Vehicle Sensor Cleaner Control for Low Washer Fluid Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
In autonomous driving vehicles, it is challenging to maintain the sensitivity of external sensors due to insufficient cleaning liquid in the vehicle cleaner system, making it difficult to acquire reliable external information and execute autonomous driving mode effectively.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle cleaner system that includes a cleaner unit, a tank for storing cleaning liquid, and a control unit that operates in different modes based on the remaining liquid amount, adjusting the discharge amount when the liquid is low to prevent insufficiency and conserve liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaner operates in automatic cleaning mode with sufficient cleaning liquid, then the sensor cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the cleaning liquid consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaner control unit dynamically adjusts the cleaning operation mode based on the remaining cleaning liquid amount. When the remaining amount is sufficient, the system operates in first mode with higher discharge amount for effective cleaning. When the remaining amount becomes insufficient, the system automatically switches to second mode with reduced discharge amount, thereby adapting the cleaning performance to the available resource level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters of the cleaner by switching between two distinct modes. The first mode uses a discharge amount suitable for effective sensor cleaning, while the second mode uses a reduced discharge amount to conserve cleaning liquid. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between cleaning effectiveness and resource conservation based on the remaining liquid level.
2Loss of substance
If the cleaner reduces discharge amount to save cleaning liquid, then the cleaning liquid consumption is reduced, but the sensor cleaning effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the discharge amount based on the remaining cleaning liquid amount detected by the detection unit. When liquid is abundant, the system operates at full capacity for effective cleaning. When liquid becomes scarce, the system automatically reduces discharge amount to extend the usable life of the remaining liquid, accepting a trade-off in cleaning intensity to prevent complete depletion.
3Reliability
If the cleaner operates continuously in autonomous driving mode, then the sensor sensitivity is maintained, but the cleaning liquid depletes faster
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaner control unit continuously receives feedback from the detection unit about the remaining cleaning liquid amount. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the cleaning operation mode in real-time. This closed-loop control ensures that the system can maintain sensor cleaning effectiveness for as long as possible by adapting to the depleting liquid supply, thereby extending the operational duration of the cleaning system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle cleaner system (100) is provided with a front LiDAR (6f) and a front camera (6c), which are external sensors (6) for acquiring information relating to the exterior of a vehicle, a cleaner unit (110) including a front LiDAR cleaner (103) which discharges a cleaning solution to clean the front LiDAR (6f) and a front camera cleaner (109a) which cleans the front camera (6c), a front tank (111) for storing the cleaning solution, and a cleaner control unit (116) which controls the cleaner unit (110). The cleaner control unit (116) is configured to be capable of outputting a residual amount shortage prediction signal to a vehicle control unit (3) which controls travel of the vehicle, if the amount of the cleaning solution in the front tank (111) is equal to or less than a prescribed amount.