Condensation detection for vehicle surfaces via light transmitters and receivers

• US 10,144,356 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Worthen, Reid William Kaufman, Schein, Victoria Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, William R
• Application Number:
  US15/469,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20180272946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 359275
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34 the beams of light being detected by photocells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/4769 Fluid samples, e.g. slurries, granulates; Compressible powdery of fibrous samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3554 for determining moisture content
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3577 for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for condensation detection for vehicle surfaces via light transmitters and receivers. An example vehicle includes a side mirror including a front surface and a back surface, a light transmitter adjacent to the front surface for emitting a light beam toward the side mirror, a first light sensor adjacent to the back surface for detecting a first light intensity of the light beam, and an opaqueness detector that determines whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror including a front surface and a back surface;

a light transmitter coupled to a vehicle door adjacent to the side mirror for emitting a light beam toward the side mirror;

a first light sensor coupled to the back surface for detecting a first light intensity of the light beam; and

an opaqueness detector that determines whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, in response to detecting the condensation on the side mirror, the opaqueness detector at least one of presents an alarm and activates a mirror heating element.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the side mirror is positioned between the light transmitter and the first light sensor.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the side mirror includes:

a glass layer defining the front surface of the side mirror; and

a reflective layer coupled to the glass layer and defining the back surface of the side mirror.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a sensor array adjacent to the back surface of the side mirror, the sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors including the first light sensor.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the opaqueness detector determines that condensation is on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than a reference light intensity less than a first predetermined value.

5. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror comprising;

a front surface;

a back surface;

a glass layer defining the front surface of the side mirror; and

a reflective layer coupled to the glass layer and defining the back surface of the side mirror;

a light transmitter adjacent to the front surface for emitting a light beam toward the side mirror;

a first light sensor adjacent to the back surface for detecting a first light intensity of the light beam; and

an opaqueness detector that determines whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity, wherein the reflective layer defines an aperture extending through a thickness of the reflective layer and the first light sensor is adjacent to the aperture defined by the reflective layer to enable the first light sensor to receive the light beam emitted by the light transmitter.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the aperture is covered with an electrochromic material layer to camouflage the aperture of the side mirror.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror including a front surface and a back surface;

a light transmitter adjacent to the front surface for emitting a light beam toward the side mirror;

a first light sensor coupled to the back surface for detecting a first light intensity of the light beam;

an opaqueness detector that determines whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity; and

a sensor array adjacent to the back surface of the side mirror, the sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors including the first light sensor,

wherein the side mirror includes apertures extending through at least a portion of a thickness of the side mirror, each of the plurality of light sensors is adjacent to a corresponding one of the apertures to enable each of the plurality of light sensors to receive the light beam.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the light beam emitted by the light transmitter is an unfocused beam to enable each of the plurality of light sensors of the sensor array to receive the light beam.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light transmitter is a LED transmitter and the light beam is a scattered beam.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light transmitter is a laser transmitter and the light beam is a Gaussian beam.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror including a front surface and a back surface;

a light transmitter adjacent to the front surface for emitting a light beam toward the side mirror;

a first light sensor adjacent to the back surface for detecting a first light intensity of the light beam;

an opaqueness detector that determines whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity; and

a sensor array adjacent to the back surface of the side mirror, the sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors including the first light sensor, wherein;

each of the plurality of light sensors of the sensor array detects a respective light intensity of the light beam; and

the opaqueness detector determines a location of the condensation on the side mirror based upon the respective light intensities.

14. A method for detecting condensation on vehicle mirrors, the method comprising:

emitting a light beam toward a side mirror of a vehicle via a light transmitter coupled to a vehicle door adjacent to a front surface of the side mirror;

detecting a first light intensity of the light beam via a first light sensor coupled to a back surface of the side mirror; and

determining, via a processor, whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity.

15. The method of claim 14, further including at least one of presenting an alarm and activating a mirror heating element in response to determining that the condensation is on the side mirror.

17. The method of claim 14, further including determining that the condensation is on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than a reference light intensity by a first predetermined value.

16. A method for detecting condensation on vehicle mirrors, the method comprising:

emitting a light beam toward a side mirror of a vehicle via a light transmitter adjacent a front surface of the side mirror;

detecting a first light intensity of the light beam via a first light sensor adjacent a back surface of the side mirror; and

determining, via a processor, whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity, wherein the first light sensor is adjacent an aperture defined by the side mirror to enable the first light sensor to receive the light beam and detect the first light intensity.

18. A method for detecting condensation on vehicle mirrors, the method comprising:

emitting a light beam toward a side mirror of a vehicle via a light transmitter adjacent a front surface of the side mirror;

detecting a first light intensity of the light beam via a first light sensor adjacent a back surface of the side mirror;

determining, via a processor, whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity;

determining that the condensation is on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than a reference light intensity by a first predetermined value;

determining that rain droplets are on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than the reference light intensity by a second predetermined value;

determining that snow is on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than the reference light intensity by a third predetermined value; and

determining that ice is on the side mirror in response to determining that the first light intensity is less than the reference light intensity by a fourth predetermined value.

19. A method for detecting condensation on vehicle mirrors, the method comprising:

emitting a light beam toward a side mirror of a vehicle via a light transmitter adjacent a front surface of the side mirror;

detecting a first light intensity of the light beam via a first light sensor adjacent a back surface of the side mirror;

determining, via a processor, whether condensation is on the side mirror based upon the first light intensity; and

determining, via a sensor array, a location of the condensation on the side mirror, wherein the sensor array includes the first light sensor and is adjacent the back surface of the side mirror.