Sensor Protection System with Embedded Cleaning Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in maintaining accurate and uninterrupted sensor performance due to exposure to environmental factors like rain, snow, dust, and debris, which can lead to tampering and degradation of sensor data, affecting safe autonomous driving.
Innovation Solution
A sensor protection system is developed with a first structure embedded in a second structure, where sensors are firmly placed and protected from environmental impacts, and cleaning devices are mounted on the second structure to prevent degradation. The system includes inertial measurement units (IMUs) for anti-tampering mechanisms and cleaning mechanisms like wiper assemblies and air blower systems to maintain sensor clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are exposed to the environment for continuous sensing, then sensing capability is improved, but sensor reliability deteriorates due to environmental factors like rain, snow, dust, and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into multiple components: the sensor itself, a protective housing structure, and separate cleaning devices. This segmentation allows the sensor to remain protected while still enabling sensing through the housing, and allows independent cleaning of the housing surface without affecting the sensor directly.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent or translucent protective housing is introduced as an intermediary between the sensor and the external environment. This housing allows sensing information to pass through while protecting the sensor from direct exposure to harmful environmental factors like rain, snow, dust, and debris.
2Reliability
If cleaning devices are added to protect sensor clarity, then sensor reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning devices are designed to serve multiple functions: they can clean the protective housing surface, remove contaminants that affect sensing, and potentially serve as part of the overall vehicle cleaning system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system is designed to automatically clean the protective housing without requiring manual intervention. The system can detect when cleaning is needed and activate the appropriate cleaning devices, enabling the sensor system to maintain itself autonomously.
3Reliability
If anti-tampering mechanisms with IMUs are implemented, then sensor integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-tampering mechanism combines multiple functions into a single integrated system: IMUs for detecting physical disturbances, processing logic for analyzing the disturbance patterns, and alert generation for notifying of potential tampering. This consolidation reduces the need for separate complex subsystems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present teaching relates to method and system for sensor protection. A sensor protection system includes an assembly having a first structure embedded in a second structure, wherein a sensor is firmly placed in the first structure for sensing information through the assembly and protected from negative impact of outside environment, and one or more devices mounted on the second structure for providing means to clean a slanted surface of the second structure through which the sensor senses the surrounding information, wherein the one or more devices can be individually or jointly activated as needed to clean the slanted surface in order to prevent degradation of information sensed by the sensor through the assembly.