AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WINDOW CLEARING

• US 20150088374A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yopp, Wilford Trent, Lippman, Mark Allan
• Granted Patent: US 9,409,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00878 the components being temperature regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/023 including defroster or demisting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/04 Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like

Abstract

At least one datum is received relating to a condition of a window in the vehicle. A determination is made to change a parameter based on the at least one datum, the parameter governing clearing the window. An instruction is provided to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

receive at least one datum relating to a condition of a window in the vehicle;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one datum is at least one of a vehicle humidity, a vehicle temperature, an intensity of a reflection of a light beam, and an indication from a rain sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is one of a windshield wiper on/off setting, a windshield wiper interval setting, a defroster on/off setting, a defroster intensity setting, and a vehicle target temperature setting.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle component is one of a defroster, a windshield wiper, and a vehicle thermostat.

5. The system of claim 1, the computer being further configured to:

receive at least further datum relating to a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one further datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter based on the at least one further datum.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the parameter based on the at least one datum and the parameter based on the at least one further datum are a same parameter related to a same component in the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, the computer being further configured to provide instructions for autonomously driving the vehicle.

8. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions including instructions to:

receive at least one datum relating to a condition of a window in the vehicle;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one datum is at least one of a vehicle humidity, a vehicle temperature, an intensity of a reflection of a light beam, and an indication from a rain sensor.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the first parameter is one of a windshield wiper on/off setting, a windshield wiper interval setting, a defroster on/off setting, a defroster intensity setting, and a vehicle target temperature setting.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein the vehicle component is one of a defroster, a windshield wiper, and a vehicle thermostat.

12. The medium of claim 8, the instructions further including instructions to:

receive at least further datum relating to a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one further datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter based on the at least one further datum.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the parameter based on the at least one datum and the parameter based on the at least one further datum are a same parameter related to a same component in the vehicle.

14. The medium of claim 8, the instructions further including instructions for autonomously driving the vehicle.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving at least one datum relating to a condition of a window in the vehicle;

determining to change a parameter based on the at least one datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one datum is at least one of a vehicle humidity, a vehicle temperature, an intensity of a reflection of a light beam, and an indication from a rain sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first parameter is one of a windshield wiper on/off setting, a windshield wiper interval setting, a defroster on/off setting, a defroster intensity setting, and a vehicle target temperature setting.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle component is one of a defroster, a windshield wiper, and a vehicle thermostat.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving at least further datum relating to a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determining to change a parameter based on the at least one further datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter based on the at least one further datum.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the parameter based on the at least one datum and the parameter based on the at least one further datum are a same parameter related to a same component in the vehicle.