Control unit for a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle and method for operating a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle

• US 10,351,104 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: De Vries, Gerhardus, Amtmann, Oswald
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berns, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/027,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20160250998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0807 using electronic control means, e.g. tubes, semiconductors B60S1/0818, B60S1/0896 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/10 pneumatically driven

Abstract

The invention relates to a control unit for a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle, comprising an operating function interface, a sensor interface, a control device, a control output, and a supply voltage terminal. The operating function interface is configured to receive an information via an operating mode of the windshield wiper system. The sensor interface is configured to receive at least one analog and/or digital sensor signal. Utilizing the information, the control device is configured to provide at least one control signal for the windshield wiper system via the operating mode and/or the sensor signal. The control output is configured to emit the at least one control signal. The supply voltage terminal is configured to provide an applied voltage, interfaces, and devices of the control unit, in particular to the control device.

Claims

1. A control unit for a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle, the control unit comprising:

an operating function interface designed for receiving an item of information about an operating mode of the windscreen wiper system;

a sensor interface designed for receiving at least one analog and/or digital sensor signal;

a control device designed for providing at least one control signal for the windscreen wiper system by using the information about the operating mode and the sensor signal;

a control output designed for outputting the at least one control signal; and

a supply voltage connection designed for providing an applied voltage to the interface and the device of the control unit,

wherein the sensor interface comprises at least one switchable supply connection coupled to an angle of rotation sensor and a rain sensor,

wherein the at least one switchable supply connection alternately switches the supply voltage connection between each of the angle rotation sensor and the rain sensor, and

wherein the operating function interface and the sensor interface is an LIN bus interface.

2. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the control output is configured to output at least one pulse-width-modulated signal to drive at least one electric motor and/or an electrical windscreen wiper drive, and/or output a plurality of digital signals to activate at least one solenoid valve of an electropneumatic windscreen wiper drive.

3. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the operating function interface and the sensor interface is designed for receiving at least one current signal of between 0 mA and 20 mA and at least one voltage signal and at least one PWM signal and/or for evaluating each received signal in accordance with an evaluation specification.

4. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the control unit has a housing, the housing being produced from steel sheet and/or from stainless material and/or having a surface protection.

5. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the angle of rotation sensor is in direct connection with a wiper arm of the windscreen wiper system and uses a current signal to determine an angle of rotation anywhere between 0 and 360 degrees of the wiper arm.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a supply voltage for a sensor.

6. A method for operating a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle, the method comprising:

reading-in an operating mode signal, the operating mode signal representing an item of information about an operating mode of the windscreen wiper system to be controlled;

creating a control signal using the operating mode signal;

outputting the control signal to the windscreen wiper system as an analog and/or digital signal; and

driving the windscreen wiper system via the control signal,

wherein the operating mode includes a parking, interval with multiple stages, wiping with multiple stages, rain sensor operation, and continuous operation,

wherein, in the reading-in, a sensor signal is also read in, and wherein the creating the control signal is created by using the sensor signal, wherein the sensor signal is read in based on the output at least one switchable supply connection which alternately switches the supply voltage connection between each of the angle rotation sensor and the rain sensor.

8. A non-transitory computer program product with program code for carrying out a method for operating a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle, the method comprising:

reading-in an operating mode signal, the operating mode signal representing an item of information about an operating mode to be controlled of the windscreen wiper system, and

creating a control signal using the operating mode signal, and outputting the control signal to the windscreen wiper system as an analog and/or digital signal when the computer program product is executed on a control unit for a windscreen wiper system for a rail vehicle,

wherein an operating function interface is configured to receive an item of information about the operating mode of the windscreen wiper system,

wherein a sensor interface is configured to receive at least one analog and digital sensor signal,

wherein a control device is configured to provide at least one control signal for the windscreen wiper system by using the information about the operating mode and the sensor signal,

wherein a control output is configured to output the at least one control signal,

wherein a supply voltage connection is configured to provide an applied voltage to the interfaces and the device of the control unit,

wherein the sensor interface comprises at least one switchable supply connection coupled to an angle of rotation sensor and a rain sensor,

wherein the at least one switchable supply connection alternately switches the supply voltage connection between each of the angle rotation sensor and the rain sensor, and

wherein the operating function interface and the sensor interface is a LIN bus interface.

9. The computer program product with program code of claim 8, wherein the control output is configured to output at least one pulse-width-modulated signal to drive at least one electric motor and/or an electrical windscreen wiper drive, and/or to output a plurality of digital signals to activate at least one solenoid valve of an electropneumatic windscreen wiper drive.

10. The computer program product with program code control unit of claim 8, wherein the operating function interface and the sensor interface is configured to receive at least one current signal of between 0 mA and 20 mA and at least one voltage signal and at least one PWM signal and configured to evaluate each received signal in accordance with an evaluation specification.

11. The computer program product with program code control unit of claim 8, wherein the control unit has a housing, the housing being produced from steel sheet and/or from stainless material and/or having a surface protection.

12. The computer program product with program code control unit of claim 8, the method further comprising:

reading-in an operating mode signal, the operating mode signal representing an item of information about an operating mode of the windscreen wiper system to be controlled;

creating a control signal using the operating mode signal; and

outputting the control signal to the windscreen wiper system as an analog and/or digital signal.

13. The computer program product with program code control unit of claim 8, wherein, in the reading-in of an operating mode signal, a sensor signal is also read in, and wherein, the control signal is created using the sensor signal.

14. The computer program product with program code control unit of claim 8, further comprising providing a supply voltage for a sensor.