Sensor System

Abstract

A cleaner (40) for cleaning a transmissive portion of a sensor including a light receiving unit that receives light from a detection target via the transmissive portion is not operated by a cleaner control unit (25) within a predetermined time after the drive of the cleaner (40) is complete. A dirt determining unit (12) identifies, as a predicted position, position information of a target object after a first time has elapsed, on the basis of the movement history of the target object at a first time point, and determines that dirt is attached if the reflection intensity at the predicted position, acquired after the first time has elapsed after the first time point, differs from the reflection intensity of the target object at the first time point. The dirt determining unit (11) determines that a vehicle is in a specific location on the basis of distance information relating to reference information and distance information relating to point group information when stopped, and determines that dirt is attached if there is a discrepancy between the distance information relating to the point group information when stopped and the distance information relating to the reference information.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to sensor systems. [Background technology]

[0002] A cleaner system equipped with a cleaner is known from Patent Document 1 and the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-171491 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the inventors discovered that when a cleaner sprays cleaning fluid onto a cleaning object, the cleaning fluid remains on the cleaning object for a certain period of time. For example, if the cleaner were configured to determine whether the object is dirty immediately after operation, the remaining cleaning fluid could be erroneously determined to be dirty, and the cleaner could continue to operate.

[0005] Furthermore, in order for LiDAR to detect dirt, it is necessary for the detection results for a specific detection target to differ between a clean state and a dirty state. Therefore, the inventors thought that the sky would be suitable as a detection target because it always appears in a specific area within the LiDAR detection range. Therefore, they set the sky as a detection target and came up with the idea of ​​determining the presence of dirt by utilizing the difference in detection results between a clean state and a dirty state. However, when a LiDAR is mounted on a vehicle, the scenery in the LiDAR's detection range changes in various ways while the vehicle is traveling. The inventors realized that when the scenery in the detection range changes in various ways, it is difficult to always determine whether dirt is attached if the device is configured to determine whether dirt is attached only to a specific detection target. For example, as mentioned above, the sky is a suitable detection target, but when traveling through a tunnel, the sky does not appear, making it difficult to determine whether dirt is attached by relying solely on the sky.

[0006] Furthermore, while the vehicle is moving, the scenery within the LiDAR's detection range changes, but if dirt adheres to the transparent part of the LiDAR, the scenery in the area where the dirt adheres does not change. It is conceivable to use this difference to detect dirt. However, when the vehicle is stopped, the scenery does not change, so this method cannot determine whether dirt is attached.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sensor system that is less likely to erroneously determine whether dirt is present.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sensor system capable of detecting dirt that is not limited to a specific detection target.

[0009] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sensor system that can detect the adhesion of dirt when a vehicle is stopped. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A sensor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a sensor having a light receiving portion that receives light from the detection object through a transmission portion; a cleaner capable of cleaning the transmission portion; a cleaner control unit that controls the cleaner, The cleaner control section does not operate the cleaner for a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

[0011] A sensor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a distance detection device having: a light emitting unit that emits light into a detection range through a transmitting unit that transmits light; a light receiving unit that receives light that is emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected by an object; and a point cloud information output unit that outputs point cloud information including position information of the object, distance information to the object, and reflection intensity from the object based on the light received by the light receiving unit; a target recognition unit that recognizes a target and outputs target position information that is position information of the target; a dirt determination unit that detects dirt adhering to the transmission unit based on the point cloud information and the target position information, The dirt determination unit identifying position information of the target after a first time has elapsed as a predicted position based on a movement history of the target at a first time; If the reflection intensity at the predicted position acquired after the first time has elapsed from the first time is different from the reflection intensity of the target at the first time, it is determined that dirt is attached to the position of the transparent part corresponding to the predicted position.

[0012] A sensor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a distance detection device mounted on a vehicle, the distance detection device having: a light emitting unit that emits light into a detection range through a light transmitting unit that transmits light; a light receiving unit that receives light that is emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected off an object; and a point cloud information output unit that outputs point cloud information including position information of the object, distance information to the object, and reflection intensity from the object based on the light received by the light receiving unit; A sensor system mounted on a vehicle, the sensor system including: a dirt determination unit that detects dirt adhering to the transmission portion based on vehicle speed information output from the vehicle and the point cloud information; The dirt determination unit Identifying a point group whose reflection intensity is higher than a predetermined intensity and whose position information moves in synchronization with the vehicle speed information as a high-reflection point group; Calculating a planned route through which the high-reflection point group will pass and a predicted reflection intensity when the high-reflection point group will pass through the planned route based on the reflection intensity and the position information of the high-reflection point group; comparing the reflection intensity obtained from the point cloud information output unit when the object passes through the planned course with the predicted reflection intensity; If the reflection intensity differs from the predicted reflection intensity, it is determined that dirt is attached on the planned path.

[0013] A sensor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a distance detection device fixed to an installation on the ground, the distance detection device having: a light emitting unit that emits light into a detection range through a transmitting unit that transmits light; a light receiving unit that receives light that is emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected by an object; and a point cloud information output unit that outputs point cloud information including position information of the object, distance information to the object, and reflection intensity from the object based on the light received by the light receiving unit; a dirt determination unit that detects dirt adhering to the transmission portion based on the point cloud information; A sensor system comprising: The dirt determination unit Identifying a point group whose fluctuation in reflection intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined value over a first predetermined time period from a first time point to a second time point as a point group to be determined; If the reflection intensity of the target point group remains lower than a reference value determined based on the reflection intensity of the target point group at the first specified time for a second specified time or longer, it is determined that dirt is attached to the position corresponding to the target point group.

[0014] A sensor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a distance detection device mounted on a vehicle, the distance detection device including: a light emitting unit that emits light into a detection range through a light transmitting unit that transmits light; a light receiving unit that receives light that is emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected by an object; and a point cloud information output unit that outputs point cloud information including position information of the object and distance information to the object based on the light received by the light receiving unit; a dirt determination unit that detects dirt adhering to the transmission portion based on the point cloud information; a reference information recording unit that records reference information, which is point cloud information obtained at a specific location; A sensor system mounted on a vehicle, comprising: The dirt determination unit receiving a stop signal from the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is stopped; determining that the vehicle is at the specific location based on distance information of the reference information and distance information of the stop time point group information acquired while acquiring the stop signal; and When there is a difference between the distance information of the stop time point group information and the distance information of the reference information, It is determined that dirt is attached. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of a sensor system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view of a LiDAR. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a system block diagram of a sensor system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining determination of dirt adhesion in a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining determination of dirt adhesion in a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 10 shows a scene within the detection range of a LiDAR fixed to an object installed on the ground in a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of reflection intensity at a certain point on a guide board. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a system block diagram of a sensor system according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart of a process for determining whether or not dirt has adhered to the vehicle, which is executed by the sensor system. [Figure 10] This shows the scenery within the LiDAR detection range when acquiring reference information. [Figure 11] This shows the scenery within the LiDAR detection range when determining dirt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. For the sake of convenience, descriptions of components having the same reference numerals as those already described in the description of the embodiments will be omitted. Furthermore, for the sake of convenience, the dimensions of each component shown in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions of each component.

[0017] Furthermore, in the description of this embodiment, for the sake of convenience, the terms "left-right direction," "front-rear direction," and "up-down direction" will be referred to as appropriate. These directions are relative directions set for the vehicle. Here, the "up-down direction" is a direction that includes the "upward direction" and the "downward direction." The "front-rear direction" is a direction that includes the "forward direction" and the "rearward direction." The "left-right direction" is a direction that includes the "leftward direction" and the "rightward direction."

[0018] First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a system block diagram of a sensor system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the sensor system 1 includes a sensor 30, a cleaner 40, and a cleaner control unit 25. The sensor 30 is a sensor capable of acquiring external information. The sensor 30 is, for example, a camera, radar, LiDAR, or gating camera. The following describes the sensor system 1 mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle control unit 3.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) sensor, which is an example of the sensor 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the LiDAR sensor 30 has a housing 31 with an opening and an outer lens 32 that covers the opening of the housing 31. A light-emitting unit 33 and a light-receiving unit 34 are provided inside the space formed by the housing 31 and the outer lens 32. The light-receiving unit 34 detects light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 and reflected by the detection target. At this time, the light-receiving unit 34 receives the light reflected from the detection target via the outer lens 32 (transmitting unit). The light-receiving unit 34 outputs detection information according to the detected light.

[0020] The sensor system 1 also has a cleaner 40 that cleans the LiDAR 30. The cleaner 40 sprays a cleaning liquid onto the outer lens 32 to remove dirt such as mud and dust adhering to the outer lens 32. The cleaning liquid may be water or water containing a cleaning component.

[0021] 1, the cleaner control unit 25 transmits a drive signal to the cleaner 40 to operate the cleaner 40. Alternatively, the cleaner control unit 25 transmits a stop signal to the cleaner 40 to stop the operation of the cleaner 40. In this embodiment, the cleaner control unit 25 is configured not to operate the cleaner 40 for a predetermined time after the drive of the cleaner 40 has ended. The drive of the cleaner 40 ends when the cleaner control unit 25 sends a stop signal to the cleaner 40, when the cleaner control unit 25 receives a signal from the cleaner 40 indicating that drive has stopped, when the cleaner control unit 25 stops supplying power to operate the cleaner 40, or a certain period of time has passed since the drive signal was sent to the cleaner 40, etc.

[0022] The inventors have thoroughly studied the cleaning process performed by the cleaner 40. Initially, the inventors assumed that the cleaning liquid would be quickly removed by the wind generated by the vehicle while it was moving, but they realized that this was not the case. They realized that when the cleaner 40 sprays the cleaning liquid onto the object to be cleaned, the cleaning liquid remains on the object for a certain period of time. The inventors confirmed that the cleaning liquid remains on the object for approximately 1 to 10 seconds even when the vehicle is traveling at a high speed of 60 km / h or more. For this reason, for example, if the cleaner control unit 25 is configured to activate the cleaner 40 when an abnormality occurs in the output of the sensor 30, the cleaning fluid may remain on the outer lens 32 immediately after the cleaner 40 is activated, causing an abnormality in the output of the sensor 30. As a result, once the cleaner 40 is activated, the cleaner control unit 25 may activate the cleaner 40 based on the abnormality in the output of the sensor 30, which may result in the cleaner 40 continuing to operate. Even in such a case, the sensor system 1 according to this embodiment prevents the cleaner 40 from operating for a predetermined time after the drive of the cleaner 40 has finished, thereby preventing the wasting of cleaning liquid.

[0023] Furthermore, the sensor system 1 of this embodiment is compatible with a sensor system 1 that includes a contamination determination unit 26 (see FIG. 1) that determines whether or not contamination has adhered to the outer lens 32 based on the output of the sensor 30, and in which the cleaner control unit 25 operates the cleaner 40 based on the output of the contamination determination unit 26. Unlike this embodiment, if the cleaner 40 is allowed to continue operating immediately after the operation of the cleaner 40 has finished, an abnormality will occur in the output of the sensor 30 due to remaining cleaning fluid. As a result, the contamination determination unit 26 will determine that contamination has occurred for a predetermined time from immediately after the operation of the cleaner 40 has finished, and the cleaner control unit 25 will continue to operate the cleaner 40 beyond the originally scheduled operation time. According to the sensor system 1 of this embodiment, the cleaner 40 is not operated for a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner 40 has finished, so that the cleaner 40 can be operated only for the originally scheduled operating time.

[0024] Furthermore, the sensor system 1 of this embodiment includes: a dirt determination unit (26) that determines whether dirt has adhered to the outer lens (32) (transmitting portion) based on the detection information of the sensor (30); The cleaner control unit 25 may be configured not to input the detection information of the sensor 30 to the contamination determination unit 26 for a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner 40 has ended.

[0025] Furthermore, the sensor system 1 of this embodiment includes: a dirt determination unit (26) that determines whether dirt has adhered to the outer lens (32) based on the detection information of the sensor (30); The cleaner control unit 25 may be configured not to cause the contamination determination unit 26 to perform the contamination determination within a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner 40 has finished.

[0026] Furthermore, the sensor system 1 of this embodiment includes: a dirt determination unit (26) that determines whether dirt has adhered to the outer lens (32) based on the detection information of the sensor (30); The cleaner control unit 25 may be configured not to cause the contamination determination unit 26 to output the contamination determination result for a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner 40 has ended.

[0027] Furthermore, the sensor system 1 of this embodiment includes: a dirt determination unit (26) that determines whether dirt has adhered to the outer lens (32) based on the detection information of the sensor (30); The cleaner control unit 25 is configured to operate the cleaner 40 based on the output of the contamination determination unit 26. The cleaner control unit 25 may be configured not to operate the cleaner 40 within a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner 40 has finished, regardless of the output of the contamination determination unit 26.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor system 1 may include a weather information acquisition unit 27 that outputs weather information including at least one of temperature, humidity, and air pressure, and a predetermined time determination unit 28 that determines a predetermined time during which the cleaner 40 is not operated based on the weather information. The time that the cleaning fluid remains on the outer lens 32 is affected not only by the vehicle speed but also by weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, and air temperature. For example, when the weather is dry or hot, the remaining time tends to be shorter. On the other hand, when the weather is rainy, humid, or cold, the remaining time tends to be longer. Therefore, by configuring the system to calculate the predetermined time during which the cleaner 40 is not operated based on this weather information, it is possible to set a time that is appropriate for the weather at that time.

[0029] The predetermined time determination unit 28 may also determine the predetermined time based on the latitude of the current location. For example, the latitude of the current location can be determined based on GPS information. The closer to the equator and the smaller the latitude, the less cleaning liquid remains, so the predetermined time can be set shorter.

[0030] Furthermore, as described above, the predetermined time determination unit 28 may be configured to determine the predetermined time in accordance with the vehicle traveling speed acquired from the vehicle control unit 3. Alternatively, the predetermined time may be a fixed value regardless of the vehicle speed, weather information, latitude, etc.

[0031] In addition, in the sensor system 1 of this embodiment, the cleaner control unit 25 is preferably configured to permit operation of the cleaner 40 when it receives a signal from the vehicle control unit 3 indicating that the vehicle is stopped. While the cleaner 40 is operating and spraying cleaning fluid, the sensor 30 cannot perform normal detection. For this reason, it is preferable to operate the cleaner 40 when the vehicle is stopped. Furthermore, while the vehicle is stopped, there is no wind acting on the outer lens 32, so cleaning fluid is likely to remain on the outer lens 32. However, according to the sensor system 1 of this embodiment, the cleaner 40 is not operated for a predetermined time while cleaning fluid remains, thereby preventing unnecessary consumption of cleaning fluid.

[0032] In the present embodiment, an example in which the sensor system 1 is mounted on a vehicle has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The present disclosure may be applied to a sensor system 1 having a sensor that is attached to an installation on the ground, such as a traffic light or street light, and acquires traffic information such as the speed and number of vehicles passing through the area.

[0033] Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described with reference to an example in which the external sensor is a LiDAR, the present disclosure is not limited to this example and the external sensor may be a camera or a millimeter-wave radar.

[0034] Second Embodiment Next, a sensor system 10 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a system block diagram of the sensor system 10 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. The sensor system 10 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle control unit 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the sensor system 10 includes a LiDAR 30 (an example of a sensor) and a dirt determination unit 12. The LiDAR 30 is a sensor capable of acquiring external information.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 2, the LiDAR 30 has a housing 31 with an opening and an outer lens 32 that covers the opening of the housing 31. A light-emitting unit 33 and a light-receiving unit 34 are provided inside the space formed by the housing 31 and the outer lens 32. The light-receiving unit 34 detects light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 and reflected by the detection target. At this time, the light-receiving unit 34 receives the light reflected from the detection target via the outer lens 32 (an example of a transmission unit). The light-receiving unit 34 outputs detection information according to the detected light.

[0036] The light-emitting unit 33 emits light within a detection area (predetermined range) defined in front of the LiDAR 30. The light-emitting unit 33 emits light sequentially toward multiple points within the detection area. The light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 and reflected by an object within the detection area passes through the outer lens 32 and enters the light-receiving unit 34. The light-receiving unit 34 outputs a detection result corresponding to the detection of the reflected light to the point cloud information output unit 35. The point cloud information output unit 35 (see FIG. 3) outputs point cloud information including position information, distance information, and reflection intensity information for a plurality of points within the detection area.

[0037] The position information is information indicating at what point (called a detection point) within the detection area the light emitted from the light emitting unit 33 and reflected toward the light receiving unit 34 is reflected, and the position of the detection point. For example, suppose the detection area is divided into a matrix of, for example, 10,000 x 10,000 pixels, and the light-emitting unit 33 is configured to emit light to points within the divided area, sequentially emitting light from the point located to the upper right of the multiple points toward the point located to the lower left. In this case, the order in which the light is received contains position information indicating the point toward which the light was emitted. In this case, the point cloud information output unit 35 sequentially outputs pairs of information consisting of distance information and reflection intensity information, and the order in which this information is output serves as position information. Alternatively, the light-emitting unit 33 can be configured to include a light source and a mirror that can be turned, so that the direction in which the light-emitting unit 33 emits light can be determined by the orientation of the mirror. In this case, the direction in which the light reflected by the mirror travels becomes position information. In this case, the position information can be expressed as the direction in which the light travels using horizontal and vertical angles. The point cloud information output unit 35 outputs point cloud information consisting of position information of the detection points based on the orientation of the mirror of the light-emitting unit 33, distance information, and reflection intensity information.

[0038] The distance information is information indicating the distance between the light-receiving unit 34 and an object present at the detection point. The distance information is calculated based on the speed of light and the time or phase from when the light-emitting unit 33 emits light toward the detection point to when the light-receiving unit 34 receives the reflected light from the detection point. The reflection intensity information is information indicating the intensity of light when the light receiving unit 34 receives the reflected light from this detection point.

[0039] The dirt determination unit 12 detects dirt adhering to the outer lens 32 based on point cloud information including this position information, distance information, and reflection intensity information. A method for determining dirt by the dirt determination unit 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the determination of dirt adhesion in this embodiment. Fig. 4 shows a scene within the detection range of the LiDAR 30. In Fig. 4, a guide board (an example of a landmark) on a highway is present. In Fig. 4, the guide board that is visible at a first time t1 is indicated by a solid line, and the predicted position of the guide board at a second time t2 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0041] First, the target recognition unit 11 identifies a target from the output of the point cloud information output unit 35 at time t0 based on a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may be, for example, recognizing an area where the reflection intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined intensity as a target. Alternatively, recognizing an area where the number of detection points where the reflection intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined number as a target. The predetermined condition may be set to any condition that allows identification of a target based on the output of the point cloud information output unit 35. The target recognition unit 11 outputs the position of the target to the dirt determination unit 12 as target position information. Once the target recognition unit 11 identifies the target, it continues to trace the target and outputs its position information together with time information to the dirt determination unit 12.

[0042] The dirt determination unit 12 acquires reflection information at an arbitrary point a1 of the target at a first time t1, which is a predetermined time T0 after time t0, from the point cloud information output unit 35. For example, it is assumed that the reflection intensity information of the point a1 at the first time t1 is A1.

[0043] Next, based on the movement history of the target, at a first time t1, which is a predetermined time T0 after time t0, the dirt determination unit 12 identifies the position information of the target at a second time t2, which is the first time T1 after the first time t1, as a predicted position. For example, when the position of point a1 within the target at time t0 is X0 and point a1 within the target at the first time t1 moves to position X1, the position X2 of point a1 within the target within the detection range at the second time t2 can be calculated as follows: Note that position Xn may actually be the values ​​of x and y when the detection range is expressed in x and y coordinates, or the values ​​of θ and φ when the detection range is expressed in vertical angle θ and horizontal angle φ. X2=X1+(X1-X0) / T0×T1

[0044] Next, the dirt determination unit 12 obtains reflection intensity information A2 for position X2 at second time t2 from the point cloud information output unit 35 and compares this reflection intensity information A2 with reflection intensity information A1 for position X1 at first time t1. For example, if the absolute value |A2-A1| of the difference between the reflection intensity information A1 and A2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the dirt determination unit 12 determines that dirt is attached to the position of the outer lens 32 corresponding to predicted position X2. Alternatively, if the absolute value |1-A2 / A1| obtained by subtracting the ratio of the reflection intensity information A1 and A2 from 1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the dirt determination unit 12 determines that dirt is attached to the position of the outer lens 32 corresponding to predicted position X2.

[0045] If the outer lens 32 is clean, the LiDAR 30 measures reflected light from the same target, and therefore the reflection intensity information should not differ significantly between the first time t1 and the second time t2. However, if the outer lens 32 is dirty, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 of the LiDAR 30 will be reflected by the dirt located nearby. Furthermore, since the dirt on the outer lens 32 is located closer to the light-receiving unit 34 than a target located outside the vehicle, the intensity of the reflected light is also greater. For this reason, if the outer lens 32 is dirty, the reflection intensity information will be significantly greater than when there is no dirt. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the actual reflection intensity at the predicted position X2 is greater than the reflection intensity expected at the predicted position X2 (similar to the reflection intensity at position X1), it is determined that dirt is attached to the position of the outer lens 32 corresponding to the predicted position X2.

[0046] More precisely, as the vehicle travels, the distance between the target and the LiDAR 30 often shortens over time. For this reason, the reflection intensity information A2 tends to have a larger value than the reflection intensity information A1. However, the difference between the reflection intensity when there is no dirt and the reflection intensity when there is dirt is much greater than the increase in reflection intensity caused by the shortening of the distance due to the vehicle traveling, so the above-described method for determining dirt does not suffer even if the vehicle is traveling.

[0047] As described above, the sensor system 10 according to this embodiment can determine whether a target object has dirt by comparing the reflection intensity of the target object at the first time t1 with the reflection intensity at the predicted position at the second time t2, even when the scenery within the detection range changes. The sensor system 10 according to this embodiment can predict the position of any target object based on its movement history, so any target object can be used to determine whether a target object has dirt, eliminating the need to determine whether a specific object has dirt. The movement history of a target object does not necessarily mean that the target object itself is moving. It may also be a movement history of the target object within the detection range when the target object moves relative to the LiDAR 30 as the vehicle equipped with the LiDAR 30 travels.

[0048] The target recognition unit 11 is preferably configured to recognize that a target exists in an area where the reflection intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined intensity. The stronger the reflection intensity, the more stable the reflection intensity information, making it possible to stably determine whether the object is dirty. Furthermore, metal surfaces and road surfaces with high reflection intensity are strong objects, so the target itself is unlikely to change over time, making them suitable for determining whether the object is dirty.

[0049] The target recognition unit 11 is preferably configured to recognize that a target exists in an area where the reflection intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined intensity within the detection range of the LiDAR 30 and where the vertical angle is equal to or greater than 0 degrees. Areas with vertical angles of 0 degrees or greater are located above the horizon. Many targets suitable for determining whether they are dirty, such as metal signs and guide boards, are located above the horizon. Furthermore, because the sky is behind these targets, the difference in reflection intensity between the sky and the targets is significant, making it easy for the target recognition unit 11 to identify the contours of the targets.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor system 10 may have a camera 43 whose angle of view includes the detection range of the LiDAR 30, and the target recognition unit 11 may be configured to identify the target and target position information based on the image acquired from the camera 43. For example, the target recognition unit 11 may identify a target such as a signboard, a guide board, or a large truck based on an image acquired by the camera 43, and determine the target position information. The camera 43 can identify targets even if they do not have high reflectivity, such as cloth, as targets. This allows targets with low reflectivity to be used to determine whether they are soiled.

[0051] In the above description, the point at the second time t2 is determined by linear approximation, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The position of point a1 may be obtained two or more times, and the point at the second time t2 may be determined based on these. Alternatively, since the movement of points within the region is regular when the vehicle is traveling, the point at the second time may be determined based on this regularity and the vehicle speed.

[0052] The sensor system 10 also has a cleaner 40 that cleans the LiDAR 30. The cleaner 40 sprays a cleaning liquid onto the outer lens 32 to remove dirt such as mud and dust adhering to the outer lens 32. The cleaning liquid may be water or water containing a cleaning component.

[0053] In the sensor system 10 of this embodiment, the cleaner control unit 41 is preferably configured to permit operation of the cleaner 40 when it receives a signal from the vehicle control unit 3 indicating that the vehicle is stopped. While the cleaner 40 is operating and spraying cleaning fluid, the LiDAR 30 cannot perform normal detection. For this reason, it is preferable to operate the cleaner 40 when the vehicle is stopped. Furthermore, while the vehicle is stopped, there is no wind acting on the vehicle, so cleaning fluid is likely to remain on the outer lens 32. However, according to the sensor system 10 of this embodiment, the cleaner 40 is not operated for a predetermined time while cleaning fluid remains, thereby preventing unnecessary consumption of cleaning fluid.

[0054] Third Embodiment The dirt determination unit 12 of the sensor system 10 mounted on a vehicle may be configured as follows. A dirt determination method for the sensor system 10 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the determination of dirt adhesion according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 5, the symbol C represents the planned path of the guide board. The block diagram of the sensor system 10 according to the third embodiment is the same as that according to the second embodiment.

[0055] First, the dirt determination unit 12 acquires reflection intensity information from the point cloud information output unit and identifies a point cloud whose reflection intensity is higher than a predetermined intensity and whose position information moves in synchronization with vehicle speed information as a high-reflection point cloud. For example, a point cloud with high reflectivity, such as a metal signboard, guide board, or road surface, that moves in synchronization with vehicle speed information is identified as a high-reflection point cloud. Synchronization with vehicle speed information does not necessarily mean movement at the same speed as the vehicle speed. For example, the distance between a guide board fixed at a position far from the host vehicle and the host vehicle decreases in synchronization with the vehicle speed as the host vehicle approaches. However, the distance to an oncoming vehicle traveling at a constant speed (vehicle speed V2) decreases in synchronization with the sum of the host vehicle's vehicle speed V1 and the oncoming vehicle's vehicle speed V2. Such a case is also referred to as synchronization with vehicle speed information. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the dirt determining unit 12 identifies a guide board on a highway as a highly reflective point group.

[0056] Next, based on the reflection intensity and position information of the high-reflection point group, the dirt determination unit 12 calculates the planned route that the high-reflection point group will take and the predicted reflection intensity when the high-reflection point group will pass through the planned route. The dirt determination unit 12 identifies the planned route that the high-reflection point group will take based on the movement history of the guide board. The planned route that the high-reflection point group will take can be identified using a method similar to that of the second embodiment described above. For example, let t1 be the time a predetermined time T0 has elapsed since time t0. If the position of target point a2 at time t0 is X0 and the position of target point a2 at time t1 is X1, then the position X of point a2 at time t, a predetermined time T after time t1, can be calculated using the following formula: X=X1+(X1-X0) / T0×T

[0057] Next, the dirt determination unit 12 calculates the predicted reflection intensity when the vehicle passes through the planned route based on the reflection intensity information of the high-reflection point group. For example, as in the second embodiment described above, the reflection intensity information A0 at time t0 when the guide board is identified as a high-reflection point group may be used as the predicted reflection intensity when the vehicle passes through the planned route.

[0058] Alternatively, a predicted reflection intensity A2 at point a2 at time t2, a predetermined time T2 after time t1, may be calculated using linear approximation according to the following equation: A2=A1+(A1-A0) / T0×T2 Alternatively, since the distance to point a2 decreases by vehicle speed V×time T as time T passes, predicted reflection intensity A may be calculated using the attenuation rate α of the detected light in the air from the following equation: A2=A1+α×V×T

[0059] Next, at time t2, which is a predetermined time T2 after time t1, the dirt determination unit 12 acquires the actual reflection intensity A2' obtained from the point cloud information output unit 35 when the object passes along the planned path. The dirt determination unit 12 compares the actual reflection intensity A2' with the predicted reflection intensity A2, and if the actual reflection intensity A2' differs from the predicted reflection intensity A2, determines that dirt is attached along the planned path.

[0060] If the outer lens 32 is clean, the LiDAR 30 measures reflected light from the same target, and therefore the reflection intensity information should not differ significantly between the first time t1 and the second time t2. However, if the outer lens 32 is dirty, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 of the LiDAR 30 will be reflected by the dirt located nearby. Furthermore, since the dirt on the outer lens 32 is located closer to the light-receiving unit 34 than a target located outside the vehicle, the intensity of the reflected light is also greater. For this reason, if the outer lens 32 is dirty, the reflection intensity information will be significantly greater than when there is no dirt. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the actual reflection intensity A2' is greater than the predicted reflection intensity A2, it is determined that dirt is attached to the position of the outer lens 32 corresponding to the planned course.

[0061] In this way, even when the scenery within the detection range changes, the sensor system 10 according to this embodiment can determine whether a target object has dirt by comparing the predicted reflection intensity A2 with the actual reflection intensity A2' when the target object passes through the planned path. Since the sensor system 10 according to this embodiment can predict the planned path of any target object based on its movement history, any target object can be used to determine whether it has dirt, and there is no need to determine whether it has dirt only for a specific object.

[0062] <Fourth embodiment> In the second and third embodiments described above, an example was described in which the LiDAR 30 is mounted on a moving vehicle, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure can also be applied to a sensor system 10 including a LiDAR 30 fixed to a ground-based installation. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a sensor system 10 having a LiDAR 30 attached to a ground-based installation, such as a traffic light or street light, that acquires traffic information such as the speed and number of vehicles passing through the area. The operation of the contamination determination unit 12 in this embodiment will be described using FIGS. 6 and 7. The block diagram of the sensor system 10 in the fourth embodiment is the same as that in the second embodiment.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a scene within the detection range of a LiDAR 30 fixed to an installation on the ground. First, based on the reflection intensity information acquired from the point cloud information output unit 35, the dirt determination unit 12 identifies a point cloud whose reflection intensity fluctuation is below a predetermined value over a first predetermined time S1 from a first time t1 to a second time t2 as a point cloud to be determined. The fluctuation in reflection intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined value when, for example, the average value of reflection intensity within the first predetermined time S1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, such as 80% or more of the maximum value within the first predetermined time S1, or when the ratio of the maximum value to the minimum value of reflection intensity within the first predetermined time S1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, such as 80% or more. A point cloud that does not move relative to the ground and has stable reflection intensity, such as a highway guide board, a store sign, a house roof, or a road surface, can be identified as the target point cloud. Alternatively, a point cloud that does not move relative to the ground and has stable reflection intensity over a first predetermined time period S1, such as the body of a parked truck, may be identified as the target reflection point cloud. Alternatively, the sky, which also has a stable low reflection intensity, can also be identified as the target point cloud. In Figure 6, a highway guide board is identified as the target point cloud.

[0064] Next, the dirt determination unit 12 determines that dirt is present at the position corresponding to the target point group if the reflection intensity of the target point group remains lower than a reference value determined based on the reflection intensity of the target point group at a first predetermined time S1 for at least a second predetermined time S2. For example, a signboard that exhibits a strong reflection intensity B1 for one hour should maintain a similar reflection intensity B1 thereafter. However, if dust subsequently adheres to the outer lens 32, the reflection intensity B2 from the time of adhesion continues to be weaker than the reflection intensity B1. Therefore, in this case, the dirt determination unit 12 can determine that dirt is present on the outer lens 32.

[0065] The reference value determined based on the reflection intensity of the target point group at the first predetermined time S may be the average or maximum value of the reflection intensity of the target point group at the first predetermined time S. Alternatively, it may be a value calculated by multiplying the average or maximum value of the reflection intensity of the target point group at the first predetermined time S by a coefficient such as 0.8. Furthermore, the dirt determination unit 12 may determine that dirt has adhered when the reflection intensity of the target point group after the second time becomes 80% or less of this reference value.

[0066] The second predetermined time S2 may be the same as or different from the first predetermined time S1. Note that, since an object that exhibits a stable reflection intensity over the first predetermined time S1 is expected to exhibit a similar reflection intensity over the subsequent first predetermined time S1, the second predetermined time S2 is preferably shorter than the first predetermined time.

[0067] The above-mentioned dirt determination method will be explained in detail using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the transition of reflection intensity at point a3 on the signboard. The vertical axis of Figure 7 represents reflection intensity, and the horizontal axis represents time. From time s0 to time s1, reflection intensity was A0, and then, from time s1 to time s2, a bird crossed between the light receiving unit and the signboard, causing the reflection intensity to drop to A1. Then, from time s2 to time s3, reflection intensity recovered to A0. Furthermore, from time s3 onwards, dirt adhered to the outer lens 32, causing the reflection intensity to drop to A2, a state in which this continues.

[0068] In this case, the dirt determination unit 12 determines that the fluctuation in reflection intensity from time s1 to time s4, which is the first predetermined time S1 later, is less than a predetermined value, and determines this point to be one of the points to be determined. Note that although the reflection intensity decreases between time s1 and time s4 due to a bird (between time s1 and time s2), the fluctuation in reflection intensity between time s1 and time s4 is determined to be sufficiently small, and therefore determines this point to be one of the points to be determined.

[0069] The reflection intensity continues to decrease to A2 from time s3 between time s4 and time s5 after the second predetermined time S2. When the average value Aavr of the reflection intensity between time s4 and the second predetermined time S2 falls below 80% of the maximum reflection intensity A0 within the first predetermined time S1, the dirt determination unit 12 determines that dirt has adhered to the position on the outer lens 32 corresponding to point a3.

[0070] In this way, even with the sensor system 10 according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not there is dirt by using the reflection intensity of a target that exhibits a stable reflection intensity over a certain period of time, even if the scenery within the detection range changes due to the movement of vehicles, pedestrians, birds, etc. Targets that exhibit a stable reflection intensity over a certain period of time include the road surface, the sky, and guide signs, and any target can be used to determine whether or not there is dirt, so it is not necessary to limit the determination to a specific object. It goes without saying that this embodiment may also be applied to a sensor system in which a LiDAR is mounted on a vehicle. For example, the road surface appears as a fixed area within the detection range that exhibits stable reflection intensity even when the vehicle is traveling. Therefore, the sensor system of the fourth embodiment mounted on a vehicle can determine whether dirt is attached to the road surface.

[0071] Fifth Embodiment Next, a sensor system 100 according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 11. Fig. 8 is a system block diagram of the sensor system 100 according to the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. The sensor system 100 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle control unit 3. As shown in Fig. 8, the sensor system 100 includes a LiDAR 30 (an example of a sensor), a dirt determination unit 111, and a reference information recording unit 112. The LiDAR 30 is a sensor capable of acquiring external information.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 2, the LiDAR 30 has a housing 31 with an opening and an outer lens 32 (an example of a transmission section) that covers the opening of the housing 31. A light-emitting section 33 and a light-receiving section 34 are provided inside the space formed by the housing 31 and the outer lens 32. The light-receiving section 34 detects light emitted from the light-emitting section 33 and reflected by the detection target. At this time, the light-receiving section 34 receives the light reflected from the detection target via the outer lens 32 (an example of a transmission section). The light-receiving section 34 outputs detection information according to the detected light.

[0073] The light-emitting unit 33 emits light within a detection range defined in front of the LiDAR 30. The light-emitting unit 33 emits light sequentially toward multiple points within the detection area. The light emitted from the light-emitting unit 33 and reflected by an object within the detection area passes through the outer lens 32 and enters the light-receiving unit 34. The light-receiving unit 34 outputs a detection result according to the detection of the reflected light to the point cloud information output unit. The point cloud information output unit 35 (see FIG. 8) outputs point cloud information including position information and distance information for a plurality of points within the detection area.

[0074] The position information is information indicating at what point (called a detection point) within the detection area the light emitted from the light emitting unit 33 and reflected toward the light receiving unit 34 is reflected, and the position of the detection point. For example, suppose the detection area is divided into a matrix of, for example, 10,000 x 10,000 pixels in advance, and the light-emitting unit 33 is configured to emit light to points within the divided area, sequentially emitting light from the point located at the upper right to the point located at the lower left. In this case, the order in which the light is received includes position information indicating the point toward which the light was emitted. In this case, the point cloud information output unit 35 outputs distance information in sequence, and the order in which the light is output serves as position information. Alternatively, the light-emitting unit 33 can be configured to include a light source and a mirror that can be turned, so that the direction in which the light-emitting unit 33 emits light can be determined by the orientation of the mirror. In this case, the direction in which the light reflected by the mirror travels becomes position information. In this case, the position information can be expressed as the direction in which the light travels using horizontal and vertical angles. The point cloud information output unit 35 outputs point cloud information consisting of position information of the detection points based on the orientation of the mirror of the light-emitting unit 33 and distance information.

[0075] The distance information is information indicating the distance between the light-receiving unit 34 and an object present at the detection point. The distance information is calculated based on the speed of light and the time or phase from when the light-emitting unit 33 emits light toward the detection point to when the light-receiving unit 34 receives the reflected light from the detection point.

[0076] The dirt determination unit 111 detects dirt adhering to the outer lens 32 based on the point cloud information including this position information and distance information. A method for determining dirt by the dirt determination unit 111 will be described with reference to Figs.

[0077] Fig. 9 is a flowchart of the dirt adhesion determination executed by the sensor system 100. As shown in Fig. 9, first, the dirt determination unit 111 determines whether or not a stop signal indicating that the vehicle is stopped has been received from the vehicle control unit 3 (step S01). This flowchart may be configured to start when the vehicle is turned off, or when the vehicle shift lever is placed in the parking position, when the parking brake is applied, when the vehicle speed remains at zero for a predetermined period of time, or when the user operates a switch to start the dirt deposition determination.

[0078] If the stop signal has not been received (step S01: No), the dirt determination unit 111 ends the process. If the stop signal has been received (step S01: Yes), the dirt determination unit 111 receives point cloud information from the point cloud information output unit 35 (step S02).

[0079] Next, the dirt determination unit 111 reads out the reference information from the reference information recording unit 112 and compares the acquired point cloud information (hereinafter referred to as stop time point group information) with the reference information (step S03). The reference information is point cloud information that the dirt determination unit 111 uses as a reference when determining whether dirt is attached.

[0080] FIG. 10 shows a scene within the detection range of the LiDAR 30 when the reference information is acquired. FIG. 10 shows a scene within the detection range of the LiDAR 30 when a vehicle equipped with the sensor system 100 of this embodiment is parked in a user's parking lot. In this embodiment, the LiDAR 30 detects the area behind the vehicle. For example, when a vehicle with a clean outer lens 32 is parked in a user's parking lot, the point cloud information output from the point cloud information output unit 35 is the reference information. In other words, the information captured by the LiDAR 30 of the scene shown in FIG. 10 is the reference information. For example, when the user performs a specific operation, such as pressing a specific switch, at any time while the vehicle is parked in a specific location, the point cloud information acquired at that location is recorded in the reference information recording unit 112. It is preferable that the reference information be obtained from a location where the user frequently parks the vehicle, such as a parking lot or garage at the user's home, a parking lot or garage at the user's workplace, or a parking lot at a store that the user frequently visits.

[0081] Returning to step S03 in Fig. 9, it is assumed that the vehicle is parked in the user's parking lot as shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 11 shows the scenery within the detection range of the LiDAR 30 when determining whether the vehicle is dirty. In Fig. 9, the dirt determination unit 111 compares the stopping time group information acquired when the vehicle is stopped with the reference information, and determines whether the location where the vehicle is currently stopped matches the location where the reference information was acquired.

[0082] Specifically, the dirt determination unit 111 compares the distance information between the position information in the stop time group information and the position information in the reference information, where the information matches. If the location where the vehicle stopped matches the location where the reference information was acquired, the distance information between the two should be similar. Therefore, in step S03, it is determined whether the ratio of the number of point cloud information in which the difference between the distance information in the stop time group information and the distance information in the reference information is less than a first threshold to the total number of point cloud information (hereinafter referred to as the "approximation ratio") is equal to or greater than a second threshold. The first threshold is a numerical value equal to or greater than 70%, and the second threshold is a numerical value equal to or greater than 70% but less than 100%. For example, the number of point cloud information pieces for which the difference in distance information between the two for a certain position is less than 10% (an example of a first threshold) of the distance information of the reference information is counted. If the approximation ratio of the counted number of point cloud information pieces to the number of all point cloud information pieces within the detection range is 90% (an example of a second threshold) or more, the result of step S03 is determined to be Yes.

[0083] In step S03, if the approximation ratio is less than the second threshold (for example, less than 90%) (step S03: No), it is estimated that the location where the vehicle is currently parked is different from the location where the reference information was acquired. Therefore, the dirt determination unit 111 does not determine whether dirt is attached and ends the process.

[0084] On the other hand, if the approximation ratio is equal to or greater than the second threshold value (step S03: Yes), it is assumed that the location where the vehicle is currently parked is the same as the location where the reference information was acquired. Therefore, the dirt determination unit 111 determines whether the vehicle is dirty using the reference information and the stop time point group information. Specifically, when the approximation ratio is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and less than the third threshold value, the dirt determination unit 111 determines that dirt is attached to the outer lens 32 (step S04). Note that the third threshold value is greater than the second threshold value and less than 100%.

[0085] If the outer lens 32 is not dirty, the vehicle is located at the location where the reference information was acquired, and therefore the degree of match between the stop time group information and the reference information should be quite high. Therefore, if the approximation rate is 97% (an example of a third threshold) or more (step S04: No), the dirt determination unit 111 determines that there is no dirt (step S06) and ends the processing. Alternatively, the dirt determination unit 111 may be configured to determine that there is no dirt and output a no-dirt signal to the vehicle control unit 3.

[0086] 11, if there is dirt D on the outer lens 32, the light emitted from the light emitting element is reflected by the dirt D on the outer lens 32 located nearby, and the distance information at that position becomes extremely small. For this reason, although the distance information in the stop time group information and the distance information in the reference information match in most areas where there is no dirt D, the distance information in the stop time group information and the distance information in the reference information do not match in areas where there is dirt D, and so although the approximation rate is high, it does not approach 100%. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the approximation ratio is equal to or greater than 90% and less than 98% (equal to or greater than the second threshold and less than the third threshold) in step S04 (step S04: Yes), it is determined that dirt is attached to the outer lens 32 (step S05). The dirt determination unit 111 may be configured to output a signal indicating the attachment of dirt to the vehicle control unit 3 or the cleaner control unit. In this example, the second threshold is set to 90% and the third threshold is set to 98%, but these numerical values ​​are arbitrary. Note that here, the approximation ratio is described as being closer to 1 as the two become more similar.

[0087] In this way, according to the sensor system 100 of this embodiment, by recording point cloud information that serves as the basis for determining dirt as reference information, and by comparing this reference information with the point cloud information at the current location when the vehicle is stopped, it is possible to detect the adhesion of dirt to the outer lens 32 when the vehicle is stopped, even when the vehicle is not moving.

[0088] To be more precise, a vehicle is not always parked accurately in the same place and facing the same direction. For this reason, in steps S03 and S04, the dirt determination unit 111 may include, as the reference information, information corrected when the vehicle is translated in the left-right and front-rear directions, and information corrected when the vehicle's facing direction is changed within a range of plus or minus 5 degrees. Furthermore, when parking spaces for other vehicles are provided adjacently on either side of the parking space for the host vehicle as shown in Fig. 9, it is preferable to acquire point cloud information acquired in all of the following cases as reference information: when the other vehicle is parked only on the left side of the host vehicle, when the other vehicle is parked only on the right side of the host vehicle, when the other vehicle is parked on both sides of the host vehicle, and when the other vehicle is not parked on either side of the host vehicle. In the example shown in Fig. 9, it is preferable that the reference information include the shape and position of the wall, the position and size of the wall's irregularities, the size and shape of the bollard, the position and length of the white line, etc. Alternatively, when acquiring reference information for a user's garage, objects with sides of 1.5 m or less, such as brooms and bicycles, are likely to be moved frequently. Therefore, it is preferable not to include point cloud information forming these objects in the reference information. Conversely, it is preferable to use point cloud information forming the garage walls, beams, or scars on the walls as reference information. Alternatively, the location where the reference information was acquired using a GPS signal may be determined to match the location where the vehicle is currently stopped.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, the adhesion of dirt is determined based on whether the approximate ratio, which is the ratio of the number of point cloud information where the difference between the distance information of the stop time group information and the distance information of the reference information is less than or equal to a first threshold value to the total number of point cloud information, is greater than or equal to a second threshold value and less than a third threshold value, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0090] For example, (1) the approximation ratio, which is the ratio of the number of point cloud information in which the difference between the distance information of the stop time group information and the distance information of the reference information is less than a first threshold value to the total number of point cloud information, is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and (2) for distance information of the stop time group information in which the difference from the distance information of the reference information is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, the difference from the distance information of the reference information is equal to or greater than a fourth threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the system may be configured to determine that dirt is attached to the part of the outer lens 32 corresponding to that area. Specifically, (1) if the approximation rate is 90% or more, it is estimated that the vehicle is located at the location where the reference information was acquired. Furthermore, (2) if the stop time group information that is not similar to the reference information differs significantly from the reference information, it can be determined that dirt is attached to this area. In other words, if dirt is attached to the outer lens 32, the detection light is reflected by dirt immediately adjacent to the light-emitting element, resulting in extremely small distance information compared to when the detection light is reflected by the road surface, etc. Therefore, for distance information of the stop time group information that is not similar to the reference information and differs from the distance information of the reference information by 10% or more (first threshold), it can be determined that dirt is attached to a portion of the outer lens 32 corresponding to an area where the difference from the distance information of the reference information is 70% or more (an example of a fourth threshold). The fourth threshold is preferably at least twice the first threshold, and more preferably at least three times the first threshold.

[0091] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example in which the present disclosure is applied to a LiDAR 30 that acquires information behind a vehicle has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a LiDAR 30 that acquires information ahead of a vehicle, a LiDAR 30 that acquires information on the sides of a vehicle, etc. Furthermore, the present disclosure may be applied to a LiDAR 30 that acquires information all around a vehicle.

[0092] The sensor system 100 also has a cleaner 40 that cleans the LiDAR 30. The cleaner 40 sprays a cleaning liquid onto the outer lens 32 to remove dirt such as mud and dust adhering to the outer lens 32. The cleaning liquid may be water or water containing a cleaning component.

[0093] In the sensor system 100 of this embodiment, the cleaner control unit 41 is preferably configured to permit operation of the cleaner 40 when it receives a signal from the vehicle control unit 3 indicating that the vehicle is stopped. While the cleaner 40 is operating and spraying cleaning fluid, the LiDAR 30 cannot perform normal detection. For this reason, it is preferable to operate the cleaner 40 when the vehicle is stopped. Furthermore, while the vehicle is stopped, there is no wind acting on the vehicle, so cleaning fluid is likely to remain on the outer lens 32. However, according to the sensor system 100 of this embodiment, the cleaner 40 is not operated for a predetermined time while cleaning fluid remains, thereby preventing unnecessary consumption of cleaning fluid.

[0094] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited by the description of the present embodiments. The present embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The technical scope of the present disclosure should be determined based on the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0095] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-217241 filed on December 25, 2020, Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-18193 filed on February 8, 2021, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-18194 filed on February 8, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. a sensor having a light receiving portion that receives light from the detection object through a transmission portion; a cleaner capable of cleaning the transmission portion; a cleaner control unit that controls the cleaner; a weather information acquisition unit that outputs weather information including at least one of temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure; a predetermined time determination unit that determines a predetermined time for which the cleaner is not to be operated based on the weather information, The cleaner control unit does not operate the cleaner for the predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

2. A sensor having a light receiving part that receives light from a detection object through a transmission part; a cleaner capable of cleaning the transmission portion; a cleaner control unit that controls the cleaner; a predetermined time determination unit that determines a predetermined time during which the cleaner is not operated in accordance with the latitude of the current location, The cleaner control unit does not operate the cleaner for the predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

3. A sensor system, a sensor having a light receiving portion that receives light from the detection object through a transmission portion; a cleaner capable of cleaning the transmission portion; a cleaner control unit that controls the cleaner, the cleaner control unit does not operate the cleaner for a predetermined time after the driving of the cleaner is completed, The sensor system is mounted on a vehicle, The sensor system includes a predetermined time determination unit that determines the predetermined time in accordance with a traveling speed of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle.

4. a dirt determination unit that determines whether dirt has adhered to the transmission unit based on the detection information of the sensor, The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaner control unit prevents the detection information of the sensor from being input to the contamination determination unit within the predetermined time period after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

5. a dirt determination unit that determines whether dirt has adhered to the transmission unit based on the detection information of the sensor, The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaner control unit does not cause the contamination determination unit to perform the contamination determination within the predetermined time period after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

6. a dirt determination unit that determines whether dirt has adhered to the transmission unit based on the detection information of the sensor, The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaner control unit does not cause the contamination determination unit to output a contamination determination result within the predetermined time period after the driving of the cleaner is completed.

7. a dirt determination unit that determines whether dirt has adhered to the transmission unit based on the detection information of the sensor, the cleaner control unit is configured to operate the cleaner based on an output of the contamination determination unit, The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaner control unit does not operate the cleaner within the predetermined time period after driving of the cleaner is completed, regardless of the output of the contamination determination unit.

8. the sensor system is mounted on a vehicle having a vehicle control unit, 4. The sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner control unit permits operation of the cleaner when receiving a signal from the vehicle control unit indicating that the vehicle is stopped.

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