LENS CLEANING DEVICE, VISION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A LENS

Abstract

Lens cleaning device, which includes the following: a rotating frame; a coupling element for coupling the lens cleaning device with a camera lens; a wiper that is slidably mounted on opposite sides of the frame and can be operated to clean the lens by sliding along the frame between a starting and an end position; and a drive mechanism configured to move the wiper from the end position to the starting position by rotating the frame when the wiper has reached the end position.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to lens cleaning devices and methods for cleaning the lens of a camera. BACKGROUND

[0002] The cleanliness of a lens surface affects the quality of the images captured by a camera. For example, the presence of contaminants such as water droplets, condensation, dirt, and grime on a lens surface can lead to poorer image quality, such as blurred images and obscured parts of the camera's field of view.

[0003] Modern vehicles are often equipped with various electronic systems designed to assist the driver. Some of these systems use one or more vision-based sensors, such as monocular and wide-angle cameras, to capture images of the vehicle's surroundings. The images captured by these externally mounted cameras can be used to provide a driver with a more comprehensive view of the vehicle's environment, including access to angles that were previously inaccessible. For example, rear-view and surround-view cameras can be used to assist a driver when parking. In other applications, the images captured by the externally mounted cameras can also be analyzed and used, either alone or in combination with input from other environmental sensors, such as...Radar and lidar are used to provide automated driver assistance functions, such as object detection, automated cruise control, and lane departure warning. However, because externally mounted cameras are exposed to the elements, the surface of their lenses is easily contaminated, which impairs the quality of the captured images and thus the performance of the image-based driver assistance functions.

[0004] German patent DE 10 2013 213 415 A1 discloses a cleaning device with a wiper for cleaning a transparent cover of a surveillance camera for a vehicle. The wiper is moved relative to the cover by means of a drive motor. WO 2023 / 061 612 A1 discloses a sensor cleaning device with a wiper element on a movable wiper assembly for cleaning an outer sensor surface of a camera or lidar for use in automotive applications. The sensor cleaning device is adjustable based on the required cleaning intensity for cleaning the outer sensor surface.

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a lens cleaning device, a vision system, and a method for cleaning a camera lens in order to effectively remove contaminants present on a lens surface. This object is achieved by the features of main claim 1 and dependent claim 6, as well as by the method of dependent claim 11. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. SUMMARY

[0006] Aspects of the present disclosure provide lens cleaning devices and methods for cleaning a camera lens. References to the lens surface in this disclosure shall also include any transparent covers placed in front of a lens surface.

[0007] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a lens cleaning device comprising a rotatable frame, a coupling element for connecting the lens cleaning device to a camera lens, and a wiper slidably mounted on opposite sides of the frame. The wiper is operable to clean the lens by sliding along the frame between a starting and an end position. The device may also include a drive mechanism configured to move the wiper from the end position to the starting position by rotating the frame when the wiper has reached the end position. Thus, the wiper is rotated back from the end position to the starting position without crossing the lens surface.This is advantageous because some of the contaminants that were pushed to the end position are redeposited onto the lens surface, which was just cleaned by the wiper, when the wiper returns to its starting position after crossing the lens surface. As discussed earlier, the presence of contaminants on the lens surface impairs the quality of images captured by a camera.

[0008] In some implementations, a cleaning area of ​​the wiper includes grooves formed on at least one section of the cleaning area, the grooves being configured to attenuate the flow of fluid through the cleaning area. This advantageously aids in the removal of fluids from the lens surface by moderating the accumulation of fluids on the lens surface. The grooves may be in the form of channels or notches. The cleaning area of ​​the wiper may further comprise a flexible material. The flexible material may be a flexible water-repellent material or a material with a water-repellent coating, such that as the wiper crosses a lens surface, the end of the wiper that comes into contact with the lens surface kinks or bends.This advantageously aids in lens cleaning and the removal of liquids from the lens surface. In an optional implementation, the drive mechanism comprises a drive gear, a motor for rotating the drive gear, and a driven gear. The drive gear and driven gear mesh, allowing rotary motion to be transferred from the drive gear to the driven gear. The frame is attached to the driven gear. Because the wipers are attached to the frame, rotating the drive gear rotates the wipers from their end position back to their starting position. In a variation, a linear actuator is used to drive the wipers' sliding motion along the frame.

[0009] The lens cleaning device according to the first aspect of this disclosure can be part of a vision system comprising a camera, which in turn comprises an imaging device and a lens, wherein the lens cleaning device is coupled to the camera lens via the coupling element. In some implementations, the vision system further comprises an evaluation module configured to assess the condition of the lens surface and to determine whether, at least in part based on the condition of the lens surface, cleaning of the lens by the lens cleaning device should be initiated. The evaluation module can determine the condition of the lens surface based on various methods, which can be used alone or in combination. Examples include analysis of images captured by the camera and data acquired by sensors indicating the condition of the lens surface.In yet another variation, the evaluation module can be further configured to determine, based on data relating to the weather conditions of the camera's outdoor environment, whether lens cleaning by the lens cleaning device should be initiated. The evaluation module can also be further configured to determine, at least in part, a wiper actuation frequency and / or a number of cleaning cycles based on the condition of the lens surface. In the present disclosure, a single actuation of the wiper from the starting to the end position is considered a cleaning cycle. The condition of the lens surface, and consequently the wiper actuation frequency, can be assessed based on the type and quantity of contaminants present on the lens surface.For example, the greater the amount of condensation on a lens surface, the higher the wiper activation frequency and / or the greater the number of cleaning cycles. In another variation, the evaluation module can also be configured, at least in part, to determine the wiper activation frequency and / or the number of cleaning cycles based on data relating to the weather conditions of the camera's outdoor environment. For example, the frequency can be increased in heavy rain compared to light rain. In some implementations of the vision system according to the present disclosure, the camera is mounted on the exterior of a vehicle and is used to capture images of the vehicle's outdoor environment.

[0010] Another aspect of the disclosure provides a method for cleaning a camera lens, wherein the method comprises providing a lens cleaning device coupled to the camera lens via a coupling element. The lens cleaning device comprises a rotatable frame and a wiper slidably mounted on opposite sides of the frame. The method further comprises sliding the wiper along the frame from a starting position to an end position, the wiper coming into contact with the lens surface during the movement from the starting position to the end position, and rotating the frame when the wiper reaches the end position to return the wiper to its starting position.

[0011] In some implementations, a wiper cleaning area includes grooves formed on at least one section of the cleaning area, the grooves being configured to attenuate the fluid flow through the cleaning area. The method may further include assessing the condition of the lens surface and determining, at least in part based on the lens surface condition, a wiper actuation frequency and / or a number of cleaning cycles. In an optional implementation, assessing the lens condition includes determining whether condensation is present on the lens and determining the actuation frequency and / or the number of cleaning cycles, at least in part based on the amount of condensation present on the lens surface.In an optional implementation, determining the wiper's actuation frequency can also be based on data relating to weather conditions in the camera's outdoor environment.

[0012] The details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Further aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Fig. Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a lens cleaning device according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for cleaning a camera lens using a lens cleaning device according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 3 is a simplified front view of a camera lens being cleaned by a lens cleaning device according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram comprising a vision system for a vehicle according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for cleaning a camera lens using a vision system according to an implementation of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying figures. In the figures, identical symbols generally denote identical components, unless the context specifies otherwise.

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a lens cleaning device 100 according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The lens cleaning device 100 comprises a rotatable frame 110 and a coupling element (not shown) for coupling the lens cleaning device to a lens 130 of a camera. The coupling element can couple the lens cleaning device to the lens of a camera permanently or detachably. The lens cleaning device can also be coupled to the lens indirectly via a part of the camera, such as the camera body. The lens cleaning device 100 further comprises a wiper 120, which is slidably attached to the frame 110. The wiper 120 has two ends (120a, 120b) which are attached to opposite sides of the frame 110.The wipers 120 are configured to clean a camera lens 130 by sliding along the frame 110 between a starting and an end position. For example, the wipers 120 can be operated by sliding along the body of the frame itself or along rails attached to the frame 110. When implementing... Fig. 1. A linear actuator 140 is responsible for driving the sliding movement of the wipers 120 along the frame 110. In some implementations, the wiper body can comprise a support area, which includes recesses to allow the wiper to slide along the frame, and a cleaning area coupled to the support area. The support area is made of a different and preferably stiffer material than the cleaning area. The tip of the cleaning area comes into contact with the surface of the lens region during cleaning. In other variations, the wiper can be in the form of a single piece, and the entire wiper is composed of the cleaning area.As the wiper moves across the lens surface, it pushes water and other liquids across the lens surface to its end position, where it reaches the end of its path and the accumulated liquids are discharged. Preferably, the cleaning area of ​​the wiper comprises a flexible, water-repellent material or a material with a water-repellent coating, such that as the wiper crosses a lens surface, the end of the wiper that comes into contact with the lens surface kinks or bends. This advantageously aids in cleaning the lens and removing liquids from the lens surface. For example, the cleaning area of ​​the wiper can comprise a flexible, water-repellent material, such as plastic, or a material with a water-repellent coating, such as rubber.In some implementations, a wiper cleaning area may additionally or alternatively include grooves formed on at least one section of the cleaning area. These grooves are configured to reduce the flow of fluid through the cleaning area, thereby facilitating the removal of fluids from the lens surface by reducing fluid accumulation. The grooves may be in the form of channels or notches, and their depth, structure, and placement may be designed to facilitate fluid flow through the cleaning area.

[0015] The lens cleaning device can also include a drive mechanism configured to move the wiper 120 back to its starting position from the end position by rotating the frame 110 when the wiper has reached the end position. When implementing Fig. Figure 1 comprises a drive gear 160, a motor 162 for rotating the drive gear, and a driven gear 164. The frame 110, to which the wiper is attached, is in turn attached to the driven gear 164. The drive gear and the driven gear (160, 164) are configured to mesh so that a rotary motion can be transmitted from the drive gear to the driven gear. For example, in Fig. 1. At least some of the teeth (160a) on the drive gear are always engaged with the teeth (164a) of the driven gear, so that when the motor 162 rotates the drive gear (160) clockwise, the driven gear (164) is caused to move in a counterclockwise direction. Since the wipers 120 are attached to the frame 110, which in turn is attached to the driven gear 164, rotating the drive gear (160) causes the wipers 120 to rotate from their end position back to their starting position.

[0016] The lens cleaning device also includes a control unit 166. During the implementation of Fig. In Figure 1, the controller 166 is connected to the linear actuator 140 and the motor 162. The controller can include a processor 167 and a memory 168 that is connected to the processor 167. The memory 168 stores information that the processor 167 can access, such as data and instructions that can be executed, stored, retrieved, or otherwise used by the processor 167. The processor 167 and the memory 168 can be separate components or integrated on a single integrated circuit. For example, the controller 166 can be programmed to detect, based on signals received from the linear actuator 140, when the wiper 120 has reached its end position.Upon detection that the wiper has reached its end position, the controller 166 can then send an output signal to the motor 162, instructing the motor to rotate the drive gear 160 so that the wiper is rotated from the end position back to the starting position. This rotation of the wiper from the end position to the starting position can occur immediately upon reaching the end position or after a certain time interval. In some implementations, the controller 166 can also be operated to control the actuation frequency of the wiper 120 by sending instructions to the linear actuator 140 to vary the sliding speed of the wiper 120. The actuation frequency of the wiper can also be varied by changing the rotational speed at which the wiper 120 is rotated from the end position back to the starting position.The wiper actuation frequency can be selected manually or automatically based on input signals received by the controller 166. For example, the wiper actuation frequency can be automatically selected based on signals indicating the condition of the lens, such as the presence and type of contaminants on the lens surface. Other factors, such as weather conditions related to the camera's outdoor environment, can also be considered when determining the wiper actuation frequency. For instance, the frequency can be increased in heavy rain compared to light rain. It is obvious to a professional that the controller 166 is not necessarily used exclusively to control the operating steps of the lens cleaning device 100. It can also be used to control the operating steps of other functions, such as...Other cleaning modes can be used to clean the camera lens, which may involve spraying water or cleaning fluid onto the lens surface.

[0017] Fig. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 200 for cleaning a camera lens using a lens cleaning device according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The lens cleaning device is coupled to the camera lens such that, during a cleaning step, a tip of the wiper comes into contact with the lens surface as it moves from the starting to the end position. The steps of method 200 are described with reference to the lens cleaning device 100 in Fig. 1 described. However, it is understood that this is merely for the sake of simplicity and is not intended to represent a limitation. Other similar devices may also be suitable. The cleaning process starts at block 210 and can be initiated either manually via user selection and / or automatically based on input signals received, for example, from the controller 166. For example, the procedure 200 can be configured to start automatically at block 210 when the controller receives an input signal to begin the cleaning operation from an evaluation module configured to assess the condition of the objective surface.

[0018] At block 220, the wiper 120 begins to slide along the frame 110 from its starting position 220a to the end position, as shown in Fig. Figure 3 in decision block 240. Preferably, the starting position is positioned such that the wiper 120 does not obstruct the acquisition of images by the lens 130. For example, the starting position can be located on the top of the lens, outside the lens surface. During the movement from the starting to the end position, the tip of the wiper 120 comes into contact with the lens surface and pushes contaminants, such as condensation and particles, along the lens surface to the end position, as shown by wiper positions 220b-220d in Figure 3. Fig. Figure 3 is shown. Preferably, the tip of the wiper is in pressure contact with the lens surface. In the example of Fig. 3. At the beginning of the cleaning process, the lens surface is initially covered with condensation, causing the images of the road to appear blurry in the condensation-covered areas. As the wiper slides along the frame to its end position, the lens surface is gradually cleaned, removing condensation and other contaminants by being pushed into the end position. At decision block 240, the controller 166 checks whether the wiper has reached the end position specified in decision block 240. Fig. Figure 3 shows that the process has reached its target position. If the answer is yes, the process proceeds to block 260, where the frame is rotated 180 degrees so that the wiper returns to its starting position at the top of the lens without crossing the lens surface. This is advantageous because if the wiper were to return from the end position to the starting position by crossing the lens surface, some of the condensation and contaminants that were pushed to the end position would be redistributed onto the lens surface that was just cleaned by the wiper. As discussed earlier, the presence of such contaminants on the lens surface degrades the quality of the images captured by the camera. When implementing this Fig. 1 The drive mechanism for rotating the lens from the end position to the starting position comprises a drive gear 160, a motor 162 for rotating the drive gear, and a driven gear 164. Alternatively, the drive mechanism can also have a different form. Preferably, the wiper is positioned in the end position and during the rotation back to the starting position such that the wiper 120 does not obstruct the acquisition of images. At decision block 280, the controller 166 determines whether additional cleaning cycles are required. The controller can, after the wiper returns to the starting position (220a in Fig. 3) Or, if the wiper is on its way back, check if additional cycles are required. If at least one more cleaning cycle is required, the process returns to block 220 and blocks 220-280 are repeated. If no further cleaning cycles are required, the process moves to block 290 and the cleaning process ends.

[0019] In some implementations, a camera and a lens cleaning device for the camera lens may be part of a vision system that includes other components, such as an assessment module configured to evaluate the condition of the lens and determine whether cleaning of the lens should be initiated by the lens cleaning device. Fig. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of a vision system 400 for a vehicle according to an implementation of the present disclosure. It is understood that, according to the present disclosure, lens cleaning devices can also be used in vision systems intended for use with platforms other than vehicles. With reference to Fig. 4. The vision system 400 comprises at least one camera 410, which is mounted on the outside of a vehicle and configured to capture images of the vehicle's external surroundings. For example, the camera may be mounted at the rear of the vehicle, such as on the vehicle's bumper. The vision system may also include more than one externally mounted camera, as in a surround-view camera system. A lens cleaning device 420 for cleaning the lens of the camera 410 is coupled to the camera lens.The lens cleaning device comprises a rotatable frame, a wiper slidably mounted on opposite sides of the frame and operable to clean the lens of camera 410 by sliding along the frame between a starting and an end position, and a drive mechanism configured to move the wiper from the end position to the starting position by rotating the frame when the wiper has reached the end position. For the purpose of illustration, the lens cleaning device 420 is assumed to have the structure of the implementation of . Fig. 1. However, it is understood that this is done merely to simplify the illustration and is not intended to represent a limitation.

[0020] The lens cleaning device 420 includes a control unit 430 such as that of the implementation of Fig. 1. The controller 430 is configured to receive signals from an evaluation module 440, which can be operated to assess the condition of the camera lens surface and determine whether, at least partially based on the condition of the lens surface, cleaning of the lens by the lens cleaning device 420 should be initiated. If it is determined that cleaning is necessary, at least partially based on the condition of the lens surface, the evaluation module 440 can instruct the controller 430 to begin cleaning using the wiper in the lens cleaning device 420. The evaluation module can determine the condition of the lens surface based on various methods, which can be used alone or in combination. For example, when implementing Fig. 4. The condition of the camera lens surface is assessed based on a combination of images captured by the camera 410 and data acquired by sensors in a sensor module 460. In some implementations, the assessment module can be configured to detect the presence of contaminants, such as water, dirt, and smearing, by analyzing images captured by the camera 410. For example, the presence of contaminants can be detected based on the presence / absence of light-blocking areas in an image, different luminance values, or different reflectances between areas in an image, or a combination thereof.The assessment module 440 can additionally or alternatively rely on data acquired by a condensation sensor 462, positioned near the camera, to provide information on the condition of the camera lens surface and, in particular, the amount of condensation that may have formed on the lens surface. In describing the implementation of... Fig. 4. The condensation sensor 462 is part of the sensor module 460. However, it is understood that the condensation sensor could also be physically positioned in a different location.

[0021] In yet another variation, the assessment module can also be configured to determine, based on data relating to the weather conditions of the camera's outdoor environment, whether lens cleaning should be initiated using the lens cleaning device 420. When implementing this Fig. 4. Data from environmental sensors positioned in the sensor module 460, such as a rain sensor 464, can also be used to provide information about weather conditions. Data from other types of environmental sensors, such as lidar sensors and infrared sensors, can also be used additionally or alternatively. In some implementations, the evaluation module 440 can further be configured to determine a wiper actuation frequency and / or a number of cleaning cycles, at least partially based on the condition of the lens surface. In the present disclosure, a single actuation of the wiper from the starting to the end position is considered one cleaning cycle.The condition of the lens surface, and consequently the wiper activation frequency, can be estimated based on the type and quantity of contaminants present on the lens surface. For example, the wiper activation frequency and / or the number of cleaning cycles can be determined, at least in part, based on the amount of condensation present on the lens surface. The amount of condensation can be determined based on data acquired by the condensation sensor 462, an analysis of images taken by the camera 410, or a combination thereof. In general, the greater the amount of condensation, the higher the wiper activation frequency and / or the greater the number of cleaning cycles.The assessment module 440 can also be configured to determine a wiper activation frequency based on data relating to the weather conditions of the camera's outdoor environment. For example, if the data recorded by the rain sensor 464 indicates heavy rain, a high wiper activation frequency can be set.

[0022] Fig. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 500 for cleaning the lens of a camera mounted on the outside of a vehicle according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The steps of method 500 are described with reference to the vision system 400 in Fig. 4. However, it is understood that this is merely for the sake of simplicity and is not intended to represent a limitation. Other similar vision systems may also be suitable. The cleaning process begins at block 501 and can be triggered by switching on the vehicle's ignition. The procedure then proceeds to decision block 510, which determines whether the lens surface is contaminated and requires cleaning. The condition of the lens surface can be determined using an evaluation module configured to assess the condition of the lens surface and determine whether, at least in part based on the condition of the lens surface, cleaning of the lens by the lens cleaning device should be initiated.As previously described, the condition of the lens surface can be determined based on an analysis of images captured by camera 410, data from one or more sensors, such as a condensation sensor, or a combination thereof. If it is determined that the lens surface is contaminated and requires cleaning, the procedure proceeds to both decision blocks 530 and 550. In decision block 530, the evaluation module 440 determines whether condensation is present on the lens surface. This can be determined based on data acquired by a condensation sensor 462 positioned near camera 410, analysis of images captured by the camera, or a combination thereof.If condensation is present, the procedure proceeds to block 532, where the amount of condensation on the lens surface is determined, for example, based on data acquired by a condensation sensor 462, an analysis of images captured by the camera, or a combination thereof. After determining the amount of condensation present on the lens surface, the procedure proceeds to block 560, where the wiper actuation frequency is determined. Information on the amount of condensation present from block 532 is transmitted to the evaluation module and taken into account when determining the wiper actuation frequency.However, if decision block 530 determines that there is no condensation on the lens surface, the procedure proceeds directly to block 560, where information on the absence of condensation is entered into the evaluation module and also taken into account when determining the wiper actuation frequency.

[0023] In some implementations, such as those in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the wiper activation frequency can also be determined based on data relating to the weather conditions of the camera's outdoor environment. The process thus proceeds from decision block 510 to both decision blocks 530 and 550 before determining the wiper activation frequency at block 560. At decision block 550, the process determines whether it is raining in the outdoor environment. For this assessment, data acquired by a rain sensor 464, which is attached to the vehicle near the camera, can be used. Other sensor types, such as lidar sensors and image sensors, can also be used. If it is not raining, the process proceeds to block 560, where information about the absence of rain is entered into the evaluation module and taken into account when determining the wiper activation frequency.However, if it rains, the process moves to block 552, where the rain intensity is determined, for example, using the rain sensor, and this information is transmitted to the evaluation module before it moves to block 560, where the wiper activation frequency is calculated taking into account the rain intensity determined in block 552. After the wiper activation frequency has been determined in block 560, the process moves to block 580, where a cleaning process, such as the one described in [section / document], is initiated. Fig. 2 is described, based on the wiper actuation frequency calculated at block 560.

[0024] Although various aspects and implementations have been disclosed here, other aspects and implementations are obvious to the person skilled in the art. The various aspects and implementations disclosed here serve illustrative purposes and are not intended to constitute a limitation, the true scope of protection and concept being specified by the following claims, together with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is further understood that the terminology used here serves only the purpose of describing certain implementations and is not intended to constitute a limitation. REFERENCE MARK LIST 100 lens cleaning device 110 frames 120 wipers 120a, 120b Ends of the wiper 130 lens 140 Linear Actuator 160 drive gear 160a teeth of the drive gear 162 engine 164 Driven gear 164a Teeth of the driven gear 166 Control 167 processor 168 memory 200 procedures Block 210 220 Block 240 Decision block 260 Block 280 Decision block 290 Block 220a Starting position 220b, 220c, 220d Wiper positions 400 vision system 410 camera 420 Lens cleaning device 430 control 440 Assessment module 460 Sensor module 462 Condensation sensor 464 Rain sensor 500 procedures Block 501 510 Decision block 530 Decision block 532 Block 550 Decision block 552 Block 560 blocks 580 block

Claims

[1] Lens cleaning device comprising the following: a rotating frame; a coupling element for coupling the lens cleaning device with a camera lens; a wiper that is slidably mounted on opposite sides of the frame and can be operated to clean the lens by sliding along the frame between a starting and an end position; and a drive mechanism configured to move the wiper from the end position to the starting position by rotating the frame when the wiper has reached the end position. [2] Lens cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a cleaning area of ​​the wiper comprises grooves formed on at least one section of the cleaning area, wherein the grooves are configured to reduce the flow of liquid through the cleaning area. [3] Lens cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a cleaning area of ​​the wiper comprises a flexible material. [4] Lens cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive mechanism comprises: a drive gear; a motor to turn the drive gear; a driven gear, wherein the drive gear and the driven gear are in mesh so that a rotary motion can be transmitted from the drive gear to the driven gear; and the frame is attached to the driven gear. [5] Lens cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a linear actuator is used to drive the sliding of the wipers along the frame. [6] Vision system comprising the following: a camera comprising an imaging device and a lens; and a lens cleaning device according to one of claims 1-5, which is coupled to the lens of the camera via the coupling element. [7] Vision system according to claim 6, further comprising: an assessment module configured to evaluate the condition of the lens surface and to determine whether, at least in part based on the condition of the lens surface, cleaning of the lens by the lens cleaning device should be initiated. [8] Vision system according to claim 7, wherein the evaluation module is further configured to determine, at least in part, an actuation frequency of the wipers and / or a number of cleaning cycles based on the condition of the lens surface. [9] Vision system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation module is further configured to determine, at least in part, the actuation frequency of the wipers and / or the number of cleaning cycles based on data relating to weather conditions of an outdoor environment of the camera. [10] Vision system according to one of claims 6-9, wherein the camera is attached to an outside of a vehicle and is used to take pictures of the outside environment of the vehicle. [11] Method for cleaning a camera lens comprising: Providing a lens cleaning device coupled to the lens of the camera via a coupling element, wherein the lens cleaning device comprises the following: a rotating frame; a wiper that is slidably attached to opposite sides of the frame; Sliding the wiper along the frame from a starting position to an end position, whereby the wiper comes into contact with the lens surface during the movement from the starting position to the end position; and Rotating the frame when the wiper reaches the wiper's end position to return the wiper to its starting position. [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein a cleaning area of ​​the wiper comprises grooves formed on at least one section of the cleaning area, wherein the grooves are configured to reduce the flow of liquid through the cleaning area. [13] The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising: Assessing the condition of the lens surface and determining, at least in part based on the condition of the lens surface, a wiper actuation frequency and / or a number of cleaning cycles. [14] Method according to claim 13, wherein assessing the condition of the lens comprises determining whether condensation is present on the lens and determining the actuation frequency and / or the number of cleaning cycles at least partly based on the amount of condensation present on the lens surface. [15] Method according to claim 13, wherein the determination of the actuation frequency of the wiper is further based on data relating to weather conditions of an outdoor environment of the camera.

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