Suspended camera cover glass for ultrasonic cleaning

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a housing defining a cavity therein, a lens disposed in the cavity, an image sensor disposed in the cavity, a cover glass movably connected to the housing, and a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass. The image sensor is aligned with the lens along an optical axis of the sensor assembly. The cover glass is positioned outwardly from the lens and the image sensor such that the image sensor is configured to capture an image within the field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to oscillate the cover glass to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 715,925, filed November 4, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to a sensor system, and more particularly, to ultrasonic cleaning of the cover glass of a sensor system. Background Technology

[0004] Sensor systems can be used in various agricultural, construction, vehicle, forestry, mining, and maintenance operations to capture images for analysis of different parameters to determine the overall performance of various operations. Such sensor systems can be attached to machinery to capture and analyze images during machinery operation to enhance machinery performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect of this disclosure, a sensor assembly is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a housing, a lens, an image sensor, a cover glass, and a piezoelectric device. The housing defines a cavity within the housing, the lens is disposed within the cavity, the image sensor is disposed within the cavity, the cover glass is movably connected to the housing, and the piezoelectric device is connected to the cover glass. The image sensor is aligned with the lens along the optical axis of the sensor assembly. The cover glass is positioned outwardly from the lens and the image sensor such that the image sensor is configured to capture an image within the field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to oscillate the cover glass to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass.

[0006] In some embodiments, the cover glass can be movably connected to the housing in a suspended state, so that the cover glass does not directly contact the housing. The cover glass can be movably connected to the housing by a cover glass seal disposed between the cover glass and the housing.

[0007] In some embodiments, the cover glass may include a front surface and an opposite rear surface, wherein the front surface is configured to be exposed to environmental elements and the opposite rear surface faces the lens. A piezoelectric device may be attached to the opposite rear surface of the cover glass and is laterally positioned between the housing and the optical axis relative to the optical axis.

[0008] In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device can be configured to cause the cover glass to vibrate. At least a portion of the piezoelectric device can be configured to expand and contract in response to an applied voltage, thereby causing the cover glass to vibrate at a frequency of about 20 kHz to about 400 kHz.

[0009] In some embodiments, the housing may include a main housing, a front housing, and a rear housing, the front housing being connected to the main housing and positioned outwardly from the cover glass, and the rear housing being connected to the main housing and positioned inwardly from both the main housing and the front housing. The cover glass may be movably connected to the main housing. The front housing may extend toward the optical axis beyond the peripheral edge of the cover glass such that, from a view outside the sensor assembly, the peripheral edge of the cover glass is obscured. A front seal may be disposed between the front housing and the main housing. A rear seal may be disposed between the rear housing and the main housing.

[0010] In some implementations, the piezoelectric device may be configured to be electrically connected to a control module. The control module may be configured to operate the piezoelectric device to cause the cover glass to oscillate.

[0011] In another aspect of this disclosure, a sensor assembly for agricultural machinery is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes: a housing, a lens, an image sensor, a cover glass, and a piezoelectric device. The lens is disposed within the housing along the optical axis of the sensor assembly. The image sensor is disposed within the housing and positioned inwardly from the lens along the optical axis. The cover glass is movably connected to the housing via a cover glass seal. The piezoelectric device is connected to the surface of the cover glass. The image sensor is configured to capture an image within the field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to vibrate the cover glass to clean it. The cover glass seal is configured to maintain a seal between the cover glass and the housing when the cover glass is vibrated by the piezoelectric device.

[0012] In some implementations, the cover glass seal may be made of a flexible material that allows the cover glass to vibrate while still maintaining a seal between the cover glass and the housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device can be configured to vibrate at different frequencies to remove at least one of debris, moisture, frost, and ice from the cover glass. The piezoelectric device can be configured to selectively vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies.

[0014] In some implementations, the piezoelectric device can be configured to selectively vibrate at different frequencies based on the detection of specific contaminants disposed on one or more surfaces of the covering glass.

[0015] In another aspect of this disclosure, a sensor assembly is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a housing, a sensor, a cover glass, and a piezoelectric device. The housing defines a cavity within the housing; the sensor is disposed within the cavity; the cover glass is connected to the main housing via a cover glass seal; the piezoelectric device is connected to the cover glass and configured to vibrate the cover glass relative to the housing to clean the cover glass. The housing includes a main housing and a front housing connected to the main housing. The cover glass seal is compressed between the front housing and the main housing to form a waterproof seal between the front housing and the main housing, and connects the cover glass to the main housing in a suspended state, which allows the cover glass to move relative to the housing while maintaining the waterproof seal.

[0016] In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device can be configured to cause the cover glass to vibrate at one or more frequencies to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass. The piezoelectric device may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric material disposed between the first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes may be configured to receive a voltage to cause the piezoelectric material to expand and contract, thereby causing the cover glass to vibrate.

[0017] In some embodiments, the glass cover seal may include a front portion and a rear portion connected to the front portion. The front and rear portions may be made of different materials such that the hardness of the front portion is different from that of the rear portion. Attached Figure Description

[0018] This disclosure can be best understood from the following "Detailed Description" when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that, by convention, the various features in the drawings are not to scale. Rather, for clarity, the dimensions of the various features have been arbitrarily enlarged or reduced.

[0019] Figure 1A This is a side view of an example machine including a sensor system according to this teaching.

[0020] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A The machine shown is shown in top view.

[0021] Figure 2A This is a top view of the sensor system based on this teaching.

[0022] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A The sensor system shown is in cross-section 2B-2B.

[0023] Figure 2C yes Figure 2B The sensor system shown has near-field vision Figure 2C .

[0024] Figure 3This is a close-up view of a second example of a sensor assembly based on this teaching.

[0025] Figure 4 This is an example of a computing device.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a technique for operating sensor components, which includes cleaning the covering glass.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a first example of a technique for cleaning the cover glass of a sensor assembly.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a second example of a technique for cleaning the cover glass of sensor components. Detailed Implementation

[0029] This disclosure relates to a sensor system for use with various types of machinery, providing a cost-effective and accurate way to monitor the environment surrounding the machinery. The sensor system can be configured for use with agricultural machinery, construction equipment, motor vehicles, forestry equipment, mining equipment, maintenance vehicles, or other types of machinery. For example, the sensor system can be configured for use with agricultural machinery such as planters configured to grow various seeds, or sprayers configured to apply one or more products (e.g., nutrients, fertilizers, pesticides, soil conditioners, water, or growth regulators) to various crops.

[0030] Sensor systems can be configured to detect and / or analyze the area surrounding operating machinery (e.g., agricultural machinery). The sensor system can detect objects, motion, environmental conditions, crop conditions (e.g., crop health, crop nutrient levels, etc.), crop dimensions (e.g., crop width, crop height, crop row width, etc.), or combinations thereof, and can analyze these objects, motion, environmental conditions, crop conditions, crop dimensions, or combinations thereof to determine the performance of the associated machinery and / or the overall condition of the area surrounding the machinery. For example, a sensor system may include one or more sensor components. One or more sensor components may, for example, each include an image sensor (e.g., a camera) configured to capture images and / or video within a field of view (e.g., within the field of view of a lens of the corresponding sensor component (including the image sensor), be configured to detect environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, wind, etc.), be configured to detect operating conditions of the machinery (e.g., machinery motion, machinery degradation, etc.), or combinations thereof.

[0031] The sensor system may include a proximity sensor, an acoustic sensor, an operational sensor, other types of sensors, or a combination thereof. The proximity sensor may be configured to detect nearby obstacles or other machinery; the acoustic sensor may be configured to identify mechanical anomalies by analyzing sound; and the operational sensor may be configured to detect or measure the operating conditions of the machinery (e.g., mechanical motion, mechanical deterioration, fuel level, speed, GPS location, etc.).

[0032] Conventional sensor systems can be connected to machinery that operates in a manner that exposes the sensor system to environmental elements. For example, the sensor system may be connected to the exterior of the machinery's frame. Therefore, the sensor components of the sensor system may degrade over time due to environmental elements such as debris (e.g., dust, objects that may affect the sensor, etc.), moisture (e.g., fog, humidity, rain, snow, etc.), or both. Similarly, environmental elements may impair or obstruct the field of view of the sensor component's lens, thereby affecting the operation of the sensor system. For example, one or more of debris, moisture, frost, and ice on the lens or cover glass of the sensor component may prevent the sensor component (e.g., an image sensor) from accurately capturing images and / or video within the lens's field of view. Additionally, due to the sensor component's mounting location, it may be difficult to clean the sensor component or otherwise maintain a clear field of view for the sensor component's lens.

[0033] This teaching provides a sensor system that addresses the aforementioned challenges. The sensor system described herein can be advantageously configured to prevent degradation or obstruction of one or more sensor components within the sensor system. For example, the sensor components of the sensor system may include a cover glass configured to protect the sensor components from environmental factors. Additionally, the sensor components may include a piezoelectric device configured to clean all or part of the cover glass to remove at least one of debris, moisture, frost, and ice from the cover glass, thereby further ensuring that the field of view of the lens of the sensor component remains unobstructed. This protection also prevents degradation of the sensor components that may be caused by environmental factors.

[0034] Now turn to the attached image. Figure 1A A side view of a machine 100 according to this teaching is shown. Machine 100 may include a body 102 and a frame 104. The frame 104 may form part of the body 102, or may support the body 102 of the machine 100. Additionally, machine 100 may include a sensor system 106. As discussed above, machine 100 is not limited to any particular type of machine. For example, machine 100 may be a vehicle, equipment, other object, or a combination thereof. Machine 100 can be configured for operation in any type of industry, including agriculture, horticulture, or other types of industries. For example, as... Figure 1AAs shown, machine 100 can be an agricultural machine (such as a tractor or applicator) configured to apply one or more products (e.g., fertilizers, nutrients, fungicides, pesticides, etc.) to crops. In some configurations, the agricultural machine can be operated remotely and / or autonomously, so that an operator does not need to be at the location of the agricultural machine.

[0035] Sensor system 106 can be connected to machine 100 such that one or more sensor components of sensor system 106 (such as first sensor component 108) can be positioned to monitor or otherwise interact with an area around machine 100. For example, first sensor component 108 can be connected to the body 102 or frame 104 of machine 100, such as along an outer region of frame 104 or along an outer surface of frame 104. Thus, the field of view 110 of first sensor component 108 (e.g., the field of view of a lens of first sensor component 108) can extend outward relative to machine 100 along the ground below machine 100.

[0036] Alternatively or additionally, the sensor system 106 may be connected to an accessory or secondary component of the machine 100. For example, such as Figure 1A As shown, sensor system 106 may include a second sensor assembly 112 connected to trailer 114 of machine 100. Trailer 114 may be connected to machine 100 such that trailer 114 can be towed or pushed by machine 100, for example. For example, trailer 114 may be an applicator configured to apply water, nutrients, fertilizer, pesticides, fungicides, or combinations thereof to crops. Thus, second sensor assembly 112 may be positioned outside trailer 114 such that field of view 116 of second sensor assembly 112 (e.g., field of view of a lens of second sensor assembly 112) extends outward relative to trailer 114 along the ground beneath trailer 114.

[0037] It should be noted that sensor system 106 may include any number of sensor components (e.g., zero or more first sensor components 108, zero or more second sensor components 112, one or more additional sensor components, etc.) and can be positioned in any desired manner by adjusting the installation of sensor system 106 to machine 100 and / or to trailer 114. That is, the total field of view (which may include field of view 110 of first sensor component 108 and / or field of view 116 of second sensor component 112) can be configured to capture any desired area around machine 100, which may include parts or components of machine 100 and / or trailer 114, surrounding crops, the ground around machine 100 and / or the ground around trailer 114, or a combination thereof.

[0038] For example, machine 100 can be connected to trailer 114 to drive trailer 114, whereby trailer 114 can be an applicator configured to apply external sprays, such as pesticides or fertilizers, to existing crops in the field. In this configuration, sensor system 106 can be connected to machine 100 and / or trailer 114 such that the field of view 110 of first sensor assembly 108 and / or the field of view 116 of second sensor assembly 112 can monitor crops in the field. First sensor assembly 108 and second sensor assembly 112 can be positioned to monitor various crop-related parameters (e.g., sensor data associated with crops) and / or monitor the operation of machine 100 (e.g., sensor data associated with the operation of machine 100). The first sensor assembly 108 and the second sensor assembly 112 (e.g., corresponding image sensors of the first sensor assembly 108 and the second sensor assembly 112) can capture sensor data associated with the crop, which can then be evaluated by the sensor system 106 (e.g., by the control module therein) or by a device communicating with the sensor system 106 (e.g., a computing device or computing system of the machine 100 communicating with the sensor system 106) to determine the current condition (e.g., health status) of the crop. The captured sensor data associated with the operation of the machine 100 can be evaluated by the sensor system 106 (e.g., by the control module therein) or by a device communicating with the sensor system 106 (e.g., a computing device or computing system of the machine 100 communicating with the sensor system 106) to determine the quality of the machine 100's performance.

[0039] Figure 1B It shows Figure 1A The diagram shows a top view of the machine 100 and trailer 114. As discussed above, the sensor system 106 may include more than one first sensor assembly 108 and / or more than one second sensor assembly 112. In certain configurations, the sensor system 106 may not include the first sensor assembly 108 or may not include the second sensor assembly 112.

[0040] For example, Figure 1B An array of second sensor assemblies 112 is shown. This array includes a plurality of second sensor assemblies 112 that can extend along substantially the entire width of the trailer 114, as measured transversely to the direction of travel of the machine 100 and the trailer 114 during operation. Each sensor assembly in the array of second sensor assemblies 112 can include a field of view, which can be similar to... Figure 1AThe field of view 116 is shown in the diagram. Therefore, the array of the second sensor assembly 112 (e.g., its image sensor) can monitor and capture data (e.g., data associated with crops and / or data associated with the operation of machine 100) extending along the width of trailer 114 in the surrounding area. The captured data can then be evaluated by sensor system 106 or by means communicating with sensor system 106 (e.g., a computing device or computing system of machine 100 communicating with sensor system 106). For example, the captured data can initially be transmitted from the array of the second sensor assembly 112 to a control module (not shown) of sensor system 106, which can then transmit the captured data to control module 118 of machine 100. In this case, control module 106 and / or control module 118 of machine 100 can evaluate the captured data.

[0041] It should be noted that although trailer 114 has been described in detail above, the implementation of sensor system 106 is not limited to trailer 114. For example, sensor system 106 can be implemented on self-propelled machinery, such as a self-propelled sprayer or self-propelled applicator. For instance, sensor system 106 may include one or more sensor assemblies positioned along the boom of the self-propelled machinery such that the one or more sensor assemblies can be positioned on at least one of the front, rear, one or more sides, top, and bottom of the machinery (e.g., on the boom of the machinery). In this way, sensor system 106 can be configured to monitor the direction of travel of the machinery or to monitor other directions transverse to the direction of travel of the machinery.

[0042] Figure 2A A top view of a sensor system 206 including sensor assembly 208 is shown. Sensor system 206 can be... Figure 1A The sensor system 106, and the sensor assembly 208 may be Figure 1A First sensor assembly 108 or Figure 1A One of the second sensor components 112. Additionally... Figure 2B yes Figure 2A The sensor system 206 shown is a cross-section 2B-2B. Furthermore, Figure 2C yes Figure 2B The sensor system 206 shown has near-field vision. Figure 2C .

[0043] Sensor assembly 208 may include a lens 220 disposed within housing 222 of sensor assembly 208. That is, housing 222 may define a cavity 224 therein, and lens 220 may be located within cavity 224 of housing 222. Lens 220 may at least partially protrude from housing 222, or may be recessed from the outer surface of housing 222. For example, lens 220 may extend outward from the surface of housing 222 such that the field of view of lens 220 (such as one of field of view 110 or field of view 116 discussed above) is not obstructed by housing 222. Alternatively, lens 220 may be recessed from the outer surface of housing 222 such that lens 220 is completely contained within cavity 224 of housing 222.

[0044] Lens 220 can be configured such that sensor assembly 208 (e.g., image sensor 242 in sensor assembly 208, such as...) Figure 2B The sensor assembly 208 captures an image within the field of view of lens 220 (as shown). This image can be a still image or video, allowing the sensor system 206 to analyze the image or video independently or in conjunction with a computing system to determine the overall performance of machine 100 and / or assess the environment surrounding machine 100 (e.g., assessing one or more crops in the environment). Sensor assembly 208 may also include any number of lenses (e.g., zero or more lenses 220, one or more lenses 220, one or more additional lenses, etc.).

[0045] Sensor assembly 208 can be configured for various types of sensing operations and is not limited to capturing images within the field of view. For example, sensor assembly 208 may be or may include a near-side sensor, accelerometer, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, photodetector, image sensor 242, Hall effect sensor, humidity sensor, infrared sensor, another type of sensor, or a combination thereof. Therefore, sensor assembly 208 can be configured to detect various parameters in any desired manner (e.g., image capture, infrared sensing, magnetic measurement, etc.).

[0046] The sensor assembly 208 may also include a cover glass 226 connected to the housing 222. The cover glass 226 may be connected directly or indirectly to the housing 222. For example, the cover glass 226 may be directly mechanically fixed and / or adhesively (e.g., glued) to the housing 222. Alternatively, as described in further detail below, the cover glass 226 may be indirectly and / or movably connected to the housing 222 via one or more components (e.g., seals) disposed between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. The cover glass 226 may be connected to the housing 222 in such a way that the field of view of the sensor assembly 208 is not obstructed by the cover glass 226. For example, the cover glass 226 may be transparent, allowing light to pass through the cover glass 226 to reach the lens 220 and the image sensor 242 without significant optical scattering or distortion. The peripheral edge 228 of the cover glass 226 may be connected to and / or housed within the housing 222 to secure the cover glass 226 to the housing 222, so that light can pass through the central region 230 of the cover glass 226 to reach the lens 220 and the image sensor 242.

[0047] Cover glass 226 may be configured to protect one or more additional components (e.g., image sensor 242) and / or lens 220 disposed within housing 222 of sensor assembly 208. For example, cover glass 226 may at least partially define the outermost layer of sensor assembly 208. Cover glass 226 may be configured to prevent moisture and / or debris (i.e., environmental contaminants) from contacting lens 220, and thereby prevent obstruction of the field of view of lens 220. Obstruction of the field of view can affect the overall accuracy of sensor assembly 208 (e.g., the overall accuracy of the image captured by image sensor 242).

[0048] Cover glass 226 may be removably attached to sensor assembly 208. For example, cover glass 226 may be removably attached to housing 222. Therefore, cover glass 226 can be removed and / or replaced without affecting lens 220 of image sensor 242. For example, cover glass 226 may be at least partially disposed between portions of housing 222, whereby said portions of housing 222 can be disconnected from each other (e.g., by removing housing fasteners 232 extending through said portions of housing 222) to remove cover glass 226 for replacement or repair without disconnecting sensor assembly 208 from machine 100.

[0049] As discussed above, the cover glass 226 can be positioned outward from the lens 220 and the image sensor 242 to protect them from moisture and / or debris. Therefore, the cover glass 226 may become dirty and may obstruct the field of view of the lens 220, which could negatively impact the overall accuracy of the sensor assembly 208 (e.g., the overall accuracy of the image captured by the image sensor 242).

[0050] To mitigate the aforementioned challenges, sensor assembly 208 can be configured to clean cover glass 226 to remove moisture and / or debris, thereby maintaining the field of view of lens 220. For example, cover glass 226 may include or be connected to piezoelectric device 234. Piezoelectric device 234 may receive a voltage (such as via wiring 236 connected to piezoelectric device 234) to cause at least a portion of piezoelectric device 234 to oscillate (e.g., vibrate). The oscillation of piezoelectric device 234 can then cause cover glass 226 to oscillate (e.g., vibrate) to remove moisture and / or debris from cover glass 226. For example, wiring 236 may be connected to control module 238 of sensor system 206, and control module 238 may be configured to control the vibration frequency of piezoelectric device 234. The vibration frequency of piezoelectric device 234 may be configured to remove moisture and / or debris from cover glass 226.

[0051] At least a portion of the piezoelectric device 234 may be configured to expand and contract in response to the application of voltage (e.g., in response to a voltage applied to the piezoelectric device 234 via wiring 236) to cause the cover glass 226 to vibrate at a desired frequency. The vibration frequency of the cover glass 226 may be the same as or different from the vibration frequency of the piezoelectric device 234. For example, material and / or structural differences between the cover glass 226 and the piezoelectric device 234 may cause the cover glass 226 to vibrate at a higher or lower frequency than the vibration frequency of the piezoelectric device 234 (e.g., the vibration frequency controlled by the control module 238). In this case, the control module 238 may be configured to take into account the vibration frequency difference between the cover glass 226 and the piezoelectric device 234 and adjust the vibration frequency of the piezoelectric device 234 accordingly. That is, the vibration frequency of the piezoelectric device 234 may be adjusted (e.g., via the control module 238) to obtain the desired vibration frequency of the cover glass 226.

[0052] The desired vibration frequency of the cover glass 226 can be any vibration frequency sufficient to remove moisture and / or debris. For example, the piezoelectric device 234 can cause the cover glass 226 to vibrate at frequencies from approximately 20 kHz to approximately 400 kHz. That is, the piezoelectric device 234 can be configured to selectively vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies, thereby causing the cover glass 226 to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. For example, the piezoelectric device 234 can vibrate at different frequencies (such as different frequencies in the range of approximately 20 kHz to approximately 400 kHz) to remove debris and / or moisture from the cover glass 226. The piezoelectric device 234 can selectively vibrate at different frequencies based on the detection of specific contaminants (e.g., moisture or debris) disposed on one or more surfaces of the cover glass 226. For example, the sensor assembly 208 can detect specific contaminants, and in response to the detected contaminants, the control module 238 can cause the piezoelectric device 234 to vibrate at a specific frequency associated with cleaning the detected contaminants. That is, the control module 238 can cause the piezoelectric device 234 to vibrate at one or more predetermined frequencies associated with cleaning specific contaminants.

[0053] While the vibration of the piezoelectric device 234 has been discussed in detail above, the piezoelectric device 234 can also be moved in other ways to thereby move the cover glass 226. For example, the piezoelectric device 234 can be deflected (e.g., bent) to tilt the cover glass 226 at a sufficiently steep angle (e.g., pitch or rotate) to allow moisture and / or debris to slide off the cover glass 226. Alternatively, the piezoelectric device 234 can be deflected (e.g., bent) to translate the cover glass 226 along the optical axis 240 in one or more directions (e.g., toward and / or away from the lens 220).

[0054] To further illustrate the operation of sensor assembly 208, it will now be discussed in more detail. Figure 2B As mentioned above, Figure 2B It shows Figure 2A The sensor assembly 208 shown is in cross section 2B-2B.

[0055] like Figure 2B As shown, the sensor assembly 208 may include a housing 222, which may define a cavity 224 therein. A lens 220 may be disposed in the cavity 224 of the housing 222. For example, the lens 220 may be disposed in the cavity 224 of the housing 222 and may extend along the optical axis 240 of the sensor assembly 208.

[0056] Image sensor 242 may also be disposed within cavity 224. As discussed above, image sensor 242 may be configured to capture images via lens 220 and cover glass 226. For example, image sensor 242 may be connected to and / or in electrical communication with a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 244 of sensor assembly 208. PCBA 244 may be configured to operate (e.g., control) image sensor 242 or otherwise communicate with image sensor 242 to send data to and / or receive data from image sensor 242. PCBA 244 may be disposed within cavity 224 of housing 222 and connected to housing 222 via one or more PCBA fasteners 246. Image sensor 242 may be disposed on the surface of PCBA 244 between PCBA 244 and lens 220 such that images captured by image sensor 242 via lens 220 can be received by PCBA 244. The image can then be transmitted from PCBA244 or directly from image sensor 242 to a computing device of sensor system 206 (e.g., control module 238), and / or to a computing device (e.g., computing device of machine 100) that communicates with sensor system 206 via connector 248, which can be any type of electrical connector.

[0057] To facilitate accurate image capture, image sensor 242 can be disposed within cavity 224 (e.g., within cavity 224 from lens 220 inwards) and image sensor 242 can be aligned with lens 220 along optical axis 240 of sensor assembly 208. For example, image sensor 242 and / or lens 220 can be at least partially housed within lens holder 250, whereby lens holder 250 can maintain the relative position between image sensor 242 and lens 220. Furthermore, cover glass 226 can be positioned outwards (e.g., outside) of lens 220 and image sensor 242 such that image sensor 242 can capture an image within the field of view of lens 220 through cover glass 226. That is, image sensor 242 can capture an image within the field of view of lens 220 through both lens 220 and cover glass 226. The cover glass 226 can also be aligned with the lens 220 and the image sensor 242 along the optical axis 240, or it can be offset from the lens 220 and the image sensor 242 relative to the optical axis 240.

[0058] As described above, the cover glass 226 can be directly or indirectly connected to the housing 222. For example, as Figure 2BAs shown, the cover glass 226 can be movably connected to the housing 222, such as via the cover glass seal 252. To facilitate movement (e.g., vibration) of the cover glass 226 relative to the housing 222, the cover glass 226 can be movably connected to the housing 222 in a suspended state such that the cover glass 226 does not directly contact the housing 222. For example, the cover glass 226 can extend across the cavity 224 of the housing 222 such that the peripheral edge 228 of the cover glass 226 extends to or beyond the outer boundary of the cavity 224. Thus, the cover glass 226, in conjunction with the cover glass seal 252, can enclose the cavity 224 of the housing 222. Furthermore, due to the transparency of the cover glass 226, the cover glass 226 can still facilitate image capture by the image sensor 242 through the cover glass 226.

[0059] The cover glass 226 can be movably connected to the housing 222 by a cover glass seal 252 disposed between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. That is, due to the positioning of the cover glass seal 252, the cover glass 226 may not be in direct contact with the housing 222. The cover glass seal 252 can also maintain a seal between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. For example, the cover glass seal 252 can create a seal (such as a waterproof seal and / or an airtight seal) that prevents moisture and / or debris from entering the cavity 224 through the gap between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. When the cover glass 226 is moved (e.g., vibrated) by the piezoelectric device 234, the cover glass seal 252 can maintain a seal between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222.

[0060] For example, the cover glass seal 252 can be made of a flexible material, such as rubber (e.g., silicone rubber, neoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, etc.), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers, fluoropolymers, other flexible materials, or combinations thereof. The flexible material allows vibration of the cover glass 226 while still maintaining the seal formed between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. That is, the cover glass seal 252 can flex, compress, bend, or otherwise be sufficiently compliant to allow vibration of the cover glass 226 but suppress that vibration to maintain the seal between the cover glass 226 and the housing 222. Therefore, the cover glass 226 can vibrate, and the cover glass seal 252 can isolate that vibration so that the remaining components of the sensor assembly 208 (e.g., housing 222, lens 220, image sensor 242, etc.) are unaffected by the vibration.

[0061] The structure of housing 222 can facilitate a seal formed by the cover glass seal 252. That is, housing 222 can be shaped to receive at least a portion of the cover glass seal 252, or otherwise configured to receive at least a portion of the cover glass seal 252, to maintain engagement between the cover glass seal 252 and housing 222. For example, housing 222 can define an annular slot, channel, or groove that can receive the cover glass seal 252 to form a seal between the cover glass seal 252 and housing. Cover glass seal 252 can be annular or otherwise complementary to the shape of the annular slot, channel, or groove of housing 222 to maintain engagement between them.

[0062] The housing 222 can be any desired size and / or shape to facilitate engagement between the housing 222 and the cover glass seal 252. For example, such as Figure 2B As shown, housing 222 may include a main housing 254, a front housing 256, and a rear housing 258, the front housing 256 being connected to the main housing 254 (e.g., via adhesive and / or housing fastener 232), and the rear housing 258 being connected to the main housing 254 (e.g., via adhesive and / or housing fastener 232). Cover glass 226 may be movably connected to the main housing 254. Front housing 256 may be positioned outward from cover glass 226 and / or outward from main housing 254. For example, front housing 256 may extend toward optical axis 240 beyond the peripheral edge 228 of cover glass 226 such that, from a viewpoint outside sensor assembly 208, the peripheral edge 228 of cover glass 226 is obscured (e.g., as shown). Figure 2A (As shown). Additionally, the rear housing 258 can be positioned inward from the main housing 254 and / or inward from the cover glass 226.

[0063] Cover glass 226 can be connected to main housing 254 via cover glass seal 252. Cover glass seal 252 can be compressed between front housing 256 and main housing 254 to form a waterproof seal between them, and cover glass seal 252 connects cover glass 226 to main housing 254 in a suspended state. This suspended state allows cover glass 226 to move relative to housing 222 (e.g., relative to main housing 254) while maintaining the waterproof seal between them. Therefore, cover glass 226 can be connected to housing 222 without adhering or otherwise bonding cover glass 226 to housing 222. It should also be noted that cover glass seal 252 can be connected to cover glass 226 in any desired manner. For example, cover glass seal 252 can be overmolded, bonded (e.g., adhered), or mechanically fastened to cover glass 226 to maintain the connection between them.

[0064] To further improve the sealing of the sensor assembly 208, in addition to the cover glass seal 252, the sensor assembly 208 may include one or more additional seals. For example, a front seal 260 may be disposed between the front housing 256 and the main housing 254 to seal the gap between the front housing 256 and the main housing 254. Furthermore, one or more rear seals, such as rear seal 262, may be disposed between the rear housing 258 and the main housing 254, and / or between the rear housing 258 and the connector 248 to seal the gap between them. The front seal 260 and / or the rear seal 262 may be the same as (e.g., the same material) as the cover glass seal 252, or may be different from (e.g., a different material) the cover glass seal 252.

[0065] Based on the above configuration of the sensor assembly 208, the cover glass 226 can be moved (e.g., vibrated) to remove moisture and / or debris (i.e., environmental elements) from one or more surfaces of the cover glass 226. For example, the cover glass 226 may include a front surface 264 exposed to environmental elements and an opposite rear surface 266 facing the lens 220. The cover glass 226 can be moved (e.g., vibrated) to remove moisture and / or debris from the front surface 264 and / or the opposite rear surface 266. Since the cavity 224 of the housing 222 is sealed via the cover glass seal 252, the front seal 260, and the rear seal 262, the opposite rear surface 266 of the cover glass 226 may not require cleaning, as it can be at least partially contained within the cavity 224.

[0066] As discussed above, to facilitate cleaning of the front surface 264 and / or the opposite rear surface 266 of the cover glass 226, the sensor assembly 208 may include a piezoelectric device 234. The piezoelectric device 234 may be attached to the cover glass 226 (e.g., bonded to the cover glass 226 via an adhesive) and may be configured to move the cover glass 226 to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass 226 (e.g., the front surface 264 and / or the opposite rear surface 266). For example, as... Figure 2B and Figure 2C As shown, the piezoelectric device 234 can be connected to the opposite rear surface 266 of the cover glass 226, and the piezoelectric device 234 is laterally positioned between the housing 222 and the optical axis 240 relative to the optical axis 240. That is, the piezoelectric device 234 can be positioned between the housing 222 (e.g., the main housing 254) and the optical axis 240 relative to the lateral direction of the sensor assembly 208 (which extends laterally to the optical axis 240).

[0067] The piezoelectric device 234 can be positioned in a manner that maintains the field of view of the lens 220. That is, the lens 220 can be unobstructed by the piezoelectric device 234. For example, the piezoelectric device 234 can be annular, semi-annular, or otherwise positioned outside the field of view of the lens 220, adjacent to the peripheral edge 228 of the cover glass 226, and / or adjacent to the cover glass seal 252. The piezoelectric device 234 may not be in contact with the cover glass seal 252, or it may be in contact with the cover glass seal 252.

[0068] Because the piezoelectric device 234 is connected to the opposite rear surface 266 of the cover glass 226, the cover glass 226 can vibrate in response to the vibration of the piezoelectric device 234. Therefore, due to the flexibility of the cover glass seal 252, the cover glass 226 can move relative to the housing 222 (e.g., vibrate). The cover glass seal 252 can be tuned and / or the cover glass 226 can be positioned to avoid contact between the cover glass 226 and the lens 220. That is, the distance between the cover glass seal 252 and / or the cover glass 226 and the lens 220 can be optimized to prevent contact between the cover glass 226 and the lens 220 when the cover glass 226 vibrates and to maintain the field of view of the lens 220. Additionally, although for simplicity... Figure 2B and Figure 2C Although not shown, the piezoelectric device 234 can be electrically connected to the control module 238 via wiring 236 to receive voltage (e.g., AC voltage) to cause the piezoelectric device 234 to vibrate, and thereby cause the cover glass 226 to vibrate to clean the cover glass 226.

[0069] Figure 3 A close-up view of another example of sensor assembly 308 is shown. Sensor assembly 308 may be similar to... Figures 2A to 2C The sensor assembly 208 is shown. That is, unless otherwise stated, the components of sensor assembly 308 may be the same as those of sensor assembly 208. Sensor assembly 308 may be used in place of sensor assembly 208, or in combination with sensor assembly 208. For example, sensor system 206 may include both sensor assembly 208 and sensor assembly 308 (e.g., sensor system 206 may include a first sensor assembly (sensor assembly 208) and a second sensor assembly (similar to sensor assembly 308)), or alternatively, sensor system 206 may include sensor assembly 308 instead of sensor assembly 208. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the above description regarding... Figures 2A to 2C The description of sensor component 208 can be applied to Figure 3 The sensor assembly 308 shown is shown.

[0070] The overall configuration of sensor assembly 308 can be similar to Figure 2BThe sensor assembly 208 is shown in the diagram. For example, the sensor assembly 308 may include a housing 322 that is similar to housing 222 and at least partially defines a cavity therein, whereby an image sensor and a lens can be disposed within the cavity of housing 322. The sensor assembly 308 may also include a cover glass 326 that is similar to cover glass 226 and can be connected to housing 322 via a cover glass seal 352. For example, housing 322 may include a main housing 354 and a front housing 356 connected to the main housing 354. The cover glass seal 352 may be disposed between (e.g., compressed between) the front housing 356 and the main housing 354 to connect the cover glass 326 to housing 322.

[0071] The cover glass seal 352 may include a front portion 358 and a rear portion 360 connected to the front portion 358. At least a portion of the front portion 358 may be positioned on the outside (e.g., front) of the cover glass 326, while at least a portion of the rear portion 360 may be positioned on the inside (e.g., rear) of the cover glass 326. The front portion 358 and the rear portion 360 may be formed together with each other or otherwise bonded together such that the cover glass 326 can be positioned between them to connect the cover glass 326 to the cover glass seal 352.

[0072] Similar to Figure 2B and Figure 2C The cover glass seal 252 shown and discussed above can be made of a flexible and / or compressible material that facilitates the movement (e.g., vibration) of the cover glass 326 relative to the housing 322. For example, the front portion 358 and / or the rear portion 360 can be made of the same or different materials, thus the front portion 358 and / or the rear portion 360 can be flexible and / or compressible. For instance, the front portion 358 and the rear portion 360 can be made of different materials such that the hardness of the front portion 358 is different from that of the rear portion 360. Therefore, the front portion 358 and the rear portion 360 can flex and / or compress in different ways. Therefore, the cover glass seal 352 can be further tuned to facilitate the vibration of the cover glass 326 relative to the housing 322. For example, the rear portion 360 may be harder and less flexible than the front portion 358, so that vibrations of the cover glass 326 may cause the cover glass 326 to move away from the lens and outward, while movement of the cover glass 326 toward the lens may be prevented by the harder material of the rear portion 360.

[0073] Sensor assembly 308 may also include piezoelectric device 362, which may be similar to Figures 2A to 2CThe piezoelectric device 234 is shown. For example, the piezoelectric device 362 can be configured to vibrate the cover glass 326 to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass 326 (e.g., the front surface 364 and / or the opposite rear surface 366 of the cover glass 326). The piezoelectric device 362 can be connected to the surface of the cover glass 326 (e.g., the opposite rear surface 366 of the cover glass 326) such that when the piezoelectric device 362 receives voltage via the wiring 368, the vibration of the piezoelectric device 362 causes the cover glass 326 to vibrate.

[0074] To induce vibration of the piezoelectric device 362 or at least a portion thereof, the piezoelectric device 362 may include a first electrode 370, a second electrode 372, and a piezoelectric material 374 disposed between and connected to the first and second electrodes 370 and 372. The piezoelectric material 374 can be any type of material that expands and contracts based on voltage to thereby cause the cover glass 326 to vibrate. For example, the piezoelectric material 374 may be a ceramic (e.g., lead zirconate titanate, barium titanate, potassium sodium niobate, etc.), a crystal (e.g., a natural or synthetic crystal), a polymer (e.g., polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE), etc.), a composite material (e.g., a ceramic-polymer composite, a fiber-based composite, etc.), another material, or a combination thereof. The first and second electrodes 370 may receive (e.g., from wiring 368) a voltage to cause the piezoelectric material 374 located therebetween to expand and contract, thereby causing the cover glass 326 to vibrate. In other words, the first electrode 370 and the second electrode 372 can be a disk, plate or film of conductive material, which can effectively and efficiently transmit voltage to the piezoelectric material 374, thereby causing the piezoelectric material 374 to expand and contract, and causing the piezoelectric device 362 to vibrate.

[0075] Additionally, the cover glass 326 may include one or more ribs, such as ribs 376, projecting from one or more surfaces of the cover glass 326, such as the front surface 364 and / or the opposite rear surface 366. Ribs 376 may be attached to or integrally formed with the cover glass 326. Ribs 376 may project from or into the cover glass seal 352. For example, a first portion of rib 376 may project from or into the front surface 364 of the cover glass 326 towards or into the front portion 358 of the cover glass seal 352, and a second portion of rib 376 may project from or into the opposite rear surface 366 of the cover glass 326 towards or into the rear portion 360 of the cover glass seal 352. Rib 376 may be flexible and / or compressible, such that rib 376 forms a seal against the gap between cover glass seal 352 and cover glass 326, or otherwise improves the seal against the gap between cover glass seal 352 and cover glass 326. That is, rib 376 may contact the front portion 358 and / or the rear portion 360 of cover glass seal 352 to seal the gap between cover glass seal 352 and cover glass 326.

[0076] Furthermore, the geometry of the rib 376 can also facilitate the use of the piezoelectric device 362 to vibrate the cover glass 326 with less energy. For example, compared to the case where the cover glass 326 has no rib 376, the rib 376 can reduce the overall contact surface between the cover glass 326 and the cover glass seal 352. Therefore, the piezoelectric device 362 can more easily vibrate the cover glass 326 relative to the cover glass seal 352. That is, the piezoelectric device 362 can require less energy to vibrate the cover glass 326, and therefore, the rib 376 can improve the overall efficiency of the piezoelectric device 362. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, the cover glass 326 may not include any rib 376. Thus, similar to the sensor assembly 208, the sensor assembly 308 can provide an efficient way to clean the cover glass 326 and maintain protection for the lens of the sensor assembly 308 and / or the image sensor of the sensor assembly 308 without compromising the accuracy of the image captured by the image sensor.

[0077] Figure 4 This is an example of a computing device 400. The computing device 400 is shown as including a processor 402, a memory 404, a user interface 406, and a communication interface 408. The computing device 400 can be provided by a system (such as...) Figure 1A and Figure 1B Sensor system 106, or Figures 2A to 2C The sensor system 206 in the system is used for implementation. The computing device 400 can facilitate machines (such as...) Figure 1A and Figure 1B The computing device 400 facilitates communication between the machine 100 and the sensor system. The computing device 400 can also facilitate communication between the user and the sensor system. The computing device 400 can execute instructions, such as cleaning operations for the cover glass of the sensor assembly.

[0078] For example, computing device 400 may be, or may include Figure 1A and Figure 1B The control module 118 of the machine 100 shown is illustrated. The computing device 400 can facilitate communication between the machine 100 and the sensor system 106. For example, the computing device 400 can facilitate communication between the machine 100 and the first sensor assembly 108, and / or can facilitate communication between the machine 100 and the second sensor assembly 112. Similarly, the computing device 400 can facilitate... Figures 2A to 2C Communication between the machine 100 and the sensor system 206 shown. For example, the computing device 400 can facilitate communication with... Figure 2A The sensor system 206 shown communicates with the control module 238, whereby the control module 238 can be used to control one or more operations of the sensor assembly 208 (e.g., image capture using the sensor assembly 208 and / or cleaning of the cover glass 226 of the sensor assembly 208). Therefore, a user can communicate with the control module 238 via the computing device 400 to operate the sensor assembly 208.

[0079] In some embodiments, computing device 400 may be, or may include Figure 2A The control module 238 facilitates communication with the sensor assembly 208. For example, a user can control one or more operations of the sensor assembly 208 (e.g., image capture using the sensor assembly 208 and / or cleaning of the cover glass 226 of the sensor assembly 208) via the user interface 406. Thus, a user can communicate with the sensor assembly 208 via the computing device 400 to operate the sensor assembly 208.

[0080] Processor 402 may be a microprocessor and may include a single processor or multiple processors. The processor may have a single processing core or multiple processing cores. Processor 402 may be, or may include, other types of devices (existing or developed in the future) configured to manipulate or process information. Computing device 400 may include multiple processors interconnected in one or more ways, including but not limited to hardwired or networked (e.g., wireless networking). For example, the operation of processor 402 may be distributed across multiple devices or units, which may be directly or via a local area network or other suitable network. Processor 402 may also include a cache or cache memory for locally storing operational data or instructions associated with evaluation.

[0081] Memory 404 may include one or more memory components, each of which may be volatile or non-volatile memory. For example, the volatile memory of memory 404 may be random access memory (RAM) (e.g., DRAM modules such as DDR, SDRAM) or another form of volatile memory). In another example, the non-volatile memory of memory 404 may be a disk drive, a solid-state drive, flash memory, phase-change memory, or another form of non-volatile memory configured for persistent electronic information storage. Memory 404 may also include other types of devices, existing or developed in the future, configured for storing data or instructions processed by processor 402.

[0082] Memory 404 may include data readily accessible by computing device 400. For example, memory 404 may include executable instructions, application data, an operating system, or a combination thereof accessible by processor 402. The executable instructions, application data, operating system, or a combination thereof may be loaded, in whole or in part, from non-volatile memory or copied to volatile memory for execution by computing device 400. For example, executable instructions and application data may include instructions and data (as described herein) for operations such as: cleaning operations of the cover glass of the sensor assembly; determining when to initiate a cleaning operation of the cover glass based on the quality of images captured by the sensor assembly (e.g., sharp or blurry due to moisture and / or debris); determining; and overall sensor assembly control. Thus, memory 404 may include executable instructions that, when executed by processor 402, facilitate the performance of or execution of the techniques described herein.

[0083] Memory 404 may include executable instructions or application data associated with communication interface 408. Communication interface 408 may be, or may include, a transmitter and / or a receiver. Communication interface 408 may facilitate communication, for example, between a machine and a sensor system. For instance, communication interface 408 may enable data exchange via a communication path, allowing real-time synchronization and updating of data between the machine and the sensor system.

[0084] User interface 406 may include one or more input interfaces and / or one or more output interfaces. Input interfaces may be, for example, position input devices such as a mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, etc., a keyboard, or another suitable human or machine interface device. Output interfaces may be, for example, displays such as liquid crystal displays, cathode ray tube displays, light-emitting diode displays, or other suitable displays. Therefore, the operator can interact with the sensor system operating software, select or configure the cleaning of sensor components, view real-time data related to the sensor system (e.g., data associated with the cleanliness of the cover glass of the sensor components, data associated with the quality of images captured by the sensor components, etc.), and monitor the status of the sensor system through user interface 406. Additionally, user interface 406 can provide visual indicators and alarms to assist the operator (i.e., the user) in maintaining optimal system operation and synchronization.

[0085] The computing device 400 may include additional components. For example, the computing device 400 may include a power management unit, various sensors for monitoring environmental conditions and machine status, and interfaces for connecting to external storage devices or other peripheral devices. These components ensure that the computing device 400 operates reliably in various agricultural environments and can handle the processing and communication requirements of the sensor system.

[0086] To describe some specific implementations in further detail, reference is made to examples of techniques that can be implemented by or using a sensor system to operate sensor components and / or clean the cover glass of sensor components. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a technique 500 for operating a sensor assembly. Technique 500 may include a cover glass for cleaning the sensor assembly. Technique 500 may utilize a computing device (such as a reference comprehension device). Figures 1A-4 The described system, hardware, and software may be used to implement the technology. Technology 500 may be implemented, for example, by executing a machine-readable program or other computer-executable instructions (such as routines, instructions, programs, or other code). The steps or operations of technology 500, or another technology, method, process, or algorithm described and associated with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented directly in hardware, firmware, software executed by hardware, circuitry, or combinations thereof. Technology 500 may be implemented by a sensor system (such as…) Figure 1A and Figure 1B Sensor system 106 or Figures 2A to 2C The sensor system 206 is used to perform this.

[0087] For the sake of simplicity, technique 500 is depicted and described herein as a corresponding series of steps or operations. However, the steps or operations of technique 500 according to this disclosure may occur in various orders and / or simultaneously. Additionally, other steps or operations not presented or described herein may be used. Furthermore, not all of the illustrated steps or operations may be necessary to implement the technique according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0088] At position 502, the image is captured. In the example, the sensor component (e.g., the sensor component of a sensor system, such as a reference) Figures 1A to 4 The described sensor components may include image sensors (e.g., cameras) that capture images of the environment. For example, sensor components may be attached to or otherwise positioned on the body of a machine to capture images of the area surrounding the machine. The captured images may be utilized by a sensor system or an additional system (e.g., the machine's systems) to analyze the surrounding area (e.g., to analyze one or more objects present in the surrounding area). For example, the captured images may be evaluated to assess one or more parameters associated with crops present in the surrounding area, such as (e.g.) crop nutrient levels, crop moisture levels, and one or more crop sizes.

[0089] After the image is captured, it is evaluated at 504 to determine its quality. Determining the quality of the captured image may include evaluating whether it is blurry, distorted, or otherwise occluded, which could be a result of moisture and / or debris present on the overlay lens of the sensor assembly. Any number of techniques can be used to determine whether an image is blurry or distorted.

[0090] To assess whether an image is blurry or distorted, edge detection techniques can be used to analyze the sharpness of edges in the image, as blurred images typically exhibit smoother transitions between different brightness areas. Additionally, frequency domain analysis can be employed to evaluate the presence of high-frequency components representing fine details; a reduction in the presence of these high-frequency components indicates blurriness. Distortion in an image can be identified by comparing the geometric patterns or expected shapes within the image to a reference, as distortion often manifests as deviations in straight lines or regular shapes.

[0091] When moisture or debris is present on the overlay lens, images may exhibit anomalies such as dark spots, smudges, or areas of reduced contrast. These artifacts can be detected by non-uniformity in brightness and contrast across the image, where sudden changes potentially indicate the presence of obstructions. Machine learning techniques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), can also be implemented to classify and identify image quality issues, enabling the system to automatically detect whether an image is blurred, distorted, or occluded. A combination of these methods provides a comprehensive approach to ensure that captured images are of sufficient quality for further processing.

[0092] If the image quality is determined to be good, at 506, the sensor assembly can continue operating (e.g., continue capturing images) without interruption. That is, technique 500 returns to 502 to capture another image. At 502, images can be repeatedly captured based on desired time intervals or based on manual user interaction to continuously evaluate the quality of the images captured by the sensor assembly. However, if at 506 the image quality is determined to be poor (e.g., the image quality is not good), that is, the image quality is insufficient for accurate analysis of the surrounding area, cleaning of the sensor assembly's cover glass can be initiated at 508, and / or the user (e.g., the machine operator) can be notified at 510.

[0093] For cleaning the covered glass at point 508, please refer to the above text. Figures 2A to 3 The described technique is used to accomplish this. For example, the control module of the sensor system can transmit voltage to a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass, causing the piezoelectric device to vibrate. This vibration, in turn, causes the cover glass to vibrate, removing any moisture and / or debris from the cover glass. The piezoelectric device can vibrate at one or more frequencies to cause the cover glass to vibrate at one or more frequencies. For example, as further described below, the piezoelectric device can initially vibrate at a “low” frequency, and if moisture and / or debris are not successfully removed from the cover glass, the piezoelectric device can then vibrate at a “high” frequency to remove the moisture and / or debris. In this example, the vibration frequency can be based on the determined image quality. For example, the vibration frequency can be proportional to the amount of distortion or blurring.

[0094] The user notification at point 510 may be, or may include, a visual alarm, an audio alarm, or other tactile alarm to inform the user of the current status of the sensor components. That is, the user may be notified that the sensor components require cleaning (e.g., cleaning of the cover glass); that cleaning of the cover glass has begun and / or has ended; that the quality of the captured images is insufficient for continued operation (e.g., accurately evaluating the surrounding area); the overall operational status of the sensor components; or a combination thereof. The user may be notified in any desired manner. For example, the user may be notified via the control module of a machine communicating with the sensor (e.g., its display), the control module of the sensor system (e.g., its display), another computing device communicating with the sensor system (e.g., the user's mobile phone or the user's workstation), or a combination thereof.

[0095] During and / or after cleaning the cover glass, technique 500 proceeds to 512, and from 512 returns to 502. For example, once the cover glass of the sensor assembly is cleaned, the sensor assembly can resume operation to continue capturing images of the surrounding area. In some embodiments, image capture can be continuous, such that cleaning of the cover glass can be completed simultaneously with image capture. That is, images can be captured by the sensor assembly even during the cleaning of the cover glass.

[0096] Based on technology 500, the cover glass of the sensor assembly can be monitored (e.g., by evaluating images captured by the sensor assembly) to determine when the cover glass may be dirty and could affect the operation of the sensor assembly. In response to detecting that the cover glass is dirty, technology 500 can clean the cover glass to ensure that the operation of the sensor assembly can continue as expected.

[0097] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a first example of technology 600, used for cleaning the cover glass of a sensor assembly. Technology 600 can use a computing device (such as a reference numeral). Figures 1A to 4 The described system, hardware, and software may be used to execute the technology. Technology 600 may be implemented, for example, by executing a machine-readable program or by executing other computer-executable instructions, such as routines, instructions, programs, or other code. The steps or operations of technology 600 may be implemented directly in hardware, firmware, software executed by hardware, circuitry, or a combination thereof. Technology 600 may be implemented by a sensor system (such as…) Figure 1A and Figure 1B Sensor system 106 or Figures 2A to 2C The sensor system 206 is used to perform this.

[0098] For the sake of simplicity, technique 600 is depicted and described herein as a corresponding series of steps or operations. However, the steps or operations of technique 600 according to this disclosure may occur in various orders and / or simultaneously. Additionally, other steps or operations not presented or described herein may be used. Furthermore, not all of the illustrated steps or operations may be necessary to implement the technique according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0099] At 602, cleaning of the cover glass of the sensor assembly can be initiated. Initiation of cleaning at 602 can be done manually (e.g., by a user through the user interface of the sensor system and / or through the user interface of the control module of the machine communicating with the sensor system). In another example, cleaning can be initiated in response to the captured image being determined to have poor quality.

[0100] Once cleaning of the cover glass is initiated at point 602, the cover glass can be vibrated at the first frequency at point 604. The vibration of the cover glass can be referenced in the above text. Figures 2A to 3 The aforementioned technology is used to accomplish this. For example, a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass can be vibrated, thereby causing the cover glass to vibrate. As described above, the piezoelectric device, and therefore the cover glass, can vibrate at one or more frequencies. Thus, a first frequency can be considered the initial frequency of the cleaning operation, which can be a less severe or less aggressive vibration of the cover glass. For example, cleaning of the cover glass can be operated based on predetermined settings (e.g., low, medium, high), whereby each setting can be associated with a specific frequency. In this scenario, the first frequency can be associated with a low or medium setting to cause the cover glass to vibrate at a lower frequency compared to the frequency associated with the high setting.

[0101] At 604, after the cover glass vibrates at a first frequency, a first image can be captured at 606. That is, the cover glass can vibrate at a first frequency to complete a first cleaning sequence, and the sensor assembly can capture a first image after the first cleaning sequence is completed.

[0102] The first image can then be evaluated at point 608 to determine its quality. See above for reference. Figure 5 Technique 500 is used to determine the quality of the first image. For example, the first image can be evaluated to determine whether it is blurred or otherwise distorted due to moisture and / or debris present on the cover glass of the sensor assembly. When the quality of the first image is determined to be good at 608—that is, the quality of the first image is sufficient to continue the operation of the sensor system as expected (e.g., to accurately analyze the area around the sensor system)—the cleaning of the cover glass can be completed, and the sensor system can continue to operate normally.

[0103] However, if the quality of the first image is determined to be poor—that is, the first image is blurry or otherwise distorted—then at 610, the cover glass may vibrate at a second frequency. The second frequency may be greater than the first frequency, allowing the cover glass to vibrate more aggressively. For example, the first frequency may be associated with a low or medium operating level for cleaning the cover glass, while the second frequency may be associated with a medium or high operating level for cleaning the cover glass, respectively. That is, the second frequency may be greater than the first frequency, allowing the second cleaning sequence to remove moisture and / or debris still remaining on the cover glass after the first cleaning sequence.

[0104] At 610, after the cover glass vibrates at the second frequency, a second image can be captured at 612. That is, the cover glass can vibrate at the second frequency to complete the second cleaning sequence, and the sensor assembly can capture the second image after the second cleaning sequence is completed.

[0105] The second image can then be evaluated at 614 to determine its quality. The quality of the second image can be determined in a manner similar to that used to determine the quality of the first image. For example, the second image can be evaluated to determine whether it is blurred or otherwise distorted due to moisture and / or debris still present on the cover glass of the sensor assembly.

[0106] When the quality of the second image is determined to be good—that is, sufficient to allow the sensor system to continue operating as expected (e.g., accurately analyzing the area around the sensor system)—the cleaning of the cover glass can be completed, and the sensor system can continue normal operation. However, when the quality of the second image is determined to be poor at 614—that is, the second image remains blurry or otherwise distorted—the user can be notified at 616. The user notification can be implemented according to the technique described in operation 508 of reference technique 500 above. For example, the user can be notified via a control module of the machine communicating with the sensor (e.g., its display), a control module of the sensor system (e.g., its display), another computing device communicating with the sensor system (e.g., the user's mobile phone or the user's workstation), or a combination thereof. Based on such a user notification, the user can take manual action to clean the cover glass and ensure the proper operation of the sensor components.

[0107] While technique 600 describes notifying the user after trying two vibration frequencies, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, technique 600 can be configured to cause the cover glass to vibrate according to more than two frequencies, and after vibration, if the cover glass is deemed unclean (e.g., the image continues to be determined to have low quality), then the user is notified. Additionally, although in Figure 6 Not specifically shown, but after successfully cleaning the cover glass, technology 600 resets (e.g., restores) to use a first (e.g., minimum) frequency.

[0108] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a second example of technology 700 for cleaning the cover glass of a sensor assembly. Technology 700 can use a computing device (such as a reference numeral). Figures 1A to 4 The described system, hardware, and software can be used to implement the technology. Technology 700 can be implemented, for example, by executing a machine-readable program or by executing other computer-executable instructions (such as routines, instructions, programs, or other code). The steps or operations of technology 600 can be implemented directly in hardware, firmware, software executed by hardware, circuitry, or a combination thereof. Technology 700 can be implemented by a sensor system (such as…) Figure 1A and Figure 1B Sensor system 106 or Figures 2A to 2C The sensor system 206 is used to perform this.

[0109] For the sake of simplicity, technique 700 is depicted and described herein as a corresponding series of steps or operations. However, the steps or operations of technique 700 according to this disclosure may occur in various orders and / or simultaneously. Additionally, other steps or operations not presented or described herein may be used. Furthermore, not all of the illustrated steps or operations may be necessary to implement the technique according to the disclosed subject matter.

[0110] At point 702, cleaning of the cover glass of the sensor assembly can be initiated via a user interface. That is, a user (e.g., an operator) can manually initiate cleaning of the cover glass through the user interface. The user interface can be the user interface of the sensor system (e.g., the user interface of the sensor system's control module), and / or the user interface of the control module of the machine that communicates with the sensor system. The user interface can also be the user interface of a computing device that is separate from and communicates with the machine and / or sensor system (e.g., the user's mobile phone or workbench).

[0111] Once cleaning of the cover glass is initiated at point 702, it can be done according to the above reference. Figures 2A to 3The described technique is used to clean the cover glass. For example, a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass can be vibrated, which in turn causes the cover glass to vibrate. When initiated at 702, cleaning of the cover glass can be performed at an initial frequency (i.e., a first frequency), which can be similar to the first frequency of operation 604 of reference technique 600 described above. For example, the first frequency can be associated with a low or medium operating setting to cause the cover glass to vibrate at a lower frequency compared to the frequency associated with a high setting. Such cleaning of the cover glass can be considered a first cleaning sequence.

[0112] Once the first cleaning sequence is complete, the first image can be captured at 704. That is, at 702, the cover glass is initially vibrated based on manual input to complete the first cleaning sequence, and the sensor assembly can capture the first image after the first sequence is completed.

[0113] The first image can then be displayed to the user at point 706. The first image can be displayed to the user using the user interface described above. For example, the user interface can be a display (e.g., a screen) of a sensor system (e.g., a display of the control module of the sensor system) and / or a display (e.g., a screen) of the control module of a machine communicating with the sensor system. The user interface can also be a display (e.g., a screen) of a computing device that is separate from and communicates with the machine and / or sensor system (e.g., a user's mobile phone or workbench).

[0114] Then, at 706, the user can visually evaluate the displayed first image to determine its quality. For example, the user can visually evaluate whether the first image is blurred or otherwise distorted due to moisture and / or debris present on the cover glass of the sensor assembly. If the user determines that the first image is not blurred or otherwise distorted, cleaning of the cover lens can be completed, and the sensor system can continue normal operation. For example, the user can confirm via a user interface (not shown) that the first image appears acceptable, which can terminate the cleaning operation and allow the sensor system to continue operating. However, if the user determines that the first image is blurred or otherwise distorted, at 708, the user initiates a re-cleaning of the cover glass via the user interface. That is, the user can manually initiate a re-cleaning of the cover glass via the user interface. For example, the user can confirm via the user interface that the image is blurred or otherwise distorted, which can initiate a re-cleaning of the cover glass at 708.

[0115] When restarted at 708, the cleaning of the cover glass can be performed in a manner similar to the first cleaning sequence initiated at 702. For example, when the user restarts cleaning of the cover glass, it can vibrate at the same frequency as used in the first cleaning sequence, or it can vibrate at a higher (or lower) frequency than used in the first cleaning sequence. That is, the frequency used to re-clean the cover glass at 708 (i.e., the second frequency) can be the same as or different from the first frequency used to complete the first cleaning sequence. Such cleaning of the cover glass can be considered a second cleaning sequence. In the example, the user can control the duration of the cover glass's vibration. For illustration, the cover glass can continue to vibrate as long as the user interface control (e.g., a button) is activated (e.g., pressed).

[0116] Once the second cleaning sequence is complete, the sensor assembly can capture a second image at point 710. The second image can then be displayed to the user at point 712. The second image can be displayed to the user using the user interface described above.

[0117] Then, at 712, the user can visually evaluate the displayed second image to determine its quality. For example, the user can visually evaluate whether the second image is blurred or otherwise distorted due to moisture and / or debris still remaining on the cover glass of the sensor assembly. If the user determines that the second image is not blurred or otherwise distorted, cleaning of the cover lens can be completed, and the sensor system can continue normal operation. For example, the user can confirm via the user interface that the image appears acceptable, which can terminate the cleaning operation and allow the sensor system to continue operating.

[0118] However, if the user determines that the second image is blurry or otherwise distorted, at 708, the user initiates a re-cleaning of the cover glass via the user interface. For example, the user can confirm via the user interface that the image is still blurry or otherwise distorted, which can initiate a re-cleaning of the cover glass at 708. Therefore, technique 700 can repeat operations 708 to 712 to repeatedly clean the cover glass and display subsequent images (e.g., a third image, a fourth image, etc.) until the user confirms (e.g., via the user interface) that the image being displayed is acceptable for the normal continued operation of the sensor system. Alternatively or additionally, the user can manually clean the cover lens and confirm (e.g., via the user interface) that the sensor system can begin normal operation.

[0119] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent configurations included within the scope of the appended claims, which will be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures permitted by law.

[0120] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various embodiments illustrated in this disclosure and the accompanying drawings constitute non-limiting examples, and that additional components and features may be added to any of the embodiments discussed above without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that elements and features shown or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined with elements and features of another embodiment to achieve any desired result without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and that further features and advantages of the subject matter of this disclosure will be understood based on the provided description. Variations, combinations, and / or modifications to any embodiments and / or features of the embodiments described herein, within the capabilities of those skilled in the art, are also within the scope of this disclosure, as are alternative embodiments that may arise from combining, integrating, and / or omitting features from any disclosed embodiments.

[0121] The use of the term "optionally" for any element of the reference claims means that the element may or may not be included, both of which are within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, the use of broader terms (such as "comprising," "including," and "having") should be understood to support narrower terms (such as "consisting of," "substantially composed of," and "substantially composed of"). Correspondingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the foregoing description but is defined by the appended claims, and includes all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.

[0122] In the foregoing description, reference can be made to the spatial relationships between the various structures shown in the accompanying drawings, and to the spatial orientation of the structures. However, as those skilled in the art will recognize upon a complete reading of this disclosure, the structures described herein can be positioned and oriented in any manner suitable for their intended purpose. Therefore, the use of terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” “outer,” “left,” “right,” “upward,” “downward,” “inward,” “outward,” “horizontal,” and “vertical” should be understood as describing the relative relationships between structures and / or describing the spatial orientation of the structures. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the use of these terms may be provided in the context of the illustrations provided by the corresponding accompanying drawings(s).

[0123] Furthermore, terms such as “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially” should be understood to allow for variation in any numerical range or concept associated with them, and to cover approximately 25% variation (e.g., to allow for manufacturing tolerances and / or design deviations). For example, the term “generally parallel” should be understood to mean a configuration in which related components are oriented at an angle defined between them equal to 180° ± 25% (e.g., an angle within the range of (approximately) 135° to (approximately) 225°). Therefore, the term “generally parallel” should be understood to encompass a configuration in which related components are arranged in a parallel relationship.

[0124] Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various operations, elements, components, regions, and / or sections, these operations, elements, components, regions, and / or sections should not be limited by the use of these terms, as these terms are used to distinguish one operation, element, component, region, or section from another. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly stated, a first operation, element, component, region, or section may be referred to as a second operation, element, component, region, or section without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0125] Each claim is incorporated herein as further disclosure and represents embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” and “A and / or B and / or C” should each be interpreted as including only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B, and C.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly (208), comprising: A housing (222), the housing (222) defining a cavity (224) within the housing (222); A lens (220) is disposed in the cavity (224); An image sensor (242) is disposed in the cavity (224) and aligned with the lens (220) along the optical axis (240) of the sensor assembly (208); Cover glass (226) is movably connected to the housing (222) and positioned outward from the lens (220) and the image sensor (242) such that the image sensor (242) is configured to capture an image within the field of view of the lens (220) through the cover glass (226); as well as A piezoelectric device (234) is connected to the cover glass (226) and is configured to cause the cover glass (226) to vibrate in order to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass (226).

2. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 1, wherein, The cover glass (226) is movably connected to the housing (222) in a suspended state so that the cover glass (226) does not directly contact the housing (222).

3. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 2, wherein, The cover glass (226) is movably connected to the housing (222, 322) by a cover glass seal disposed between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222, 322).

4. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 1, wherein, The cover glass (226) includes a front surface (264) and an opposite rear surface (266), the front surface (264) being configured to be exposed to environmental elements, and the opposite rear surface (266) facing the lens (220).

5. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 4, wherein, The piezoelectric device (234) is connected to the opposite rear surface (266) of the cover glass (226), and the piezoelectric device (234) is laterally positioned between the housing (222) and the optical axis (240) relative to the optical axis (240).

6. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 1, wherein, The piezoelectric device (234) is configured to cause the cover glass (226) to vibrate.

7. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 6, wherein, At least a portion of the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to expand and contract in response to a voltage applied to the piezoelectric device (234) to cause the cover glass (226) to vibrate at a frequency of about 20 kHz to about 400 kHz.

8. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 1, wherein, The housing (222) includes: Main housing (254), wherein the cover glass (226) is movably connected to the main housing (254). A front housing (256) connected to the main housing (254) and positioned outwardly from the cover glass (226); and The rear housing (258) is connected to the main housing (254) and positioned inwardly from the main housing (254) and the front housing (256).

9. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 8, wherein, The front housing (256) extends toward the optical axis (240) beyond the peripheral edge (228) of the cover glass (226) such that the peripheral edge (228) of the cover glass (226) is obscured when viewed from outside the sensor assembly (208).

10. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 8, wherein, A front seal (260) is disposed between the front housing (256) and the main housing (254), and a rear seal is disposed between the rear housing (258) and the main housing (254).

11. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 1, wherein, The piezoelectric device (234) is configured to be electrically connected to the control module (238), and wherein the control module (238) is configured to operate the piezoelectric device (234) to cause the cover glass (226) to oscillate.

12. A sensor assembly (208) for agricultural machinery, comprising: Casing (222); A lens (220) is disposed in the housing (222) along the optical axis (240) of the sensor assembly (208); An image sensor (242) is disposed in the housing (222) and positioned inward from the lens (220) along the optical axis (240); A cover glass (226) movably connected to the housing (222) via a cover glass seal, wherein the image sensor (242) is configured to capture an image within the field of view of the lens (220) through the cover glass (226); and A piezoelectric device (234) is attached to the surface of the cover glass (226) and is configured to cause the cover glass (226) to vibrate to clean the cover glass (226). The cover glass seal is configured to maintain a seal between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222) when the cover glass (226) is vibrated by the piezoelectric device (234).

13. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 12, wherein, The cover glass (226) seal is made of a flexible material that allows vibration of the cover glass (226) while still maintaining the seal between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222).

14. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 12, wherein, The piezoelectric device (234) is configured to vibrate at different frequencies to remove at least one of debris, moisture, frost and ice from the cover glass (226).

15. The sensor assembly (208) according to claim 14, wherein, The piezoelectric device (234) is configured to vibrate selectively at ultrasonic frequencies.

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