Imminent icing condition enunciator

• US 5,796,344 A
• Filed: 02/02/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CVG Management Corporation (Commercial Vehicle Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sprague Controls Inc.
• Inventors: Petersen, Norman J., Mann, Wayne L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US08/596,451
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/580, 340/583, 340/962, 340/601, 340/602, 340/581, 340/425.5, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 340/975
• US Class Current: 340/583
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/82 Ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/00 Indexing codes relating to the type of sensors based on the principle of their operation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Abstract

An imminent icing condition enunciator employs an infrared sensor with a focusing element to receive ambient infrared energy from a surface, particularly a road surface, and the output of the sensor is processed to provide an indication of imminent icing to the operator of, for example, an automobile or other vehicle. The device is suitably mounted to a vehicle, within a mirror enclosure so as to provide an unobstructed view of the roadway surface.

Claims

1. An imminent icing detector for determining icing conditions of a surface comprising:

infrared sensing means for detecting ambient infrared emissions from the surface and determining the likelihood of icing conditions of the surface based on the received detected ambient infrared emissions;

means for detecting obstruction of the infrared sensing means by contamination; and

amplification means for providing increased amplification of a signal from said sensing means in response to detection of an increase in obstruction by said detecting means.

2. An imminent icing detector for determining icing conditions on a road surface comprising:

infrared sensing means for detecting ambient infrared emissions from the surface and for determining the likelihood of icing conditions of the surface based on the received detected ambient infrared emissions, wherein said infrared sensing means comprises an infrared sensor and an ambient temperature compensation sensor, wherein said ambient temperature compensation sensor is employed for calibration of said infrared sensor and is further employed to display an ambient air temperature; and

ambient light detection means for determining the level of sunlight present, wherein the detected level of sunlight is also employed to determine the likelihood of icing conditions.

3. An imminent icing detector according to claim 2 wherein said infrared sensor and said ambient temperature sensor are physically bonded to one another to provide efficient temperature correlation therebetween.

4. An imminent icing detector according to claim 2 further comprising an audio detector for determining environmental noise conditions, wherein said determined environmental noise conditions are further employed to assist in determining the likelihood of icing conditions on the surface.

5. An icing detector comprising:

an imminent icing detector including an infrared sensing means for determining the likelihood of icing conditions on a surface; and

means for controlling a peripheral device based on the determination of the likelihood of icing conditions, wherein said peripheral device comprises a sanding device.