Adaptive Vehicle Sensor Cleaner System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The type and degree of contamination on vehicle sensors vary with weather conditions, necessitating a cleaning system that can adapt its cleaning conditions accordingly.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle cleaner system equipped with a cleaner unit and a control unit that acquires weather information to adjust the type, discharge amount, frequency, and duration of a cleaning medium for optimal sensor cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed cleaning condition is used for the sensor, then the cleaning system is simple to operate, but it cannot effectively clean the sensor under varying weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system dynamically adjusts cleaning conditions (discharge amount, discharge timing, number of discharges) based on real-time weather information. The control unit modifies cleaning parameters according to weather type (rainy, snowy, cloudy, sunny) and contamination levels, transforming a static cleaning system into an adaptive one that responds to environmental changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes cleaning parameters (discharge amount, discharge timing, number of discharges) based on weather conditions and sensor contamination levels. Different weather types trigger different cleaning parameter sets, allowing the system to adapt cleaning intensity and method to match the specific contamination scenario without requiring complex mechanical changes.
2Reliability
If the cleaning medium is discharged frequently to ensure clean sensors, then sensor cleanliness is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different cleaning intensities to different weather conditions and contamination scenarios. Instead of uniformly discharging cleaning medium at maximum frequency, it tailors the discharge amount and timing to the specific contamination level and weather type, using more cleaning medium when contamination is severe (e.g., snowy/rainy conditions) and less when contamination is minimal (e.g., sunny conditions).
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit determines the number of discharges needed based on contamination level and weather conditions. It applies partial action (fewer discharges) when contamination is light and excessive action (more discharges) when contamination is severe, optimizing the balance between cleaning effectiveness and resource consumption rather than using a fixed discharge schedule.
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
Enables tailored cleaning conditions for vehicle sensors based on weather, ensuring effective cleaning while minimizing resource consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaner unit configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to discharge a cleaning medium to an external sensor that acquires information outside the vehicle so as to clean the external sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to discharge a cleaning medium to an external sensor that acquires information outside the vehicle so as to clean the external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. The cleaner control unit is configured to acquire weather information, and control the cleaner unit such that at least one of a type of the cleaning medium, a discharge amount of the cleaning medium, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning medium, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning medium per unit time, and a discharge time of the cleaning medium varies according to the weather information.