Object sensing device and wiper controlling apparatus using the same
First Claim
1. An object sensing device comprising:
- a light source for irradiating a sensing surface, which is an external surface of a transparent substrate;
an imaging optical system lens for forming an image by a light from the sensing surface; and
a photo-detector array for receiving the image formed by the imaging optical system lens, the photo-detector array including a plurality of photo-detectors;
wherein the photo-detector array receives the light from the imaging optical system lens, and outputs a signal pattern that is an arrangement of light detection signals from the respective photo-detectors according to an arrangement of the photo-detectors and corresponds to a condition of an object present on the sensing surface, the object sensing device further comprises a difference part for obtaining a differential signal of signal outputs from adjacent photo-detectors according to the arrangement in the photo-detector array, and an object judging part for judging a presence of the object by detecting a presence of a pair of a positive peak and a negative peak in a pattern of the differential signal obtained by the difference part.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object sensing device and an object sensing method in which a threshold does not have to be adjusted or updated even under the influence of external light are provided. The object sensing device includes a light source for irradiating a sensing surface, which is an external surface of a transparent substrate, an imaging optical system lens for forming an image by a light from the sensing surface, and a photo-detector array for receiving the image formed by the imaging optical system lens, the photo-detector array including a plurality of photo-detectors. The photo-detector array receives the light from the imaging optical system lens, and outputs a signal pattern that is an arrangement of light detection signals from the respective photo-detectors according to an arrangement of the photo-detectors and corresponds to a condition of an object present on the sensing surface. The object sensing device further includes a difference part for obtaining a differential signal of signal outputs from adjacent photo-detectors among the plurality of the photo-detectors according to the arrangement in the photo-detector array, and an object judging part for judging a presence of the object by detecting a presence of a pair of a positive peak and a negative peak in a pattern of the differential signal obtained by the difference part.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An object sensing device comprising:
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a light source for irradiating a sensing surface, which is an external surface of a transparent substrate;
an imaging optical system lens for forming an image by a light from the sensing surface; and
a photo-detector array for receiving the image formed by the imaging optical system lens, the photo-detector array including a plurality of photo-detectors;
wherein the photo-detector array receives the light from the imaging optical system lens, and outputs a signal pattern that is an arrangement of light detection signals from the respective photo-detectors according to an arrangement of the photo-detectors and corresponds to a condition of an object present on the sensing surface, the object sensing device further comprises a difference part for obtaining a differential signal of signal outputs from adjacent photo-detectors according to the arrangement in the photo-detector array, and an object judging part for judging a presence of the object by detecting a presence of a pair of a positive peak and a negative peak in a pattern of the differential signal obtained by the difference part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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13. An object sensing method for sensing an object present on a sensing surface, which is an external surface of a transparent substrate, with a light source for irradiating the sensing surface, an imaging optical system lens for forming an image by a light from the sensing surface, and a photo-detector array for receiving the image formed by the imaging optical system lens, the photo-detector array including a plurality of photo-detectors, the object sensing method comprising:
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with the photo-detector array, receiving the light from the imaging optical system lens, and outputting a signal pattern that is an arrangement of light detection signals from the respective photo-detectors according to an arrangement of the photo-detectors and corresponds to a condition of the object present on the sensing surface;
obtaining a differential signal of signal outputs from adjacent photo-detectors according to the arrangement in the photo-detector array; and
judging a presence of the object by detecting a presence of a pair of a positive peak and a negative peak in a pattern of the obtained differential signal.
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Specification