DEVICE FOR DETECTION OF SURFACE CONDITION DATA
First Claim
1. A road surface property detection device for mounting in a vehicle, comprisinga sensor device having a radiation emitter directed towards the road surface and at least one detector for detecting the radiation reflected from the road surface and providing an output accordingly, and a data processing arrangement for processing the output from the at least one detector to determine surface properties of the road and providing an output accordingly,a transmission arrangement for receiving said output from the sensor device and conducting a wireless transmission of road surface property data based thereon to a receiver exterior to the vehicle,wherein the device further comprises a wireless receiver arrangement adapted to receive radio transmissions of data from transmission arrangements of devices similar to the device itself, anda data output arrangement for receiving an input from the receiver arrangement and presenting an output perceivable by the driver of the vehicle based thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device is disclosed for detection of surface properties or conditions, in particular detection of water, snow and ice and in particular to road surfaces by means of detector means mounted on individual vehicles, and transmitting the data from the vehicle, preferably together with position data of the vehicle, to be used by drivers of other vehicles for warning of slippery road conditions ahead of the vehicle. According to a particular aspect, it has been realised that the fact that polarized light which is mirror reflected by e.g. ice or water on a surface, preserves its polarization, whereas polarized light which is diffuse reflected largely becomes depolarized, may be utilised to separate the two types of reflection and thus provide a much more compact sensor device for surface properties, in which the light may be emitted close to or parallel to the road surface normal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A road surface property detection device for mounting in a vehicle, comprising
a sensor device having a radiation emitter directed towards the road surface and at least one detector for detecting the radiation reflected from the road surface and providing an output accordingly, and a data processing arrangement for processing the output from the at least one detector to determine surface properties of the road and providing an output accordingly, a transmission arrangement for receiving said output from the sensor device and conducting a wireless transmission of road surface property data based thereon to a receiver exterior to the vehicle, wherein the device further comprises a wireless receiver arrangement adapted to receive radio transmissions of data from transmission arrangements of devices similar to the device itself, and a data output arrangement for receiving an input from the receiver arrangement and presenting an output perceivable by the driver of the vehicle based thereon.
Specification