Sensor cover

Abstract

A front surface structure of an electric vehicle includes a sensor cover configured to transmit detection signals of different environmental sensors and including a plurality of sensing areas provided for each of the different environmental sensors. The sensor cover may protect the environmental sensor of the vehicle without affecting the transmission performance of the environmental sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the structure of electric vehicles. More specifically, this disclosure relates to the front surface structure of electric vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Electric vehicles are powered by electric motors driven by rechargeable batteries. Specifically, due to their environmentally friendly characteristics, electric vehicles have been the subject of active research and development recently.

[0003] Internal combustion engine vehicles are equipped with a radiator grille at the front. The radiator grille allows air to flow into the engine compartment to cool the engine and also protects the radiator.

[0004] Recently, with the shift from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles, the traditional role of radiator grilles is diminishing, and people expect changes in the function and design of the front of vehicles equipped with radiator grilles.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is intended to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure and may therefore contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure aims to solve the aforementioned problems related to the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a sensor cover that can protect the environmental sensors of a vehicle.

[0007] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a sensor cover that does not impede the transmission performance of an environmental sensor.

[0008] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a sensor cover that can improve aesthetics.

[0009] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a sensor cover that can prevent the function of environmental sensors from deteriorating even when the external environment deteriorates.

[0010] The purpose of this disclosure is not limited to the above-described purposes, and other purposes not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains through the following description.

[0011] In order to achieve the objectives of this disclosure as described above and to perform the features described later in this disclosure, the features of this disclosure are as follows.

[0012] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a sensor housing configured to transmit detection signals from different environmental sensors and including a plurality of sensing areas for each of the different environmental sensors.

[0013] Other aspects and preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be discussed below. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above-mentioned and other features of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and therefore do not limit this disclosure, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 This is a view showing an exemplary arrangement of environmental sensors provided on the front of a vehicle;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic configuration diagram of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic view of a sensor housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 5 It is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken from line AA;

[0020] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An enlarged view of the circular portion indicated by the dashed line;

[0021] Figure 7 It is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of line BB;

[0022] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of the R1 region;

[0023] Figure 9 and Figure 10 This is a view showing the heating filament of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 11 This is a view illustrating the process of mounting a heating diaphragm in a sensor housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the illumination film of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 13A and 13B This is a view illustrating a method for forming a patterned structure of an illumination film according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 14A and 14BThis is a view illustrating a method for forming a patterned structure of an illumination film according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 15 This is a view illustrating a process of forming indirect illumination for an illumination film using light provided by a light-emitting diode (LED) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 16 This is a view illustrating an exemplary operating scenario of an illumination film according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 17 This is a view illustrating an exemplary operating scenario of an LED module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 18 It is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken from line CC;

[0032] Figure 19 This is a control flowchart of the heating filament of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 20 This is a control flowchart of the heating filament of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0034] Figure 21 This is a control flow diagram of the heating filament of a sensor cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather present various preferred features illustrating the basic principles of this disclosure in a simplified manner. Specific design features of this disclosure (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes) will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use.

[0036] In the figures, throughout the multiple figures, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To describe embodiments of this disclosure, specific structural or functional descriptions of these embodiments will be provided below by way of example. This disclosure may be embodied in different forms. Furthermore, it should be understood that this disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The embodiments of this disclosure are only intended to fully disclose this disclosure and cover modifications, equivalents, or alternatives that fall within the scope and technical range of this disclosure.

[0038] In the following description of the embodiments, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to describe various elements, but should not be construed as limiting these elements. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from others. For example, a first element described below may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element described below may be referred to as a first element, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] When a component or layer is described as "connected to" or "coupled to" another component or layer, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other component or layer, or there may be intermediate components or layers. In contrast, when a component or layer is described as "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another component or layer, there may be no intermediate components or layers. Other terms used to describe relationships between components should be interpreted similarly, such as "between" and "directly between," "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," etc.

[0040] Where possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the accompanying drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular form may be intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and thus indicate the presence of the stated features, integers, operations, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0041] This disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Recently, vehicles have been equipped with driver assistance systems to help drivers ensure safe driving. In addition to driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles that can drive themselves without driver intervention have also emerged.

[0043] In vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems or autonomous vehicles, environmental sensors, such as radar, lidar, and cameras, are installed to perceive the surrounding environment in various ways. These environmental sensors are installed throughout the vehicle, including the front and rear, roof, and sides.

[0044] In internal combustion engine vehicles, multiple environmental sensors can be installed on the front fascia where the radiator grille is located. Furthermore, as mentioned above, in electric vehicles, the function of the radiator grille needs to be changed.

[0045] Therefore, this disclosure aims to provide a sensor cover that can replace a radiator grille, enabling functional and design changes to the front surface of a vehicle.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, one or more environmental sensors 2 can be mounted on the radiator grille area G in an electric vehicle, where the radiator grille is located in a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. The environmental sensors 2 can sense the surrounding environment in different ways and enable autonomous driving of the vehicle based on the sensing results. As a non-limiting example, the environmental sensors 2 may include a lidar 4, a radar 6, and a camera 8. Furthermore, the environmental sensors 2 may also include ultrasonic sensors, radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors, etc. The illustrated implementation is merely an example, and the number of environmental sensors 2 can be varied.

[0047] The front of a vehicle is crucial in vehicle design, playing a major role in its aesthetics. Furthermore, since forward driving constitutes a significant portion of driving, the front of the vehicle is inevitably subject to frequent damage from flying debris during driving. Therefore, protection for the environmental sensors on the front of the vehicle is essential to prevent such damage or adverse weather conditions. As will be described in detail later, the sensor cover 10 according to this disclosure satisfies both aesthetic and functional requirements.

[0048] refer to Figure 2 The sensor cover 10 according to this disclosure can be mounted on the front of a vehicle or on the conventional radiator grille area G of the vehicle. In this way, the sensor cover 10 can be mounted on the vehicle to protect the environmental sensor 2 located inside the sensor cover 10.

[0049] The sensor housing 10 may be provided with sensor regions for each of the environmental sensors 2. The sensor regions may include at least one of one or more lidar regions 14, one or more camera regions 16, or one or more radar regions 18, or some or all of these regions 14, 16, and 18. In one embodiment, the lidar region 14 may overlap with lidar 4 to cover lidar 4. In one embodiment, the camera region 16 may overlap with camera 8 to cover camera 8. In one embodiment, the radar region 18 may overlap with radar 6 to cover radar 6. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, as will be described in detail later, the sensor housing 10 includes a structure for each sensor region.

[0050] The sensor cover 10 may also include an illumination area 20. The illumination area 20 may be positioned on the sensor cover 10 within a range that does not affect or interfere with the environmental sensor 2. In one embodiment, the illumination area 20 may be illuminated using a concealed illumination method or an indirect illumination method.

[0051] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of a sensor cover 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] The sensor cover 10 may include a base 100. The base 100 can be directly connected to a vehicle. In one example, one or more connecting parts 110 may be provided on the periphery of the base 100, and the base 100 can be mounted on the vehicle through the connecting parts 110.

[0053] A window 120 is formed in the base 100. The window 120 is an opening in the base 100. Other components of the sensor cover 10 can be inserted into the window 120 of the base 100 or can be supported by the base 100.

[0054] The sensor cover 10 includes a first layer 200 and a second layer 300. The first layer 200 and the second layer 300 are layers that are in contact with or adjacent to the exterior of the vehicle and can be arranged on the outermost side of the sensor cover 10. In one example, the first layer 200 and the second layer 300 can be inserted into a window 120 of the base 100 and supported by the base 100.

[0055] The first layer 200 and the second layer 300 can be formed of materials that do not impede the radio wave transmission performance of the environmental sensor 2. In one example, the first layer 200 and the second layer 300 can be formed of a transparent material. In some embodiments, the second layer 300 can be formed of polycarbonate (PC), while the first layer 200 can be formed of polyurethane (PU).

[0056] In one example, the first layer 200 and the second layer 300 can be integrally formed. In one embodiment, the first layer 200 can be formed on the surface of the second layer 300. For example, the second layer 300 formed of PC can be surface-treated with the first layer 200 formed of PU. The PU-formed first layer 200 is self-healing. Specifically, if damage (such as scratches) occurs on the PU-formed first layer 200, the first layer 200 can self-heal after being exposed to a temperature of about 70°C for 3 minutes. Therefore, the sensor cover 10 according to this disclosure can have a self-healing function through the first layer 200.

[0057] The first layer 200 and the second layer 300 can be formed by injection molding. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the area indicated by the dashed line represents the PU injection molding surface treatment area. (As shown...) Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, a first layer 200 can be formed on the surface of the second layer 300. The thickness of the first layer 200 can be less than the thickness of the second layer 300.

[0058] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the thickness of the first layer 200 can be from 0.5 to 1.0 millimeters (mm). If the thickness of the first layer 200 is less than 0.5 mm, the second layer 300 may fail in the event of concentrated fracture damage. If the thickness of the first layer 200 exceeds 1.0 mm, the first layer 200 formed of PU becomes too thick, resulting in increased material costs. In the event of fracture where the first layer 200 is torn off, despite its large thickness, it cannot self-repair.

[0059] According to this disclosure, the second layer 300, including the first layer 200, can provide various advantages. Specifically, the first layer 200, with a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 1.0 mm, can solve problems of external chipping or deep damage. Furthermore, the first layer 200, formed of PU, can self-heal damage such as scratches. Moreover, since the first layer 200 can achieve a uniform thickness and surface finish through injection molding, it has the advantage of reducing the defect rate. Traditionally, the surface of a protective coating is protected by a hard coating. However, the resulting coating thickness is relatively small, leading to a relatively high defect rate. However, according to this disclosure, these problems that can occur in such conventional hard coatings can be solved.

[0060] An opening 310 is formed in the second layer 300. The lidar region 14 can be formed in the opening 310. In addition, a first layer 200 is formed on the surface of the second layer 300, such that an opening 210 is formed in the first layer 200.

[0061] The second layer 300 may include a heating film 320. (See reference) Figure 7 A heated filament 320 can be provided in radar region 18 to overlap with radar 6. Figure 7 The radar 6 can be fixed to the front and rear beams 30 via mounting brackets 40. Furthermore, the energy-absorbing device 50 is an impact mitigation component that fills the space between the bumper cover 60 and the front and rear beams 30 when the bumper is impacted; it can be made of polystyrene foam. Reference numeral 70 represents a rigid reinforcing bracket. See also... Figure 8 (that is) Figure 7 (Enlarged view of region R1), a heating filament film 320 can be formed between the first layer 200 and the second layer 300.

[0062] Even in low-temperature or frigid environments, the heating filament 320 can maintain the transmission performance of the radar 6. In other words, the heating filament 320 can improve the performance of the environmental sensor 2 by achieving defogging and de-icing capabilities. Furthermore, the heating filament 320 can also meet the radio wave transmission performance requirements of the radar 6. According to this disclosure, by arranging heating filaments at predetermined intervals within the heating filament 320, the impact on radio wave transmission can be minimized. According to this disclosure, in terms of design, the heating filament 320 can be minimized from external exposure, thereby providing improved aesthetics.

[0063] The heating diaphragm 320 is provided with one or more connectors 330. The connectors 330 can be connected to a controller 800 to control and supply power to the heating diaphragm 320. Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, a connector 330 is formed in a recess 340 of the second layer 300. The recess 340 can be formed by pressing down a side surface of the second layer 300. Figure 10 As shown, this arrangement of the connector 330 prevents the connector 330 of the heating wire film 320 and the wiring connecting the connector 330 to the controller 800 from being seen from the outside relative to the panel 430 located in the center of the lighting film 400, thereby providing a neat appearance.

[0064] In some implementations, it can be done by Figure 11 The process involves manufacturing a first layer 200, a second layer 300, and a heating wire film 320. A second layer 300 with an opening 310 is arranged. For example, the second layer 300 can be made of transparent PC and can be manufactured by injection molding. The heating wire film 320 can be adhered to the upper surface of the second layer 300. An illumination film 400 can be disposed on the rear side of the second layer 300 and can be observed through the transparent second layer 300 from its upper surface. The first layer 200 can be formed on the second layer 300 on which the heating wire film 320 is adhered. For example, the first layer 200 can be formed on the surface of the second layer 300 by double injection molding using PU.

[0065] See again Figure 6 The second layer 300 may include fasteners 350. In one example, the second layer 300 may be mounted on the base 100 by fasteners 350.

[0066] like Figure 12 As shown, the sensor cover 10 may also include an illumination film 400. The illumination film 400 is not configured to emit its own light and can perform indirect illumination or concealed illumination functions.

[0067] During the day or in well-lit areas, new images can be created using the indirect lighting type illumination film 400. Furthermore, the illumination film 400 can also transmit vehicle status information (such as turn signal function) and information for communication with the outside world.

[0068] An opening 410 can be formed in the illumination film 400. The opening 410 can be aligned with openings 210 and 310.

[0069] The illumination film 400 may include a pattern structure 420. The pattern structure 420 can achieve indirect illumination in various forms. The pattern structure 420 can be disposed in the illumination film 400, particularly in the area of ​​the illumination film 400 that does not interfere with the environmental sensor 2.

[0070] Patterned structures 420 can be formed using laser perforation or film deposition methods. For example... Figure 13A and 13B As shown, in the laser perforation method, a coated surface 424 is formed on the lens 422. A groove 426 is formed by perforating the coated surface 44 using a laser beam, thereby obtaining a patterned structure 420 for concealed illumination. Figure 14A and 14B As shown, in the film attachment method, a pre-printed film 428 is attached to the lens 422. A patterned structure 420 for concealing illumination can be formed by allowing light to pass through the spaces between the patterns of the film 428. In some embodiments, the patterned structure 420 can be formed on one side (e.g., the left side) of the sensor cover 10 by laser perforation, and another patterned structure 420 can be formed on the other side (e.g., the right side) of the sensor cover 10 by film attachment. Laser perforation can exhibit better quality, while film attachment simplifies the manufacturing process of the sensor cover. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, laser perforation, film attachment, or a combination thereof can be suitably used.

[0071] A diffuser layer 500 and a fixing plate 600 can be disposed on the rear or lower surface of the illumination film 400. The diffuser layer 500 can diffuse light from the LEDs 610 disposed on the fixing plate 600. A printed circuit board 620 having multiple LEDs 610 disposed thereon can be mounted on the fixing plate 600. Multiple LEDs 610 can be arranged at predetermined intervals on the printed circuit board 620. Multiple LEDs 610 can be individually turned on and can be configured to correspond to corresponding patterns in the pattern structure 420. This makes the illumination film 400, including the pattern structure 420, usable as a unit for information transmission.

[0072] like Figure 15As shown, the illumination film 400 includes an unshielded or hidden illumination area A1 and a shielded black area A2. Depending on the control of the LEDs 610 disposed on the lower surface or rear of the illumination film 400, the pattern structure 420 at the desired location can emit indirect illumination. In the illustrated embodiment, by sequentially illuminating the LEDs 610 from left to right, the illumination film 400 can be used as a means of image expression or communication.

[0073] Figure 16 An example of using the illumination film 400 as a means of information transmission is shown. For example, as welcome lighting when the vehicle owner approaches the vehicle, control can be performed such that LEDs 610 are turned on sequentially from the center of the illumination film 400 to the left side of the illumination film 400. Furthermore, various controls on the activation of LEDs 610 can also be used to indicate farewell lighting when the vehicle is turned off, turn signals related to vehicle movement, and hazard lights. Furthermore, the activation of LEDs 610 can be achieved through the combined temperature of the illumination film 400 and the heating film 320, and various LED colors can be used. Additionally, illumination can be combined with in-vehicle music to indicate sound tone. In one example, control can be performed such that a notification function is executed by flashing LEDs 610 when an obstacle is detected.

[0074] The lighting film 400 may include a panel 430. The panel 430 may be disposed at the center of the lighting film 400 and may be formed to protrude from other parts of the lighting film 400. As described above, the connector 330 disposed in the recess 340 of the heating wire film 320 is covered by the panel 430, thereby providing a neat appearance.

[0075] An aperture 440 for the camera area 16 can be provided in the panel 430. The camera 8 can detect and image the environment around the vehicle through the aperture 440.

[0076] Panel 430 may also include display screen 450. An LED module 630 that can be turned on can be inserted into display screen 450. For example... Figure 17 In the example shown, the charging status of the electric vehicle can be displayed on the display screen 450 by driving the LED module 630.

[0077] See Figure 18As described below, the sensor cover 10 in the lidar region 14 can be formed by the protective layer 700. To achieve autonomous driving in vehicles, the application of lidar (which can identify objects at greater distances than cameras) is becoming increasingly common. Due to the nature of lidar, its transmission performance is limited when it is blocked by obstacles. Therefore, lidar is generally mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. This disclosure provides a protective structure that does not cause external protrusion of the lidar 4 through surface treatment that does not impair its infrared transmittance.

[0078] The protective layer 700 may include a first protective layer 710, a coating 720, and a second protective layer 730. The first protective layer 710 and the second protective layer 730 may be manufactured in the same manner as the first layer 200 and the second layer 300. That is, the second protective layer 730 may be a transparent PC layer, while the first protective layer 710 may be a transparent PU layer integrally formed with the second protective layer 730 or formed on the second protective layer 730 through surface treatment. A coating 720 may be disposed between the first protective layer 710 and the second protective layer 730. The coating 720 may be a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film that transmits infrared light. For example, the coating 720 may be... membrane.

[0079] According to this disclosure, the operation of the sensor cover 10 can be controlled by one or more controllers 800. For each component of the sensor cover 10, one or more controllers 800 can participate in controlling each component. Alternatively, one or more controllers 800 can control multiple components of the sensor cover 10. In one example, the controller 800 can control the driving of LEDs 610 via a printed circuit board 620. The controller 800 can control the driving of each LED 610 according to a predetermined lighting pattern.

[0080] In one example, controller 800 can control the operation of heating wire membrane 320. In one example, controller 800 can supply power to the heating wire of heating wire membrane 320. In one example, controller 800 can activate heating wire membrane 320 at the time when heating is required. In one example, controller 800 can limit the operation of heating wire membrane 320 to prevent heating wire membrane 320 from generating excessive heat.

[0081] like Figure 19As shown, in operation S1900, the vehicle starts. In operation S1910, the controller 800 determines whether to maintain the vehicle's startup and thus collect vehicle information. If vehicle information cannot be collected, the controller 800 returns to operation S1900; if vehicle information can be collected, in operation S1920, the controller 800 checks ambient temperature information at predetermined time intervals during normal driving. The controller 800 is configured to communicate with the vehicle's ambient temperature sensor 810 to collect vehicle information. Additionally, the controller 800 can collect surface temperature information of the sensor housing 10 to collect vehicle information.

[0082] In operation S1930, the controller 800 continuously or in real-time determines whether the ambient temperature is below 0°C based on the received ambient temperature information. If the ambient temperature is 0°C or higher, the controller 800 returns to operation S1920. On the other hand, if the ambient temperature is below 0°C, the controller 800 activates the heating wire of the heating filament 320 in operation S1940. The operating time and shutdown time of the heating wire can be predetermined. For example, in one working cycle, the heating wire can operate for 10 minutes and can stop operating for 3 minutes.

[0083] When the heating wire is operating, the controller 800 determines in operation S1950 whether the surface temperature Tc of the sensor cover 10 has risen to a predetermined temperature or higher. As a non-limiting example, the predetermined temperature could be 5°C.

[0084] In response to determining that the surface temperature Tc of the sensor cover 10 has not risen to the predetermined temperature Tc or higher, the controller 800 returns to operation S1940 and activates the heating wire. On the other hand, in response to determining that the surface temperature Tc of the sensor cover 10 has risen to the predetermined temperature or higher, the controller 800 stops the operation of the heating wire in operation S1960.

[0085] like Figure 20 As shown, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, in operation S2000, the vehicle is started. In operation S2010, the controller 800 determines whether to maintain the vehicle's startup and thus collect vehicle information. If vehicle information cannot be collected, the controller 800 returns to operation S2000. If vehicle information can be collected, the controller 800 determines in operation S2020 whether the radar 6 is functioning normally during normal driving. The controller 800 is configured to communicate with the radar 6 to collect vehicle information, thereby enabling the collection of vehicle information.

[0086] In operation S2030, controller 800 determines whether radar 6 is malfunctioning based on the operating information of radar 6. Specifically, controller 800 can determine whether radar 6 is malfunctioning due to freezing based on the operating information of radar 6.

[0087] If it is determined that radar 6 is malfunctioning due to surface freezing, controller 800 activates the heating wire of heating filament 320 in operation S2040. The operating and shut-off times of the heating wire can be predetermined. For example, in one operating cycle, the heating wire can operate for 10 minutes and can stop operating for 3 minutes.

[0088] When the heating wire is operating, the controller 800 determines whether the radar 6 is working properly by collecting operating information of the radar 6 in real time during operation S2050. If the controller determines that the radar 6 is working properly, the controller 800 stops the heating wire in operation S2060. Conversely, if the controller determines that the radar 6 is still malfunctioning due to surface freezing, the controller 800 continues to operate the heating wire.

[0089] like Figure 21 As shown, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, in operation S2100, the vehicle is started.

[0090] In operation S2110, controller 800 determines whether vehicle startup should be maintained and thus can collect vehicle information. If vehicle information cannot be collected, controller 800 returns to operation S2100. If vehicle information can be collected, controller 800 determines in operation S2120 whether the heating wire of heating diaphragm 320 is functioning normally during normal driving. Controller 800 is configured to communicate with the heating wire or heating diaphragm 320 to collect vehicle information, thereby enabling it to determine whether the heating wire is functioning normally.

[0091] In operation S2130, the controller 800 determines, based on the received operating information of the heating wire, whether the heating temperature of the heating wire exceeds the threshold temperature Tmax and / or whether an overcurrent is detected.

[0092] If the heating temperature of the heating wire exceeds the threshold temperature Tmax or an overcurrent is detected, the controller 800 stops the operation of the heating wire of the heating wire membrane 320 in operation S2140. Therefore, according to this disclosure, the heating wire membrane 320 can be configured to generate heat only at a set temperature or lower, thereby ensuring safety.

[0093] The sensor cover 10 according to this disclosure can be applied to various vehicle types, such as cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), trucks, and buses.

[0094] The sensor cover 10 according to this disclosure uses PC material as an environmentally friendly plastic, and is therefore environmentally friendly and can meet the required environmental laws and regulations.

[0095] As can be seen from the above description, this disclosure provides a sensor cover that can protect the environmental sensors of a vehicle.

[0096] This disclosure provides a sensor cover that does not impede the transmission performance of an environmental sensor.

[0097] This disclosure provides a sensor cover that can improve aesthetics.

[0098] This disclosure provides a sensor cover that prevents the function of environmental sensors from deteriorating even when the external environment deteriorates.

[0099] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above; those skilled in the art can clearly understand from the above description other effects not mentioned in this disclosure.

[0100] This disclosure has been described in detail with reference to its preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this disclosure, namely the scope defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A sensor cover, wherein, The sensor cover is configured to transmit detection signals from different environmental sensors and includes multiple sensing areas for each of the different environmental sensors.

2. The sensor cover according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a first layer and a second layer, the second layer being formed of a transparent material, the first layer being formed of a transparent material, and the first surface of the second layer being surface-treated.

3. The sensor cover according to claim 2, wherein, The first layer is formed of polyurethane, and the second layer is formed of polycarbonate.

4. The sensor cover according to claim 2, wherein, The first layer and the second layer are integrally formed.

5. The sensor cover according to claim 2, wherein, Also includes: An illumination film, disposed on a second surface of the second layer and comprising one or more patterned structures; and Multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are configured to provide light through each pattern structure, and the multiple LEDs can be individually controlled to be turned on.

6. The sensor cover according to claim 5, wherein, Each pattern structure includes: One or more shielding regions configured to block light from the plurality of LEDs; and One or more unshielded areas are configured to transmit the light from the plurality of LEDs.

7. The sensor cover according to claim 5, wherein, It also includes a diffuse layer disposed between the lighting film and the plurality of LEDs.

8. The sensor cover according to claim 5, wherein, An LED module is disposed in the central portion of the illumination film, the LED module comprising the plurality of LEDs configured to be individually turned on.

9. The sensor cover according to claim 2, wherein, A heating wire membrane is disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the operation of the heating wire membrane is controllable.

10. The sensor cover according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of sensing areas include: A lidar area, the lidar area being configured to transmit detection signals from a lidar installed in the vehicle; and A radar area configured to transmit detection signals from a radar installed in the vehicle.

11. The sensor cover according to claim 10, wherein, A protective layer is provided in the lidar area, which is capable of transmitting infrared light from the lidar.

12. The sensor cover according to claim 11, wherein, The protective layer includes a coating formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that is capable of transmitting infrared light.

13. The sensor cover according to claim 12, wherein, The lidar area includes: A first protective layer disposed on a first side of the coating; and A second protective layer is disposed on the second side of the coating. The first protective layer is formed of polyurethane, and the second protective layer is formed of polycarbonate.

14. The sensor cover according to claim 13, wherein, The first protective layer is fixed to the second protective layer by injection molding, and the first protective layer is formed on the second protective layer and the coating by injection molding.

15. The sensor cover according to claim 10, wherein, A heating filament is provided in the lidar area, and the heating filament can be controlled by a controller.

16. The sensor cover according to claim 15, wherein, The controller is configured to perform the following during driving of the vehicle: The operation of the heating membrane is controlled based on the ambient temperature information; The operation of the heating filament is controlled according to whether the lidar is working; or The operation of the heating membrane is controlled according to the heating temperature of the heating membrane.

17. The sensor cover according to claim 10, wherein, The plurality of sensing areas also includes a camera area configured to transmit detection signals from a camera.

18. The sensor cover according to claim 1, wherein, The environmental sensor includes at least one of lidar, radar, or camera.

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