switch to the off-road mode 48. Furthermore, other sensed vehicle operating conditions may be utilized to prompt other operating modes of the system 12 and are within the scope and contemplation of the present disclosure.

[0045] Thus, the disclosed example vehicle camera washing system 12 may operate according to a variety of operating modes to specifically tailor the washing of each of the cameras to vehicle operating conditions.

[0046] It should be understood that throughout the several drawings, like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements.It should be understood that although specific component arrangements are disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements can also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure.

[0047] Although different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to those specific combinations. It is possible to use some components or features from any non-limiting embodiment in combination with features or components from any other non-limiting embodiment.

[0048] The foregoing description should be interpreted as illustrative and not in any restrictive sense. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications may be within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle camera cleaning system, comprising: a nozzle that directs a washer fluid to clear blockages from a lens of the camera; a washer fluid storage container; a pump that propels washer fluid from the washer fluid storage container through the nozzle; a control valve that controls delivery of washer fluid to the nozzle; as well as a controller that controls the operation of the pump and valve according to the selected operating mode and the detected blockage of the lens, wherein the selected operating modes include off-road mode, automatic mode, time limit mode and speed limit mode, and Wherein, in the off-road mode, the controller does not actuate the valve to clean the lens in response to a detected blockage of the lens.

2. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It comprises a selector actuatable by a vehicle operator in order to select one of the selected operating modes.

3. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller operates according to the off-road mode in response to detecting vehicle operating conditions indicative of operation of the vehicle in an off-road environment.

4. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The vehicle operating conditions indicative of operation of the vehicle in an off-road environment include a suspension system set to an off-road ride height, a four-wheel drive powertrain setting, or detected suspension operation indicative of operation in an off-road environment.

5. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The speed limit mode includes the controller ceasing actuation of the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over the lens of the camera in response to a vehicle speed being below a threshold.

6. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The controller switches to the speed limited mode in response to vehicle operating conditions indicative of off-road operation plus the vehicle speed being below the threshold.

7. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The time-limited mode includes the controller actuating the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage from the lens of the camera after expiration of a predefined time interval.

8. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera includes a plurality of cameras and a corresponding plurality of nozzles, valves, and pumps, and wherein the selected operating mode further includes selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras for cleaning and a subset of the plurality of cameras for non-cleaning.

9. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The plurality of cameras includes a front camera, a side camera, and a rear camera, and the selected subset of the plurality of cameras includes only the front camera, and the subset of the plurality of cameras not to be cleaned includes the side cameras and the rear camera.

10. The vehicle camera cleaning system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The plurality of cameras includes a front-facing camera, a side-facing camera, and a rear-facing camera, and the selected subset of the plurality of cameras includes less than all of the front-facing camera, the side-facing cameras, and the rear-facing camera.

11. A method of operating a vehicle camera cleaning system, the method comprising: selecting an operating mode of the camera washing system by actuating a selector, wherein the operating mode comprises one of an off-road mode, an automatic mode, a time limit mode, and a speed limit mode; and actuating a pump and a valve using a controller according to a selected operating mode to discharge washer fluid from a fluid storage container through a nozzle, thereby directing the washer fluid to clean a blockage on a lens of a camera, Wherein, in the off-road mode, the controller does not actuate the valve to clean the lens in response to a detected blockage of the lens.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising: A vehicle operating condition is detected that is indicative of operation of the vehicle in an off-road environment, and the controller is operated to actuate the valve according to the off-road mode in response to detecting operation of the vehicle in the off-road environment.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising detecting that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment in response to: a suspension system being set to an off-road ride height, a vehicle powertrain being set to a four-wheel drive setting, or detecting operation of a suspension system in a manner indicative of operation in an off-road environment.

14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that In the time-limited mode, the controller actuates the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage from the lens of the camera after a predefined time interval has expired.

15. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that In the speed limit mode, the controller ceases actuating the valve to direct washer fluid to clear a blockage over the lens of the camera in response to a vehicle speed being below a threshold.

16. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The camera includes a plurality of cameras and a corresponding plurality of nozzles and valves, and selecting the operating mode further includes selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras to be cleaned and a subset of the plurality of cameras not to be cleaned.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that The plurality of cameras includes a front camera, a side camera, and a rear camera, and selecting a subset of the plurality of cameras to not clean includes selecting less than all of the front camera, the side camera, and the rear camera.

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