Windshield stone impact response

• US 10,071,732 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M., Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US15/407,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20180201257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2094 Protective means for window, e.g. additional panel or foil, against vandalism, dirt, wear, shattered glass, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/00 Indexing codes relating to the special location or mounting of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4023 large-size vehicles, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 : Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 : Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 : Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 : Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 : Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 : of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 : with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287

Abstract

A vehicle includes a windshield having an integral pressure sensor. A signal from the pressure sensor is used to identify an impact against the windshield as a stone impact. Responsive to identifying the stone impact, identifying any large truck located within a predetermined radius of the vehicle. Responsive to identifying a large truck, the vehicle is directed to make an evasive maneuver to avoid stones dropped or thrown by the large truck.

Claims

1. A computing device, programmed to:

identify an impact to a vehicle windshield as a stone impact based on data from a pressure sensor in the windshield; and

upon identifying the stone impact, identify any large truck located within a predetermined radius of the vehicle, and actuate the vehicle to make an evasive maneuver.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the evasive maneuver includes one of passing the large truck, and increasing a distance between the large truck and the vehicle.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the evasive maneuver is passing the large truck and the computing device is further programmed to spray windshield fluid on the windshield during the evasive maneuver.

4. The computing device of claim 1, further programmed to deliver an impact report to a person interfacing with the vehicle.

5. The computing device of claim 4, further programmed to transmit a warning readily apparent to a vehicle occupant that the windshield may be compromised.

6. The computing device of claim 5, further programmed to terminate the warning responsive to input from a service technician that one of the windshield has been inspected and found sound, and any damage identified by the technician has been repaired.

7. The computing device of claim 1, further programmed to send a message alerting other vehicles of a stone impact risk and a location of the risk after identifying the stone impact.

8. The computing device of claim 1, further programmed to send a message alerting other vehicles of a stone impact risk and a location of the stone impact risk after identifying a plurality of stone impacts.

9. The computing device of claim 1, further programmed to, after receiving a plurality of stone impact messages from other vehicles identifying a stone impact risk and a stone impact risk location, select a new route away from the location of the stone impact risk.

10. The computing device of claim 1, further programmed to detect windshield anomalies using data from a camera comprising an autonomous vehicle sensor.

11. A method of determining and responding to a windshield stone impact, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle having a windshield including an integral pressure sensor; and

identifying an impact against the windshield as a stone impact based on data from the pressure sensor;

responsive to identifying the stone impact, identifying any large truck located within a predetermined radius of the vehicle; and

responsive to identifying a large truck, directing the vehicle to make an evasive maneuver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the evasive maneuver includes one of passing the large truck, and increasing a distance between the large truck and the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the evasive maneuver is passing the large truck and the method further comprises the step of spraying windshield fluid on the windshield during the evasive maneuver.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of delivering an impact report to a person interfacing with the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

the person interfacing with the vehicle inspecting for damage to the windshield; and

upon the person finding damage to the windshield, the person having the damage repaired.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of sending a message alerting other vehicles of a stone impact risk and a location of the risk after identifying the stone impact.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of sending a message alerting other vehicles of a stone impact risk and a location of the stone impact risk after identifying a plurality of stone impacts.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting a new route away from a stone impact risk location after receiving a plurality of stone impact messages from other vehicles identifying the stone impact risk location.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of detecting windshield anomalies using data from a camera comprising an autonomous vehicle sensor.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of parking the vehicle in an area not in direct sunlight after identifying an impact as a stone impact.