The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 13, 2021
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2018
Applicant:
Waymo Llc, Mountain View, CA (US);
Inventors:
Felix Jose Alvarez Rivera, Tarzana, CA (US);
Ralph Hamilton Shepard, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Assignee:
Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60S 1/08 (2006.01); G01R 27/26 (2006.01); G01S 17/04 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G08C 21/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B60S 1/0851 (2013.01); G01R 27/2605 (2013.01); G01S 17/04 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G08C 21/00 (2013.01);
Abstract
The disclosure relates to detecting and clearing debris from a sensor window. For instance, a system may include the sensor window and one or more processors. The sensor window may include a transparent thin film conductor. The one or more processors may be configured to identify a change in capacitance using the transparent thin film conductor, detect debris on the sensor window using the change in capacitance, and activate a cleaning system in order to clear the detected debris from the sensor window.