Camera view port dedicated self cleaning cycles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12010409-B2
Application number	US-202117559008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 22, 2021
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A dedicated self-cleaning cycle for a camera for imaging a cavity of an oven is provided. An indication is received to perform a localized pyrolytic cycle to clean a view port glass protecting an image sensor of the camera from heat or detritus in the cavity of the oven. Responsive to the indication, a camera viewport heating element configured to provide localized heating to the view port glass is operated to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle. The camera is utilized to view the cavity of the oven.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a dedicated self-cleaning cycle for a camera for imaging a cavity of an oven, comprising:
receiving a current image of the cavity from an image sensor of the camera;
using the current image to determine whether a view port glass protecting the image sensor of the camera from heat or detritus in the cavity of the oven requires cleaning to ensure visibility from the camera;
responsive to the current image indicating the view port glass requires cleaning, providing an indication to perform a localized pyrolytic cycle to clean the view port glass to ensure the camera has a clear view through the view port glass for operation of functions that require images from the camera;
responsive to the indication, operating a camera viewport heating element configured to provide localized heating to the view port glass to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle and refrain from using a main heating element to perform the full oven pyrolytic cycle; and
utilizing the camera to view the cavity of the oven.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the current image with a reference image of the cavity corresponding to a clean viewport glass to determine whether the view port glass is dirty and requires cleaning to ensure visibility from the camera, the comparing including counting pixels that differ between the current image and the reference image; and
providing the indication to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle responsive to the counted pixels that differ being greater than a threshold amount, to ensure the camera has a clear view through the view port glass for operation of functions that require images from the camera.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
periodically receiving further images of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera and comparing the further images with the reference image to determine whether the view port glass is dirty; and
completing the localized pyrolytic cycle by deactivating the camera viewport heating element responsive to the comparing indicating that at least one of the further images indicating that the view port glass is clean.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a current image of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera;
utilizing a machine learning model to infer whether the current image corresponding to a clean viewport glass or a dirty viewport glass; and
providing the indication to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle responsive to the machine learning model indicating the view port glass is dirty.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising training the machine learning model using a dataset of images of oven cavities that have clean viewport glass and images of oven cavities that have dirty viewport glass.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
periodically receiving further images of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera; and
completing the localized pyrolytic cycle by deactivating the camera viewport heating element responsive to the machine learning model indicating that at least one of the further images indicating that the view port glass is clean.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera viewport heating element is mounted in the cavity surrounding the view port glass, without obstructing a view of the image sensor into the cavity.

8. A system for performing a dedicated self-cleaning cycle for a camera configured to image a cavity of an oven, comprising:
a camera including an image sensor and a view port glass configured to protect the image sensor of the camera from heat or detritus in the cavity of the oven;
a camera viewport heating element configured to provide localized heating to the view port glass of the camera;
a main heating element configured to perform a full oven pyrolytic cycle; and
a controller programmed to
receive a current image of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera,
use the current image to determine whether the view port glass requires cleaning to ensure visibility of the cavity by the image sensor of the camera,
responsive to the current image indicating the view port glass requires cleaning, provide an indication to perform a localized pyrolytic cycle to clean the view port glass to ensure the camera has a clear view through the view port glass for operation of functions that require images from the camera,
responsive to the indication, operate the camera viewport heating element to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle and refrain from using the main heating element to perform the full oven pyrolytic cycle, and
utilize the camera to view the cavity of the oven.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
compare the current image with a reference image of the cavity corresponding to a clean viewport glass to determine whether the view port glass is dirty and requires cleaning to ensure visibility from the camera, the compare including counting pixels that differ between the current image and the reference image; and
provide the indication to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle responsive to the counted pixels that differ being greater than a threshold amount, to ensure the camera has a clear view through the view port glass for operation of functions that require images from the camera.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
periodically receive further images of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera and comparing the further images with the reference image to determine whether the view port glass is dirty; and
complete the localized pyrolytic cycle by deactivating the camera viewport heating element responsive to the comparing indicating that at least one of the further images indicating that the view port glass is clean.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
receive a current image of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera;
utilize a machine learning model to infer whether the current image corresponding to a clean viewport glass or a dirty viewport glass; and
provide the indication to perform the localized pyrolytic cycle responsive to the machine learning model indicating the view port glass is dirty.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further programmed to train the machine learning model using a dataset of images of oven cavities that have clean viewport glass and images of oven cavities that have dirty viewport glass.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
periodically receive further images of the cavity from the image sensor of the camera; and
complete the localized pyrolytic cycle by deactivating the camera viewport heating element responsive to the machine learning model indicating that at least one of the further images indicating that the view port glass is clean.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the camera viewport heating element is mounted in the cavity surrounding the view port glass, without obstructing a view of the image sensor into the cavity.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for performing a dedicated self-cleaning cycle for a camera configured to image a cavity of an oven that, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to perform operations including to:
receive a current image of the cavity from an image sensor of the camera;
use the current image to determine whether a view port glass protecting the image sensor of the camera from heat or detritus in the cavity of the oven requires cleaning to ensure visibility of the cavity by

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Basso Margherita
• Distaso Luca

Classifications

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• F24C14/02 Primary

  pyrolytic type · CPC title

• H04N23/555

  for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes · CPC title

• G06V10/74

  Image or video pattern matching; Proximity measures in feature spaces · CPC title

• G06V20/52

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title