Vehicle cleaning sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945580-B2
Application number	US-201917050404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	Apr 26, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Cleaning vehicle sensors, wherein position data of a vehicle are received ( 1 ). An unmanned aircraft suitable for cleaning vehicle sensors flies to the vehicle on the basis of the received position data of the vehicle, positions itself, on the basis of location data of a sensor of the vehicle that is to be cleaned, near the vehicle in such a way that the sensor to be cleaned can be cleaned, and cleans the sensor. The vehicle can transmit the position data of the vehicle to a Service Station via a mobile data connection, wherein the Service Station causes the unmanned aircraft to fly to the vehicle and, after the end of the cleaning operation, to return to the Service Station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning vehicle sensors, comprising:
receiving, at a service station, position data for a vehicle via a mobile data connection;
receiving, at the service station, sensor data for the vehicle via the mobile data connection, wherein the sensor data comprises data indicating a type of sensor and/or the urgency of the cleaning required;
selecting, at the service station, an unmanned vehicle from the service station, based on the received sensor data;
causing the selected unmanned aircraft to fly to the vehicle on the basis of the position data received for the vehicle;
positioning the unmanned aircraft in proximity to the vehicle to clean a predetermined sensor based on the sensor data and location data; and
causing the unmanned aircraft to perform a cleaning operation on the predetermined sensor; and
causing the unmanned aircraft to return to the service station after the cleaning operation is completed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a signal from the vehicle indicating the predetermined sensor that the unmanned aircraft is to position over for the cleaning operation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a signal from the service station to stop the vehicle when a level of dirtying of the sensor exceeds a predetermined amount.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving information regarding at least one of a vehicle model and/or location data for the sensor that is to be cleaned in a coordinate system for the vehicle, and transmitting the received information to the unmanned aircraft.

5. An unmanned aircraft for cleaning vehicle sensors, comprising
a drive unit comprising a number of motorized rotors configured to lift and propel the unmanned aircraft;
a navigator for navigating to a vehicle on the basis of position data for the vehicle and the location data for a sensor on the vehicle identified for cleaning;
a cleaning unit for cleaning the sensor;
a camera unit for optically detecting one or more of the vehicle sensors;
an evaluation unit configured to determine the position of the sensor that is to be cleaned in relation to the unmanned aircraft, via optical detection by the camera unit, the evaluation unit being further configured to receive sensor data for the vehicle received via a service station, wherein the sensor data comprises data indicating a type of sensor and/or the urgency of the cleaning required; and
a control unit for activating the unmanned aircraft based on a selection by the service station based on the sensor data, the control unit being further configured to control the drive unit on the basis of navigation data from the navigator, such that the unmanned aircraft flies to the vehicle and position itself in proximity to the vehicle to perform a cleaning operation via the cleaning unit, and return to the service station after the cleaning operation is completed.

6. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises a pressurized air tank operatively coupled to an electronically controlled valve and a downstream pressure reducer and pressurized air cleaning device.

7. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises a cleaning fluid tank, for mixing cleaning fluid with pressurized air, such that the surface that is to be cleaned is sprayed with a mixture of air and liquid.

8. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the cleaning unit is configured to be lowered via one of a cable with a winch or a telescoping rod, in order to position the cleaning unit in front of the sensor that is to be cleaned.

9. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises:
one or more motorized cleaning brushes, configured to be rotated in order to clean the sensor;
a cleaning fluid tank;
a nozzle for spraying cleaning fluid;
a pump configured to propel cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank to the nozzle; and
a motor driven propeller, for pressing the cleaning brushes against the sensor.

10. A method for operating an unmanned aircraft for cleaning vehicle sensors, comprising
receiving, at a service station, position data for the vehicle and location data for a sensor on the vehicle identified for cleaning;
receiving, at the service station, sensor data for the vehicle, wherein the sensor data comprises data indicating a type of sensor and/or the urgency of the cleaning required;
determining, at the service station, the position of the sensor that is to be cleaned in relation to the unmanned aircraft;
selecting an unmanned vehicle from the service station, based on the received sensor data;
causing the selected unmanned aircraft to fly to the vehicle on the basis of the position data received for the vehicle;
positioning the unmanned aircraft in proximity to the vehicle to clean a predetermined sensor based on the sensor data and location data; and
causing the unmanned aircraft to perform a cleaning operation via a cleaning unit on the predetermined sensor based on part on optical detection; and
causing the unmanned aircraft to return to the service station after the cleaning operation is completed.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises a pressurized air tank operatively coupled to an electronically controlled valve and a downstream pressure reducer and pressurized air cleaning device.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising mixing cleaning fluid with pressurized air via a cleaning fluid tank of the cleaning unit, such that the surface that is to be cleaned is sprayed with a mixture of air and liquid.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising lowering, via one of a cable with a winch or a telescoping rod, the cleaning unit in order to position the cleaning unit in front of the sensor prior to causing the unmanned aircraft to perform the cleaning operation.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the cleaning unit comprises:
one or more motorized cleaning brushes, configured to be rotated in order to clean the sensor;
a cleaning fluid tank;
a nozzle for spraying cleaning fluid;
a pump configured to propel cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank to the nozzle; and
a motor driven propeller, for pressing the cleaning brushes against the sensor.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Schütz Daniel
• Herold Stephan
• Fondahl Kristin
• Helbig Micha

Classifications

• B64U2101/29

  for cleaning · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B25J11/0085

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B60S1/56

  specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} · CPC title