Vehicle Camera Lens Contamination Detection and Washing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for detecting contaminants on vehicle camera lenses often require repeated washing, as residual contaminants can be detected again after cleaning, leading to unnecessary washing cycles.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle surroundings monitoring device that records attachment information at engine startup and during initial diagnosis, comparing it with real-time data to determine if contaminants have increased, triggering washing only when necessary, thereby preventing useless washing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If contaminants are detected by capturing images at multiple moments and extracting differences, then contaminant detection capability is improved, but useless washing occurs when residual contaminants are detected again after cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording of attachment information at engine startup and during initial diagnosis before normal operation begins. This preliminary action establishes a baseline state of the lens, allowing the system to later compare current contamination levels against this initial state and avoid unnecessary washing when no new contaminants have accumulated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the lens surface and compares real-time attachment information against the recorded baseline data. When the comparison shows that contaminants have increased beyond the initial state, the system triggers washing. This feedback mechanism prevents useless washing cycles by ensuring washing only occurs when actual contamination has occurred since the last baseline recording.
2Reliability
If washing is performed frequently to ensure clean lens, then lens cleanliness is improved, but washing system wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control by continuously comparing current attachment information with the recorded baseline state. Washing is triggered only when the comparison indicates actual contamination has occurred, ensuring lens cleanliness is maintained without excessive washing that would increase system wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The system serves itself by autonomously monitoring its own lens condition and making intelligent decisions about when washing is necessary. Through self-monitoring and comparison with baseline data, the system determines optimal washing timing without external intervention, preventing unnecessary washing operations that would increase wear on the washing mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle surroundings monitoring device includes: a captured image acquisition unit that acquires an image of surroundings of a vehicle by an image capturing unit mounted on the vehicle; an attachment detection unit that decides a state in which foreign matter adheres to a lens of the image capturing unit; a state decision unit that decides that the lens is in a lens state in which performance of image recognition is reduced in case that the attachment detection unit decides that the foreign matter adheres to the lens; a lens state recording unit that records the lens state in a recording unit upon termination of a system; and a lens state read-out unit that reads out the lens state recorded in the recording unit upon start of the system.