Illumination for detecting raindrops on a pane by means of a camera
First Claim
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1. A device for detecting raindrops on an outer face of a pane, comprising:
- a camera,an electronic circuit arrangement,a lighting source configured to emit light, anda diffusion element configured and arranged spaced apart from an inner face of the pane with a gap therebetween, so that the light emitted by the lighting source impinges on and diffuses through the diffusion element and emerges from the diffusion element as a diffuse light sheet that projects through the gap onto the inner face of the pane,wherein the camera, the lighting source and the diffusion element are configured and arranged so that the camera can detect a first mirror image of the diffuse light sheet reflected from the inner face of the pane and a second mirror image of the diffuse light sheet reflected from the outer face of the pane, andwherein the electronic circuit arrangement is connected to the camera and configured to detect the raindrops on the outer face of the pane based on signals output by the camera dependent on and in response to detecting the first mirror image and the second mirror image of the diffuse light sheet.
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Abstract
A device for detecting rain on a pane includes a camera, a lighting source for emitting light and a diffusion element. The light emitted by the lighting source is diffused through and emerges as a light sheet from the diffusion element. The camera, the lighting source and the diffusion element are configured and arranged so that the camera can detect a signal from an image of the light sheet that is emitted by the lighting source, diffused through the diffusion element, impinges on the pane and is reflected or scattered by the pane and/or a raindrop on the pane. The signal detected by the camera is evaluated to detect whether there is rain on the pane.
30 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A device for detecting raindrops on an outer face of a pane, comprising:
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a camera, an electronic circuit arrangement, a lighting source configured to emit light, and a diffusion element configured and arranged spaced apart from an inner face of the pane with a gap therebetween, so that the light emitted by the lighting source impinges on and diffuses through the diffusion element and emerges from the diffusion element as a diffuse light sheet that projects through the gap onto the inner face of the pane, wherein the camera, the lighting source and the diffusion element are configured and arranged so that the camera can detect a first mirror image of the diffuse light sheet reflected from the inner face of the pane and a second mirror image of the diffuse light sheet reflected from the outer face of the pane, and wherein the electronic circuit arrangement is connected to the camera and configured to detect the raindrops on the outer face of the pane based on signals output by the camera dependent on and in response to detecting the first mirror image and the second mirror image of the diffuse light sheet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for detecting rain on an outer surface of a pane, comprising:
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an electrically-energizable light source that is configured to emit light; a diffusion element configured and arranged so that the light emitted by the light source is intercepted and diffused by the diffusion element and emerges from the diffusion element as a diffuse light sheet, and wherein the diffusion element is configured and arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from an inner surface of the pane with a gap therebetween so that a first light portion of the diffuse light sheet projects through the gap and impinges on and reflects from the inner surface of the pane, and so that a second light portion of the diffuse light sheet projects through the gap, impinges on the inner surface of the pane, is transmitted in the pane from the inner surface to the outer surface, and is reflected from the outer surface internally within the pane and then passes out of the pane through the inner surface; a camera that is configured and arranged adjacent to the inner surface of the pane so as to optically receive and electronically detect at least the second light portion and to produce a second signal dependent on the second light portion; and an electronic circuit arrangement that is connected to said camera so as to receive the second signal, and that is configured to detect the rain on the outer surface of the pane based on at least the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification