Localized window contaminant detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12445594-B2
Application number	US-202418581042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2024
Priority date	Nov 6, 2020
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

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:
a first optical coupler configured to couple light into an optical element;
a second optical coupler configured to couple light out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the first optical coupler, wherein the first optical coupler is configured to couple at least a portion of the emission light into the optical element as coupled light that propagates along the optical element by way of total internal reflection, and wherein the second optical coupler is configured to out-couple at least a portion of the coupled light from the optical element; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the first optical coupler, the optical element and the second optical coupler; and
provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element.

2. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the detector devices are phase- or polarization-sensitive, and wherein providing the detector signals comprises providing phase or polarization information indicative of a presence of a contaminant.

3. The contaminant detection system of claim 1 , wherein the second optical coupler includes a lensed portion, and wherein the lensed portion is configured to focus at least a portion of the out-coupled light at or near a location of at least one of the plurality of detector devices.

4. The contaminant detection system of claim 3 , wherein the lensed portion has a radius of curvature R, wherein R is between 2 and 10 millimeters.

5. 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 a contaminant on the optical element; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the optical element.

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

7. 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.

8. 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;
a first optical coupler configured to couple light into the optical element;
a second optical coupler configured to couple light out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the first optical coupler, wherein the first optical coupler is configured to couple at least a portion of the emission light into the optical element as coupled light that propagates along the optical element by way of total internal reflection, and wherein the second optical coupler is configured to out-couple at least a portion of the coupled light from the optical element; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the first optical coupler, the optical element and the second optical coupler; and
provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element.

9. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the detector devices are phase- or polarization-sensitive, and wherein providing the detector signals comprises providing phase or polarization information indicative of a presence of a contaminant.

10. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the second optical coupler includes a lensed portion, and wherein the lensed portion is configured to focus at least a portion of the out-coupled light at or near a location of at least one of the plurality of detector devices.

11. The optical system of claim 8 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 a contaminant on the optical element; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the optical element.

12. The optical system of claim 11 , 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, and
wherein the operations further comprise: in response to determining the presence of the contaminant, causing the cleaning system to clean the optical element.

13. The optical system of claim 11 , 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.

14. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the detector devices are additionally configured to provide detector signals indicative of a misalignment of the optical element.

15. 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;
a first optical coupler configured to couple light into the optical element;
a second optical coupler configured to couple light out of the optical element;
a plurality of light-emitter devices configured to emit emission light toward the first optical coupler, wherein the first optical coupler is configured to couple at least a portion of the emission light into the optical element as coupled light that propagates along the optical element by way of total internal reflection, and wherein the second optical coupler is configured to out-couple at least a portion of the coupled light from the optical element; and
a plurality of detector devices configured to:
detect at least a portion of the emission light by way of the first optical coupler, the optical element and the second optical coupler; and
provide detector signals indicative of a presence of a contaminant on the optical element.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 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 a contaminant on the optical element; and
determining, based on the detector signals, a contaminated region of the optical element.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , 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, and
wherein the operations further comprise: in response to determining the presence of the contaminant, causing the cleaning system to clean the optical element.

18. The vehicl

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Frevert Benjamin
• Sharma Shashank

Classifications

• G06T5/73

  Deblurring; Sharpening · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G06T2207/30168

  Image quality inspection · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title