Surface material and condition sensing system

• US 5,745,051 A
• Filed: 01/14/1997
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weather Insights LLC
• Original Assignee: John A. Doherty
• Inventors: Collins, William J., Keathley, Donald P., Doherty, John A., Kalbfleisch, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/783,556
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/905, 340/580-583, 340/436
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0237 circuits concerning the atmospheric environment meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/208 with longitudinal auger
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/02 Devices for withdrawing samples sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising

Abstract

A system and apparatus for detecting and evaluating surface conditions on a road surface from a moving vehicle as disclosed. The system comprises a sensor means for detecting the presence of deposited material on a road surface, detecting means for determining one or more characteristics of the material such as its freezing temperature, process means for converting a detected signal and display means for displaying the condition of the road surface. A first embodiment of the invention includes a collection device for collecting a sample of the surface materials and one or more sensors to detect the freezing point of the material. A second embodiment includes a collection chamber which can be isolated and its contents frozen so that the freeze temperature may be obtained irrespective of knowing the composition of the material. A third embodiment of the present invention includes a remote sensing apparatus which utilizes electromagnetic radiation to sense actual surface material conditions, temperatures, and composition. This information is then processed through a computer in order to determine, preferably while the vehicle is in motion, those additional steps necessary to apply additional materials to the road surface in order to minimize hazardous driving conditions.

Claims

1. A system carried by a vehicle for remotely sensing and displaying at least one characteristic of a material deposited on a vehicle travel surface, said apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation transmitter mounted on said vehicle for transmitting a signal toward said material on said vehicle travel surface;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted on said vehicle for receiving a first reflected signal from said vehicle travel surface and a second reflected signal from said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface;

at least one signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said first and second reflected signals and producing an output signal corresponding to at least one characteristic of said deposited material; and

a computer connected to said processor generating a corresponding display signal.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a second signal processor connected to said receiver and to said computer for processing at least one of said reflected signals and comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

3. The system according to claim 2 further comprising a third processor connected to said receiver for comparing said reflected and transmitted signals to determine the density of said deposited material and generating a density output signal.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said computer receives said density output signal, said composition output signal, and calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

5. The system according to claim 3 further comprising a temperature sensor mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal to said computer corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle travel surface.

6. A system carried by a vehicle for remotely sensing and displaying at least one characteristic of a material deposited on a vehicle travel surface, said apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation transmitter mounted on said vehicle for transmitting a signal toward said material on said vehicle travel surface;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted on said vehicle for receiving a first reflected signal from said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface;

at least one signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said first reflected signal and producing an output signal corresponding to at least one characteristic of said deposited material; and

a second signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said first reflected signal and comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to determine another characteristic of said deposited material.

7. The system according to claim 6 further comprising a temperature sensor mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle road surface.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein one of said processors generates an output signal corresponding to the density of said deposited material.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein said receiver receives a second reflected signal from said vehicle travel surface in order to generate an output corresponding to the depth of said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface.

10. A system carried by a vehicle for remotely sensing and displaying at least one characteristic of a material deposited on a vehicle travel surface, said apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation transmitter mounted on said vehicle for transmitting a signal toward said material on said vehicle travel surface;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted on said vehicle for receiving a first reflected signal from said vehicle travel surface and a second reflected signal from said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface;

at least one signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said first and second reflected signals and producing a depth output signal corresponding to the thickness of said deposited material.

11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a second processor connected to said receiver for processing at least one of said reflected signals, comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to determine a characteristic of said deposited material and comparing said characteristic to said information in said database to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising a third processor connected to said receiver for comparing said reflected and transmitted signals to determine the density of said deposited material and generating, a density output signal.

13. The system according to claim 12 further comprising a computer connected to said processors wherein said computer receives said density output signal, said composition output signal, and said depth output signal and calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

14. The system according to claim 12 further comprising an infrared transceiver mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal to said computer corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle travel surface.

15. A system carried by a vehicle for remotely sensing and displaying at least one characteristic of a material deposited on a vehicle travel surface, said apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation transmitter mounted on said vehicle for transmitting a signal toward said material on said vehicle travel surface;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted on said vehicle for receiving a first reflected signal from said vehicle travel surface and a second reflected signal from said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface;

at least one signal processor connected to said receiver for processing at least one of said first and second reflected signals and producing an output signal corresponding to at least one characteristic of said deposited material.

16. The system according to claim 15 further comprising a second processor connected to said receiver for processing at least one of said reflected signals, comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to determine another characteristic of said deposited material and comparing said characteristics to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

17. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a third processor connected to said receiver for comparing said reflected and transmitted signals to determine the density of said deposited material and generating a density output signal.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a computer connected to said processors wherein said computer receives said composition output signal and said density output signal and calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

19. The system according to claim 15 further comprising a temperature sensor mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle road surface.

20. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a second processor connected to said receiver for processing at least one of said reflected signals, comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to determine another characteristic of said deposited material and comparing said characteristics to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein further comprising a computer connected to said temperature processor and composition processor output signals for determining a predicted freeze temperature of said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein said computer connected to said processors calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein said computer generates a control output signal for automatic control of chemical addition to said vehicle travel surface.

24. A system carried by a vehicle for remotely sensing and displaying at least one characteristic of a material deposited on a vehicle travel surface, said apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic radiation transmitter mounted on said vehicle for transmitting a signal toward said material on said vehicle travel surface;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted on said vehicle for receiving a reflected signal from said deposited material on said vehicle travel surface;

at least one signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said reflected signal and producing an output signal corresponding to at least one characteristic of said deposited material;

a database containing information representing various characteristic values for potential deposited materials; and

a computer connected to said processor and to said database for comparing said output signal to information in said database and generating a corresponding display signal.

25. The system according to claim 24 further comprising an infrared sensor mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal to said computer corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle travel surface.

26. The system according to claim 24 further comprising a second signal processor connected to said receiver and to said database and to said computer for processing said reflected signal and comparing the reflected signal to said transmitted signal to determine another characteristic of said deposited material and comparing said characteristic to said information in said database to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

27. The system according to claim 26 wherein one of said processors generates an output signal corresponding to the density of said deposited material.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein said computer receives said density output signal and said composition output signal and calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

29. The system according to claim 24 further comprising a second signal processor connected to said receiver for processing said first and second reflected signals and producing a depth output signal corresponding to the thickness of said deposited material.

30. The system according to claim 29 further comprising one of said processors comparing the reflected signal from said deposited material to said transmitted signal to said information in said database to identify the composition of said deposited material and generate a composition output signal.

31. The system according to claim 30 further comprising a third processor connected to said receiver for comparing said reflected and transmitted signals to determine the density of said deposited material and generating a density output signal.

32. The system according to claim 31 wherein said computer receives said density output signal, said composition output signal, and said depth output signal and calculates the amount of a user inputted composition needed to be applied to said vehicle travel surface to produce a desired composition on said surface.

33. The system according to claim 32 wherein said computer generates a control output signal for automatic control of chemical addition to said vehicle travel surface.

34. The system according to claim 31 further comprising an infrared transceiver mounted on said vehicle connected to a temperature processor for generating an output signal to said computer corresponding to the temperature of said vehicle road surface.