A sensor cluster device including a radar sensor configured to emit electromagnetic waves onto an object and receive the electromagnetic waves reflected from the object so as to acquire information on the object, a lidar sensor configured to emit laser beams onto the object and receive the laser beams reflected from the object so as to acquire information on the object, a camera sensor configured to capture an image of surroundings of the object and acquire information from the captured image, and an infrared sensor configured to detect heat radiated from peripheral objects in the surroundings of the object to acquire the object and the peripheral objects.

Disclosed is a sensor device. The sensor device includes a sensor configured to be attached between a rear wheel of a vehicle and a rear body cover of the vehicle, configured to detect objects in proximity to the vehicle through the rear body cover. The sensor device also includes a vertical guard configured to be attached to the vehicle, such that the sensor is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel, and an angled guard coupled to the vertical guard and extending underneath the sensor and towards the rear body cover, such that a portion of the rear body cover, through which the sensor emits a signal for detecting objects in proximity to the vehicle, is protected from adhesion of materials directed rearward by the rear wheel.

A sensor assembly includes a sensor and a cover disposed adjacent to the sensor to protect the sensor. The cover has an inner cover surface and an outer cover surface opposite the inner cover surface. The inner cover surface faces the sensor, and the outer cover surface faces away from the sensor. The cover has a first end wall and a second end wall apart from the first end wall along a first direction. The sensor assembly includes a cleaning system having a wiper movable along the outer cover surface of the cover in the first direction to clean to the outer cover surface. The wiper is at least partly made of a wiper material, and the wiper material includes a hydrophilic material to facilitate removal of water from the outer cover surface of the cover.

An electromagnetic illuminator heater is provided having a heat generating wire and an elongate encasement of thermally transmissive, temperature mitigating, and electrically insulative material. The material encompasses the elongate heating wire. A heater for devices is also provided.

A flexible plate-based radar antenna device with a field of view over 160 degrees comprises a support base, two antenna boards, and a circuit board. The support base has an installation surface and two inclined surfaces. Two antenna boards are flexible plates, and their back surfaces are respectively stuck onto two inclined surfaces of the support base. Several set of antennas are disposed on front surface of the antenna boards for transmitting detection signals and receiving reflection signals from at least one obstacle. The circuit board is electrically connected with two antenna boards, controlling the antenna boards to transmit and receive signals. As long as the shape of the support base is adjusted to make the antenna boards able to stick onto it, the antenna boards of the present invention are applicable to radar devices having an arbitrary shape. Therefore, the present invention can simplify the fabrication process.

An apparatus for determining the identity, location, or level of one or more material phases or the location of an interface between two material phases within a defined volume having, a linear array of units configured to generate and detect electromagnetic radiation; an elongate enclosure containing the array of units, being at least partially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation generated by the units; the apparatus being configured to be at least partially submerged within the one or more material phases within the defined volume, the linear array of units being configured to generate transmission signals through the at least partially transparent elongate enclosure to the one or more material phases surrounding the enclosure at locations along the length of the enclosure, and to receive return signals through the elongate enclosure at locations along the length of the enclosure from the one or more material phases surrounding the enclosure.

A vehicular sensing system includes a control and a mounting carrier that is configured to support a plurality of sensor units at a vehicle so that the plurality of sensor units have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle. The mounting carrier includes an electrical connector that is configured to electrically connect to an electrical connector of the vehicle. The sensor units are electrically connected to the electrical connector of the mounting carrier. The control, responsive to outputs of the sensor units, determines the presence of one or more objects within the field of sensing of at least one of the sensor units, and obtains height data pertaining to the height of the determined object. Responsive at least in part to the obtained height data, the control determines (i) that the determined object comprises a pedestrian, (ii) that the determined object comprises a curb and/or (iii) clearance information.

An arrangement for a sensor having a sensor-active surface on or behind an exterior attachment part of a vehicle includes a sensor guide. The sensor guide includes a traction element made of a shape-memory alloy and a restoring element. The traction element moves the sensor in the direction of the vehicle interior between an active position and a protected position in response to a detected impending collision in the low-speed range or a detected collision in the low-speed range. The restoring element moves the sensor back to the active position from the protected position.

A printed circuit board mounted radar system for monitoring a target region, including an array of transmitting antennas mounted to a printed circuit board, an array of receiving antennas mounted to the printed circuit board, a wave deflection mechanism mounted to the printed circuit board configured such that waves transmitted perpendicularly to the board by the array of transmitting antennas are incident upon the wave deflection mechanism and are directed radially away from the board, and waves reflected from objects within the target region radially towards the wave deflection mechanism are directed towards the receiving antennas in a direction perpendicular to the board.

A ranging apparatus is provided which is mountable to a vehicle and emits a transmit wave and receives a reflected wave arising from reflection of the transmit signal from an object to calculate a distance to the object. The ranging apparatus includes a light transmissive window, a heater, and a controller. The light transmissive window permits at least one of the transmit wave and the reflected wave to pass through. The heater works to add thermal energy to the light transmissive window. The controller uses an ambient temperature outside the ranging apparatus and a speed of the vehicle derived from a vehicle speed sensor to control energization of the heater. When the vehicle speed sensor is malfunctioning, the controller controls the energization of the heater as a function of the ambient temperature without use of the speed of the vehicle.