Moisture sensor with automatic emitter intensity control
First Claim
1. An automatic intensity control unit for a moisture sensor, said moisture sensor including one or more signal emitters for generating one or more emitter signals influenced by the presence of moisture on the surface of a transparent material and one or more detectors for receiving said one or more emitter signals and communicating with moisture sensing circuitry for determining the presence of moisture, said automatic intensity control unit comprising:
- a comparator connected to said one or more detectors for comparing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors with a predetermined reference signal;
a counter communicating with said comparator and having a counter output which increases when the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is less than said reference signal and decreases when the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is more than said reference signal;
an emitter driver connected to said one or more emitters for providing power to said one or more emitters in an amount which determines the intensity of said one or more emitter signals, wherein said emitter driver exponentially increases the emitter intensity with linear increases in said emitter control signal and exponentially decreases the emitter intensity with linear decreases in said emitter control signal, and an emitter intensity control signal generator connected to said emitter driver for providing an emitter intensity control signal for increasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when said counter output increases and decreasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when said counter output decreases.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic intensity control unit for use in a moisture sensor which senses moisture on the surface of a transparent material. The moisture sensor includes one or more emitters for producing an emitter signal which is influenced by moisture on the transparent material, and one or more detectors for receiving the emitter signals. The automatic intensity control unit adjusts the intensity of the emitter signals to accommodate transparent materials having different transmittances. The automatic intensity control unit includes a comparator for comparing the intensity the emitter signals received by the detectors with a predetermined reference signal and a counter communicating with the comparator for producing a counter output. The automatic intensity control unit also includes an emitter driver for providing power to the emitters in an amount which determines the intensity of the emitter signals, and an emitter intensity control signal generator communicating with the counter and the emitter driver for controlling the intensity of the emitter signals.
35 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An automatic intensity control unit for a moisture sensor, said moisture sensor including one or more signal emitters for generating one or more emitter signals influenced by the presence of moisture on the surface of a transparent material and one or more detectors for receiving said one or more emitter signals and communicating with moisture sensing circuitry for determining the presence of moisture, said automatic intensity control unit comprising:
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a comparator connected to said one or more detectors for comparing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors with a predetermined reference signal;
a counter communicating with said comparator and having a counter output which increases when the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is less than said reference signal and decreases when the intensity of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is more than said reference signal;
an emitter driver connected to said one or more emitters for providing power to said one or more emitters in an amount which determines the intensity of said one or more emitter signals, wherein said emitter driver exponentially increases the emitter intensity with linear increases in said emitter control signal and exponentially decreases the emitter intensity with linear decreases in said emitter control signal, and an emitter intensity control signal generator connected to said emitter driver for providing an emitter intensity control signal for increasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when said counter output increases and decreasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when said counter output decreases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A moisture sensor for determining the presence of moisture on the surface of a transparent material and controlling the actuation of a moisture removal system accordingly said moisture sensor comprising:
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one or more emitters for generating one or more emitter signals which are influenced by the presence of moisture on the surface of a transparent material;
one or more detectors for receiving said one or more emitted signals, a comparator connected to said one or more detectors for comparing the amplitude of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors with a predetermined reference signal;
a counter communicating with said comparator and having a counter output which increases when the amplitude of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is less than said reference signal and decreases when the amplitude of said one or more emitter signals received by said one or more detectors is more than said reference signal;
an emitter driver connected to said one or more emitters for providing power to said one or more emitters in an amount which determines the intensity of said one or more emitter signals, wherein said emitter driver exponentially increases the emitter intensity with linear increases in said emitter control signal and exponentially decreases the emitter intensity with linear decreases in said emitter control signal; and
an emitter intensity control signal generator connected to said emitter driver for increasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when the counter output increases and decreasing the intensity of said one or more emitter signals when said counter output decreases. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification