Rain sensor with fractal capacitor(s)
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Abstract
A system and/or method for sensing the presence of moisture (e.g., rain) and/or other material(s) on a window such as a vehicle window (e.g., vehicle windshield, sunroof or backlite). In certain example embodiments of the invention, at least one sensing capacitor is supported by a window such as a vehicle windshield, the capacitor(s) having a field that is affected by moisture (e.g., rain) on a surface of the window. The at least one sensing capacitor may have a fractal geometry in certain example embodiments of this invention. The sensing circuit may output an analog signal that is based on and/or related to the sensing capacitor(s). The analog output of the circuit may be converted to a digital signal, and subjected to processing (e.g., correlation) for determining whether moisture (e.g., rain, dew, fog, etc.) or the like is present on the surface of the window.
53 Citations
33 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A rain sensor comprising:
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a sensing circuit comprising at least a first sensing capacitor supported by a vehicle window, the first sensing capacitor being sensitive to moisture on an external surface of the window; the first sensing capacitor having first and second spaced apart capacitor electrodes that are substantially coplanar; and wherein the first and second capacitor electrodes of the first sensing capacitor each have a meandering shape and are substantially parallel to each other. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification