Windscreen sensing and wiper control system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for a motor vehicle in which a windshield at least partially encloses an interior compartment for housing passengers, said apparatus for detecting moisture on said windscreen, comprising:
- illumination source mounted within said motor vehicle;
diffusion surface spaced within said motor vehicle apart from said illumination source, said diffusion surface for reflecting light rays from said illumination source onto said windscreen;
light sensor spaced within said interior compartment apart from said windscreen and said diffusion surface, said light sensor for deflecting light rays reflected from said windscreen; and
image processor in communication with said light sensor, said image processor for creating an image representing said moisture on said windscreen based upon input from said light sensor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting moisture on the windscreen of a motor vehicle has an illumination source and a light sensor mounted within the motor vehicle. The light sensor detects light rays from the light source reflected off the windscreen via a diffusion surface within the motor vehicle. Based upon the sensed reflected light, an image processor in communication with the light sensor creates an image of a portion of the windscreen that the processor analyzes to determine the moisture condition of the windscreen.
A method for controlling the operation of the windscreen wiper system monitors light reflected from a portion of a windscreen and creates an image of the moisture condition of the windscreen based on the reflected light. The image is analyzed to determine the configuration of light intensities in predetermined zones. From the light intensity configuration, the moisture condition of the windscreen is determined. The sensed moisture condition parameters are compared to a threshold array and a signal based upon this comparison is communicated the wiper, defogger, or headlight control system.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for a motor vehicle in which a windshield at least partially encloses an interior compartment for housing passengers, said apparatus for detecting moisture on said windscreen, comprising:
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illumination source mounted within said motor vehicle; diffusion surface spaced within said motor vehicle apart from said illumination source, said diffusion surface for reflecting light rays from said illumination source onto said windscreen; light sensor spaced within said interior compartment apart from said windscreen and said diffusion surface, said light sensor for deflecting light rays reflected from said windscreen; and image processor in communication with said light sensor, said image processor for creating an image representing said moisture on said windscreen based upon input from said light sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for analyzing an image of a windscreen of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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correcting vertical compression of said image; comparing the brightness of a region of said image to a predetermined threshold of brightness; determining moisture condition of said region based upon the results of said comparing step; and updating said predetermine threshold of brightness.
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15. A method for controlling the operation of the windscreen wiper system of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring light reflected from a portion of a windscreen of said motor vehicle; creating an image of the moisture condition on said portion of said windscreen based on said reflected light; analyzing said image to determine the configuration of light intensities in predetermined zones of said image; and determining from said configuration the moisture condition of said windscreen. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for controlling the operation of the windscreen wiper system of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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providing a diffusion surface spaced within the passenger compartment of said vehicle apart from an illumination source and from the windscreen of said motor vehicle such that at least a portion of light from said illumination source is reflected from said diffusion surface onto said windscreen; placing a test pattern upon said diffusion surface; monitoring light reflected from said portion of the windscreen; creating an image of said test pattern based on said monitored light; analyzing said the degree of blurriness of said test pattern in said image; and determining from degree of blurriness the moisture condition of said windscreen.
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23. An apparatus for detecting moisture droplets on the windscreen of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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a light source mounted within said motor vehicle; diffusion surface spaced within said motor vehicle apart from said light source for reflecting light rays from said light source onto said windscreen; light sensor spaced within said motor vehicle apart from said windscreen and said diffusion surface for detecting light rays reflected from said windscreen; and image processor in communication with said light source and said light sensor for creating an image representing said moisture droplets and creating information regarding the moisture condition of said windscreen based upon said image, and in communication with the windscreen wiper control system of said vehicle for adjusting the operating speed of said windscreen wipers based on said information regarding said moisture condition. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for detecting moisture on the windscreen of a motor vehicle, comprising:
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illumination source mounted within said motor vehicle for transmitting light rays onto said windscreen; light sensor spaced within said motor vehicle apart from said windscreen and said illumination source, said light sensor for detecting light rays reflected from said windscreen; and image processor in communication with said light sensor, said image processor for creating an image representing said moisture on said windscreen based upon input from said light sensor.
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Specification