Localized window contaminant detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11936845-B2
Application number	US-202217930564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2022
Priority date	Nov 6, 2020
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to contaminant detection systems and related optical systems and methods. An example contaminant detection system includes an optical coupler configured to couple light into and/or out of an optical element. The contaminant detection system also includes a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler. The contaminant detection system additionally includes a plurality of detector devices configured to detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler. The plurality of detector devices is also configured to provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contaminant detection system comprising:
an optical coupler, affixed to a first surface of an optical element, configured to couple light into and/or out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflection; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler; and
provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on a second surface of the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
a plurality of lensed portions, wherein each lensed portion is configured to be optically coupled to a corresponding region of the optical element one of: a light-emitter device of the plurality of light emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices.

2. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller having a processor and at least one memory, wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the at least one memory so as to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
receiving, from the detector devices, the detector signals;
determining, based on the detector signals, a presence of the contaminant on the second surface of the optical element; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the second surface of the optical element.

3. The contaminant detection system of claim 2 , wherein determining the contaminated region comprises determining a row/column region of the optical element where the contaminant is present.

4. The contaminant detection system of claim 3 , further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of a field of view by way of the optical element, wherein the operations further comprise:
causing the camera to capture an image of the field of view; and
adjusting the image based on the contaminated region.

5. The contaminant detection system of claim 4 , wherein adjusting the image based on the contaminated region comprises processing the image to mitigate the effect of the contaminant on the optical element.

6. The contaminant detection system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices is configured to emit emission light according to a modulation frequency, wherein the modulation frequency is between 100 Hz and 100 kHz.

7. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the optical coupler comprises:
at least one lensed portion of the plurality of lensed portions with radius of curvature R, wherein R is between 2 and 10 millimeters;
a reflective surface configured to reflect light; and
a coupling surface configured to be optically coupled to the optical element.

8. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the optical coupler comprises an injection-moldable optical material.

9. The contaminant system of claim 1 , wherein the optical coupler comprises a coupling surface configured to be directly affixed to the first surface of the optical element.

10. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the contaminant comprises at least one of: water, dirt, dust, or a defect in the optical element.

11. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the detector devices are additionally configured to provide detector signals indicative of a misalignment of the optical element.

12. An optical system comprising:
an optical element;
a camera configured to capture an image of a field of view by way of the optical element;
an optical coupler, affixed to a first surface of the optical element, configured to couple light into and/or out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflections; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least apportion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler; and
provide detector signal indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the second surface of the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
a plurality of lensed portions, wherein each lensed portion is configured to be optically coupled to a corresponding region of the optical element and at least one of: a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices.

13. The optical system of claim 12 , further comprising a controller having a processor and at least one memory, wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the at least one memory so as to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
receiving, from the detector devices, the detector signals; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a presence of a contaminant on the second surface of the optical element.

14. The optical system of claim 13 , further comprising a cleaning system, wherein the cleaning system comprises at least one of: a wiper device, a liquid jet device, a gas jet device, or a moveable optical film, wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to determining the presence of the contaminant, causing the cleaning system to clean the element.

15. The optical system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the optical element;
causing the camera to capture an image of the field of view; and
adjusting the image based on the contaminated region, wherein adjusting the image based on the contaminated region comprises processing the image to mitigate the effect of the contaminant on the optical element.

16. A vehicle comprising:
an optical element;
a sensor optically coupled to the optical element, wherein the sensor is configured to obtain information indicative of a field of view by way of the optical element;
an optical coupler, affixed to a first surface of the optical element, configured to couple light into and/or out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the optical coupler, wherein the optical coupler and the optical element are configured to guide the emission light by total internal reflections; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least apportion of the emission light by way of the optical element and the optical coupler; and
provide detector signal indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the second surface of the optical element, wherein the optical coupler comprises:
a plurality of lensed portions, wherein each lensed portion is configured to be optically coupled to a corresponding region of the optical element and at least one of: a light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, or a detector device of the plurality of detector devices.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a controller having a processor and at least one memory, wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the at least one memory so as to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
receiving, from the detector devices, the detector signals; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a presence of a contaminant on the second surface of the optical element.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising a cleaning syst

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Frevert Benjamin
• Sharma Shashank

Classifications

• H04N17/002 Primary

  for television cameras · CPC title

• B60S1/04

  Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers · CPC title

• B60S1/46

  using liquid; Windscreen washers · CPC title

• B60S1/54

  using gas, e.g. hot air · CPC title

• G01N21/94

  Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) · CPC title