Control for passive wiper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11554756-B2
Application number	US-202016944194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2020
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A system includes a dome, a wiper assembly, a position sensor and a control device. The wiper assembly includes a wiper blade configured to rotate around the dome. The position sensor may be configured to send a signal to a control device when a wiper blade passes the position sensor. The control device may include one or more processors configured to receive the signal from the position sensor and determine a location of the wiper blade relative to the dome based on the received signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a system for cleaning a surface of a dome, the method comprising:
controlling, by one or more processors, a drive motor to rotate a rotating assembly around the dome, the rotating assembly including at least one wiper blade assembly; and
transmitting, by the one or more processors, at least one signal to a fluid dispensing system to sequentially trigger a plurality of spray nozzles to dispense fluid onto the surface of the dome based on a position of at least one wiper blade included in the wiper blade assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving, by the rotating assembly, the at least one wiper blade between a stowed position and an actuated position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles dispenses the fluid onto the surface of the dome when the at least one wiper blade is at a predetermined position relative to the dome.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles are equally spaced around the dome.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of spray nozzles include 3 spray nozzles that are located at positions spaced apart by 120 degrees.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
detecting when the position of the at least one wiper blade is positioned within 10 degrees of the position of a spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles; and
upon the detecting, dispensing the fluid from the spray nozzle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a lubricating fluid or a cleaning fluid.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
predicting, by the one or more processors, when the at least one wiper blade is positioned at an optimum position at a given time period based upon speed of the rotating assembly.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors from a first position sensor, an indication that the at least one wiper blade is located at a first position relative to the dome.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
accessing information, by the one or more processors, about a speed of the at least one wiper blade as the rotating assembly rotates around the dome; and
determining, by the one or more processors, a second position of the at least one wiper blade relative to the dome based on the speed.

11. A system for cleaning a surface of a dome, the system comprising:
a fluid dispensing system including a plurality of spray nozzles circumventing the dome;
a drive motor;
a rotating assembly coupled to the drive motor, the rotating assembly including at least one wiper blade assembly; and
one or more processors configured to:
control the drive motor to rotate the rotating assembly around the dome; and
transmit at least one signal to the fluid dispensing system to sequentially trigger a plurality of spray nozzles to dispense fluid onto the surface of the dome based on a position of at least one wiper blade included in the wiper blade assembly.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the rotating assembly is configured to move the at least one wiper blade between a stowed position and an actuated position.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles dispenses the fluid onto the surface of the dome when the at least one wiper blade is at a predetermined position relative to the dome.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles are equally spaced around the dome.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles include 3 spray nozzles that are located at positions spaced apart by 120 degrees.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein a spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles dispenses the fluid when the position of the at least one wiper blade is positioned within 10 degrees of the position of the spray nozzle.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a lubricating fluid or a cleaning fluid.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors is further configured to predict when the at least one wiper blade is positioned at an optimum position at a given time period based upon speed of the rotating assembly.

19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a first position sensor indicating detection of the at least one wiper blade at a first position relative to the dome.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a second position sensor indicating a position of the drive motor relative to the at least one wiper blade.

21. A system for cleaning a surface of a dome, the system comprising:
a fluid dispensing system including a plurality of spray nozzles circumventing the dome;
a rotating assembly including a wiper blade assembly;
a drive motor configured to rotate the rotating assembly around the dome;
a first position sensor indicating detection of at least one wiper blade of the wiper blade assembly at a first position relative to the dome;
a second position sensor indicating a position of the drive motor relative to the at least one wiper blade; and
one or more processors configured to control the drive motor and transmit at least one signal to the fluid dispensing system to dispense fluid through at least one of the plurality of spray nozzles onto the surface of the dome based on a position of the at least one wiper blade.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Doorley Graham
• Karplus Paul Thomas Hansen
• Avram Peter

Classifications

• B60S1/482

  combined with the operation of windscreen wipers · CPC title

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• B60S1/486

  including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed · CPC title

• B60S1/0896

  including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed · CPC title

• H02P7/06

  for regulating or controlling an individual DC dynamo-electric motor by varying field or armature current · CPC title