Sensor Window Cleaning Using Acoustic Droplet Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor cleaning methods for modern vehicles, particularly for optical sensors like cameras and LIDAR, are inefficient and require significant resources, such as large amounts of fluid and power, and are not fully automated, posing challenges for self-driving vehicles with new sensor modalities like LIDAR.
Innovation Solution
An acousto-vibratory cleaning system that uses sonic actuators and a mounted sensor vibration system to levitate and steer a microfluid droplet onto the sensor window, utilizing acoustic forces to remove obscurants and then guide the contaminated droplet to drainage canals, reducing resource consumption and enabling automated cleaning without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluid-based cleaning systems are used to spray cleaning fluid onto sensor surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but resource consumption (fluid usage) increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical spray system with an acousto-vibratory system that uses ultrasonic vibrations to generate acoustic radiation pressure. This mechanical-to-acoustic substitution eliminates the need for large volumes of cleaning fluid while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through contactless acoustic manipulation of microfluid droplets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cleaning approach by using ultrasonic frequencies (20-100 kHz) to generate acoustic radiation pressure. This parameter change enables the system to manipulate and position microfluid droplets (picoliter to microliter scale) without requiring the large fluid volumes needed for traditional spray systems.
2Reliability
If mechanical wipers or brushes are used to clean sensor surfaces, then cleaning capability is improved, but device complexity and risk of sensor damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wipers and brushes with an acousto-vibratory system that uses ultrasonic transducers to generate acoustic radiation pressure. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical moving parts while providing effective cleaning through contactless acoustic manipulation of cleaning droplets, thereby reducing device complexity and sensor damage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic radiation pressure as an intermediary force to transfer momentum to the cleaning droplet. This acoustic intermediary enables precise positioning and control of the droplet on the sensor surface without requiring direct mechanical contact, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Productivity
If pressurized gas systems are used to remove contaminants, then cleaning speed is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pressurized gas systems with an acousto-vibratory system that uses ultrasonic transducers to generate acoustic radiation pressure. This substitution maintains cleaning speed by rapidly positioning and manipulating microfluid droplets through acoustic forces, while consuming significantly less energy compared to high-pressure gas systems.
4Extent of automation
If traditional cleaning systems are used, then automation is limited, but manual intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service cleaning system where the acousto-vibratory system automatically detects, positions, and executes cleaning operations on sensor surfaces without manual intervention. The system uses acoustic radiation pressure to autonomously manipulate cleaning droplets, enabling fully automated operation suitable for autonomous vehicles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach efficiently removes obscurants from sensor surfaces with minimal resource usage, specifically requiring only microliters of fluid and electrical power, and supports the cleaning of vertically mounted sensors, enhancing the automation of sensor maintenance for self-driving vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
An acousto-vibratory cleaning system uses sonic actuators and a mounted sensor vibration system to levitate and steer a microfluid droplet onto the sensor window
Implementation Method 2
vibration of the mounted sensor is activated to guide the droplet along the obscurant to clean the mounted sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for sensor cleaning systems. A region of a sensor window is identified to be blocked by an obscurant. The location of the region is determined using the sensor associated with the sensor window. An acousto-vibratory cleaning system receives the location of the region and produces a fluid droplet to be dispensed at a specified point on a two-dimensional plane of the surface of the sensor window. Sonic actuators are activated to capture the fluid droplet in acoustic levitation. Acoustic forces guide the fluid droplet to the region being obscured. Once the fluid droplet is in cleaning position, vibration of the sensor window is activated to incrementally clear the obscurant by vibrating the droplet along the obscurant. The acousto-vibratory cleaning system generates additional acoustic forces to guide the contaminated fluid droplet to a closest drainage canal.