Patent Number – US 9083864
Patent Title – Self-cleaning camera lens
Inventors: Reed; Glenn Richard (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Dearborn, MI)
Family ID: 1000001215361
Appl. No.: 13/955,115
Filed: July 31, 2013
Abstract: A camera system includes a lens that directs light onto an image sensor, an actuator that vibrates the lens, and a charge generator that charges a surface of the lens. The camera system further includes a controller that can determine a change in transparency of the lens and selectively activate the actuator based at least in part on the change in transparency. A method includes electrically charging a surface of a camera lens, determining a change in transparency of the camera lens, comparing the change in transparency to a predetermined threshold, and selectively activating an actuator to vibrate the camera lens if the change in transparency is above a predetermined threshold.